Grantee Research Project Results
Industrial Process Pollution Reduction by Development of Amorphous Biogenic Silica to Replace Fumed Silica
EPA Contract Number: EPD17023Title: Industrial Process Pollution Reduction by Development of Amorphous Biogenic Silica to Replace Fumed Silica
Investigators: Gross, Marcus J
Small Business: SioTeX Corporation
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: II
Project Period: March 1, 2017 through February 28, 2019
Project Amount: $299,955
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase II (2016) Recipients Lists
Research Category: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) , SBIR - Air and Climate
Description:
Fumed silica is an important additive in many products including paints, plastics and tires, but it is produced by an energy-intensive costly, toxic and hazardous process. SioTex has developed a superior triple green replacement for fumed silica that produces no toxic waste, uses little energy, and is inexpensive. Our patent pending technology uses rice hulls, a bio-waste, as the feedstock. Use of rice hulls will reduce methane emissions and field burning pollution. Our phase 1 project has proven scalability to meet market demands. The applications of our biogenic silica Eco-Sil includes paints plastics, tires, cosmetics, and agriculture. The Specialty silica market is $1.5 billion/year with a 6% growth rate. Our product has many advantages over fumed silica including lower dusting, better dispersability and a higher bulk density which improves handling and reduces transportation costs and emissions. Our goal is to have the superior Sio TeX process as the dominant production method in the huge fumed silica market. The result will be an impressive reduction in energy usage (i.e. enough energy to power Washington D.C. in perpetuity), elimination of toxic waste, reduced air pollution, better safety and dramatic cost savingsSupplemental Keywords:
air pollution, fumed silica, rice hulls, biowaste, biogenic silica, rice, industrial process pollution reduction, paints, tires, plastics, air and climate, industrial process pollution reductionsProgress and Final Reports:
SBIR Phase I:
Industrial Process Pollution Reduction by Development of Amorphous Biogenic Silica to Replace Fumed Silica | Final ReportThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.