Chemistry doctoral student creates ‘revolutionary’ process improvement, wins top prize from MSU E-Center
STARKVILLE, Miss.— Mississippi State University doctoral student Ernesto Borrego, in conjunction with MSU startup company Hand Technologies, LLC, won first place in the New Product Division II at the March MSU Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach Summit, a juried competition that awards $40,000 cash prizes for proposed technology, management, financials and market ideas.
Borrego, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Chemistry, and the Hand Technologies team won first place in their division and $2500 for their creation of a game-changing melt-processable, high carbon-yielding resin that can achieve rapid manufacturing times for thick carbon/carbon (C/C) composites used in hypersonic aircraft. C/C heat shields are vital in the creation of hypersonics; however, the current production time for these thermal systems is lengthy.
Borrego estimates the processes he proposes could produce the same industry-standard C/C composite approximately thirty times faster than current production timelines, which could create “massive” revenue.
“The broader impact of this work ranges in its societal benefits,” Ernesto said, “because it supports the growing infrastructure needed to develop and commercialize a transformative class of transportation technology—hypersonics—which have the potential to boost the global GDP by 2% ($4 trillion) if put into practice.”
Borrego, who has been researching the technology for four years in conjunction with his Ph.D., says it is an “honor and a confirmation” to receive this award.
“We have a real opportunity to help our country develop technologies that are critical to our national security, so it's bigger than us,” said Borrego, crediting Eric Hill and the E-Center for the opportunity. “When we win awards like this and we see an increasing demand for our product, it reaffirms that we are providing a real solution to a real problem and it makes me want to work harder to get it out into the world.”
Dennis Smith, an MSU professor of chemistry and Borrego’s business partner and graduate advisor, said, “Never in my 25 years in academia has a student consistently demonstrated a better attitude, affability, and genuine professional generosity as this guy,” Smith said. “Not surprising, these traits combined with the ability to invent and advance fundamental science and engineering research across multi-disciplines to practical commercial products is the magic formula for success – as those blessed with commercialization experience know well. We say it often in general but Ernesto is the embodiment of the notion that giving generously of your talent results in many fold returns.”
For more about the MSU Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach Summit, visit https://ecenter.msstate.edu/summit/#top.
For more details about the College of Arts and Sciences or Department of Chemistry, visit www.cas.msstate.edu and www.chemistry.msstate.edu.
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