Elastomeric Opals: Follow on Fund

For the past 5 years our team has been developing plastic films incorporating polymer nanoparticles that when correctly processed show structural colour. Most coloured materials depend on pigments that selectively absorb particular colours, and these are frequently toxic and fade over time. Creating colours that can change on demand is currently impractical for most markets. The materials that we create produce colours based exclusively on the nanoscale spacing of transparent components, and actively change colour if stretched or swelled. The prospect is thus for a materials-based company selling suitably-tailored coloured films into a variety of markets.Our aim is thus to formulate and develop the business case for a spin-out company based on elastomeric polymer opals which use our novel manufacturable nanotechnology.

Impact will emerge in a variety of effective ways: - realising a nanotechnology-based spin-off company in a new space: this funding is on the critical path to founding a spin-off company based on the current EPSRC funded research programme. - industries in a variety of sectors who will be able to innovate to capture new markets and establish greater strength in existing ones; particularly in plastics, printing and packaging, security, textiles, cosmetics and coatings industries. - demonstrating the value of funding nanoscience and the pull-through to nanotechnology innovation engendered by the EPSRC (and the University) to: 1) academics in the physical sciences 2) academics in nanoscience 3) industries in nanoscience 4) the government (Treasury) 5) the general public 6) the media 7) university students This project has already been picked up by the media (New Scientist and Economist) and realising the full potential of the science into UK innovation will be a natural story to build further across the media. This will thus impact science funders (the government), the public and particularly school-age students, university students training across the physical science disciplines, industries in the UK who could potentially benefit, and a variety of industry sectors. - demonstrating the effectiveness of funding interdisciplinary nanoscience to academic and industrial instutions - stakeholders interested in encouraging nanotechnologies will benefit, as this is a natural exemplar for the power of this interdisciplinary growing approach. The materials produced are highly visual examples of how nanotechnology can deliver novel products, and the space is a rather different one to that used in previous exemplars. It does not involved free nanoparticles, it is not a healthcare sensor, and it is not a high value expensive device. - the University of Cambridge will benefit by bringing another start-up to fruition, increasing their stable of successful activities in this space (along with CDT, Plastic Logic and others). The town of Cambridge and the surrounding region will benefit as high tech jobs will be created in this company, and the continuing message of a high-tech innovation hub will expand. Hence there are a wide range of beneficial impacts across a diverse range of stakeholders.