Innovating functional colour changing photonic crystals - from gas sensors to tissue scaffolds

Structurally coloured polymer-based photonic crystals enhanced with pristine graphene or other 2D related nanomaterials that can change colour upon external stimuli such as heat or mechanical pressure are promising for a range of novel and emerging sensing applications. These materials have the potential to disrupt several market sectors, yet work is still needed in developing the base technology and multidisciplinary commercial application of the resulting devices and products.

The programme of work within this Future Leaders Fellowship will focus on the executive transition of the fellow from academia to industry and her leading further multidisciplinary developments and the subsequent commercial innovation of novel photonic crystal devices. Particular aims are to produce an ionizing radiation dosimeter with an effective atomic number similar to that of human tissue for accurate tissue equivalent dosimetry, a sensing device which changes vividly in colour upon exposure to toxic gas environment in civilian first responder applications as well as a novel in vitro tissue model, consisting of heart cells on a conductive photonic crystal scaffold, to create a commercially viable, functional, electrically stimulated, physiologically relevant, heart tissue scaffold.

The economic and social impact of these will be widely felt. For example cheap and simple to use devices that can quantitatively and qualitatively detect the presence of toxic gases can save the lives of civilians and first responders responding to hazardous fire situations. A radiation dosimeter for careful radiation monitoring will protect radiation workers and patients from potential health risks, and contribute to enhancement of the health and safety standards, while the development of novel tissue scaffolds will enable easier design and testing of vaccines and drugs and significantly reduce the use of animals.

The fellowship will support the development of a Polymeric Photonic Crystal Platform will provide immense long-term impact on the public and commercial sector. It will develop new products and processes at 2 UK Universities through a high growth potential SME and the High-Value Manufacturing Catapult. The product portfolio comprising of three major groups of products that include gas sensors, radiation dosimeters and tissue scaffolds. Being business hosted brings many advantages in terms of commercial freedom and the pathway for the fellow to become an inspiring female innovator.

The economic and social impact of these will be widely felt. For the gas sensor work, there are ~37,000 house fires a year in the UK and 200 fire-related deaths annually mostly caused by inhaling the toxic fumes. Long-term, photonic crystal-based gas sensors will have an immersive impact on society. Cheap and simple to use devices that can quantitatively and qualitatively detect the presence of toxic gases can save the lives of civilians and first responders responding to hazardous fire situations.

The same material system can be used as a radiation dosimeter that measures dose uptake of external ionising radiation (e.g. X-rays). X-rays are vital to helping diagnose various illnesses including cancer. However, X-rays or CT scans utilise ionising radiation can be a cause of cancer many years later. The evidence suggests that 6 in 1,000 cancers in the UK are caused by diagnostic radiation alone. Hence this project will deliver a device for careful monitoring to optimise radiation doses and protect medical radiation workers and patients from potential health risks. It will enable to contribute to enhancement of the health and safety standards, influence the policies and reduce the NHS spending.

While the development of novel tissue scaffolds, long-term, will enable to understand and consequently tackle the cardiovascular diseases such arrhythmias, coronary artery disease or heart attack which are currently the leading cause of death worldwide, results in a quarter of deaths in England costing NHS seven billion pounds annually. At the same time, the design and testing of vaccines and drugs will become more accessible, more effective and significantly reduce the use of animals.

Short-term, this project will significantly impact the Fellow who will make a transition from academia to industry - further developing her world-class skills in research into the industrial research field, her team that will be exposed an environment which is a hybrid of academia and industry. The fellowship will greatly enhance AMD itself by developing a new stream of business in partnership with UKRI and will enhance the reputation of two south-east universities by working with a high growth potential SME. It has the potential to generate new job opportunities for the company and attract additional investment through public and private means.

Through careful and targeted dissemination of results to both the academic and industrial community, the profile of this type of research and innovation will rise, and through thought leadership activities the importance of advanced manufacturing using nanomaterial enabled innovations is greatly enhanced.