Volume 5, Number 2 March/April 1997
Technology Transfer
NASA SOLUTION TO A SPACE SHUTTLE
problem gave birth to a new type of chemistry and a new company. NASA's Johnson Space Center
developed a revolutionary technology that founded Flowing Discharge Radical Chemistry (FDRC),
which is the basis for FlowGenix, a Webster, Texas, biomaterials company that has exclusive license
to the FDRC technology and its use for treating various materials, including porous polymers.
The early Space Shuttles were losing protective tiles during reentry. This problem was serious because losing too many tiles could cause the Shuttle to burn up on reentry. NASA investigated and found that the glues used to hold the tiles in place were chemically modified by reactive gases while the Shuttle was in low-Earth orbit. New materials were tested that solved this problem and led to FDRC changes in surface characteristics.
Space near Earth is a vacuum that contains oxygen and other reactive gases activated by the Sun. These gases may be produced under Earth conditions but at high energy, which has damaging effects to polymer materials. FlowGenix's breakthrough process produces new "cold" reactive gases that modify surfaces without damage.
A gas stream flows under low pressure through a special reactor in FDRC. The reactor's shape and electric design allow a large volume of reactive atoms or molecules, called "radicals," to form as gas moves through the plasma zone. The gas cools and becomes more pure as it diffuses away from the plasma zone. The gas gently but thoroughly modifies any surface it touches.
These gases are very reactive and extremely small and carry no electric charge, allowing them to penetrate deeply into porous materials. The reactions that take place leave molecular "hooks" that change the character of the polymer surface and also may be used as starting points for other chemical reactions. This change turns a simple material into a high-tech, high-value-added component.
Flowing discharge technology allows DNA synthesis supports, chromatography media and diagnostic cassettes to be made from inexpensive porous sintered polymer filters, which can be loaded interstitially for biochemical purposes. These products have greater loading capacities, superior flow rates, good dimensional stability, less reagent utilization, significantly lower cost and flexibility in design. They shorten biopharmaceutical development and production cycle times substantially and drive down the costs of commercialization and manufacturing for chemical and biotechnological products.
FlowGenix will focus initially on biotechnology applications for disposable products to make and purify DNA. Markets for small- and large-scale synthesis supports and chromatography products are expected to exceed $300 million this year and $900 million by 2001.
For more information about this technology, contact Dr. Jill D. Fabricant at FlowGenix.
Call 281/316-1070,E-mail: jfabricant@flowgenix.com
Or visit FlowGenix's web site: www.flowgenix.com
Please mention you read about it in Innovation.
