TECH OFFERS

Cooking oil waste has become a significant environmental problem in recent years. Improper disposal of used cooking oil and fried food scraps can lead to pollution of water sources and the release of harmful greenhouse gases. When poured down into drains, it travels through sewage systems to rivers and oceans, disrupting ecosystems, clogging water treatment plant filters, and complicating water purification processes. Additionally, there are higher costs associated with waste disposal in volume-based plastic garbage bags which are also not environmentally friendly. This technology addresses the above pain points by offering a sustainable solution that recycles discarded fried food scraps into high valued biodiesel raw material, preventing water pollution and sewage pipe blockage when discarded without appropriate measures. This innovation addresses a critical market need by providing a greener alternative to conventional disposal methods, reducing waste disposal costs and the production of high valued biodiesel as an end point.  The technology owner is seeking collaborations with companies in the fields of waste management and biodiesel production for test-bedding and research & development projects aimed at recycling fried food scraps into biodiesel. Advanced System Features: It starts with the input of fried food crumbs, where impurities are removed. The material undergoes heat treatment with controlled rotation to optimize the separation process. The mixture is then separated into two main components:  Sludge: used as a raw material for biodegradable plastics, supporting the development of sustainable materials. Crude Waste Cooking Oil: Further refined into biodiesel raw material, offering a renewable alternative to traditional fossil fuel. IT-Driven Collection and Digitalization: It utilizes an IT platform to collect and digitize the supply chain of fried crumbs which enhances the efficiency and traceability throughout the process. Recycling Focus: Emphasizes recycling food waste rather than upcycling, ensuring complete repurposing into new products which maximizes resource recovery by fully converting waste into valuable outputs. This technology has the potential to be applied on these areas, harnessing on its ability and process to convert waste cooking oil into high valued biodiesel. Renewable Energy Sector: The refined waste cooking oil can be used as a raw material for biodiesel, a renewable fuel that can power diesel engines in vehicles, machinery, and generators, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Waste Management and Recycling: Innovative waste management solution for food processing industries, restaurants, and large-scale kitchens, turning waste by-products into valuable resources rather than disposing of them. Agriculture and Animal Feed: The sludge can also be used as a nutrient-rich feedstock for insect farming, supporting the production of sustainable animal feeds. The global biodiesel market was valued at approximately ~USD 43 billion in 2022, with an expected annual growth rate of 5.25%, projected to reach ~USD 65 billion by 2030. Additionally, the market for bio aviation fuel is anticipated to increase by 60 million tons by 2040 (growth of over 20%). This underscores a strong demand for sustainable biofuels. Innovative Raw Material Use: Unlike other companies that primarily use waste cooking oil, this technology utilizes fried food crumbs as the main raw material, allowing a more versatile input stream, tapping into an underutilized waste source. Superior Additive Development: Significant advancements in additive development have resulted in a 50% increase in overall yield, making their process 2.5 times more effective than competitors. Furthermore, the enhancement in acid value indicates a superior quality of biodiesel raw material, which translates to improved efficiency and performance. biodiesel, carbon neutral, recycling, cooked oil, waste reduction Sustainability, Circular Economy

Plastic recycling plays a crucial role in achieving a sustainable future. Proper sorting of waste plastics is essential, especially in mixed waste streams where various materials are combined. Some types of plastic are not recyclable, and even recyclable ones can be difficult to separate efficiently. Sorting mixed waste streams into different recyclable categories can be time-consuming and labour-intensive, especially for materials with similar appearances, such as different types of plastic. To address these challenges, this technology aims to automate and accurately sort plastic waste, reducing the reliance on manual processing and improving overall plastic recycling efficiency. The technology on offer is a patented artificial intelligence (AI) based material sorting robot that sorts plastic waste accurately. Comprising of a camera, recognition unit and analysis unit, each unit of this system can continuously identify and sort waste plastics and generate information in real time. Blower vacuum adsorption devices are placed within each unit to pick waste in a speedy and accurate manner. This technology effectively reduces the issue of labour shortage in the waste sector, lowers operating costs and contamination rates that hinders recycling efforts. Currently, the technology has been deployed successfully in South Korea to sort polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). The technology owner is interested to work with Singapore waste collection companies on joint development projects to testbed this technology and improve plastic recycling rates. This technology comprises of the following hardware and software components: Camera unit – for real time monitoring Recognition unit – for real time item detection and data collection Analysis unit – for analysis of the type, colour, contamination level, and presence or absence of lids and labels Conversion unit – for item selection and sorting AI-enabled dashboard Key features of this AI-enabled material robot include: Sort rate of 96 pieces per minute 99.3% accuracy 7 types of waste This technology has been validated for plastic waste sorting (PET, PE and PP) and can be expanded into sorting of other types of wastes such as paper, plastic vinyl films, aluminium, iron and textiles. Other potential applications include construction and marine waste. High recognition and sorting accuracy Improves waste sorting efficiency by 240% in terms of speed and 126% in terms of operation time Cost-effective solution for resource efficiency (279% reduction in sorting costs) artificial intelligence, AI, robot, waste, plastic recycling, sorting, smart city, waste management, automation, environment, recycling, resource recycling, circular economy, sustainability Infocomm, Artificial Intelligence, Waste Management & Recycling, Industrial Waste Management, Automation & Productivity Enhancement Systems, Sustainability, Circular Economy

Anti-fouling coatings have garnered significant attention due to the increasing demand for durable, low-maintenance, and aesthetically pleasing surfaces in both residential and commercial spaces. These coatings help maintain cleanliness and appearance, reduce cleaning frequency and effort, and offer substantial cost savings in maintenance. However, balancing the performance and cost of anti-fouling coatings, particularly in achieving both oil repellence and dust resistance, remains a challenge. There is also a growing emphasis on developing stain-repellent coatings that provide long-lasting protection against abrasion. The technology offers a special fluororesin-based functional coating with excellent water and oil repellence and dust resistance. This thin, transparent and durable coating can be applied to metals, plastics, ceramics and various other surfaces. It effectively reduces the accumulation of oil and stain build-up on the surface, prolonging the life span of home appliances and reducing maintenance frequency. With these superior properties, such coatings have great potential for applications across electronics, household appliances, and automotive applications, enhancing product performance and durability while improving user convenience and hygiene.  The technology owner is seeking joint R&D collaboration and partnership with companies interested in integrating this coating into their products and applications. The coating formulation is a unique organic-inorganic composite resin that incorporates particle dispersion technology. It is synthesized by copolymerizing acrylic resin with polysiloxane and fluorine units, resulting in a resin with high water and oil repellency and low surface resistance. Key features of the anti-fouling coating include: Balanced performance: effectively repels water, oil stains, and dust Ultra-thin and transparent: preserve the appearance of materials with a 2-5 µm clear coating layer Long-lasting: improved scratch resistance due to the highly durable resin layer Customisable: tailor the coating by adding anti-static, antibacterial and antiviral properties Cost-effective: more affordable than existing PTFE and high fluorine content coatings Versatile application: suitable for a wide range of materials and surfaces Easy application: a simple 3-step process involving surface cleaning, spray coating and low temperature baking (100 °C). Energy saving and environmentally friendly The potential applications of anti-fouling coating include but are not limited to: Households: interior walls, ceilings, kitchen countertops, toilet seats, furniture, etc. Electrical appliances: lighting, ventilation fans, refrigerators, ovens, etc. Electronics: mobile phones, displays, touch panels, printed circuit boards (PCBs), etc. Automotive: windows, dashboards, wheels, fabric seats, etc. Industrial sectors: machinery, equipment, packaging materials, etc. Textiles and fashion: silks, fabrics, wallpapers, etc. Optimal performance: balanced oil repellence and dust resistance Enhanced durability: ensures long-lasting effect Cost-effective: low material cost and simple process (low temperature baking) Anti-fouling, coating, surface durability, water-repellent, oil-repellent, Dust resistence Materials, Composites, Chemicals, Coatings & Paints, Sustainability, Circular Economy

Platinum group metals (PGMs) are critical raw materials essential in diverse industries, including automotive catalytic converters, jewelry, glassware, petrochemical refining, electronics, and healthcare sectors like pharmaceuticals and dental implants. Primarily sourced through the mining of PGM ores, they constitute about 70% of the global PGM supply, with South Africa and Russia accounting for 85% of this production. This concentration in supply can lead to price gouging and market monopoly. Recycling PGMs from waste not only mitigates the supply shortfall but also reduces environmental impacts compared to mining. However, conventional recycling methods are energy-intensive, requiring temperatures around 1500°C, and involve costly downstream processing to treat waste. Furthermore, the high processing temperatures result in high-value raw materials being burnt and releasing harmful toxins. The technology owner has developed a novel biorecovery method that incorporates and modifies a series of biochemical and biological processes into a streamlined 3-stage process as opposed to the multi-tiered stages of current conventional methods used in industry. It offers the following advantages over the competition: Energy Efficiency: consumes 6x less energy than traditional methods Cost Effective: 3x cheaper in operation cost High Yield: capable of recovering multiple PGM simultaneously with high yield even from low-grade waste Sustainability: support company decarbonization goals by offering a truly green and sustainable recycling manner for spent catalyst The core process and specifications of the technology are summarised as follows: Statistically-Optimised Ultrasonication: as a key pretreatment step, this sonication method effectively removes all undesirable metals from waste, isolating PGM-rich materials, called the PGM-preconcentrated stream, enhancing the efficiency of subsequent steps. Bioextraction Technique: secondly, utilise a novel and unique bioextraction technique to extract PGMs from waste with high efficiency (i.e., 99% recycling rate per cycle for rhodium (Rh), 92-95% per cycle recycling rate for platinum (Pt) and palladium (Pd)). It can be employed at a commercial scale without compromising yield. Bioreduction, Bioaccumulation, and Bioprecipitation: a combination of these improved biological processes are used in the third step to produce PGM into powder form which further undergoes separation and purification to produce high-purity PGM products. This technology is ideal for industries that are interested to recycle their spent catalysts. The potential applications are as follows: Catalyst manufacturers Precious metal recycling companies Electronics and lithium ion battery (LIB) manufacturers Waste management companies Modular design: reduced logistics costs and downtime Lower cost (CAPEX & OPEX) compared to existing technologies Superior recovery rate: even for low-grade wastes  Sustainable and efficient recycling: offer significant step towards decarbonisation in industrial practices Biorecycling, Platinum group metals, Low carbon emission, Decarbonisation, Clean technology, Circular economy Chemicals, Catalysts, Environment, Clean Air & Water, Biological & Chemical Treatment, Waste Management & Recycling, Industrial Waste Management, Sustainability, Circular Economy

We have developed a variety of keratin templates for the healthcare sector namely sponges as tissue fillers, gels for wound healing, sutures and films as cell carriers. These keratin templates can be derived from keratinous wastes such as human hair and chicken feathers, which currently do not have significant commercial value and contribute to environmental pollution through disposal via incineration or landfills. Our technology involves the extraction of keratins from the organic waste streams mentioned, and fabricating various forms using solubilized keratins as the raw material. These materials have been shown to be cell compatible and evoke minimal host tissue response in animal studies. The templates we have developed represent a new class of alternative biomaterials which are functional and sustainable.  Keratin templates, derived from hair and feathers, exhibit a remarkable capability to tailor their mechanical properties, making them highly adaptable for various biomedical applications. These templates serve as promising scaffolds due to their tunable nature, allowing for the creation of structures with desired mechanical characteristics, crucial for supporting tissue regeneration and repair. In vitro studies have demonstrated the efficacy of these keratin templates by revealing robust cell proliferation and metabolic activity. Such findings underscore their compatibility with biological systems, indicating their potential for promoting tissue growth and regeneration. Furthermore, in vivo studies have provided encouraging results, showing no signs of acute inflammation and minimal host tissue response upon implantation. This suggests the biocompatibility of keratin templates, which is essential for their successful integration into living organisms. Moreover, the biodegradability of keratin templates enhances their appeal for biomedical applications, ensuring that they degrade naturally over time without causing harm or leaving behind residue. Overall, the versatility, biocompatibility, and biodegradability of keratin templates derived from hair and feathers make them promising candidates for a wide range of biomedical applications, offering hope for advancements in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine Sponges as tissue fillers : These sponges are flexible, stable and degrade slowly through enzymatic digestion, hence making them suitable for use as tissue fillers. Gels for wound healing: These gels are stable and have a gradient structure which mimics the native skin structure. Antimicrobial elements can be incorporated, enhancing their suitability for wound healing applications. Fibers as sutures: These fibers are flexible, stable and degradable over time in vivo, hence making them an alternative absorbable suture that is made from renewal and sustainable raw materials. Films as cell carriers: These films are cell compatible and can be surface functionalized to enhance cell response. These materials provide a significant waste valorisation potential, and have been shown to be cell compatible and evoke minimal host tissue response in animal studies. They have excellent biological properties of keratins which makes it suitable for several biomedical applications. The technology provider is able  to produce a variety of keratin templates which can be produced for various application.  circular economy, biocompatible, biodegradable, sponges, gels, fibres, films, keratin Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals & Therapeutics, Life Sciences, Industrial Biotech Methods & Processes, Sustainability, Circular Economy

Electrolysis has diverse applications across various sectors, such as household and industrial electrolyzed water treatment, soda electrolysis, electrolytic plating, electrodeposition, and hydrogen generation. In electrolysis using insoluble electrodes, the electrocatalyst acting as the reaction field for the electrode reaction undergoes gradual abrasion. Given the high cost of precious metals (i.e., platinum group compounds) used as catalysts, protecting the catalyst and reducing the wear rate are crucial for extending the lifetime of electrodes and reducing the maintenance cost. Current technologies include multilayer electrodes that have a surface layer of noble metal oxide on the electrocatalyst to reduce catalyst wear. However, this method proves more expensive than ordinary insoluble electrodes. Additionally, the surface layer cannot be recoated. To address the challenge, the technology owner has developed a proprietary protective coating that effectively protects the catalyst on the surface of existing insoluble electrodes. This solution enables effective electrode protection through an inexpensive coating, reducing catalyst consumption and electrode replacement frequency. The coating can be reused by recoating the electrode, also contributing to the perspective of “Circular Economy”. The technology owner is seeking R&D collaboration with industrial partners such as electrode manufacturers, coating manufacturers, and companies utilising insoluble electrodes in electrolysis, especially electrolytic plating and metal recovery.  This unique coating, made of special silicone and conductive particles, can be applied to the catalyst surface and cured to reduce catalyst wear. Key features of this technology include: Improved electrode durability: double the replacement interval Excellent chemical resistance: capability to withstand harsh liquids such as strong acids and strong alkalis Optimal performance: good heat resistance, conductivity, and adhesion to the base material Efficient development: shorter development time and lower implementation cost compared to alternative methods such as electrolytic control and diamond coating Cost-effective solution: reduce maintenance cost and utilisation loss in the upstream process of electrolysis Circular economy contribution: reusable by recoating the electrode This technology can be used in handling harsh liquids such as strong acids and strong alkalis, addressing the challenge of electrode durability. It is mainly intended for the recovery of metals through electrolysis, especially targeting aqueous solutions containing metal ions. This is particularly useful for processes such as electrolytic plating and etching effluents in semiconductor manufacturing. In the future, the technology owner is also exploring the potential applications of this technology in water electrolysis electrodes and the use of conductive coatings beyond electrodes. Double the lifetime of the electrode using an inexpensive coating Can be reused by recoating the electrode Reduce the replacement frequency and maintenance cost Adaptable to existing coating (painting) facilities without modification Coatings, Electrode Catalyst, Electrolysis, Metal Recovery, electrolytic plating, recoating, reused Chemicals, Coatings & Paints, Manufacturing, Chemical Processes, Sustainability, Circular Economy

Paper packaging is a versatile material used for a wide range of products. Its widespread adoption is due to its renewable and relatively low-cost resource along with environmental benefits such as recyclability and biodegradability. While paper packaging offers several advantages, some drawbacks of the material include porosity and the lack of barrier properties against moisture, oil, and grease. To overcome these limitations, conventional coatings such as polyethylene (PE) or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been employed to impart the required barrier protection. However, during the paper recycling process, it is difficult to repulp the coated paper due to several factors and results in reduced recyclability of such packaging materials. The technology on offer is a water-based coating formulation that can be applied onto paper packaging surfaces to act as a barrier against grease, liquid water, and water vapour. The coating imparts barrier protection functionalities, improving the paper’s resistance to grease, liquid water, and water vapor significantly. Use of bio-sourced constituents in the coating also improves product sustainability. As the coating’s constituents are repulpable, recyclability of the paper packaging can be achieved. With increasing awareness of reducing packaging waste, the deployment of this technology will offer companies a recyclable paper packaging with notable barrier properties. The technology owner is seeking for R&D co-development, test bedding and IP out licensing opportunities of this technology with interested companies. The water-based barrier coating technology has the following features: Consists of bio-sourced constituents to improve product sustainability Enables repulping of coated paper, largely improving recyclability of such packaging materials Improved barrier to water vapour transmission (WVTR) - WVTR value as low as 100 g/m2.day (based on ASTM E96) Improved liquid water resistance - Cobb60 value as low as 10 g/m2 (based on TAPPI T441) Improved grease resistance - a KIT rating as high as 12 (based on TAPPI T559) Easily applied by standard coating equipment Potential applications include (but are not limited to): Paper-based food packaging Paper boards, bags, and shipping sacks Products requiring enhanced barrier paper packaging Improves paper-based product recyclability while improving barrier properties of the paper Utilisation of bio-sourced constituents in coating formulation increases product sustainability Offers an alternative to PE and PFAS coated paper that are difficult to repulp coating, barrier, packaging, paper, water-based, recycling, recyclable, pulp, sustainability, sustainable, circular economy Chemicals, Coatings & Paints, Foods, Packaging & Storage, Organic, Bio-based, Sustainability, Circular Economy

Anti-corrosion is important for piping systems because corrosion can lead to several problems including reduced flow capacity, leaks and ruptures, contamination, increased maintenance costs and reduced lifespan. While there are several approaches to mitigate these problems, a possible approach is to utilise thermoplastic materials which are lightweight, durable, and resistant to corrosion. This technology is a thermoplastic piping system lined with HDPE/LDPE linings that is corrosion-resistant, do not generate any waste (waste material can be recycled) and has a reduced carbon footprint. The piping system is easy to assemble and install, providing long service lives due to the high-quality thermoplastic materials being deployed in the system. By laying these thermoplastic pipes underground using native soil without sand-bedding, a reduction in CO2 is achieved and offers users a sustainable piping solution against conventional piping materials. In combination with proprietary welding technologies, the technology has the lowest rate of leakages with high guarantee of preservation of drinking water quality when used in water piping systems. The technology owner is seeking for co-development and test-bedding opportunities with asset owners to integrate the technology into their infrastructure, particularly with hydrogen producing and transporting companies. The technology is a thermoplastic piping system that exhibits the following features: Efficient corrosion protection against aggressive media Excellent product properties (static puncture resistance) Long service life (minimum service life is 50 years, up to 100 years) Maintenance free – pipework is homogenous, longitudinally force-locked and leak-tight Reduced carbon footprint compared to conventional piping materials Easy to install using permanently leak-tight welding technologies Suitable for clean and efficient trenchless installation Black piping and fitting are resistant to UV and corrosion free against chemicals The technology is a thermoplastic piping system that has been successfully deployed in several industries. Possible applications include (but are not limited to): Hydrogen Plant Hydrogen transport (or transportation of natural gas) Semiconductor Photovoltaic Life Science Water and Wastewater Chemical Processing Oil & Gas Mining Power Plant Municipal Shipbuilding Environmental Engineering Irrigation Long life expectancy (up to 100 years) Maintenance free Simple and economical installation Toxic free and recyclable hdpe, high density polyethylene, thermoplastic, piping systems, anti-corrosion, corrosion resistance, low leakage, polymers, hydrogen gas pipe Materials, Plastics & Elastomers, Chemicals, Polymers, Environment, Clean Air & Water, Mechanical Systems, Sustainability, Circular Economy

Singapore has a high consumption of fruits and vegetables, both locally produced and imported, and a significant portion of the total waste generated is derived from fruits and vegetables. These fruits and vegetables contain untapped nutritional and functional properties that can be upcycled into higher value products. This institute of higher learning has developed a technology with the know-how to cultivate microorganisms and a series of zero-waste extraction and purification methods to maximize the value of fruit peels into functional food ingredients.  This technology is designed for three types of industry players: i) fruit vending/processing industry with abundance of good quality fruit by-products; ii) waste management industry with technologies to value add to the by-products; and iii) start-ups with keen interest to upcycle by-products into novel food ingredients. The technology is a sustainable process and here are some key features: Zero waste solution – achieving circular economy Low-carbon economy, reduced waste during manufacturing Easy to assemble using off-the-shelf commercial-ready equipment Low CAPEX, modular installation Simple method – any technician with basic training and carry out the process Scalable – abundance of fruit by-products to achieve economies of scale A reactor for pilot scale testing at a reasonable cost has been fabricated for collaborators to tap on. Food-grade microbial protein: A protein-rich source of food ingredient with functional properties to be applied into beverages, confectionery, plant-based meats Pectin from fruit peels: A finished product upon extraction process, it is rich in soluble dietary fiber that can be used as natural thickener or in jam/sauces and beverages. Cleaning agents: Antimicrobial properties were observed in the fruit peels post extraction Good quality fruit by-products from fruit industry are valuable resources for upcycling. These materials are currently disposed  by incineration. With the high moisture content of fruit peels, incineration is energy-intensive leading to higher CO2 emission. This technology produces valuable food ingredients such as protein and dietary fiber, contributing to both food security and circular economy. microbial protein, dietary fiber, dietary fibre, fuit by-product, fruit peel, zero waste, sustainable food ingredients, fruit waste, food waste, upcycle, food valorisation Waste Management & Recycling, Food & Agriculture Waste Management, Sustainability, Circular Economy, Food Security