Research Terms
Industries
The University of Central Florida invention is a processing technique to coat ZnSe (an IR transparent material) particles with an atomically thin functional film. For fabricating optical components such as optical fibers, a high-temperature melting process is used in which the base matrix and the ZnSe powder are mixed and heated past the melting point of the matrix. This important step results in the formation of a composite (that is, a homogeneous mixture of two or more materials at fixed volume fractions) in which the ZnSe phase is intimately mixed in the glass matrix. The challenge in this melting process is that ZnSe can dissolve in the glass matrix resulting in a loss in IR transparency of the fabricated optical component. This technique prevents the dissolution of ZnSe powder during the high temperature melting process.
The University of Central Florida invention is a method to coat active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) powders with atomically thin layers of biocompatible metal oxide films such as aluminum oxide. The metal oxide films provide a barrier that controllably dissolves and releases the APIs in different pH environments, particularly in the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The thickness of the film (only a few tenths of nanometers) and the precise atomic-scale engineering control the composition. Hence, the film dissolution rate provides an entirely new approach to developing API release technology that is highly controllable and less bulky (compared to current enteric formulations used as a standard by the industry). Fine-tuning the composition to respond to the specific chemistry of the GI tract can lead to highly targeted drug release or delayed drug release over time. Together, these advantages can lead to better patient outcomes and a step closer to customizable drug delivery for personalized medicine.
Partnering Opportunity
The research team is seeking partners for licensing, research collaboration, or both.
Stage of Development
Prototype available.
“Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) on 5-Aminosalicylic for Delayed and Targeted Drug Release Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease,” ALD 2022, 22nd International Conference on Atomic Layer Deposition, June 28, 2022, Ghent, Belgium.
The University of Central Florida invention enables companies to fabricate highly-reduced, stable ceria nanostructures with approximately 85 percent Ce3+. UCF’s temperature-controlled, reversible defect engineering platform for ceria nanostructures also enables thermal and reversible modulation of the Ce3+/Ce4+ ratio.
Ceria nanostructures are used for various applications due to their unique defect structure, enabling them to have regenerative oxidative properties. However, fabricating highly reduced, stable nanoceria has been challenging. UCF researchers have overcome those challenges by producing vanadium oxide-cerium oxide (VO2-CeO2) hetero-nano bilayers using atomic layer deposition (ALD). The research team coupled the VO2 peculiar low-temperature monoclinic to tetragonal phase transition (PT) with ceria nanostructures. XPS with in-situ heating revealed the Ce3+/Ce4+ ratio is increasing with heating to 68 C (phase transition temperature) and cooling back to room temperature, resulting in a remarkable Ce3+/Ce4+ ratio of 5.97 (Ce3+ approximately 85 percent) with CeO2- VO2 bilayer sample. This system also allows for a reversible physicochemical property with ceria.
Partnering Opportunity
The research team is seeking partners for licensing, research collaboration, or both.
