Sustainable Materials to replace Petroleum Jelly in the production of Specialty Vacuum Greases

OVERVIEW

Wazoku, with this Innocentive Scouting Challenge, is seeking to identify sustainable raw materials that can replace petroleum jelly, in the manufacture of specialty vacuum greases and oils.

M&I Materials Ltd is a small, family-owned UK manufacturer producing several niche products, including the Apiezon range of specialty vacuum greases and oils. These are currently manufactured using petroleum jelly, processed via vacuum distillation. With a view to sustainability and long-term resilience, the company seeks to identify alternative raw materials that align with increasing demand for greener solutions from customers and the market at large. Applications extend across sectors including cryogenics, food production, laboratory equipment, and advanced sealing solutions.

Selected alternative feedstock solutions will be trialled in pilot studies within M&I’s current vacuum grease manufacturing process, with the possibility of further adoption upon successful trials.
 

This is a Scouting Challenge seeking a partner or supplier to provide solutions and expertise to solve the manufacturer’s business challenge; the Solver is invited to submit a written proposal to be evaluated by Wazoku and finalists by the manufacturer with the goal of establishing a collaborative partnership and potential future funding.

Solvers with a viable proposed solution will be supported by Wazoku:

• With the potential to be invited to pitch their solution to M&I Materials Ltd
• Have the opportunity to collaborate on real-world trials using the manufacturer’s existing infrastructure
• Benefit from potential supply contracts if trials are successful
• Potential to be adopted across other M&I product lines or by partners in related industries (e.g., semiconductors, cryogenics, clean energy labs)
• Receive: Technical support during the trial phase, access to specialist knowledge and product benchmarks, and potential support (e.g., investment readiness, networking, funding)

In return for this support, Wazoku will retain a share of 25% of any other financial benefits you are paid through the process.

Submissions to this Challenge must be received by 11:59 PM (US Eastern Time) on December 17th, 2025.

Please review the later Participation Guidance section before submitting a proposal.

- Login or register your interest to start solving!

ABOUT THE SEEKER

Wazoku is an innovation ecosystem platform encompassing AI, market intelligence, venture building, patent analysis and open talent networks. It centralises data, talent, and tools to make innovation measurable, impactful and able to solve pressing challenges.

Wazoku also operate Innocentive open innovation Challenges like this one, supporting the preeminent problem solver community who have delivered breakthrough results for organisations like NASA, the International Rescue Committee, and ExxonMobil.

THE CHALLENGE

Background

The production of specialty vacuum greases and oils has traditionally relied on fossil-derived hydrocarbons due to their favourable molecular structure, thermal stability, and vacuum performance. However, increasing regulatory pressure, supply chain volatility, and strong market demand for sustainable alternatives are driving the need for non-fossil feedstocks. M&I Materials seeks scalable, sustainable, and technically viable raw materials that can replace fossil-derived inputs in its Apiezon product range. The aim is to identify alternative feedstocks capable of delivering the high-performance characteristics required for grease in vacuum applications, focusing on vapour pressure, low outgassing and low toxicity with current manufacturing processes, the performance of which will be validated through trials.

The Challenge

Currently, petroleum jelly is used as the feedstock for multiple products, typically made up of a mixture of long-chain hydrocarbons. New feedstocks will be evaluated through exploring their potential for producing the required fractions and meeting end-product specifications. New feedstocks may not require processing in the same manner and M&I is open to discussions for other options. Improving efficiency is a key opportunity, as the current process leaves a significant proportion of material unused.

Possible feedstock solutions may originate from, but not limited to:

• Fractions of a Fischer-Tropsch process between oils and waxes
• Material produced after converting recycled plastics into hydrocarbon oils/waxes
• Any source of a complex mixture of long-chain hydrocarbons found in a semi-solid state upon manufacturing
• Bio-based feedstocks or wastes to include oils

To assist Solvers in understanding the requirements, the following are typical Target Characteristics of the finished Apiezon product, provided for reference only, to help inform the choice and suitability of proposed feedstocks.

Solvers are not expected to manufacture the final product, but should consider whether their feedstock, after processing, could enable these outcomes:

• Physical State: Semi-solid at room temperature (similar to petroleum jelly)
• Colour: White to pale yellow (minimal coloration preferred)
• Odour: Odourless or very faint hydrocarbon odour
• Vapour Pressure: ≤?10?? Torr at 20?°C (e.g., Apiezon AP100 achieves <?7.0×10?¹¹ Torr at 20?°C)
• Volatility: Low, to minimise outgassing in high vacuum systems
• Chemical Inertness: Non-reactive with stainless steel, aluminium, elastomers, and other common materials of construction
• Purity: Free from moisture, sulfur compounds, and volatile residues
• Viscosity, Pour Point, Molecular Weight Distribution to match or better Apiezon L grease

SOLUTION REQUIREMENTS

Functional Requirements

The solution must/should:

• 20 kg minimum quantity available to process the materials through the current processes for trial work. Happy to discuss quantities as little as 1kg range and plan for scale-up in the near future.
• Be available in sufficient volumes to support scale-up. Annual requirement (when scaled up and commercial): on the tonne scale of raw material (not an immediate requirement but will need to discuss how the supply of raw material could be met).
• Be of similar constitution to petroleum jelly (semi-solid or grease/oil-compatible under ambient conditions with high carbon chain lengths)
• Proposed feedstock should allow for the production of vacuum greases with the Target Characteristics stated above and the further requirements specified below
• Possess low toxicity
• Material should be free from undesirable impurities (moisture, sulphur compounds)

The solution should:

• Avoid introducing halogens, silicones, or reactive groups unless justified by performance benefits
• The aim is to maintain or enhance key product properties, focusing on vacuum performance (including outgassing and thermal stability), lubricity, and extended shelf life with reliable storage stability. This will be determined through trials on the final product.
• Benchmark data from Apiezon products will guide acceptable performance thresholds (e.g., Apiezon L Grease offers ultra-high vacuum capability without halogens or silicones)

Operating Conditions

The solution must/should:

• Remain non-reactive and safe under manufacturing and storage conditions
• Comply with regulations such as REACH and RoHS
• Be free from environmental or operator hazards such as: Corrosiveness, Strong odours, Toxic volatile components and Particulate generation

Cost Requirement

• Target unit costs are to be like petroleum jelly costs (i.e. <$20 kg) however all pricing can be discussed down the line.
• Specific benchmark pricing can be provided at a later stage.

Out of Scope

The solution must not:

• Contain or require heavy metals, halogenated additives, or persistent organic pollutants (POPs)
• Rely on feedstocks that drive deforestation
• Require complex, multi-step hazardous preprocessing involving toxic solvents
• Display strong colouration or odours that impact the final product’s use in commercial environments
• Use supply chains with unreliable traceability or low sustainability credentials

Applications will be assessed on:

• Relevance to the defined challenge
• Benefit of implementation
• Feasibility/economic viability
• Innovative nature
• Ability to launch in line with expected timescales
• Coherence of the proposed business model
• Development potential
• Maturity of the solution

YOUR SUBMISSION

Please login and register your interest, to complete the submission form.

The submitted proposals must be written in English and include:

1. Participation type – you will first be asked to inform us how you are participating in this challenge, as a Solver (Individual) or Solver (Organization).
2. Idea Summary - Please identify your technology and its advantages for the potential solution to the challenge (Keep this summary under 300 words. Below, you can also upload up to 3 supporting documents - PDF, Word, PowerPoint and images (jpg and png), Max 10MB per file).
3. Technology Readiness - Please select which TRL (Technology Readiness Level) your technology is currently at.
4. Describe your technology readiness level (Keep the description under 300 words).
5. Intellectual Property - Describe your intellectual property (IP) status. Have you, or do you intend to, protect the IP status associated with your technology? Please identify the IP status for any supporting technology. (Keep the description under 300 words).

PARTICIPATION GUIDANCE

1. Submission Close Date: Submissions to this Challenge must be received by 11:59 PM (US Eastern Time) on December 17th, 2025.
2. Late submissions: Late submissions will not be considered.
3. Multiple submissions, 3 Maximum: In case of multiple submissions by the same Solver, only 3 submissions – the final 3 submitted – will be considered. Any other submissions will be deleted prior to evaluation.
4. Submission form and attachments: Your submission will first be evaluated by Wazoku and finalists by the manufacturer’s evaluation team, first reviewing the information and content you have submitted at the submission form, with attachments used as additional context to your form submission. Submissions relying solely on attachments will receive less attention.
5. Evaluation notification steps: After the Challenge submission close date, Wazoku will review and select the solutions it will propose and position with the manufacturer, according to the timeline in the Challenge header. Everyone who submits a proposal will be notified about the status of their submissions.
6. Use of AI: Please note that any submissions produced solely with generative AI are not of interest.
7. Learn more: Find out more about participation in Innocentive Challenges.