POLICY NEWS

New funding brings a welcome focus to

metals research in the UK.

The University of Sheffield has received

$6 million in funding for IMMPETUS,

the Institute for Microstructural and

Mechanical Process Engineering. The

five-year package from the Engineering

and Physical Sciences Research

Council (EPSRC) will allow the institute

to launch the next phase of its work.

“In today’s ferrous and non-ferrous

metals industries, the ability to develop

new materials fast and efficiently is key

to success,” explains co-director Mark

Rainforth. New materials were

traditionally developed through a ‘black

art’ of trial and error, he says.

“Companies can no longer afford the

huge waste of time and resources that

process often causes. So what we do

is help them produce it right first

time.” By pooling the expertise of

various university departments,

IMMPETUS researchers are using

analysis of the effects of heat and

force on materials to generate

computer models. This ‘through-

process modeling’ can predict the

behavior of new models and products,

as well as be used to control

production processes.

In another related effort, Industry

Minister Alan Johnson announced the

launch of the National Metals

Technology Centre (NAMTEC).

“Metals are the backbone of

manufacturing industry in the UK,”

explains Johnson. “There are half a

million people working in 16 000

companies in the production and

fabrication of metals in the UK,

generating around $46 billion per year.

Now for the first time this essential

sector will have a one-stop-shop for

support and advice.” With funding of

over $30 million, NAMTEC aims to

encourage innovation and technology

transfer in the metals industry.

Metallurgyforges aheadFUNDING

The US Government's Advanced

Technology Program (ATP) announces

the award of $101.6 million to 40

research projects. Started by the first

President Bush, the ATP has attracted

much criticism over the years and saw

its budget slashed by the current

President Bush. Nevertheless, the ATP

is a lifeline for many small companies –

particularly in areas venture capitalists

deem too risky such as telecoms or

nanotechnology.

On the materials side, funding goes to

American Superconductor Corp. to

develop processing equipment for

YBCO wires and laser deposition for

titanium alloy manufacture (Optomec,

Inc.). Falling into the electronics

category, projects will aim to develop

continuous Si wafer manufacturing

(ASE Americas, Inc.), piezoelectric

ceramics for medical devices

(Piezotech, LLC), printable organic

transistors (Sarnoff Corp.), and

rewriteable recording media for

holographic data storage (InPhase

Technologies, Inc.). In nanotechnology

and telecoms, projects include the

ultrahigh density scalable digital control

of MEMS (Corning IntelliSense Corp.),

MEMS mirror arrays for optical

switching (SiWave, Inc.),

nanoengineered thermal interfaces and

templates for nanostructured material

synthesis (GE), nanophotonic

integrated circuits (Luxtera, Inc.),

nanocomposite foams for insulation

(Owens Corning), and high-throughput

production of nanofibers (eSpin

Technologies, Inc.). As founder and

CEO of eSpin Jayesh Doshi explains,

“This award not only allows eSpin to

develop the technology, but will create

an engine of technology creation

around nanofiber-based products in the

area.” eSpin’s ‘disruptive’ technology

could revolutionize everyday products

from batteries to band aids, he says.

ATP lifeline for companiesFUNDING

Boost for UK manufacturersFUNDING

Six new Faraday Partnerships will give UK manufacturers a realboost, according to Trade and Industry Secretary PatriciaHewitt. “They make the most of developments in science andinnovation – crucial to raising productivity,” she says. “Theymean companies can take advantage of the world-class ideascoming from universities and research institutions.” Since 1998, 18 Faraday Partnerships have been establishedwith the aim of bringing together researchers with companiesof all sizes through two or more ‘core partners’, such asuniversities or independent research/technology organizations.The latest Partnerships, which will receive over $10 millionfrom the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and $9 millionfrom other sources over the next four years, range from farmanimal breeding to satellite navigation systems. Three focus on materials related fields. The medical devicesPartnership brings together the Universities of Cambridge,Leeds, Nottingham, Sheffield, Strathclyde, and Queen MaryCollege with TWI, E-Tech Ltd., M4 Technologies Ltd., andMedilink Ltd. Key challenges include the development ofclinically robust devices, improved materials and surfaceengineering concepts, and novel drug delivery systems.Another Partnership addresses the multi-million dollar powdermanufacturing market. Core partners CERAM Research Ltd,European Powder Metallurgy Association, British HardmetalsAssociation, Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining,National Physical Laboratory, UMIST, and Universities ofBirmingham and Loughborough will focus on four areas:advanced ceramics, powder metallurgy, magnetic materials, andhardmetals. Aims range from developing new products to moreflexible and rapid manufacturing methods. The use ofnanopowders and novel components will also be investigated, aswell as low waste, environment-friendly sustainable products.The final materials-related Partnership focuses on noveltechnologies and processes for the minimization of industrialwaste. Electronics, minerals and inorganics, food, metals andmetal finishing are identified as four areas with specificproblems that need to be addressed by the core partners,which include companies, societies, and universities.

University of London reunited?MERGERS

Imperial College and University College London have announced theirintention to merge to form a “new University, of great national andinternational significance, appropriate for the Third Millennium.” In acarefully worded statement, the universities say that they are going to“embark on a collaborative process that could lead to the decision tomerge” in light of “opportunities in the globalization of education andresearch, and their interpretation of current Government policy inthese areas.” The new university would bring together just over 27 000 students and around 6500 academic and research staff, with a collective research budget of over $430 million (based on2000/1 funding levels).

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