Consider this … a recent press release describes how a Rice University
affiliated startup called Syzygy Plasmonics has raised nearly $6 million to
produce a cleaner form of hydrogen, using a novel type of photocatalyst.
The text of the press release appears below. And below that are some TIPS on
how to learn more about the people behind the technology. Read on.
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How nanoparticles
that harvest light could curb climate emissions
by James Temple
Aug 19, 2019
Manufacturing chemicals creates a huge amount of greenhouse-gas emissions, both
from the heat needed to drive production and from by-products of the reactions
themselves. But new technology emerging from the lab could transform these
conventional industrial methods.
A Rice University spinout is pursuing a novel way of producing hydrogen and
other chemicals by relying on nanoparticles that enable light, rather than
heat, to power the reactions. Syzygy Plasmonics will disclose on Monday that
it’s raised $5.8 million, in a funding round co-led by MIT venture firm The
Engine and the GOOSE Society of Texas.
The Houston-based startup will use the funds to build a pilot-scale plant for
producing hydrogen. The company believes the technology could reduce the
emissions usually generated in the process by as much as half.
Hydrogen is a $130 billion market today, mainly used in oil refining, chemical
production, and steelmaking. Many believe it has growing promise for energy
storage as well, as a way of powering vehicles and balancing the electricity
grid.
The vast majority of hydrogen is produced from natural gas, using a process
known as steam reforming that uses heat, pressure, and chemical catalysts to
convert the gas into hydrogen and, problematically, carbon dioxide. Between
this by-product and the heat from fossil fuels, the process emits more than 800
million tons of carbon dioxide annually, equivalent to the combined emissions
of the United Kingdom and Indonesia, as the International Energy Agency noted
in a recent report.
Syzygy’s founders believe they can address a big part of problem this by
swapping the chemical catalysts for a new type of photocatalyst developed by
and licensed from Rice University.
Researchers have been investigating photocatalysts for decades. So far,
however, they’re only used in limited applications, like water and air
purification, in part because they haven’t proved very efficient at driving
chemical reactions.
Rice professors Naomi Halas and Peter Nordlander, two of the company’s cofounders,
figured out a way to combine so-called plasmonic nanoparticles, a promising
category of photocatalysts, with traditional catalysts. In a 2016 paper in
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers found that
this coupling approach delivered high light absorption and efficient reactions,
and was highly customizable for particular applications.
Syzygy believes that by relying on these hybrid nanoparticles and building a
specialized reactor, it can run the
hydrogen production process using LEDs, which could be powered by wind, solar,
or hydroelectric power. That would eliminate the need for the fossil fuels
burned to produce steam and additional heat in the traditional process, which
account for around half of the emissions.
It wouldn’t address the emissions from the carbon dioxide created as a
by-product, though the company did receive a US Department of Energy grant to
explore ways to do that as well. The company believes similar photocatalysts
could be used to produce cleaner versions of other industrial products made
with catalysts, potentially including synthetic fuels and fertilizers.
source: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/614186/how-nanoparticles-that-harvest-light-could-curb-climate-emissions/?utm_campaign=the_download.unpaid.engagement&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=75864789&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8mGSEkuBASfvHFPHrPxaSjv7E6qxnzoXxFsh2NYY9ScoV5WuXmiOrTEcddH2IDryUVwchRQ4RRSY-W3swV8VVlWGM9IQ&_hsmi=75864789
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As always, a good place to start for background is the Web site of the company
itself …
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Syzygy Plasmonics
Who we are
Trevor Best - Founder, CEO
Mr. Best is the founding CEO of Syzygy Plasmonics. He has a demonstrated track
record of success in a corporate setting, from management to intrapreneurship.
His skills in launching special projects, project management, and supply chain
management will be essential for success of this early-stage venture. He
graduated from Texas Tech University in 2007 with a triple major in
International Business, Marketing, and Management with a minor in Spanish,
while also learning Chinese. After joining Baker Hughes in 2009, he has
steadily progressed to the level of Senior Manager, where he has gained
expertise in quality assurance (Six Sigma Black Belt), regulatory compliance,
technology development management, project and personnel management, supply
chain management, internal/external communications, and business process
architecture.
Suman khatiwada, phd - Founder, CTO
Dr. Khatiwada is the founding CTO of Syzygy Plasmonics. He brings a wealth of
experience in early stage entrepreneurship, R&D, nanotechnology,
intellectual property, and university relations. After moving from Nepal and
receiving a B.S. in Physics from Morgan State University, he went on to receive
his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Rice University in 2014.
While at Rice, he co-founded Big Delta Systems to commercialize spray paintable
battery technology, where he gained crucial knowledge on forming and launching
a technology company. In the past 3 years, he has worked for Baker Hughes, an
oilfield services company, as a Materials Research Scientist where he has
invented multiple materials systems and gained expertise in R&D product
development and intellectual property. Dr. Khatiwada has 3 US patents issued
and 7 US patent applications to his name.
Shreya Shah, phd - Lead Chemical Engineer
Dr. Shah came to the United States from India in 2010 to study at Washington
State University. She received her PhD in Chemical Engineering in 2015 before
joining the University of Houston as a post-doctoral researcher. During a
workshop for the American Chemical Society she met Suman and the rest is
history. Her expertise in Chemical Engineering is a strong addition to Syzygy’s
team.
John Welch - Lead Project Engineer
Mr. Welch is a Masters-level geologist with over twenty years of experience in
Oil and Gas. During his time in the industry, he gained expertise in a wide
variety of technologies and is a recognized expert in the construction of experimental
setups. He has a firm understanding of chemistry and is adept at problem
solving in a laboratory research environment. His skills provide a strong
addition to Syzygy’s team.
Braden Adams - Mechanical Engineer
Mr. Adams is a former multiple sport collegiate athlete who received a Bachelor
of Science in Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines in 2013 with a
Mechanical Specialty. His experience as a competitive athlete provides the team
with a valued perspective as the dynamics of this early-stage venture also
focused on high performance, team based endeavors. His experience in research,
design, development and manufacturing of mechanical systems gained as a
Sustaining Engineer at Baker Hughes provide a vital addition to Syzygy
Plasmonics. During his time at Baker Hughes, he earned certifications as a Six
Sigma Yellow Belt and Material Review Board, as well as participating in
multiple customer detailed design reviews and kaizens. His skill set also
includes past entrepreneurial ventures in digital marketing, e-commerce and
business development consulting.
Professor Naomi Halas - Co-Founder, Technology
Adviser
Prof. Halas is the Stanley C. Moore Professor in Electrical and Computer
Engineering, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Professor of Chemistry,
Professor of Physics and Astronomy, and founding director of the Laboratory for
Nanophotonics at Rice University. Prof. Halas is one of the pioneering
researchers in the field of plasmonics, creating the concept of the “tunable
plasmon” and inventing a family of nanoparticles with resonances spanning the
visible and infrared regions of the spectrum. She is a National Security
Science and Engineering Faculty Fellow of the U.S. DoD, an advisor to the
Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate of the NSF, and advisor to the
Director of Defense Sciences Office at DARPA. In 2002, she co-founded
NanoSpectra, Inc. to commercialize nanoshell technology developed in her
laboratory. Prof. Halas is a co-founder and adviser of technology and
government grants at Syzygy.
Professor Peter Nordlander - Co-Founder,
Technology Adviser
Prof. Nordlander is Weiss Chair and Professor of Physics and Astronomy,
Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Professor of Materials
Science and Nanoengineering at Rice University. He obtained his PhD in
Theoretical Physics at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden in 1985. He
is a world-renowned researcher in theoretical condensed matter physics and
nanophysics, specifically on the theoretical and computational modeling of
plasmonics and nanophotonics phenomena. He has published more than 250 refereed
articles, given more than 300 invited presentations at international
conferences and workshops, been cited more than 25,000 times with a Web of
Science h-index in the 90s. Prof. Nordlander is a co-founder and technology
adviser at Syzygy.
source: http://plasmonics.tech/team
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Now, who knows if this startup will lift up? But if you are interested in the
concept, a good place to start is to research the names of the people involved
in the enterprise. I won’t do the research for you (unless you hire me.) But I
will say that, because of their affiliation with Rice University, it might be
worth your time to look a little deeper.
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Jean Steinhardt is principal of Jean Steinhardt
Consulting LLC (www.jeansteinhardtconsulting.com).
You can reach him at research@jeansteinhardtconsulting.com
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