A Portland State University researcher developing a novel, environmentally friendly method for producing hydrogen peroxide has received a grant from PSU’s University Venture Development Fund (UVDF). The funding will help innovator Theresa McCormick advance her innovation closer to commercialization and enable partnership with a local business.
McCormick’s research addresses significant environmental and logistical challenges in how hydrogen peroxide—a common disinfectant and bleaching agent—is currently made. Traditional manufacturing is energy-intensive and centralized, and the chemical is difficult to transport at high concentrations. McCormick’s innovative process uses light and an organic photocatalyst to produce hydrogen peroxide safely and efficiently on-site. The system is designed to be a closed loop, electrochemically recycling by-products back into their original form, eliminating waste and the need to constantly supply new raw materials.
"Our discovery of a photochemical method to produce hydrogen peroxide is very exciting, but it is a long way to go from bench chemistry to something that impacts society. This grant lets us take one more step down that path, partnering with local industry to make a real world impact with our chemistry," said McCormick.
The grant from the University Venture Development Fund provides critical seed funding to bridge the gap between lab-based research and commercial readiness. This award will allow McCormick to gather essential data to strengthen a joint Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) proposal with industry partner Rheaplant. The UVDF was established to help PSU innovators mature their technologies and intellectual property to a stage where they can attract external investment and federal funding.
"Our partnership with Portland State University marks an important step toward sustainable, onsite hydrogen peroxide production, a solution with the potential to transform sterilization processes in biotechnology and, over time, extend its impact to other industries that rely on safe and efficient sterilization. As a growing company, we recognize that prototyping funds are critical for moving technology from the lab to real-world applications, and Rheaplant is excited to collaborate with PSU to bring this innovation to market," said Sowmya Purushothaman, Rheaplant.
This collaboration exemplifies the fund's purpose: enabling PSU researchers to partner with small businesses, translate cutting-edge discoveries from the university to the marketplace, and drive regional economic growth.
"The UVDF grant program is instrumental to bridging the gap between innovative university research and its real-world application like Dr. McCormick's on-site hydrogen peroxide production and enabling vital industry partnerships to translate early-stage technologies to impact," said Travis Woodland, Director of Innovation & Intellectual Property
About the University Venture Development Fund at PSU
The UVDF provides grants to university researchers to advance the commercialization of their innovations. Supported by donor contributions, the fund is a critical tool for transforming promising research into market-ready products and services, fostering entrepreneurship within the PSU community enabling real world impacts from research.
About Portland State University
As Oregon's urban public research university, Portland State University is a national leader in community engagement and a vibrant hub of innovation. Located in the heart of downtown Portland, PSU's motto is "Let Knowledge Serve the City," and it is dedicated to providing its 21,000 students with opportunities to learn, research, and collaborate with community partners to solve local and global challenges.