Drawing on a long career in chemistry, Dr. Penick is working to bring an ice-gripping polymer from concept to practical use.
Mark Andrew Penick, PhD, recently announced his new patent-pending technology for ice-gripping plastic molecules. With more than 35 years of experience in the field of chemistry, Dr. Penick has applied his expertise to address various industry and commercial issues. Currently, his focus is on verifying the applications of his ice-gripping polymer for reducing slip-and-fall incidents.
Before Dr. Penick began his professional career, he pursued formal studies in chemistry. He first completed a Master of Science in organic chemistry at Vanderbilt University in 1989, then earned a Doctor of Philosophy in chemistry at the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2011.
Dr. Penick joined G.D. Searle & Company as a chemist after graduating from Vanderbilt University. He became involved with work on high blood pressure medications. In the course of preparing a promising drug candidate, Dr. Penick discovered that much of the drug was being lost during purification. After diagnosing the issue, he devised a fix for the problem.
An Incident That Sparked Inspiration
After six years of research at Searle, Dr. Penick moved on to work with ILEX Oncology. Here, he was responsible for working on large-scale reactions aimed at assisting small cancer drug companies. From 2001 to 2005, Dr. Penick spent time as an organic chemistry laboratory instructor at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
At one point during Dr. Penick’s career, he experienced a slip-and-fall accident due to ice. Despite walking cautiously on the icy surface, he still fell and injured himself. After getting up, he wondered whether he could design a molecule capable of gripping ice. Eventually, the University of Texas at San Antonio offered him the opportunity to pursue this idea.
Identifying the Challenge and Building a Solution
Most materials, such as common rubber and plastic, do not provide sufficient grip on icy surfaces. When walking or driving, a certain level of friction occurs naturally; on ice, this natural adhesion is insufficient. Materials designed for use on ice must be specifically engineered to hold onto it. Existing materials are designed for a more generic grip.
By 2007, Dr. Penick had developed a proof-of-concept and secured a patent for a polymer composition for ice traction. He later moved on from his studies at the University of Texas at San Antonio to work as a researcher at PhotoProtective Technologies from 2012 to 2017, but continued to push for a market-ready solution. Today, Dr. Penick believes they are ready for the next step.
“I developed a plastic capable of initiating contact with ice at the atomic level,” Dr. Penick stated. “It contains specially designed molecules that integrate into the ice structure and become anchored there. I observe that, when trying to drag this material across ice, it resists sliding.”
Intentions for the Future
Over the years, Dr. Penick has invested his own time and money toward advancing this solution and has drawn closer to his goal. However, sustaining his research alone comes with challenges. He remains intent on building a company to bring his solution, a plastic engineered specifically to hold onto ice and improve safety in icy conditions, to market.
