About Us

About Orion

Orion Polymer represents 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 this lab have shown to be the most advanced in the field, being the ONLY ones to show the critical durability when made into AEM, anion exchange membrane. Orion Polymer produces membrane and sells bulk polymers for this critical partnership 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.

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.

Technical contact, Synthetic Polymer Chemist

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 AM

Orion-TM1-Polymer
  • Orion AM
  • Orion BN2
  • Orion FL1
  • Orion SEBS chemicals
  • Orion cationic polymers for PEM

Proven Superior Products

Orion Polymer’s AM alkaline exchange resin is the most remarkable team member, recently being 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. 

Orion AMX membrane showed virtually NO degradation during 1000 hours of hot and harsh condition testing against over 50 globally-submitted membrane. AMX is available in 10cm x 10cm sheets, 20cm x 20cm sheets, or 20cm wide rolls, priced per meter.

Orion’s BN2 membrane was the #2 polymer membrane out of 50+ for durability, ion    conductivity, ion exchange capacity and other tested factors. See PPN4 in NREL.

Orion AM is commercially available in quantities of 10g to multi-kilogram. Ask for a quote today!   Any quantity of anion exchange polymer or any size and length of membrane, or use the Orion shopping cart on the Products page.

Orion offers other anionic polymers, custom-made: Orion BN2, Orion FLN1, cationic polymers for HT-PEM, and SEBS chemicals for water treatment.