26-year-old Filipino jet sealant inventor vies for global honor
Mark Kennedy Bantugon, 26, did not reinvent the wheel—or in this case, aviation sealant and adhesive.
But to say he improved on it would be an understatement. Bantugon developed a completely new, better industrial sealant that is more suited and responsive to a time when people are looking for greener products that will not cause harm to both people and the environment.
Pili Seal is organic, sustainable, strong and safer. It also smells better than commercial products currently on the market. It uses a product that is usually thrown away as waste or ignored.
The son of a teacher and farmer, the aeronautical engineering graduate had his eureka moment while completing his internship at Lufthansa Technik Philippines.
The all-chemical sealants and adhesives used to patch up planes posed health hazards to people using them. The polysulfide-based sealants that had been the industry standard for preventing fuel leaks in aircraft for over 50 years may cause skin and respiratory irritation, and their disposal poses an environmental challenge, especially when heated or burned.
Fixing leaky roofs
The European Chemicals Agency has identified substances commonly found in adhesives and sealants as hazardous and needed to be handled and disposed of carefully.
But the chewing gum Bantugon used as a kid to try to fix leaks and holes in their home in Batangas will be even less effective in holding together large metal airplane pieces.
As the son of a farmer, he knew about trees and their sticky resins. “I tried different resins from trees that grow in tropical countries,” he says, using them to fix leaky roofs.
He tried six different tree resins before choosing pili as the main ingredient of his sealant that has now gone into commercial production. “Pili resin stood out. It also smells nice,” he says.
Bantugon’s Pili Seal is a bio-based aircraft sealant and adhesive that is safer for aviation people to handle and is biodegradable. It is a healthier alternative to toxic petrochemical-derived sealants and adhesives. It withstands fuel exposure, heat and pressure, making it suitable for aircraft fuel tanks and other high-performance applications.
The invention may also be used in construction, automotive, marine and defense industries, contributing to a circular economy by repurposing 155 million kilograms of agricultural pili tree resin waste generated annually in the Philippines.
The Pili Seal is a name that Bantugo is particularly proud of. It does not only highlight the main ingredient of his product but also proclaims its country of origin. It has not only been granted several patents, but its Filipino inventor has also been included on the list of the top 10 innovators nominated for the Young Inventors Prize 2025.
Tomorrow Shapers
Contenders for the Young Inventors Prize 2025, known as Tomorrow Shapers, were selected from 450 candidates by an independent jury. Winners will be announced during ceremonies on June 18 in Iceland.
The Young Inventors Prize celebrates the world’s innovators 30 and under who use technology to address global challenges posed by the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
By transforming agricultural waste into a high-performance sealant, Bantugon is addressing UN SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure).
Bantugon’s invention is a boon to pili farmers, mostly in the Bicol region where much of the country’s pili supply comes from, as it provides them additional income
The tree, better known for the confectionery derived from its nuts, generally bears fruit only once a year. Only lately have people found its oil useful for beauty and health and wellness products.
To make sure the health of pili trees is protected during the collection of resin, Bantugon, a scholar of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), says farmers are being trained by DOST on the right way to tap the resin. Bicol farmers are also encouraged to plant more trees.
Bantugon banishes the notion that pili grows exclusively in Bicol. He says other parts of Luzon, including his native Batangas, and Asian countries grow other varieties, although the Bicol trees seem to be prolific fruit-bearers.
After finding a use for resin, Bantugon is now setting his sight on how to repurpose pili shells, sometimes used as fuel but often discarded after the nut has been collected.
