TECHNOLOGY LICENSING OPPORTUNITY: Bio-Derived Phytol Chemical Herders
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is offering a technology licensing opportunity for its Bio-Derived Phytol Chemical Herders, a high-performance, bio-based solution for marine oil spill response. This special notice invites companies to explore licensing agreements to commercialize this innovative technology, rather than seeking external services for its development. Inquiries are welcome until June 30, 2026.
Technology Description
This technology introduces a new family of surfactants designed for oil spill response. These chemical herders are built from two renewable components: phytol (a long-chain alcohol from chlorophyll) as the hydrophobic tail and sugar alcohols as the polar head group. When applied, they reduce water surface tension, compacting thin oil films into thicker slicks for easier burning or mechanical recovery, especially in remote areas.
Key Advantages:
- Bio-based platform using renewable phytol and sugar alcohols.
- Designed to reduce environmental impact compared to non-biodegradable commercial herders.
- Demonstrated effectiveness in laboratory evaluations, competing with commercial benchmarks like ThickSlick 6535 and Siltech OP-40.
- Higher herding rates than previous phytol-derived examples.
- Operationally simple, high-yield synthesis supporting manufacturability.
- Potential for broader surfactant market applications (cleaning, formulations, delivery systems).
Development Status & Intellectual Property
The technology is at TRL 4 (Technology Readiness Level 4) and has a US Patent pending (LA-UR-26-23633).
Market Applications
Potential markets include the Oil & Gas Industry, Environmental Remediation & Spill Response, Government & Public Sector Agencies, Marine & Maritime Industry, Chemical & Specialty Surfactant Manufacturers, and Industrial & Institutional Cleaning.
Licensing & Contact Information
LANL's licensing program aims to move researcher-developed inventions into commercial innovations. Patented and patent-pending technologies are available through exclusive and non-exclusive licensing agreements. For specific discussions, interested parties should contact the LANL licensing team.
- Department/Agency: Energy, Department of (TRIAD - DOE CONTRACTOR)
- Place of Performance: Los Alamos, NM
- Set-Aside: None specified.
- Published Date: May 15, 2026
- Response Date for Inquiries: June 30, 2026
- Primary Contact: Caleb Ledgerwood (licensing@lanl.gov)
- Secondary Contact: Lindsay Augustyn (licensing@lanl.gov)