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Fingerprints remain the most conclusive means of linking an offender to a crime scene. Conventional visualization techniques require the sweat deposit to be largely retained and thus have low success rates. We have developed technologies to visualize fingerprints on metals after the sweat deposit has been substantively lost, deliberately removed or environmentally degraded. One technology uses microscale corrosion caused by the sweat deposit; it has been used in solving gun crimes. A second technology uses trace residual sweat deposit as a template to direct electrochromic polymer deposition to bare metal between the ridge deposits. These have been adopted in the new Home Office Fingerprinting Manual and licensed to UK forensic providers.
New characterisation tools for natural organic matter (NOM) in drinking water are now used as standard practice within water companies such as Severn Trent Water, United Utilities and Yorkshire Water. The tools inform decisions, and help develop strategic plans on catchment management, source selection, treatment optimisation, and disinfection practice. Water companies experienced difficulties in treating high levels of NOM. Cranfield created a novel characterisation toolkit to measure NOM for its electrical charge and hydrophobicity. Also, new techniques for measuring aggregate properties and emerging disinfection by-products have provided a comprehensive analysis. Two novel treatment technologies are currently marketed. These technologies have raised international interest, resulting in industrial development in Australia.
The cost of goods is an especially important issue in developing commercially available agrochemicals, which must be manufactured on a large scale. Richard Compton's research at the University of Oxford has led to a step change in the understanding of heterogeneous reaction mechanisms for liquid — organic solid or liquid — inorganic solid processes involved in large-scale manufacturing processes. Compton's work has had particular impact on optimising the processes used by Syngenta AG in its manufacturing of agrochemicals. Since 2008 the insights gained on inorganic-base dissolution have been of great benefit to Syngenta in its development of scalable robust manufacturing processes, particularly in relation to production of its fungicide Amistar and insecticide Actara, which are two of the world's largest selling products of this type. In 2012 Syngenta achieved total sales of over $ 14 billion, $ 4.8 billion of this from fungicide and insecticide revenues.
The UCL Department of Chemistry has for many years run a far-reaching programme of outreach and public engagement that has deep roots in the department's research programme. Its schools outreach work has promoted chemistry and science among secondary school children, while contributions to blogs, newspapers, radio, and television have engaged diverse audiences from primary school children to the elderly. Millions of people have viewed television contributions, while tens of thousands have been reached in theatres and science fairs, with positive reviews and feedback confirming a stimulation of public interest in, and understanding of, chemistry.
The impact presented is the use of research carried out in the School of Chemical Engineering by a range of multinational food industries (inc. Unilever, Cargill, PepsiCo) to engineer a series of fat-reduced foods such as low fat spreads (LFS), dressings, margarine, sauces and mayonnaise. This has allowed them to build up a portfolio of novel low fat products; this portfolio would be much reduced or in some cases non-existent without the research contribution and capability generated by the Birmingham group as stated by Peter Lillford5.1 (former Chief Scientist, Unilever) and John Casey, (Vice President Biological Sciences, Unilever)5.2. These products are a significant and growing market segment e.g. LFS now outsell margarine/butter in a number of countries and are estimated to be worth globally 10 Billion Euros per year between 2008-13. Thus these products are having a significant impact on the industries' profitability. In addition, consumption of low fat foods act to tackle obesity with knock on effects for government (health service, lost GDP etc.) and the community as a whole.
In the UK approximately 100, 000 people have a stoma, an artificial opening in the bowel that is used to divert the flow of exudate prior to subsequent external collection. Stoma exudate is a corrosive fluid, which varies in pH and enzyme content. Therefore, it is important that the stoma seal adhesive paste operates successfully within a diverse range of physiological conditions. The novel stoma adhesive developed by Jones and colleagues through KTP funded research in the School of Pharmacy was launched by Eakin as Cohesive Paste™ and is now sold in 26 countries, with sales of more than £1M to date.
University of Surrey has a strong legacy of research into membrane separation and osmosis, culminating the commercialisation of Surrey's spin-out company Modern Water plc. Modern Water plc. was floated on AIM (London Stock Exchange) in June 2007 raising £30m cash with a market value of £70m.
The research itself is having direct impact via the operating desalination plants in Gibraltar and Oman producing high quality drinking water typically using 30% less energy than conventional desalination plants. In Oman, because of the poor quality of the feed water the forward osmosis process uses 42% less energy per litre of water produced when compared to convential equipment. The two plants currently operating in Oman serve 600 people in Al-Khuluf and 800 people in Naghdah.
Aircraft icing is a significant factor in many aircraft accidents and incidents. Ice accretion on the wings has adverse aerodynamic effects, such as loss of lift and control, and ice can also block inlets into key flight sensors. Work by Richard Purvis and his Research Associate, Peter Hicks at UEA, in collaboration with AeroTex UK and QinetiQ, led to better understanding of how the impacts and splashing of water droplets influence the ice that forms on aircraft wings. This led to improved computer prediction codes, which are used by industry to improve design and help satisfy certification requirements.
Nature's Raincoats is a physical exhibition and a website providing easily accessible information and resources. These entities have had extensive use within the public understanding of superhydrophobic surfaces (extremely repellent to water), including The Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition, Cheltenham Science Festival, The Big Bang Fair, British Science Festival and Techfest (India) — reaching thousands of people in the UK and overseas. As well as impacting on improved public awareness, the research informed website provides a direct route to research expertise for companies within the UK and internationally and extends good practice of working with industry e.g. Rolls Royce.
Research has led to improvements in the performance over 16 million water meters manufactured by Elster Metering Ltd. since 2008, extending their working lifetimes and reducing maintenance costs. In particular, research on polymeric replacements for the glass in water meters helped Elster establish their product development strategy, and led to changes in the manufactured meter. Brunel University research identifying a specific set of acetal polymers that reduce the degradation of the bodies in water meters has been incorporated in 1.8 million water meters. These meters have less embodied carbon dioxide, and are less prone to theft than the meter with brass components they replace. This innovation allowed Elster to reduce the costs of manufacturing in the UK, thereby maintaining a strong competitive position within the market for water meters.