Last week, Binghamton University researchers announced a partnership with a local Binghamton company to license a technology discovered right on campus.

The technology takes organic dyes, similar to those found in common t-shirts, and combines them with nanoparticles which then generates a thin film, according to chemistry department chair Wayne Jones. This film is then able to be incorporated into everyday plastics, such as television displays, laser welding, 3-D objects and visors for pilots.

The process binds organic dyes to metal oxides, allowing the dyes to withstand temperatures as high as 300 degrees. The polymer films infused with the dyes decrease the amount of heat entering the fabric by over 70 percent, protecting the color. Patenting and licensing of the technology will allow for further development and eventually marketing of the product.

The technology was discovered by the Innovative Technologies Complex-based startup ChromaNanoTech (CNT), which partnered with Jones. Chemistry professor William Bernier and Kenneth Skorenko, a second-year Ph.D. candidate studying chemistry, also worked on the project.

CNT is one of BU’s STARTUP-NY ventures. These companies are offered work space to rent tax-free on New York state university campuses, and in return must meet qualifications of engaging and working with the surrounding community.

Jones said that research and development opportunities like this are beneficial for students because they allow scientific research to be used in real-world applications, like the commercial market.

“I think it’s great that Binghamton University faculty and students have the opportunity to work on fundamental problems of science,” Jones said. “To show the applications of those fundamental studies to real-world applications that can turn into not only companies, but also jobs.”

Before the technologies can be used commercially, they must first pass through the office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Partnerships (EIP), said Per Stromhaug, the assistant vice president of EIP. Crysta-Lyn partnered with BU through the Strategic Partnership for Industrial Resurgence, which connects local companies with BU staff to help solve technological problems. He said that these collaborations can have a large impact on the community.

“If we could get more things like this happening, it would be huge for the local economy,” Stromhaug said. “We can really show that we can help local businesses create new products.”

Once a discovery is disclosed to the EIP office, members check to see if there is any patentable technology. From there, the University files the patent and pays the filing fees. Since the technology was developed in partnership between BU and Crysta-Lyn, both hold the license for the technology, according to Stromhaug.

There is already a way to create CNT’s technology, but doing this can cost anywhere from $20 to $60 per square foot, Skorenko said. Skorenko said that his process would only cost around $1 per square foot, allowing them to reach a much larger market. Currently Skorenko and CNT are in the process of expanding their ability to produce with hopes to produce one kilogram per batch per week in the next two years.

In the near term, Skorenko would like to see the company expand over the next two years to include not only himself, but two lab technicians and a sales person.

“My hope is to see this company grow; I want to see it succeed,” Skorenko said. “The prospect of being able to be my own boss for something that I started out is absolutely wonderful.”