From Trust to Code: A Comparative Performance Analysis of Ethereum and Polygon for Decentralized University Research Funding

Abstract

Traditional university research funding is frequently undermined by high transaction costs, bureaucratic friction, and information asymmetries that erode donor trust. Blockchain technology, particularly through smart contracts, offers a new paradigm for transparent and efficient fund management. This study investigates the practical viability of this paradigm by developing a decentralized funding platform and conducting a rigorous comparative performance analysis of two leading blockchain infrastructures: Ethereum's Sepolia testnet (a Layer 1 analogue) and Polygon's Amoy testnet (a Layer 2 solution). In 50 consecutive executions per network, the smart contract maintained 100% success on both, yet with Polygon maintaining an average confirmation time of 2.1 seconds versus Sepolia's 5.3 seconds. Furthermore, a preliminary usability study (N=20) confirms that users perceive the Polygon-based platform as significantly higher in performance and overall satisfaction. These findings provide robust quantitative and visual evidence that Layer 2 scaling solutions are not only viable but essential for creating decentralized applications that meet the practical requirements of speed, cost-efficiency, and positive user experience in domains like academic funding. This work contributes a critical empirical benchmark for the emerging field of Decentralized Science (DeSci) and offers a validated architectural model for transparent, automated, and globally accessible research financing.