Philippine State College of Aeronautics undergraduate is the inventor behind the sustainable sealant, made from Pili Tree resin, for aircraft integral fuel tank
“I was struck by the lack of options to effective and sustainably-produced sealants in the aviation industry and thought there should be a way around. Pili Seal pioneers the study of upcycling waste materials for production of aviation sealant. Through my invention, I hope to inject a new perspective that beneficial and sustainable usage can be found from waste materials. I hope this will inspire greater innovation in global aviation, while empowering the livelihoods of local Filipino farmers through new streams of income," explains Mark Kennedy Bantugon.
Bantugon is the inventor behind the Pili Seal, and is his year's James Dyson Award in the Philippines for 2021. A degree holder of BS in Aeronautical Engineering at the Philippine State College of Aeronautics, it was but a natural progression for him to study how to help the industry he is in, specifically sealants used for water transportation, constructions, buildings, wood, and metal sheet roof applications.
Naming it Pili Seal, Batugon was able to reuse waste material from Pili Tree Resin and use it as a two-component sealant. It works as a base material for aircraft integral fuel tank sealant production. Mixing the base and a hardener material, the sealant can function properly and work to seal aircraft pats such as integral fuel tank and components that are subjected to contact with aircraft fuels, lubricants, oils, water, and weathering.
Bantugan also made sure that the Pili Seal delivers top notch performance. Exceeding data results of commercial sealants from over 20 property tests ranging from physical, chemical, mechanical, thermal ato rheological. Best news? Pili Seal is safe and non-toxic for everyday use.
Runners up include ReConnect by De La Salle University Manila which is a portable compact device, temporarily restores internet connectivity, especially in disaster-stricken areas. Using a built-in satellite dish, it connects users to the closes Internet Service Provider (ISP).
The other runner up is the Non-invasive Bacteria Detector on Wounds by. It's a portable sensor-based device that detects gas emitted from an open wound using an electrochemical gas sensor. All three entries will join the international James Dyson Award competition. The top 20 shortlisted entries will be announced on October 13 while the international winners on November 17.
“I am incredibly heartened to see my fellow Filipino inventors step up to the challenge of developing solutions to both domestic and global problems. This is testament to the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the Filipino people, and the power of young Filipinos to engineer a better tomorrow. I wish the winners every success in bringing their inventions into a reality," says Carvey Ehren Maigue who was last year' James Dyson Award International Sustainability Winner.