Researcher from the Doctoral Program in Biotechnology, Graduate School, Universitas Padjadjaran—Diba Grace Auliya—has successfully scaled up the production of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), a vital polymer used as a substitute for vitreous humour in eye surgeries, particularly for treating retinal detachment. Through ring-opening polymerization of D4 monomer with hexamethyldisiloxane as a chain terminator, the team achieved PDMS synthesis at three- and five-times larger volumes than traditional lab-scale. The material maintained essential optical and mechanical properties—viscosity ranging from ~1,000 to ~4,320 mPa·s, refractive indices between 1.3982 and 1.4008, and surface tension of 20–21 mN/m—with structural integrity confirmed by FTIR, demonstrating parity with commercial PDMS.

By enabling bulk production of high-quality PDMS within Indonesia, this advancement significantly supports several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) — by improving access to essential biomaterials for ocular surgery, potentially reducing treatment costs and expanding patient access.

SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) — through technological innovation that builds domestic capacity in biomedical polymer manufacturing.

SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) — by producing locally, reducing reliance on costly imports, and establishing scalable, sustainable production systems.