Innovation Cache™: Purdue University
Below you will find a listing of the top technology transfer abstracts from Purdue University.
Title: All-natural Dental Adhesive
About the technology: Inventors at Purdue University have developed an eco-friendly, all-natural denture adhesive based on soy products. The main component in denture adhesives currently on the market is poly-vinyl-methyl-ether-maleic-anhydride (PVMMA), which is a petroleum based petrochemical. Through the use of soy researchers have developed an environmentally sustainable denture adhesive that performs as well or better than currently available products.
For more information, contact the Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization by visiting www.prf.org/otc.
Title: FIBitz: Soy Fiber and Protein Food Additive Capsule
About the technology: Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years in the United States. With this drastic increase, more children are susceptible to mental health disorders, bone and joint disorders, and juvenile diabetes. There has recently been a movement within society, especially among parents, to provide foods with nutritive value to their children in order to curb childhood obesity.
Researchers at Purdue University have developed a kid-friendly, multi-flavored fiber and protein supplement to pair with a consumer’s favorite breakfast food. FIBitz is comprised of tiny spheres which provide a unique mechanism to deliver fiber and protein to children, while enhancing the flavor of whatever it is added to. FIBitz is available in mixed berry, blueberry, lemon, or maple flavors and are a colorful, unique and fun way to supplement a child’s fiber and protein intake.
For more information, contact the Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization by visiting www.prf.org/otc.
Title: Low Ligning-Second Generation BioEnergy Crops
About the technology: In the quest for energy independence, production of biofuels, such as corn ethanol, has exploded. There has been a rapid increase in biorefinery construction, and tax credits encourage further production efforts. The majority of ethanol produced for transportation purposes is from corn, but this form of biofuel production is unsustainable. Transition from corn ethanol to cellulosic ethanol (derived from wood, grasses, or the non-edible parts of plants) is necessary, and federal support for this transition is evidenced by the substantial tax credits allotted for cellulosic-ethanol producers. Maximization of available biomass is necessary, however, to ensure the longterm success of cellulosic biofuels.
Researchers at Purdue University have developed a transgenic variety of poplar tree for use as feedstock for cellulosic-ethanol production. The transformed plant accumulates biomass faster than its non-transgenic counterpart. The biomass produced is more easily degradable, and the plant is sterile. These desirable traits are owed to multiple stem growth and low lignin production.
For more information, contact the Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization by visiting www.prf.org/otc.
Title: The Arabidopsis GTL1 Transcription Factor Regulates Water Use Efficiency and Drought Tolerance by Modulating Stomatal Density via Transrepresion of SDD1
About the technology: Plants require water for photosynthesis, which is a process by which the plant generates the energy it needs for growth. Transpiration is the process of moving water from the plant roots to the rest of the plant, where it ultimately escapes through tiny pores called stomata. The stomata can open or close to regulate the rate of transcription. Thus, during times of drought, the stomata close in order to retain water. However, CO2, which is also required for photosynthesis, enters the plant through the stomata. This means the stomata must find a degree of opening that will balance water loss with CO2 uptake. Description: This invention is a transcription factor, a protein that binds to DNA and regulates gene expression. This transcription factor regulates the growth of the stomata to enhance drought tolerance and increase water use efficiency.
For more information, contact the Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization by visiting www.prf.org/otc.
Title: Impact Flooring: Corn- and Soy-based Coatings for Wood and other Surfaces
About the technology: Conventional wood flooring is typically coated with some sort of petrochemical-derived product to add resistance to scratches, dents, and marring. As environmental awareness rises, more and more people are seeking out sustainable alternatives to oil-based building materials.
Researchers at Purdue have used corn/soy based polymer (PLA) to fill this need. In addition, they have developed a technique to further increase the durability of the coating with results that surpass the durability of conventional petrol-based wood floor coatings.
For more information, contact the Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization by visiting www.prf.org/otc.