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KTN Funding Column Ed. 25
KTN Funding Column Ed. 25
Published: 28th August 2012

KTN Funding Column Ed. 7
KTN Funding Column Ed. 7
Published: 3rd July 2012

KTN Funding Column April 2012
KTN Funding Column April 2012
Published: 21st June 2012

KTN Funding Column March 2012
KTN Funding Column
Published: 21st June 2012

Up to £2 million available to support SME’s + micro materials based companies
The Technology Strategy Board (TSB) is looking to help small and micro UK businesses by investing up to £2m in feasibility studies to stimulate innovation across their core technology areas, including the materials industry. The funding is to make sure small companies are well equipped to respond to society's current and future challenges.
Published: 10th February 2012

Looking to sharpen up your manufacturing? This will help.....
A new competition with a £6M fund is open to boost innovation in manufacturing competencies.
Published: 10th February 2012

Export Support for Polymer Businesses
Export support worth £5000 from UKTI available for applicants – hurry as the deadline has been extended, just a few days left for applications.
Published: 31st January 2012

Polymer Business Rewarded by Vince Cable for Top KTP in the UK
Intregrating R&D investment, recycling and innovation reaps its rewards in terms of being voted top KTP project in the UK and recieving an award presented by Vince Cable.
Published: 31st January 2012

UK Polymers Work Takes Dow to the New Top 100 Global Innovators
Getting recognition for your innovation can be important for most businesses; Can being a member of the Materials KTN support your business on this journey?
Published: 31st January 2012

IDP7 is a great opportunity for polymer companies to fund R&D targeted at low carbon vehicles - £25 million available
IDP7 is a great opportunity for polymer companies to fund R&D targeted at low carbon vehicles - £25 million available
Polymers will play in increasing role in many aspects of road vehicles because of light-weighting.
Published: 13th January 2012

Designers Step Up To 3D Printing Technology
From conception to the catwalk in 24 hours; additive manufacturing meets a shoe designer
Published: 22nd November 2011

You Have To Take Your Cap Off To This Innovation
A cap closure strip that can be saved and reused as a cable tie in all sorts of domestic, DIY, garden and work-related ways
Published: 22nd November 2011

It’s No Stretch of the Imagination To Predict Fatigue Life In Elastomers….. Now
FEA codes from metallic components don’t work well for rubbers; now new codes are developed specifically for rubber to greatly enhance fatigue failure in elastomers.
Published: 22nd November 2011

KTP – A Mechanism to Embed Research into Your Company Innovation
A KTP can provide both a mechanism and an additional set of skills of a dedicated person to work on your behalf.
Published: 25th October 2011

A Stitch Up or Bonded for Life?
Cardiovascular surgery takes a huge step forward with a new heat-sensitive gel and adhesive materials, enabling blood vessels to be reconnected without puncturing them with a needle and thread
Published: 25th October 2011

Reinventing the Wheel – It is Possible!
The all-plastic wheel rim is a smart solution. Not only are these thermosets on concept vehicles but they are on production cars.
Published: 25th October 2011

A New Concept in “Concept Cars”
Multi material rapid prototyping – can we really produce a concept car with “skin” for doors and “ligaments” for hinges?
Published: 27th September 2011

First-of-its-kind, Two-Compartment PET Container
A novel 2 part container that can keep liquids and dry materials separate. Milk and cookies in a bottle anyone? >>
Published: 27th September 2011

CASE Student to Help Design Next Generation of Biodegradable Plastics
Professor Brian Tighe is on the CASE with Eurothane Ltd for Aston University. CASE Awards are a wonderful example of how academics directly can support innovation in UK companies
Published: 27th September 2011

'Cling-film' solar cells could lead to advance in renewable energy
A scientific advance in renewable energy which promises a revolution in the ease and cost of using solar cells, has been announced. A new study shows that even when using very simple and inexpensive manufacturing methods - where flexible layers of material are deposited over large areas like cling-film - efficient solar cell structures can be made.
Published: 23rd August 2011

'Vegware becomes UK's first completely compostable food packaging firm
Vegware Ltd, the Edinburgh-based eco packaging firm, has become the UK's first ever packaging company whose entire product range is compostable and therefore suitable for organics recycling.
Published: 23rd August 2011

Electronic Skin
Professor John Rogers introduces polymer based electrodes, electronics, sensors, power supply, and communication components that are configured together into ultrathin, low-modulus, lightweight, stretchable "skin-like" membranes that conformally laminate onto the surface of the skin by soft contact, in a manner that is mechanically invisible to the user, much like a temporary transfer tattoo.
Published: 23rd August 2011

Driving Plastics Forward - Another Mile (stone) Towards the all Plastic Car
Innovative plastics from Sabic now enable an all plastic front end module of the CX300 car. Key steel panels have been replaced with plastic saving around 40% of the weight.
Published: 26th July 2011

Innovation – A View Starting From a Design Brief (new RAF virtual reality kit)
How can good designers save you money in the innovation process? This article shows how clever application of the designers skills speeds up the process of bringing even better products to market. This virtual reality kit is now used by the RAF for training.
Published: 26th July 2011

PEA – New Biopolymer Wins CADE Prize
Polyesteracetals represent a new class of biobased plastics which are produced from sustainable biomass sources and are degradable back into ecological life cycles. This technology is particularly amenable to the market segment of disposable packaging and consumer products
Published: 26th July 2011

Accessing the Medical Sector – A ‘How to Guide' for SMEs
Materials KTN launches Medical guide for the polymer industry. This comprehensive “how to” guide has been produced by Dr Sally Beken with the kind support of Medilink West Midlands. Dr Beken is a technical expert in plastics and rubbers and specialises in the medical sector.
Published: 26th July 2011

DIY rPET Plant Now a Practical Reality
With an established history, this new plant can be installed quickly enabling rPET to be produced to food grade and process material in increments of 1.8 Million KG’s per annum.  A key eco claim from the manufacturer is the low energy consumption.
Published: 28th June 2011

Fuel Oil from any Mixed Waste Plastic Including PVC
At last! A clever engineer in Hungary has produced equipment to reduce mixed waste polymers through pyrolysis into fuels. These plants are now commercially produced.  Why is this is a breakthrough? Well the plant can take any concentration of PVC up to and including 100%.
Published: 28th June 2011

Harnessing Tidal Power
Following the recent nuclear events in Japan, there has been a proactive shift in political emphasis from nuclear and coal to other sources of energy; tidal power generation, especially from the UK, moves up the agenda.  It is a tough environment for both materials and engineering construction to operate underwater and of course, the best areas for generation are the most demanding on the power generation plant.
Published: 28th June 2011

Biodegradable Foam Plastic Substitute Made from Milk Protein and Clay
An interesting case of a well known material (milk) being given a new life by creating vastly superior structural properties with the addition of nano materials (clay). An aerogel was made by freeze drying the mixture that was so light it was nick named “solid smoke”.
Published: 2nd June 2011

Innovation from Harlequin Oil Tanks Puts Clarehill Plastics on the Green Map
Innovation takes many forms; processes and innovative use of labelling systems are what has set this Northern Ireland SME apart from the crowd. Their success was so high it ranked alongside some international companies. Perhaps, best of all it has saved over £1.5million as a result of its program of efficiency improvements.
Published: 2nd June 2011

Specialised polymer composite for pressure sensitive switches
Quantum Tunnel Composites enable the action of 'touch' to be translated into an electrical reaction, enabling a vast array of devices to incorporate very thin and highly robust 'sensing' of touch and pressure. QTC’s unique properties enable it to be made into force sensitive switches of any shape or size.
Published: 2nd June 2011

Corporate Vehicle Manufacturer uses Bio-PET
Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) has announced it plans to make vehicle liner material and other interior surfaces from a new “Ecological Plastic” that features the world’s first use of bio-PET and by a large corporate.
Published: 22nd March 2011

New shelter uses recycled composites and a green matrix
The new shelters are made by combining fiberglass scrap in the form of a Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) compound with a green resin and a low Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) manufacturing process.
Published: 22nd March 2011

Success with Vestamid in a 2 shot moulded safety lamp
The challenge was to retain their unique and practical black and yellow mouldings in a new design of safety lamp.
Published: 22nd March 2011

Innovation “open door” in energy saving competition
The Materials KTN has a competition open featuring innovation in energy saving for the plastics and rubber industries. What a great opportunity! If you are already undertaking some small or large projects in your company you are likely to be eligible to enter.
Published: 9th February 2011

Plastics from greenhouse gas are no dream, says Bayer
If this scale-up project is successful not only will highly insulating polymer products be created utilising CO2 but the CO2 will be scrubbed from the emissions from a coal fired power-station. It works at lab-scale, now Euro 4.5 million is available to take this “dream” to the next stage
Published: 9th February 2011

Polymers HALp the elderly to lift and move with an exoskeleton
Bayer MaterialScience is supplying high-quality material for an innovative exoskeleton designed to support the human motor function and strength. Robot Suit ® HAL®, developed and manufactured by the Japanese company CYBERDYNE, is now on show at the Bayer MaterialScience stand at the world’s biggest plastics fair K 2010 in Düsseldorf.
Published: 9th February 2011

Diesel from end of life plastics will be made in London this year
Sita says it will build 10 plants across the UK to convert end of life plastic into diesel fuel. The company will commission the first plant in London this year. Combined, the 10 proposed plants will convert 60,000 tonnes of mixed waste plastic per year to produce four million litres of diesel. The company proposes to build two to three conversion plants per year.
Published: 9th February 2011

AKI makes intricate new particle analyser that leaves customer Malvern Instruments beaming
Technical plastics moulder A K Industries (AKI) of Hereford manufactures thousands a month of a new and improved Zetasizer™ particle analyser for Malvern Instruments and tests 100% of them.
Published: 1st December 2010

Space Offers New Cure for Polymers
Inflatable shelters for astronauts could be hardened and stabilised by materials which cross-link far more effectively using cosmic radiation.
Published: 30th September 2010

Student Design Competition - Highly Commended - Football Shin Guard
Jaipreet Bahra re-designs shin guards using smart materials to extend the working lives of sportsmen and women.
Published: 30th September 2010

New Composite Body Armour Inspired by Cornstarch
Scientists in Singapore have been inspired by the “locking” properties of cornstarch to develop new body armour which is soft to wear but is very effective in preventing ballistic trauma. They claim it is better than the current ceramic plates.
Published: 30th September 2010

Innovation in Nano-Particle Manufacture
As a result of the Nano workshop held in July this year by the Polymer Sector of the Materials KTN
Published: 3rd September 2010

Student shows how playful plastics can save water
Designed by Helena From, industrial designer, her new shower is fun. She goes on to say for most people their daily shower is a must and a refreshing start to the day.
Published: 3rd September 2010

Plastics Help Food Allergen Sufferers
The UK subsidiary of a major US diagnostics equipment company, Tepnel BioSystems Ltd of Deeside approached the Hereford-based A K Industries (AKI)
Published: 3rd September 2010

Natural Colour Composite Masonry Pavers Made from Recycled Rubber and Plastics.
When VAST Enterprises wanted to offer the construction industry a ‘green’ alternative to conventional paving systems, it developed a composite masonry paver system made entirely of recycled tires and plastic bottles.
Published: 5th August 2010

New Material From Ebalta Reduces Dust in Tool Making
Ebalta have launched a new tooling board and now switched production to in house production for all tooling boards with density 1 kg/l. The new range of boards has been thoroughly tested in the market and is now available for sale.
Published: 5th August 2010

UK Surfboards from Natural Materials
Because of the green agenda there is currently a great deal of interest in natural materials across all sectors. The Polymer Sector of the Materials KTN has been investigating the degree to which natural fibres are being used in sports applications (a highly technical area for the top class athletes).
Published: 5th August 2010

IDC examines Plastics in Medical devices at PDM 2010
The international product development agency, Industrial Design Consultancy Ltd (IDC), was selected to discuss the merits of plastics in design innovation as part of the speaker programme at this years PDM show in Telford 18-20 May 2010.
Published: 9th July 2010

David Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science Announces an 8.4 Million Investment in Plastic Electronics
Thirteen businesses have been successful in winning the funding via two competitions run by the Technology Strategy Board. They will help to cement the UK as a world leader in this emerging field.
Published: 9th July 2010

Lords, Ladies, Fashion and Polymers
On 7th June 2010, the Materials KTN turned the House of Lords into a fashion exhibition, complete with catwalk, for its annual evening reception.
Published: 9th July 2010

Design innovation for recycled plastic product leads to health growth for Easy-Do Products
Easy-Do Products is a privately-owned, family run business first established in 1968 and now run by two brothers – Daniel and Paul Neumann. They design and manufacture the EcoForce range of eco-friendly household products made from recycled materials, the range includes recycled clothes pegs and scourers.
Published: 10th June 2010

Sitting on coffee, drinking coffee
Re-worked is an industrial design company set up by Adam Fairweather. Over the past few years he has been developing systems and added value applications for recycled coffee waste.  Re-worked is about to launch its first functional surfacing product” made from recycled coffee waste.
Published: 10th June 2010

Successful 'Reactive Surface Treatment' By US Air Force
Alexium Chief Executive, Steve Ribich said “One of the key remaining challenges has been to ensure that the RST technology is both scalable for commercial production and able to be easily transitioned into commercially viable products.
Published: 12th May 2010

IDC Design Covers New Ground in Biker Saftey
The award-winning new product development experts at Industrial Design Consultancy Ltd. (IDC), have taken motorcycle safety to an entirely new level following the recent design of a next generation helmet.
Published: 12th May 2010

A New Green Computer Keyboard
Fujitsu introduces a world first - an injection moulded keyboard made from renewable materials. This newly developed eco-keyboard 'KBPC PX ECO' has been launched under the label Green IT & with Biograde resin from FKuR being used for some of the component parts.
Published: 12th May 2010

Small Technologies, Great Opportunities. Does your Innovation Strategy Include Nano Materials?
In January 2010, the Nanotechnology Mini-IGT, comprising four Knowledge Transfer Networks (KTNs) – Materials, Nanotechnology, Chemistry Innovation and Sensors and Instrumentation, considered where the UK sits in terms of investment in comparison with competitors and reviewed the UK capability to exploit nanotechnologies given the organisations and funding bodies currently in place.
Published: 14th April 2010

EBALTA Maintain the Lowest Viscosity RIM and Vacuum Casting Materials for the Rapid Prototyping Market
Ebalta is a market leader in the field of model and tool making having specialised in the manufacture and supply of tooling materials since 1974.
Published: 14th April 2010

A Polymer Patio for the DIY Market
The Materials KTN has been supporting landscaper designer, Nicky Stanley in her endeavours to design a simple and quick method for laying a patio. Nicky first came up with the idea in the summer of 2006.
Published: 14th April 2010

Researchers in Malaysia claim biodegradable plastic packaging from fruit skins
The Fruitplast product has been pioneered at the University Sain Malaysia (USM) and made from the skins of tropical fruits such as bananas, rambutans and chempedak.
Published: 10th April 2010

Biodegradable Polymers In the Toy Sector
Partly funded by IMPIVA, the SME institute of Valencia (Spain) has funded the AIJU. Technological Institute for Toys. Avda. de la Industria to investigate bio-plastics in toys
Published: 16th March 2010

Polymers in Defence and Aerospace Applications
obin Young, Transport Relationship Manager from the Materials KTN attended the recent 2nd International Conference on Polymers in Defence and Aerospace Applications run by Smithers Rapra Technology Ltd in Hamburg.
Published: 16th March 2010

A Novel Polymer Joining Technology Looking to Develop Strategic Business Partnerships
Welding by Resistive Implant Tape (WRIT) is a radically new polymer welding technology.  It has the unique ability to weld dissimilar polymer plastics together with no weakness in the seam; the weld is typically stronger than the materials being held together.
Published: 16th March 2010

Big funding and Materials KTN Support for a Small Company in Bio-Origin Antibacterial Agents
Following a discussion between a company and the Materials KTN (polymer sector), an application was submitted for £5,000 of funding to pay for formal research jointly by Bangor and Reading Universities.
Published: 18th February 2010

How two members actively participate in the Materials - KTN
The Materials Knowledge Transfer Network (Polymers) creates synergy between two Midlands based members. Exilica Limited and Rondol Technology Ltd who, together, are meeting new customer formulation specifications and a new supply chain.
Published: 18th February 2010