Omani scientist wins international competition in South Korea

Muscat: An Omani innovator has won the Grand Prize in an international competition in South Korea among 353 innovations from more than 18 countries around the world, Oman News Agency (ONA) announced.

Omani innovator Razan bint Hamad Al Kalbani won the Grand Prize in the Korea International Women’s Innovations Exhibition and Competition (KIWIE) for her innovation “X-ray absorbing coating from a natural ingredient”, among 353 innovations from more than 18 countries around the world.

Razan Al-Kalbani told Oman News Agency that her scientific innovation is a coating that absorbs X-rays from a natural ingredient (lycopene), which is the red pigment found in tomatoes, watermelons, red fruits and vegetables in general.

She added “After extracting the lycopene, I carried out laboratory tests and mixed it with a coating with unique properties and techniques to ensure that the properties of the lycopene were not affected.”

She pointed out that the scientific innovation is the first of its kind in the world using a natural compound to shield rays, indicating that the paint absorbs rays by 97%, and is characterized by being 100% water and moisture resistant, and 95% heat resistant, and prevents the formation of mold and bacteria, and is non-flammable.

She pointed out that one of the most prominent features of this scientific innovation is the possibility of using tomato mold to extract lycopene, and in terms of mechanical advantage, it is less expensive than the lead currently used.

She stated that her participation in the Korea International Women's Innovations Competition and Exhibition (KIWIE) came with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth.

She stated that her scientific innovation achieved many achievements at all levels, whether global, regional and local, most notably her winning the first place in the Falling Walls Lab competition in November 2020, the silver medal at the Challenge and Innovation Forum in the State of Qatar, the gold medal at the Second Beirut International Innovation Exhibition.

 She also won the silver medal at the level of the Middle East in the Mabaret Fayda Al-Saad competition in the State of Kuwait.