£17m investment ensures strong year for science

Jan 29 2009 by Chris Knox, The Journal

A SCIENTIFIC research and development organisation is doubling its investment in research in the region to £17m.

Teesside-based Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) is expecting a strong year for the science and technology sector both nationally and regionally – despite the current economic climate – as it prepares to open a new centre in County Durham to develop printable electronics.

CPI, which is supported by a mixture of Government and private funding, believes the future of industrial electronics lies in the ability to mass- produce extremely thin, flexible and cheap electronic circuits that are printed using a range of carbon-based materials, rather than the more traditionally used silicon.

It has been developing the technology since merging with Cenamps last year, but is now ready to begin trials once it moves into the new Printable Electronics Technology Centre (PETEC) in March.

The centre, which is based at the CPI’s NETPark site in Sedgefield, County Durham, believes the technology will develop into a £16bn industry by 2015.

It uses giant photovoltaic light-emitting panels and biosensors to monitor health.

This year will also see the CPI increase its research into the use of algae as a source of low-carbon biofuel and it has already received significant funding to produce sustainable algae crops this year.

The technology is currently undergoing trials to decide whether to ferment or heat the algae in order to produce a sludge like biomass, which is incredibly rich in energy-producing chemicals.

Chief executive of the CPI Nigel Perry said: “Despite worries that there may be less private investment in innovation this year, we are in reasonably good shape and are looking to take a number of projects onto the next stage.

“Although the research into algae is only in the early stages we are receiving interest from a number of parties excited about its potential as a major source of bio-fuel.”

The CPI, which has its main centre at Wilton near Redcar, is also extending its research into atomic layer deposition (ALD), which has seen it work alongside a team at Newcastle University to make materials 100,000 times thinner than paper.

By adding ALD films to products, electronics manufacturers can make computers and mobile phones which are smaller, faster and use less power.

The CPI is now looking at ways of using the method to make surfaces impenetrable by adding toughened materials, which it believes will be of use to a range of industries.

Mr Perry said: “I think Peter Mandelson was bang on when he said that innovation was one of the ways this country will be able to fight its way out of the recession.

“We will be working to ensure that businesses in the region are able to benefit from the latest advances in process technology.”