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Research undertaken in the University of Cambridge Department of Physics has provided benchmark data on, and fundamental physical insights into, the high strain-rate response of materials, including powdered reactive metal compositions. The data have been used widely by QinetiQ plc. to support numerical modelling and product development in important industrial and defence applications. One outcome has been the development of a reactive metal perforator for the oil industry which significantly outperforms conventional devices. These devices `perforate' the region around a bore-hole, thereby substantially enhancing recovery, particularly in more difficult oil fields, and extending their economic viability. Over a million perforators have been deployed since their introduction in 2007.
University of Bradford research has enabled a material manufacturing company, Armacell, to reuse up to 95% of its production waste to produce new, high-value acoustic products with up to 50% better acoustic performance than any competition products of similar size. We protected the developed IP through several international patents and set up a spin-off company, Acoutechs Ltd, to explore this technology commercially. These materials are now used to reduce noise levels below the recommended limits and to improve the general acoustic quality of spaces at home and work for the benefit of public health. The products generate an annual turnover of more than €4 million for Armacell and prevent more than 500 tonnes of plastic waste from going into landfill annually.
Research into a number of different aspects of rubber has fed into a series of extremely successful collaborations between Queen Mary and a large number of industrial partners. This has led to significant economic impacts, ranging from enhancing the performance of teams in the multi-billion dollar sport of Formula 1 Racing, to helping develop new UK designed and manufactured radial tyres for large civil aircraft. Rubber research has been undertaken continuously at QMUL for over five decades. Prof. James Busfield has led the activity since 1994, working with more than 30 major industrial collaborators, including Bridgestone, Dunlop, Red Bull Racing F1 and TARRC, who have applied our research and employed our researchers to achieve commercial and competitive advantage.
The research produced accurate simulation models of piezoelectric actuators for investigating sensitivities to parameter variations that led to maximum power for minimum electric field. This was the basis of design rules for determining new products at the industrial partner NXT, now named Hi-Wave Technology, headquartered in Cambourne, UK. Old design rules had led to two failed products whereas these new design rules have guided successful products with a major Japanese television manufacturer, a Japanese printer company and a Russian mobile phone company. Without this research Hi-Wave would have stopped activities in this technology. To date, licences for more than 24 million units per annum have been sold and more than 280,000 units manufactured.
The University was the first adopter of the Direct Metal Laser Sintering/Melting (DMLS/M) technology in the UK resulting in significant research and knowledge transfer activities in the UK and globally. The University has and continues to be a catalyst in technology introduction for 5 out of the 10 UK companies that use this technology. This accounts for £2.5M of capital investment within the UK and is currently the largest concentration of this technology worldwide. Research has involved process optimisation, analytical simulation, materials development (including MMCs) with UK and international partners. Application research engagement has been in Automotive (including F1), Aerospace, Medical and Jewellery sectors.
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.
Novel vapour sorption experimental methods for the characterisation of complex particulate materials have been developed in the Department of Chemical Engineering. This research and expertise resulted in the creation of Surface Measurement Systems Limited (SMS), whose Dynamic Vapour Sorption (DVS) and Inverse Gas Chromatography (IGC) instruments are now found in >500 laboratories around the world. They are recognised standard research and development tools in the global pharmaceutical industry (DIN 66138). SMS has contributed >270 man-years of employment and generated £27M of turnover, whilst SMS instruments have generated over £300M of economic value, over the REF period.
The nanobiotechnology research group at the University of Kent (Bruce et al.) has pioneered the ability to control, manipulate and commercially process magnetite nanoparticles. Two spinout companies, EryDel and Dietheva have been formed, with a €6 million venture capital grant, as a direct result of the Kent-led research. EryDel (in collaboration with Philips Healthcare) are exploiting the materials worldwide for drug delivery (Erydex), with US and European approval for Orphan drug designation given in 2013 for genetic diseases, and Diatheva are marketing the technology for forensic diagnostic kits. The predicted five-year revenue is €35 million with a potential market of €17 billion.
Research into die drawing of polymers at Bradford has resulted in a new building material that is stronger and more durable than wood; and new bioresorbable shape-memory polymers for use in medical implants that reduce patient trauma and costs. The wood replacement material is commercialised by the United Forest Products/Dow USA 2010 spin out company Eovations LLC for use in a range of construction applications; the bioresorbable shape-memory polymers have recently been patented (4 patents filed) by Smith & Nephew for use in soft tissue fixations. These impacts form part of a range of exploitations of our oriented polymer technology.
The A350-XWB is the first Airbus airliner to have composite wings, thereby reducing structural weight compared with the current generation of metallic wings. With over 700 orders for the aircraft, the company has placed great emphasis on the need to maximise performance benefits whilst mitigating risk associated with manufacture of the all-new wing. The Bath Composites Research Unit has supplied underpinning research to:
(1) Develop an algorithm that has been used to design the composite wing skins for optimised performance;
(2) Analyse the laminate consolidation process for the wing spars.
The impact of (1) is a direct saving of 1.0 tonne of fuel per typical flight compared with current metallic skins. This represents a total fuel saving of around 40,000 tonnes, over the design life of each aircraft. The impact of (2) is the achievement of satisfactory part quality for current production rates of spars valued at £1M each when equipped.