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Nanomaterials research at Ulster into materials including diamond-like carbon (DLC) ultra-thin films, carbon nanotubes (CNT), graphene, silicon and metal oxide nanoparticles has resulted in direct uptake by major industrial manufacturers and led to a directly quantifiable socio-economic impact via added value, improved efficiencies and cost-savings and has secured or increased the employment of skilled engineering staff. Examples of this impact since 2008 include ceramic nanoparticles research in partnership with AVX Ltd that resulted in improved production efficiency processes (up 20%) and higher quality devices (up 10%). [text removed for publication] Research into ultra-thin DLC films, funded by Seagate, has led to their incorporation into magnetic media. [text removed for publication] Our nanoparticle research has attracted a new spin-in company SiSaf Ltd. (2009) and by incorporating NIBEC's expertise in nanomaterials into its business plan, the company was able to grow to a valuation of £3.5m and employ 7 people in skilled technical positions.
A team of Portsmouth researchers has developed a transparent polymer coating that prevents colonising bacteria from adhering to the surfaces of teeth. In addition to protecting from decay, the polymer coating has the added benefits of reducing dental erosion, alleviating root hypersensitivity, and inhibiting the staining of teeth. GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has adopted this technology and the polymer has been successfully developed into a component of "next-generation" oral healthcare products.
Super-repellent surfaces created by plasmachemical techniques invented at Durham University have been exploited by P2i as the Ion-mask™ and Adiron™ brands and used to protect the surfaces of millions of products worldwide including: 3 million pairs of footwear (Timberland, Hi- Tec); 8 million mobile phones (Nokia, Motorola, Alcatel); 60% of the world's hearing aids (HLT, GN Resound); 55,000 feet of filter media (Porvair); and 100 million pipette tips (Eppendorf). This has earned P2i industry awards including the 2011 and 2012 International Business Award for "Most Innovative Company in Europe" and the "Global Business Excellence Award" 2012. The combined turnover of P2i since 2008 was ca. £20M, it received external investment of £31.75M and has created 115 new jobs. A DU IP-holding spin-out company, Surface Innovations, was purchased by P2i in 2010, and further applications of DU plasmachemical functionalization were commercialized by Dow Corning Plasma Solutions Ltd and exploited in-period.
University of Huddersfield research into surface metrology, carried out as part of the EU-funded SURFSTAND project, has led to worldwide changes in manufacturing. Nine ISO standards related to measuring the surface roughness of parts have been developed as a result, influencing practices in sectors ranging from aerospace and automotive engineering to microelectronics and bio-implant production. Consequently, all quantitative 3D surface measurement carried out in the world now draws on the research. Instrument manufacturers and the National Physical Laboratory have also implemented the standards, while software developed as part of the research has been incorporated by a leading industrial partner, significantly enhancing the company's offering and market position.
The Thin Film Centre (TFC) group at UWS pioneered thin film materials and processes for plastic electronics with Dupont Teijin Films (DTF) Ltd and Plastic Logic (PL) Ltd over a period of nine years. This work was pivotal to the growth of PL from a start-up position resulting in the first all-polymer e-book reader and was the basis of a world leading position in the supply of specialised substrates for DTF Ltd.
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.
SNA Europe is an international company employing 2,500 people in 20 countries. The Unit's research on the mechanics of metal removal and coating techniques had an impact on the company's product design, product performance and the manufacturing process. The benefits to SNA Europe since 2008 include:
Collaborative research with Tata Steel has delivered significant economic impact, maintaining leading-edge business performance with new functionally coated metal construction products carrying 40 year warranties, and research contributing to global competitiveness for Electrical Steels. In addition partner company performance through skilled people has been improved through the delivery of 61 highly trained doctoral level coatings leaders and technologists, the majority of whom are now running their own research groups or are director level technologists.
Public interest and engagement activity has focussed on the application of research techniques and in functional coatings for energy through the `Buildings as Powerstations' concept and `Materials Live' events.
Research in atmospheric pressure (thermal) chemical vapour deposition (APCVD) at the University of Salford demonstrates the following impact:
XeraCarb Ltd is a spin-out company formed in 2011 to exploit a class of ceramic composite materials co-invented by Jones. These materials were first devised in 2008 via a Materials and Engineering Research Institute (MERI) Knowledge Transfer activity and developed from 2009 onwards through a series of UK Ministry of Defence (UK MoD)-funded research projects. XeraCarb was spun out after the underpinning research won a national award in 2011 as the most promising UK materials system for commercialisation. The applications for XeraCarb's materials range from body- and vehicle-armour to kiln furniture and wear-resistant components. The company has attracted significant venture capital investment and is valued at over £1m. It has set up an independent production facility, has appointed employees, has been awarded a TSB grant, has materials undergoing trials in respect of a number of applications, and has delivered its first orders.