PHD Materials Inc.
Industrializing 500 million years of marine biomineralization
A biomimetic platform for low-carbon cement alternatives and ocean restoration.
The Challenge
Two parallel environmental crises with no integrated solution.
Cement & CO₂
The cement industry contributes 7-8% of global CO₂ emissions, with 4 billion tonnes produced annually worldwide.A Warming, Acidifying Ocean
Sea surface temperatures have risen sharply since pre-industrial times, driving mass coral bleaching worldwide — while ocean pH has dropped 0.1, weakening coral calcification and marine biodiversity. Two mechanisms, one cause.Cement emits the carbon; the ocean pays the price — through warming and acidification. No integrated solution links the two.
Our Approach
Biomimetic Aragonite Synthesis
PHD Materials has developed a proprietary process to synthesize aragonite — the same calcium carbonate mineral that builds coral
skeletons — at ambient Temperature through a biomimetic carbonate-mineralization pathway.What nature has perfected over 500 million years, we now industrialize.
Our process targets:- Projected −0.8 kg CO₂ per kg of binder (laboratory validation in progress)
- Inspired by the chemistry of coral skeleton
- Ambient-temperature operation (minimal energy input)
- Multiple applications, from construction to aquatic environments
Applications
One Chemistry, Multiple Markets
PHD Materials' biomimetic aragonite platform targets near-term markets first, with longer-term ocean applications to follow.
Low-Carbon Construction
Mixed cement matrix for precast elements and infrastructure (land and marine) requiring durability and a low carbon footprint.Aquaculture & Aquatic Habitats
Substrates and modules for aquaculture (collectors, supports) and freshwater and marine habitat restoration.Long-Term Ocean Vision
Coral reef restoration and marine carbon-removal solutions:
longer-horizon applications, subject to regulatory frameworks
and validation.
Innovation & IP
Strong Intellectual Property Foundation
PHD Materials maintains an active intellectual property portfolio with multiple filed patent families covering core process innovations, material compositions, and application methods.
- Multiple patent families filed with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO/OPIC)
- International PCT filing planned for early 2027
- Academic research partnerships established with leading Canadian universities (under NDA)
- External characterization work in progress Q3-Q4 2026
Our innovation is rooted in 500 million years of evolutionary optimization by marine calcifiers — corals, mollusks, foraminifera, and other biomineralization specialists.
Founder
Pierre-Hugues Demers Martel
Founder, PHD Materials Inc.
12 years of industrial asset and machinery valuation expertise. Inventor of the PHD Materials biomimetic aragonite synthesis process. Based in Montréal, Quebec.
PHD Materials operates as a focused R&D-stage venture, working in collaboration with Canadian academic partners, industry mentors, and Canada's growing cleantech innovation ecosystem.
Contact
Get in touch
For partnership inquiries, research collaboration, or investor relations:
Email: [email protected]
Location: Montréal, Quebec, Canada
PHD Materials Inc. is a Canadian corporation (NEQ 1181900979).