The Economic Development Partnership of Alabama Foundation has selected 11 teams to compete in the 2015 Alabama Launchpad Startup Competition, including seven from Birmingham. One of the selected teams includes UAB researchers (Dr. Aaron Catledge and Jamin Johnston) in the Department of Physics who have teamed up with Pete Winslett, owner of local company 'Bama Mine & Milling'. The innovations developed by the UAB team have allowed well-adhered nanostructured diamond coatings onto cemented carbide cutting tool bits that are used in underground mining/rock drilling applications. 

The technology, owned by the UAB Research Foundation may lead to much more efficient drilling operations with longer tool life and as has potential to impact a number of other cutting/drilling markets. Currently, the team is targeting a specific type of bit used for drilling holes in the roof of mines to secure bolts needed as a critical safety measure. However, their preliminary testing has showed tremendous performance gains for directional drilling applications as well.

The challenge has typically been to overcome the problem of adhesion of the coating to the metal surface. Breakthroughs by the UAB team in tailoring both the nanostructured diamond coating and the diamond/metal interface have demonstrated a promising solution to this problem, not only for cutting tools but also for biomedical implants.

Read more: http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/news/2014/12/15/meet-the-seven-bham-startups-competing-in-the-2015.html