Why We Are Here
In 2004 the DTI, seeing a strategic need to accelerate UK involvement in Micro-Nano Technology (MNT), held an open competition to set up a national capability to promote its exploitation. As a result, a multi-regional alliance of technology providers is being co-ordinated by NanoCentral to accelerate the commercialisation of products incorporating nanomaterials for the benefit of industry and society. We do this by providing open access to facilities and capabilities.
The Task
Intense activity in the lab is not matched by the use of nanomaterials in industrial processes, consumer products and medical and environmental applications. This is not unusual. Quite often an initial invention has little public visibility, but as time passes expectations of huge benefits are raised. Typically, the idea fails to fulfil this over-inflated promise and the inventive process may perish in the ‘the trough of disillusionment’. The role of NanoCentral is match R&D ‘push’ with market ‘pull’ – with realistic products and applications identified and a mature commercial market position established.
This means that NanoCentral will:-
- Assemble an alliance spanning the key technologies of Synthesis; Dispersion, Functionalisation & Formulation; and Application Development underpinned by Characterisation and SHE capabilities
- Facilitate access to these key technologies and know-how
- Provide all collaboration-forming activities at zero cost
- Signpost routes to market for nanomaterials at zero cost
- Promote the application of nanomaterials
- Enable feasibility, development and pre-production pilot studies
- Deliver focused expertise in technology scale-up
- Enable the manufacture of quantities of product sufficient to support market testing
- Promote and facilitating the creation of supply chain consortia
Demonstration of the successful exploitation of nanomaterials will encourage the creation of a virtuous cycle whereby investment in nanomaterials increases in line with market success.