Young Inventor Spotlight

Meet Mark Kennedy E. Bantugon, the Philippines National Winner and International Top 20 Winner of the 2021 James Dyson Award for his invention of the Pili Seal. The James Dyson Award is given each year to current and recent design engineer students to encourage and inspire the next generation.

Pili Seal was named after the resin waste of Pili Tree, which is the base ingredient in Bantugon’s aircraft integral fuel tank sealant meant to stop fuel leakage. What makes this product different from commercial sealants on the market is that it’s safe and non-toxic to the user’s health.

In addition to the integral fuel tank, the Pili Seal is also applicable to other specific aircraft parts that are subject to the contact of fuels, oils, lubricants, water, and weathering. It works as a two-component sealant, meaning the base and the hardener material need to mix to create a reaction that works and functions.

...In the Philippines, Mark says the Pili Tree is known to the locals for its delicious nuts and fragrant essential oils used in the perfume industry by companies like Gucci and Chanel. To extract the oils used for perfumes, these companies have the resin separated from the essential oils and then discard the spent resin waste.

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