Faraday Plastics and Hybridnet held a successful Technology Road Map meeting on the 'Commercialisation of Polymer/Ceramic Hybrids and Nano-Composites'.

Faraday Plastics and Hybridnet (an EPSRC funded network) held a successful Technology Road Map meeting on the Commercialisation of Polymer/Ceramic Hybrids and Nano-Composites. A group of twenty five met at Sheffield Hallam University to map out the future for the sector. Representatives were included from Faraday Plastics, Hybridnet, Sheffield Hallam University, Nottingham Trent University, Surrey University, Brunel University, PowdermatriX, Qinetiq, Linpac, DSTL, Imreys, JCB, Zotefoams, and Faraday ADVANCE.

Major areas of technology and research in polymer nanotechnology were highlighted.

Discussion topics included applications, funding, materials modelling, processing, materials characterisation and industry skills.

In a recent statement Lord Sainsbury, Government Minister for Science and Technology noted that 'Nanotechnology promises huge benefits for the environment and our health and wealth.

Today's investment will help UK companies take advantage of the exciting commercial opportunities offered by scientific advances in nanotechnology.

Some estimates predict a global market in nanotechnology worth over $1 trillion in a decade.

I want to make sure the UK wins a share of this prize with a prosperous, world-class nanotechnology sector in the UK.' Notes from the Faraday Plastics/Hybridnet October 23 TRM material on polymer/ceramic nanocomposites will now be developed into a final document that will be presented at the next Hybridnet meeting to the TRM attendees and other interested bodies on 7th January 2004.

The meeting will be held at Oxford University, Materials Science Park at Begbroke, Oxfordshire and will be organized by Faraday ADVANCE.