EPSRC Platform for Process, Product and Innovation

The grant will enable untried interdisciplinary ideas to be trialled by a group of scientists with a proven track record in innovation. This grant provides a platform for Process, Product and Diagnostic Innovation within Chemical Engineering. An Internationally leading group of Engineers and Scientist with different background research interests propose to work together on new ideas that could lead to step change innovation where their respective skill bases are combined to innovate new processs and products. For example they propose to combine material science understanding of block copolymer polymers with optical diagnostic sensors. They also propose to combine a recently invented plastic microcapillary film with state of art laser optical detection techniques to make an instument that can quantify very small liquid chemical compositions. The grant will also provide a platform from which innovative application in Chemical Engineering will be championed to both specialists and a wider public audience.