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This case study describes impact from the Newcastle-led research project to construct the world's first dedicated single-crystal diffraction synchrotron beamline for chemistry and materials science at Daresbury Laboratory Synchrotron Radiation Source (SRS). The result was an innovative and productive facility that has served as the model for the development of other facilities internationally, especially at Diamond Light Source (UK) and the Advanced Light Source (USA). The original Newcastle University research has helped produce scientists now employed by industry and public service sectors around the world. Major new and beneficial drugs and catalysts have been developed with the aid of the synchrotron beamlines and work conducted at these facilities has been critically important for the advancement of the global chemical and pharmaceutical industries and US Government energy development programmes.
XMaS is a dedicated materials science beamline at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF). It develops and disseminates novel instrumentation and sample environments that allow new experiments which support emerging technologies. By commercialising the intellectual property through licenses to companies economic impact is derived directly. Further economic impact is facilitated through knowledge transfer by trained people and expertise in new processes, which enhances the capability, capacity and efficiency of other central facilities. Public interest and awareness are engendered through individual research projects being highlighted in the media and through people's skills and experience being utilised in a broad range of sectors.
This case is primarily based on the economic benefit derived from commercialisation of intellectual property arising from our research programme in materials at the XMaS beamline at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility at Grenoble. The company Huber Diffraktiontechnik GmbH and Co. KG have had direct commercial benefit from exploitation of instrumentation we have developed, in collaboration with Warwick University, to address the specific research challenges described below. A second, indirect, impact of XMaS is knowledge transfer through the career progression of trained specialists in positions at other large scale science facilities and in the private sector.
Research at Manchester has led to the development of a new class of high performance magnesium alloys based on the addition of rare-earth alloying elements. The new alloys combine low density and the highest strength of any magnesium alloy. Used to substitute for aluminium in aerospace and automotive they produce weight savings of 35% improving performance and reducing fuel consumption. Commercialisation of these alloys by Magnesium Elektron (ME), the international leader in magnesium alloy development, contributes over $20m per annum to company revenue. This includes development of the first commercial product available for bioresorbable magnesium implants, SynermagTM, launched in 2012.
Hull-based research on critical systems thinking has been used for public, private and community benefit in Australasia, due to pivotal partnerships with the International Centre for Complex Project Management in Australia and the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) in New Zealand. Benefits include: the reconciliation of economic and environmental imperatives in NZ water management, valued at NZ$1.7bn of economic growth; NZ$6.2m for ESR projects serving government clients; improved stakeholder consultation on NZ science investments; the development of new systems thinking capacity in the Victoria Department of Primary Industries (Australia); and 5% cost savings in key Australian defence procurements.
The microscopy facilities in the Biomedical Sciences Research Institute of the University of Ulster have been vastly improved through our collaboration with FEI, the largest European EM manufacturer, which has led them to manufacture a cryostage dual-beam instrument of our design with unique capabilities, and to set up their European reference laboratory here. This has generated two further sets of impacts: collaboration and consultancy with various firms wishing to use our advanced imaging facilities, and advice to national, EU and global bodies on the novel cytotoxic hazards of nanoparticles, a major but optically invisible by-product of modern industry, and consequent public health risks.