The Challenge
Having been spun of out of CSIRO in 2001, Boron Molecular re-enaged with CSIRO Manufacturing in 2014 to make and sell RAFT Agents. RAFT Agents are discreet molecules used to control polymer properties using RAFT Polymerisation – a technology CSIRO had developed but not yet commercialised. Using RAFT Technology, manufacturers can precisely fix the properties of polymers and large molecules seen in range of industries from paint, luricants and adhesives through to superplasticers, dispersants and components for electronics mass production. Until now companies have only been able to access much smaller ‘research’ quantities of the agent for R&D evaluation.
The Solution
With access to commercial volumes of RAFT agents, it is expected that the uptake of the technology in key markets will accelerate significantly, including in the biomedical, personal care, agriculture and the industrial and chemical sectors. With this vision in mind over the last five years Boron Molecular developed robust chemical processes for the scale up and ongoing manufacture of high quality, low ordour RAFT Agents.
Impact
Looking back, the commercialization effort has seen multiple industrial research labs across world dusting off their RAFT technologies and revisting the development of next generation of high performance polymers across all major industries.
Boron Molecular Director Zoran Manev said the commercialisation of RAFT technology has been a huge succes. It have allowed the company to expand its expertise and manufacturing base. Importantly the lessons learnt from the commecilistion of RAFT from bench to market has enabled the business to apply the process to a range of other emerging technologies.
