Technologies such as our beloved smartphones have taken the world by storm, but some of the materials needed to make them are in short supply. This is also true for other crucial applications - industrial catalysts, for instance. Two projects jointly funded by the EU and Japan have looked into possible substitutes for various critical metals.
Liquid-crystalline fluids are used in many modern optoelectronic devices, from medical tools to smart phone and computer screens - probably including the display you are reading this on. A related soft matter technology currently being explored by EU-funded researchers could have a broad range of novel industrial and commercial applications.
A consortium of academic and industry partners is developing the skills and tools needed for the development of the next generation of OLED lighting and displays using alternative organic fluorescent compounds. Promising early results have been reported by several EXCILIGHT recruits.
Clothing embedded with electronic sensors and microprocessors was once the stuff of science fiction. Now an EU-funded project is looking at ways of improving manufacturing techniques required by so-called e-textiles. The results could lead to a new generation of interactive, or 'smart', clothing and footwear that can monitor health, activity and location.
A team of EU-funded researchers demonstrated that tanks of hydrogen vehicles can be manufactured at much lower costs. Since the end of the project they are now working on commercialising and improving the newly developed materials and techniques.
New building concepts that take into account catastrophic events such as earthquakes have the potential to save thousands of lives. EU-funded researchers have pioneered new methods and materials for constructing earthquake-fire resistant buildings that are lightweight, energy efficient and cost-effective. The project's results are currently being commercialised.
An EU-funded project has helped to turn a promising method of producing metal parts for cars, planes and tools into a mainstream industrial process. The project has put in place a functioning supply chain and identified best practices that will enable manufacturers to deliver high-end products in a cost-effective manner.
Hemp has been a source for materials, fibres and textiles for millennia. Now, an EU-funded project has used cutting-edge genomic approaches to boost hemp production, improve quality and advance scientific understanding of the crop. The research has led to new varieties and processes, providing a sustainable alternative to synthetic fibres and a wide range of other bio-based products.
Seals that prevent leaks between moving machine parts could soon last longer and be more energy-efficient. An EU-funded project's techniques mould rubber and plastic dynamic seals with surface texture, making the SMEs manufacturing them more competitive.
