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About Us

About Orion

Orion Polymer was launched after strategic invention by Dr. Chulsung Bae, a leading expert in ionic polymer chemistry and advanced materials science at Rensselaer Polytechnic University. The polymers invented in his lab have shown to be the most advanced in the field at the time, being the ONLY ones to show the critical durability when made into AEM, anion exchange membrane. Upon DOE encouragement to move the technology from the lab to the commercial sector for the benefit of green energy for all, Orion Polymer was formed. Orion developed new membrane that industrial labs have found to be superior to ANY AEM on the market, in durability at high temp, IEC, conductivity and consistent production! Orion produces and sells consistent 100 foot long rolls of Orion CMX for the advanced energy solutions sector.

dr-bae

Inventor, Founder, CEO

Dr. Chulsung Bae is the Ford Foundation Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (joint appointment) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI).

Dr. Bae received a Ph.D. in chemistry at University of Southern California in 2002 under the guidance of G. K. Surya Prakash and Nobel Laureate George A. Olah. After postdoctoral research with John Hartwig at Yale University, he started independent academic career at University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) as an Assistant Professor in 2004. In 2012 Bae relocated his research group to RPI. Dr. Bae’s awards include New Investigator Award of UNLV (2005), National Science Foundation CAREER Award (2008), and RPI School of Science Outstanding Research Award (2016).

In 2017 Dr. Bae received a $2.5 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Products Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) to develop innovative solid ion conducting materials for next generation renewable energy conversion and storage technology. Dr. Bae’s group has been supported by US Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, numerous private industries for development of ionic polymer materials that can play a key role in clean energy research and development.

Dr. Chulsung Bae is a top innovator, being in the top 1% of RPI faculty in research funding and is a worldwide collaborator in clean energy initiatives.

Cathryn Olsen

Chemist, COO

Cathryn Olsen is a former GE Global Research Center analytical chemist; a research scientist specializing in polymer process scale up and optimization, membrane technology for filtration, biomedical technology, and rapid disease detection devices (RDTs). She has been engaged in collaborations with NIH, CDC, UW, and the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation for membrane-based, in-the-field, rapid disease detection devices for Malaria, Flu A, Flu B, TB and co-infection.

Cathryn holds 15 patents covering high temperature thermoplastics, GE eVENT breathable, waterproof ePTFE, hydrophilic ePTFE for industrial applications, novel membrane test development, and biomedical filtration product improvements for monoclonal antibody cell culture cancer therapies.

Cathryn graduated from Syracuse University, has worked for Bristol Myers Squibb developing synthetic antibiotics, for GE Global Research, owned a Quality Inn for 14 years, and was a Principal Engineer at Global Foundries, standardizing the chem lab’s 325+ analyses and codified them in preparation for qualification as an autonomous vehicle chip production facility. 

Cathryn joined Orion Polymer, combining her years of diversified experience, to manage this exciting new ionomer company in July of 2019 and moved to the role of COO in 2022.

Jay Jeon

Chemist, Synthetic Polymer

Dr. Jong Yeob (Jay) Jeon is a synthetic polymer chemist, former postdoctoral research associate at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He has been working with Dr. Chulsung Bae at Bae Research Group to develop high performance ion conducting polymers, especially anion exchange membranes and ionomer electrode binders for electrochemical clean energy applications. His research interests include design and synthesis of polymeric materials in green chemistry to address global environmental concerns.

Dr. Jeon obtained his B.S. (2011) and Ph.D. (2016) degrees in applied chemistry at Ajou University, South Korea, under supervision of Dr. Bun Yeoul Lee. His Ph.D research topic was a study using various polymerizations with carbon dioxide as a feedstock to combat climate change. He is an inventor of 10+ patents regarding polymer science and membrane technology and an author of 30+ peer-reviewed scientific journal publications.

Advisors

  • Glenn Eisman, Founder H2 Pump, CTO

  • Mark Austin, Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Strategic Growth Advisor

Technology Team

  • Dr. Jay Jeon, Ph.D. Chemistry

  • Dr. Greg Kline, Ph.D. Chemistry

Orion CM Anion Exchange Polymer

  • Orion CM ionomer and CMX Membranes for AEM.

  • CMX is the most durable membrane yet invented for electrolysis, electric vehicle batteries, hydrogen production, CO2 capture, flow batteries.

  • Orion cationic polymers for PEM and High Temperature PEM

Proven Superior Products

Orion Polymer’s original TM1 was our starting place. It was analyzed by the National Renewable Energy Lab in Golden CO, USA, in an independent, blind study, as being the ONLY durable membrane to withstand 80°C KOH for 1000h. It is no longer sold by Orion as our two new generations of membranes far surpassed its performance capabilities. Our current gen Orion CMX was recently chosen by Nel Hydrogen as being the only AEM membrane they will use from now on.

Orion has IMPROVED its membranes since those NREL results and had a 2nd gen line of AM/ AMX and now a totally new line of the most durable  CM/CMX polymers and membranes!

Orion’s new CMX membranes  are commercially available in quantities of 10cm x 10cm up to 25 meter long rolls. Ask for a quote today!

Any length of Orion CMX membrane are available. They are always in stock and can ship asap. Please contact Manager@OrionPolymer.com