SBIR/STTR Phase I: Green Solvent Mixtures as Alternatives to Environmentally Damaging and Toxic Solvents

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1 project will demonstrate the capability of a universal solvent set concept to reduce the environmental and health impact of solvents used in the construction of fuel cells and printed wiring boards, without significantly increasing cost or reducing performance. The key objectives involve (1) development of solubility maps for mixtures of solvents using only the solvents and solvent mixtures contained in the proposed universal solvent set (2) Formulation of trial precursor solutions derived from the solubility maps (3) Screening of the trial formulations for desirable characteristics (thermal stability, ease of atomization, shelf life, low nozzle buildup) (4) Performance of trial thin film depositions to produce sample fuel cell catalyst membranes and resistor materials for printed wiring boards and (5) customer evaluation of fuel cell and resistor material samples. The proposed work will facilitate creation of environmentally friendly precursor solutions that will have impact in the fuel cells and embedded passives industry and, in particular in the combustion chemical vapor deposition process which is enabling next generation products in electronics, advanced energy, and broadband.