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Research on ester liquids (ELs) has proved they can be used in high-voltage (HV) transformers, bringing economic and safety advantages to the power industry and environmental benefits to society. Impact includes revisions to National Grid's oil policy recommending ester-filled HV transformers for use in London and the design and operation of the first 132kV "green" transformer (valued between £1m and £2m). The research has led directly to the creation of two international standards for professionals in global power utilities specifying the use of ELs in transformers. These developments have contributed directly to Manchester SME M&I Materials increasing sales from £15m (2008) to £29m (2012).
The unique application of combinatorial chemistry in materials science at Southampton has directly underpinned the success of University spin-out, Ilika Technologies. Since 2008, the breadth of applications of the research has allowed Ilika:
Between 2008 and 2012, Ilika enjoyed considerable growth, doubling employment to 35 staff, increasing turnover by approximately 25% annually, and floating on the AIM with a market capitalisation of £18.7 million.
The 33km Manchester Ship Canal (MSC) was one of the most polluted waterways in Europe following the industrial revolution. Ecosystems were destroyed and odorous sediment rafts prevented the redevelopment and regeneration of the surrounding water front areas that had an estimated real estate value of £500m.
The research led by White established the cause and extent of water pollution in the upper MSC and Salford Quays. Critically this research allowed evidence based restoration programmes to be initiated that have rejuvenated the waterway and Salford Quays areas. This improvement in water quality was the essential first step in the long term development of Salford Quays that has seen approximately 2,000 homes being built and the arrival of 900 businesses that employ over 35,000 people.
Pioneering research in the UoA has driven significant advances in diffusion-ordered nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (DOSY), resulting in pulse sequence and analysis software that has been commercialised under licence by Agilent, and distributed as open-source software across 68 countries. DOSY has given a manufacturer of NMR equipment a competitive advantage that has contributed to several $10m's of instrument sales since 2009. These advances have changed practice and capacity in industry, through the introduction of new products and processes: one of the world's largest chemical companies is using the technique in about 30 % of all formulation projects. DOSY is having significant economic impact: one food industry company reporting sales growth of £35m in the REF period as a direct result of the use of DOSY.
Newcastle research is the driving force behind NewChem, a Newcastle University spin-out company which provides creative molecular design and synthetic/analytical services for the pharmaceutical/chemical industry. During 2008-2013, NewChem assisted Shire, a global pharmaceutical company, in the quest for new drugs for treating a range of therapeutic indications, including pain, cardiovascular disorders, ADHD and Alzheimer's disease. Since 2008, NewChem has provided employment for > 60 FTE's and achieved sales exceeding £1 million per annum.
Fundamental research in collaboration with Royal Mail into luminescence molecules constrained within a water-soluble acrylic polymer matrix has led to the development of novel, water-soluble, ink-jet printable, luminescent inks. These inks are employed by Royal Mail for printing coding patterns on envelopes that can be read by automatic letter-sorting machines. The inks offer excellent performance in humid environments, on coloured paper, and on paper containing optical brighteners, and are safer. Royal Mail delivers, on average, 58 million letters each day, representing annual revenue of £5.2 billion. The research at Lancaster enabling the innovation has a direct impact on the commercial performance of Royal Mail, the safety of its employees and the public, and everyone (commercially and/or privately) using Royal Mail services to send and receive mail correctly, quickly, and at a low cost.
The development of the chemistry of Selectfluor® (F-TEDA-BF4) has resulted in this Manchester-discovered reagent becoming the world's most widely used commercial electrophilic fluorinating agent to introduce fluorine into a range of pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. Annual worldwide production is ca. 25 tonnes and sales estimated to be US$7.5m. Selectfluor is used in the synthesis of fluticasone, a fluorinated corticosteroid which is the active ingredient in GSK's Advair ($3.6bn sales in 2010) used in the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease symptoms; top 25 selling drugs Flixonase, Flixotide, Flonase, Flovent HFA and Advair Diskus which had total sales of over $17bn between 2009-2012.
The School of Chemistry has a long track record of pioneering and innovative outreach activities aimed at stimulating public interest and understanding in chemistry research and its societal impact. During the period 2008-2013 it successfully communicated to a wide-ranging audience the significance of a series of "firsts" in the areas of nanoscience and materials for energy applications. Using YouTube, Royal Society Summer Science Exhibitions, roadshows and science festivals, this award-winning approach has engaged hundreds of thousands through digital media and thousands more face-to-face, raising public awareness, inspiring interest in science and delivering educational benefits for students and teachers alike.
The University of Nottingham's School of Chemistry has developed a novel method of incorporating thermally or chemically labile biologically active substances into polymers. This has been achieved by using supercritical carbon dioxide as a medium for the synthesis and modification of polymeric materials. The method has been employed as the basis for new drug-delivery devices whose viability in the healthcare sphere has been confirmed by patient trials. The spin-out company, Critical Pharmaceuticals Ltd, has delivered a range of economic benefits, including job creation, the securing of millions of pounds' worth of investment and a number of revenue-generating research collaborations.
Spinout Salamander was created to exploit research in the UoA on environmental monitoring. Building on the research, the company has developed and marketed a suite of branded products: two for monitoring water-quality in distribution (Hydraclam® and Chloroclam®) and one for monitoring ground gas (Gasclam®). In each case the defining feature is the ability to provide secure, standalone, continuous monitoring. The products have been licensed to Siemens (Hydraclam® and Chloroclam®) and Ionscience (Gasclam®), and have had significant impact on "best practicable means" and, hence, major impacts on regulated industries. Since 2008, Salamander has received royalties of over £1.0m, commensurate with end-user sales of £7.0m.