MFIC Announces Nanomaterials Collaboration With UMass Lowell For Use of MMR Systems
Complete the form below to unlock access to ALL audio articles.
MFIC Corporation has signed a research and collaboration agreement with The University of Massachusetts, Lowell (UML) to develop applications, processes and products in the area of nanomaterials utilizing MFIC's materials processing and chemical reactor equipment.
Microfluidics, the operating subsidiary of MFIC, will provide a Microfluidizer® Processor and the Microfluidizer® Multiple Stream Mixer/Reactor (MMR) lab system, to be located on the UML campus.
The MMR is one of only two advanced, fully equipped systems of its kind in existence, having a current value of $350,000.
With the processor valued at $100,000, plus the provision of technical and financial support to projects, the MFIC contribution is valued at $545,000.
Research will proceed under the direction of the Nanomanufacturing Center of Excellence (NCOE) at UML.
“We expect the Microfluidics equipment will become key manufacturing platforms for high throughput nanomanufacturing,” says Prof. Julie Chen, director of the NCOE.
“Researchers on campus and across industry sectors are interested in exploring nanoparticle production that is scalable from experimental quantities to production amounts, with consistency and stability.”
Irwin Gruverman, CEO and Chairman of MFIC, stated,“We welcome this opportunity to collaborate with the substantial formulation and engineering strengths at UML.”
“Our Microfluidizer® Processor equipment and the technology embodied therein is well-proven in thousands of instances and hundreds of applications, many in nanomaterials-based uses.”
“The MMR chemical reactors, while relatively new, have demonstrated their ability to perform continuous chemical reactions in varied applications which yield, with unparalleled precision, controlled size, purity, product uniformity and pharmacokinetic properties.”
“These innovative systems can enable many UML projects to produce nanomaterials for, among others, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical formulations.”
“We intend to take an active role in the selection and validation of specific Collaboration project targets as members of the Steering Committee that will guide the Collaboration.”
MFIC and the University have ongoing research collaborations. UML faculty researchers have been using the Microfluidizer materials processing equipment for significant recent research.
Prof. Robert Nicolosi, director of the Center for Health and Disease Research, who has used Microfluidics equipment in the development of nutraceuticals focusing on plant sterols, is developing compounds for medical applications; Prof. Carl Lawton, director of the Massachusetts Bioprocess Development Center, assists biotechnology companies in their process development.
The Microfluidizer Processor systems, use a "fixed geometry" interaction chamber to force liquid streams through microchannels at extremely high pressure and velocity, and then to collide them.
The resultant collision and high shear yields nanoscale particles in stable dispersions or emulsions used in a wide variety of applications such as pharmaceuticals, ink-jet inks and coatings.
In biotechnology, the processor is ideal for "cell disruption": puncturing cell membranes to isolate and harvest the desired protein products within while minimizing required post-disruption processing.
Microfluidics' patented Multiple Stream Chemical Reactor performs fast, continuous chemical reactions in an ultraturbulent environment.
Rather than starting with a premixed formulation, as is the standard practice for the Microfluidizer Processor systems, researchers can introduce two or more streams of pure starting reactant materials to create nanostructures under total control and in production quantities.
The technology achieves unprecedented control of nanostructure size and uniformity. Applications may include superconductors, drug reformulations, catalysts, photographic emulsions and making durable ceramics.
Under the agreement, UML and MFIC will work together to explore and develop applications and products - using this technology - that can move rapidly to commercialization.
The Collaboration will benefit both parties through the arrangements for intellectual property, patent rights and licensing royalties.