Industrial map of UK MNTNanotechnology Winners of £18 million Government Funding Announced
Nanotechnology projects throughout the country were given a major boost by the Department of Trade and Industry today.
Twenty five projects are to receive £15m worth of funding for projects ranging from anti-corrosion coatings and electronics to water purification and printing. This new Government investment will provide up to a maximum of 50% of each project's total value.
A further £3m will be given to INEX, a microsystems and nanotechnology facility for industry based at Newcastle.
These grants are the first to be allocated from the Government's £90m micro and nanotechnology manufacturing initiative in support of both nanotechnology applied research programmes and for the creation of new nanotechnology facilities across the country. Further grants will be made available over the next five years to complete the initiative.
The grants are part of the Government's drive to help companies, research organisations and universities to exploit potential applications for the new technology so that the UK can be a leading country in this area. It's estimated that the global market for nanotechnology could be $1trillion within the next decade.
Announcing the grants, DTI Minister Nigel Griffiths said:
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"Nanotechnology is an important and exciting emerging technology one that has the capacity to improve daily life for us all. It is about designing new products and improving existing ones by making things much smaller, faster, stronger, or more energy efficient. "We want to help organisations turn ideas into reality, helping create jobs and prosperity for companies in the UK. "These grants will form part of a range of Government schemes to support this important growth area" |
The Government's micro and nanotechnology manufacturing initiative was announced by Lord Sainsbury last year.
Other Government programmes in support of the UK's nanotechnology industry include:
- £70 million from Research Councils for a wide range of activities including two cross-Council Interdisciplinary Research Collaborations (IRCs) in nanotechnology and the Basic Technology Research Programme.
- setting up the UK Micro and Nanotechnology Network (UK MNT Network) responsible for raising awareness in UK industry and helping them move into this sector
Speaking on behalf of the UK Micro and Nanotechnology Network, chairman Dr Hugh Clare said:
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"The commercial exploitation of nanotechnologies presents a great opportunity for UK business. A well funded and supported nanotechnology sector means more high quality research, more sustainable jobs and increased wealth creation. "The MNT network is working closely with industry, government and academia to create a robust sector. These grants and those to follow will make a big difference to the industry and help us ensure that the UK becomes a world leader in the field." |
The £15 million in new grants will cover up to 50% of the total project value. Successful applicants for this first round of funding are:
| Project Name | Lead Partner | Total Project Value (Grant funding will cover up to 50% of the project value) |
|---|---|---|
| A New Microsystem for Fast Fuel Cell Materials Evaluation |
InsightFaraday (LGC) Dr. Maria Raimondi |
£500,000 |
| Anti-microbial urinary catheters |
Micap plc Dr Gordon Nelson |
£258,728 |
| Broad Ion Beam Deposition tool for Magnetorestrictive Random Access Memory |
Trikon Technologies Ltd Mr Keith Buchanan |
£3,290,905 |
| Development of a High Throughput Micro Liquid Analyser |
The University of Birmingham Dr Michael Ward |
£1,437,153 |
| Development of microarray technology for clinical immunoassays |
Microtest Matrices Ltd. Dr. Tito Bacarese-Hamilton |
£601,455 |
| Development of Microextrusion for the Production of Effusion Cooling Holes |
Rolls-Royce Plc Mr Michael Wybrow |
£359,504 |
| Fast Terahertz Cameras Using Micro and Nanotechnology |
TeraView Ltd. Dr William Tribe |
£2,151,932 |
| HiLine |
Plastic Logic Ltd. Prof Henning Sirringhaus |
£1,234,130 |
| Improved Power Electronic Contact Technology (IMPECT) |
Dynex Semiconductor Ltd Dr Paul Taylor |
£603,999 |
| Laser assisted inkjet printing for high definition structuring |
Fujifilm Electronic Imaging Ltd Dr Jamie Ferguson |
£1,195,800 |
| Low Temperature Bonding & Polymer Embossing, Nano Lithography & Structures (LOBEL) |
Applied Microengineering Ltd Mr Tony Rogers |
£678,568 |
| Micro Fuel Cells for Portable Power Applications |
MAST Carbon Ltd Mr Stephen Tennison |
£1,145,652 |
| Microfluidic sorting, processing and analysis of viable cells |
InsightFaraday (LGC) Dr Steven Fletcher |
£1,350,361 |
| Micromachined Diamond Device Initiative (MIDDI) |
Element Six Ltd (E6) Dr Daniel Twitchen |
£1,045,816 |
| Molecular Electronic Gas Sensors |
QinetiQ Prof John Jefferson |
£1,677,149 |
| Nanoelectronics Production: Technology for Wafer Scale Carbon Nanotubes and Nanowires |
Thomas Swan Nano
Instruments Mr Stephen Cash |
£1,424,513 |
| Nanophosphors for Displays and Lighting |
Forge Europa Dr Andrew Phillips |
£1,270,275 |
| Nanoscale analysis of microfibres |
Unilever Dr Peter Doyle |
£1,014,362 |
| Nano-structured Electroplated Coatings |
University of Nottingham Dr Philip Shipway |
£705,071 |
| Nanotechnology for Sustainable Water Purification |
Scotoil Services Ltd Mr Gordon McLellan |
£1,192,583 |
| Nanotube Fibres |
Thomas Swan & Co ltd
Mr Stephen Cash |
£2,963,501 |
| Narrow band-gap spintronic devices for information technology |
QinetiQ Dr. Tim Ashley |
£1,394,724 |
| Resin-Clay Nanocomposites for Improved Anti-corrosion Coatings |
Paint Research Association Dr Richard Kennedy |
£879,501 |
| Semiconductor and Optical Layer Analysis and Definition using Interference Microscopy (SOLADIM) |
Taylor Hobson Ltd Dr Anthony Smith |
£1,015,880 |
| Synthetic Biomimetic Binding Sites |
Nanosight Ltd Dr Roger Morton |
£1,102,500 |
| Project Name | Lead Partner | Total Grant Value |
| INEX, Innovation in Nanotechnology Exploitation - new facility housing nanotechnology laboratories. |
Institute of Nanoscale Science and Technology (INSAT)
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£3m |
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. The DTI's £90 million Micro and Nanotechnology Manufacturing Initiative was announced on 2 July 2003 by Lord Sainsbury, DTI press notice (P/2003/385) refers.
2. The US National Science and Technology Council Nanoscale Science, Engineering and Technology sub-committee (2001) estimates a global market in nanotechnology of $1 trillion by 2011 - 2015.
3. The UK Micro and Nanotechnology Network was set up following recommendations in the report "New Dimensions for Manufacturing - A UK Strategy for Nanotechnology" submitted to Lord Sainsbury by Dr John Taylor, Chairman of the UK Advisory Group on Nanotechnology Applications (DTI Pub 6182 2k/06/02/NP) in June 2002. The aim of the UK MNT Network is create a robust MNT infrastructure for the benefit of the UK MNT industrial and academic community, and to enable the whole of UK industry to benefit from utilising this technology in a timely fashion to compete in the global market place. Dr Hugh Clare was appointed MNT Network Director on January 1st 2004.
4. In June 2003, Science Minister Lord Sainsbury commissioned the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering to conduct an independent study into the environmental, health and safety, ethical and social implications of nanotechnology, and to suggest areas where additional regulation should be considered. The study was published on 29 July 2004. The Government will respond in the autumn.