Anew Material creates solvent- and plastic-free coatings using peptide technology that matches the target material surface's chemistry and nano/micro-structure for optimal adherence without using volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
FELLOW
Jiye Son
Jiye Son is the founder and CEO of Anew Material. After obtaining her Ph.D. in nanotechnology and materials chemistry from the City University of New York (CUNY), she became the associate director of the Nanoscience Initiative at the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, where she led programs to foster entrepreneurship and academic-industry collaborations. Prior to graduate school, she worked at Estee Lauder Companies and worked for over ten years in nail salons.
TECHNOLOGY
Critical Need
Current petrochemical-based coatings, paints, and adhesives, used in cosmetics, textiles, and industrial applications, contribute to over three billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually. In addition, petrochemicals like methyl-methacrylate and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) used in nail products pose an occupational chemical hazard to the 400,000+ U.S. nail salon workers, most of whom are immigrant women. Public health researchers have found elevated levels of phthalates and toluene in workers’ blood and urine samples. According to the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health, 25 percent of nail technicians had complications during pregnancy, compared to eight percent of the general population, and they are three times more likely to have babies born with birth defects.
Technology Vision
Using nature’s building blocks, amino acids, and other bio-derived molecules, Anew Material’s technology customizes coatings that match the chemistry and nano/micro-structure of the target material surface for optimal adherence without the use of volatile organic solvents. The ingredients for the company’s formula can be extracted from existing biomass, so the coatings are essentially completely bio-derived and contain no petroleum-based ingredients
Potential for Impact
Anew Material’s bio-derived coating technology has the potential to replace current petroleum-based formulas used in multiple products like nail polish, latex paints, and hair and textile dyes that contribute to nearly 400 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions globally. By gaining 10 percent of market share in the paint and nail polish industries, Anew Material’s technology has the potential to mitigate 39 million tons of CO2e and capture six million tons of CO2e through its feedstock for a total reduction of 45 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions globally.
Website
Anew Material