Chapter 4
Are Ionic Liquids Enabling Technology?
Startup to Scale-Up to Find Out
Julia L. Shamshina and Robin D. Rogers
Abstract Commercialization of new sustainable technology from academia to
industry is based on the technology-enabling innovation, the manufacturability, the
implementation cost, and the technology’s competitive advantage, such as functionality improvement(s) over the routine process or existing products. Future-minded
thinking outside the accepted margins and innovative execution are involved in creating new markets. The majority of this chapter is dedicated to our experiences
in pursuing the transition of ionic liquids (ILs)-based technology from academia
to industry for the extraction of chitin ((C 8 H 13 O 5 N) n ), the second most abundant
biopolymer on the planet, directly from shrimp shells. While the dissolution and
extraction of chitin was demonstrated as early as 2010, the necessity of using an
IL presented hurdles for scaling the technology to a commercial level. The resultant chitin polymer could be extracted while maintaining its high-molecular weight
and providing materials with high strength and unique control of the final form. In
2012, a Laboratory Demonstration Pilot Unit (LDPU) was built and tested, followed
by further scale-up to a mini-pilot plant in 2014–2015 with funding from the U.S.
Department of Energy. Currently, this mini-pilot plant provides the groundwork for
the construction of a larger plant for a scaled-up chitin extraction by Mari Signum,
Mid-Atlantic. This will allow the generation of sufficient supplies of chitin and create
new markets for this polymer. The high quality of the polymer and the ability to produce high-value products from it will give Mari Signum, Mid-Atlantic a competitive
advantage not only to enter multiple focused profitable markets but also to create
new markets. Once the polymer becomes available on a large-scale not only will the
price decrease, but it will become available for the invention of additional products.
When large-scale supply is available, it will provide confidence to investors due to
RDR is president of 525 Solutions, Inc. and has partial ownership of 525 Solutions, Inc. RDR has
a former ownership in Mari Signum, Mid-Atlantic, LLC. RDR and JLS are named inventors on
related patents and applications. JLS is a former employee of 525 Solutions, Inc. and a former CTO
of Mari Signum, Mid-Atlantic, LLC.
J. L. Shamshina (B)
Mari Signum, Mid Atlantic, LLC, 8310 Shell Road, 23237 Richmond, VA, USA
e-mail: shams002@gmail.com
R. D. Rogers
525 Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 2206, 35403 Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
M. B. Shiflett (ed.), Commercial Applications of Ionic Liquids, Green Chemistry
and Sustainable Technology, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35245-5_4
69
Are Ionic Liquids Enabling Technology?
Startup to Scale-Up to Find Out
Julia L. Shamshina and Robin D. Rogers
Abstract Commercialization of new sustainable technology from academia to
industry is based on the technology-enabling innovation, the manufacturability, the
implementation cost, and the technology’s competitive advantage, such as functionality improvement(s) over the routine process or existing products. Future-minded
thinking outside the accepted margins and innovative execution are involved in creating new markets. The majority of this chapter is dedicated to our experiences
in pursuing the transition of ionic liquids (ILs)-based technology from academia
to industry for the extraction of chitin ((C 8 H 13 O 5 N) n ), the second most abundant
biopolymer on the planet, directly from shrimp shells. While the dissolution and
extraction of chitin was demonstrated as early as 2010, the necessity of using an
IL presented hurdles for scaling the technology to a commercial level. The resultant chitin polymer could be extracted while maintaining its high-molecular weight
and providing materials with high strength and unique control of the final form. In
2012, a Laboratory Demonstration Pilot Unit (LDPU) was built and tested, followed
by further scale-up to a mini-pilot plant in 2014–2015 with funding from the U.S.
Department of Energy. Currently, this mini-pilot plant provides the groundwork for
the construction of a larger plant for a scaled-up chitin extraction by Mari Signum,
Mid-Atlantic. This will allow the generation of sufficient supplies of chitin and create
new markets for this polymer. The high quality of the polymer and the ability to produce high-value products from it will give Mari Signum, Mid-Atlantic a competitive
advantage not only to enter multiple focused profitable markets but also to create
new markets. Once the polymer becomes available on a large-scale not only will the
price decrease, but it will become available for the invention of additional products.
When large-scale supply is available, it will provide confidence to investors due to
RDR is president of 525 Solutions, Inc. and has partial ownership of 525 Solutions, Inc. RDR has
a former ownership in Mari Signum, Mid-Atlantic, LLC. RDR and JLS are named inventors on
related patents and applications. JLS is a former employee of 525 Solutions, Inc. and a former CTO
of Mari Signum, Mid-Atlantic, LLC.
J. L. Shamshina (B)
Mari Signum, Mid Atlantic, LLC, 8310 Shell Road, 23237 Richmond, VA, USA
e-mail: shams002@gmail.com
R. D. Rogers
525 Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 2206, 35403 Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
M. B. Shiflett (ed.), Commercial Applications of Ionic Liquids, Green Chemistry
and Sustainable Technology, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35245-5_4
69