U.K. launches National Materials Innovation Strategy for materials innovation

The National Materials Innovation Strategy has been launched to guide the next decade of materials innovation in the U.K. Facilitated by The Henry Royce Institute (Manchester) — the U.K.’s national institute for advanced materials – with the support of ScotChem, Perspective Economics and Urban Foresight, it is said to represent the first phase of a large national effort to speed up materials development cycles and unlock untapped potential in the U.K. in order to extend its leadership in material innovation.

The strategy focuses on many areas, with composites being one of the opportunity areas outlined within the Structural Innovations Opportunity theme. This section describes how composites provide essential lightweight, durable and high-performance structural solutions, including high-value applications in aerospace and defense, and high-volume applications in renewable energy systems and transportation. (Access p. 82-84 of the full report for more info).

Priorities outlined in this section include:

• Developing more sustainable composites designed and optimized for multiple applications, longer life cycles, recycling and reuse
• Securing a more robust and resilient composite materials supply chain, supporting growth and resilience in existing markets and new circular economies. 

According to the National Materials Innovation Strategy, materials development is essential if the U.K. is to meet net-zero commitments. Projections undertaken as part of the strategy also suggest that an active commitment to materials innovation could double the number of materials-specific job roles by 2035, up from 52,000 people nationwide currently, and adding £4.4 billion in GVA to the U.K. economy. Each materials-related job unlocks at least 12 additional jobs within materials innovation businesses.

Steered by a dedicated Materials Innovation Leadership Group, the strategy consulted more than 2,000 experts in materials science, engineering, innovation, policy and industry, identifying six diverse areas of opportunity for materials (including composites mentioned above) to make a transformative impact and unlock economic growth:

• Energy solutions: Efficient and sustainable energy generation, storage, transmission and use to meet net zero. 
• Future healthcare: Delivering beyond biocompatibility for active medical solutions
• Structural innovations: Strengthening infrastructure, built environment and transport systems.
• Advanced surface technologies: Enhancing product functionality, performance and lifetime.
• Next generation electronics, telecommunications and sensors: Driving the future of high-performance connectivity and computing.
• Consumer products, packaging and specialist polymers: Paving the way for a greener tomorrow.

A cross-sector strategy, it also identifies two major cross-cutting areas spanning the entire materials sector that require common approaches and methodologies to develop them over the next decade: The digital revolution (Materials 4.0) and sustainability. The Henry Royce Institute believes that prioritizing these could see the industry leap ahead if the materials community works together to develop collective solutions, such as a materials informatics framework, which incorporates AI and machine learning, life cycle stimulation and modeling.

The strategy will be implemented immediately via steering groups, with the Materials Innovation Leadership Group overseeing its delivery. These will focus on the key opportunities and cross-cutting themes identified in the strategy to bind the community together and focus efforts on the largest opportunities for impact.

“This strategy is a call to action to deliver the transformation required to realize the true potential of materials innovation in the U.K.,” says professor David Knowles, CEO of the Henry Royce Institute. “To unlock the full value of materials we must break down traditional longstanding silos within the industry.”