Like a thousand trees: Chileans create a paint using nanotechnology that mimics photosynthesis

Source: La Tercera

Sports courts in six municipalities of the Santiago Metropolitan Region will be painted with a one-of-a-kind additive developed with nanotechnology that, when exposed to sunlight, mimics the process of photosynthesis and purifies the air.

In Chile, silicosis is a public health problem because it is incurable and progressive. A study published in 2015 in the Revista Chilena de Enfermedades Respiratorias estimated that 440,801 workers are potentially exposed to it, and also highlighted that those under medical surveillance account for less than 10% of those estimated to be at risk.

It is a serious problem that occurs especially in mining due to air pollution. This is caused by the dust and respirable gases suspended at mining sites, which contain very fine particles that, when inhaled, can reach lung tissue and cause permanent scarring, leading to breathing problems, persistent coughing, fever and chest pain, and resulting in silicosis, which increases the risk of tuberculosis and lung cancer.

To solve this problem, the startup Photio was born in 2017, when Matías Moya and Jaime Rovegno, mining engineers from the Laboratory of Innovation for Mining and Metallurgy (LIMM) at the Universidad de Chile, wanted to find a way to reduce the danger of inhaling polluted air in mining operations. They were joined by Constanza Escobar, a chemical engineer from the Universidad de Chile. All three came from the mining world and were aware of the scale of that pollution.

“The problem of polluted air in mining is the most hostile pollution scenario, not only dust but also gases; it’s a very broad problem. We wanted to solve it in an innovative way that would be easy to implement. We wanted to start a business and make an impact on society. We didn’t know how, or whether it was feasible, but we wanted it to be implementable in a practical way,” admits Matías Moya, executive director of Photio.

Planting trees or shrubs at the mines was one of their first ideas. That way they could take advantage of the natural process of photosynthesis, which absorbs small suspended particles and gases.

“But we quickly realized it wasn’t viable”, says Moya. However, that first approach inspired them to look for ways to replicate this natural process to obtain its depolluting benefits.

Nanotechnology that cleans the air

Photio’s next step was to look for a solution through nanotechnology. It wasn’t the team’s area of expertise, “but now we’re experts”, Moya says of the learning and research they carried out, from understanding what nanoparticles were and how they worked to applying them in a practical solution.

In 2020, they devoted themselves to experimenting and testing their findings with different pollutants. Through a trial-and-error process, carried out at home and without rushing, they managed to create a nanoparticle additive they called Photio, the only one of its kind in the world, which, thanks to a chemical process triggered by UV radiation (natural or artificial), breaks down environmental pollutants into non-toxic compounds.

The additive is a nanotechnology-based liquid that purifies the air around the place where it is applied. “We didn’t want to compete with trees; we wanted to capture polluting gases and use solar radiation to do it. And we did it,” says Matías.

Although they initially designed the additive to make films and coat surfaces, they later decided to separate the active ingredient from a product for more flexible application, and “regardless of the paint, this turns it into a depolluting paint.

That’s how the first product started, a paint additive that can be replicated with different materials such as concrete or asphalt, or used to transform synthetic leather. There are millions of options for turning those materials or surfaces into smart elements capable of having a positive impact on the environment,” Moya explains.

The additive’s depolluting application goes far beyond the mining industry. It is a growing need in Chile, where 10.8 million people live in areas that have been declared at risk of or saturated with fine particulate matter (PM2.5), according to the Ministry of the Environment’s Sixth State of the Environment Report of 2021.

A company specializing in painting tennis courts was the first to bet on the technology. They painted one court, equivalent to 500 m2, or a thousand mature trees. They have also set up collaborations with the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Housing and the Construye 2025 program.

The team has received multiple awards, most recently the prize for Best Chilean Science-Based Startup (EBCT) at the 6th Technology Transfer Awards, presented by the Ministry of Science, Corfo and the Chilean Network of Technology Managers.

Depolluting sports courts

One of the initiatives the innovative product will be part of is led by a sportswear brand that, to promote sports, will renovate six neighborhood courts in the municipalities of Quinta Normal, La Florida, La Cisterna, Independencia, Renca and Cerrillos.

All the courts will be renovated with paint containing Photio, an additive whose properties, when exposed to sunlight, mimic the process of photosynthesis and purify the air, so the six courts will do the work of around 1,000 mature trees.

In this project, the additive will be applied directly to the court surfaces through the paint used. How will it work? A commercial gallon of paint is purchased and the additive is added, “and by using this paint directly on a wall, or in this case on the ground, we turn the ground into an air purifier,” Moya explains.

Purification is achieved by replicating the photosynthesis process carried out by plants and trees, “and that’s how we generate impact.”

The additive developed by Photio breaks down polluting gases, such as carbon monoxide and methane, turning them into inert compounds (a photochemical process). One square meter painted with this nanotechnology is equivalent to the depolluting effect of two mature trees. In this way, the walls of houses and buildings become environmental depolluters.

Although polluted air and clean air look the same, and it is hard for a person to directly perceive the difference, the startup has been able to validate the impact of this technology through the certifications and validations it has carried out to date with universities and laboratories in Chile and abroad.

The additive also works indoors. In fact, the startup is carrying out installations in underground spaces, since it works with natural radiation, “which would be the sun or shade, and on the other hand artificial radiation, which is any type of light that activates Photio’s active component.”

Moya highlights that they are transforming commonly used infrastructure, such as squares, roads or sports courts, into elements that improve people’s lives through nanotechnology by purifying the air. “We are working with large companies to transform the way we understand sustainability and the way we can solve the problem of pollution.”

Photio

In 2020, Photio took part in Know Hub Ignition, a program run by Know Hub that supports the creation and maturation of science- and technology-based ventures. “We were looking to bridge development and the commercial side, the scientific and the commercial. We knew R&D well, but we were still far from the commercial side,” says Matías.

Thanks to the program, they came to understand what customers were looking for, learned to explain the technology in simple terms and got closer to a huge market such as the North American one, since the program has international mentors who are helping them move forward with certification in the United States. “The University of California, Riverside, a strategic partner of Know Hub, is now our strategic partner in the United States,” Moya emphasizes.

EBCTs are characterized by complex development cycles shaped by technical, regulatory, intellectual property and financial factors, among others, explains Fernando Venegas, technology transfer manager at Know Hub, which directly affects the time they need to reach the market, which is usually longer.

“Most are made up of highly qualified profiles from a technical perspective (master’s and/or PhD), but with very little commercial and new business development experience. Given these characteristics, support in the early stages is decisive for their future success,” he stresses.

That support must be highly personalized, Venegas says, and take a multidisciplinary approach, where the venture is analyzed from technical, strategic, financial and commercial perspectives, “since they can fail due to various factors, such as an error in validating the technology, a poorly designed intellectual property strategy and, above all, team-building problems.”

Photio’s executive director highlights these initiatives that strengthen EBCTs: “They support you, advise you, they are very empathetic, and as an entrepreneur you really value that. Chile has many funds depending on the structure of the development; there is no shortage of funds. What is missing are strategic partners who really help you grow depending on the stage you’re at.”

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