Creating and Improving Novel Composites and Multi-Materials
Do you need support to develop new innovations and improved performance of composites and multi-materials?
![A photo of a composite material A photo of a composite material](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/materials-fabric-02.jpg?w=1920&h=1080&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559213788&s=5f03ebbb13dcaa0554afb59f85b09c2b 1920w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/materials-fabric-02.jpg?w=1120&h=630&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559213788&s=2877bd3463680451e2ead2baeb12c2fd 1120w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/materials-fabric-02.jpg?w=800&h=450&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559213788&s=b6f7051e5632c0d4d36cd10c1bb10f34 800w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/materials-fabric-02.jpg?w=1600&h=900&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559213788&s=efee186a7baf06c0219c88596b03e623 1600w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/materials-fabric-02.jpg?w=480&h=270&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559213788&s=5e2d4212c9b3cf3dca099bddbeb335ce 480w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/materials-fabric-02.jpg?w=960&h=540&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559213788&s=fd7d04ea0d2e1f9666ed3093a639ff11 960w)
Improved novel materials for extra functionality and added effect
Do you want to develop and improve your composites and multi-materials to make products which are stronger, lighter and have better functional performance?
Our expertise helps you to solve complex problems and develop innovative solutions, whilst reducing the environmental impact or improving the sustainability of your products through their entire life cycle.
Whatever your goal, our innovation services can help you overcome your manufacturing challenges and take your products to market fast and efficiently.
Working across different markets and industries
![A photo of an aircraft turbine A photo of an aircraft turbine](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/aerospace-turbine.jpg?w=1920&h=1080&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559219460&s=69689d047f9c6556077611e72d2e202c 1920w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/aerospace-turbine.jpg?w=1120&h=630&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559219460&s=1cb9da4bbbbd60593a5f54f6597f6417 1120w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/aerospace-turbine.jpg?w=800&h=450&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559219460&s=95d4e4d44a522cd9305481799345929c 800w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/aerospace-turbine.jpg?w=1600&h=900&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559219460&s=1d6d75821a34f23b2e99b9e2d5ef5c24 1600w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/aerospace-turbine.jpg?w=480&h=270&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559219460&s=5f13985735b14a58cb4ee9fac69d3d59 480w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/aerospace-turbine.jpg?w=960&h=540&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559219460&s=fa6e2c6a3bdc1af996d84c6e023099ce 960w)
We work across different markets and different industries using state-of-the-art facilities. We work with academia and companies ranging in size from SMEs to global organisations, across diverse markets, including aerospace, automotive, electronics, architectural, construction, marine and renewable energy, to develop, prove and commercialise ideas and concepts into next generation products and processes.
We are part of the UK’s High Value Manufacturing Catapult and work with our Catapult partners and other research and technology organisations, to provide innovative supply chain solutions.
Solving manufacturing challenges and developing new innovations
![A photo of a CPI staff member giving a tour of the facilities A photo of a CPI staff member giving a tour of the facilities](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/formulation-cpi-05.jpg?w=1920&h=1080&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221282&s=71cfa7e9d473fb7f642bf42c3c83b916 1920w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/formulation-cpi-05.jpg?w=1120&h=630&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221282&s=b75cb99ae8373333059b60020efcda24 1120w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/formulation-cpi-05.jpg?w=800&h=450&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221282&s=c440dcad902d6050b8251c7f7c0b5908 800w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/formulation-cpi-05.jpg?w=1600&h=900&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221282&s=072ed0bb2d1aaa3f585c0e3739c7fa44 1600w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/formulation-cpi-05.jpg?w=480&h=270&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221282&s=5a1cc3cd3a2a3615da09143534c2ba25 480w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/formulation-cpi-05.jpg?w=960&h=540&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221282&s=fb60d6702eac28195925834cfafc9b09 960w)
We help customers overcome a variety of industry challenges. For example, we can:
- Replace or integrate metals with composite materials to reduce weight whilst enhancing their strength.
- Implement flexible thin-film sensors in composite materials.
- Join dissimilar materials to target improved functionality and the ability to cope with extremes of performance.
- Better control the thermal and electrical properties of your materials to make them more efficient conductors or highly effective insulators.
- Provide real-time data without significant impact of composite performance.
- Create future resin systems or modify existing ones to deliver the performance your customers need.
Our offering provides you with
![A placeholder image A placeholder image](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/formulation-cpi-04.jpg?w=1920&h=1080&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221314&s=e0ea3c056112bad2ac48dab2deb2927a 1920w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/formulation-cpi-04.jpg?w=1120&h=630&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221314&s=a1dee339e320fc208d246cc1370761d6 1120w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/formulation-cpi-04.jpg?w=800&h=450&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221314&s=e2fe598fa243b5645d2568b6c358ba7f 800w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/formulation-cpi-04.jpg?w=1600&h=900&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221314&s=81df73e2c8f0baa87c5be0bfcae50c9b 1600w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/formulation-cpi-04.jpg?w=480&h=270&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221314&s=996b71eaae335eb62db304ae1c76281f 480w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/formulation-cpi-04.jpg?w=960&h=540&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221314&s=52849e84e998740ffd66b66ca2db426f 960w)
- A solution-driven approach, investigating innovation across a range of materials
- Multi-disciplinary material capability that is applicable to diverse sectors
- Industrially-relevant scientific expertise in composites and multi-materials
- A broad range of experimentation, characterisation and testing capabilities
- A flexible working model – from SME funding and business support with complete control of your IP, and innovation road mapping
- Access to CPI’s ability to influence legislation relating to new market opportunities, e.g. demonstration of health and safety considerations in handling nano-materials
Leading expert support for industry growth
![A photo of a CPI staff member giving a tour of the facilities available A photo of a CPI staff member giving a tour of the facilities available](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/formulation-tour.jpg?w=1920&h=1080&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221614&s=56d3504d8ffc7e14cfc5efe7a22ec360 1920w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/formulation-tour.jpg?w=1120&h=630&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221614&s=47b2fe0ca2b95ae02668fc8d8eeff294 1120w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/formulation-tour.jpg?w=800&h=450&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221614&s=1b96057d13f61f5c6f0813f105c4a9ee 800w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/formulation-tour.jpg?w=1600&h=900&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221614&s=1f08eaf33daea7577362340300a2f3c8 1600w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/formulation-tour.jpg?w=480&h=270&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221614&s=046088a5e80c0e3e66ce1be9568263d6 480w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/formulation-tour.jpg?w=960&h=540&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559221614&s=7460e61dfa258e8ffc998cb86a1dc717 960w)
Reliable decisions with minimal risk
Gain first-to-market advantage for composites, graphene and other multi-materials with novel functionality and new intellectual property and licensing opportunities.
Leading expertise
Expert knowledge in the substitution of potential problem materials/ingredients, resulting in faster reformulation.
![A photo of liquid graphene A photo of liquid graphene](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/graphene-lab-2.jpg?w=1920&h=1080&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559222323&s=6d73d7d5d7fa2d9db21f2f893887f3bd 1920w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/graphene-lab-2.jpg?w=1120&h=630&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559222323&s=1d9a1465036f903b0a7cf0cefd8c00b0 1120w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/graphene-lab-2.jpg?w=800&h=450&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559222323&s=d874193870c9ea4b268e77135e35ba5d 800w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/graphene-lab-2.jpg?w=1600&h=900&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559222323&s=564f6c92c2366c18257850856be71f9a 1600w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/graphene-lab-2.jpg?w=480&h=270&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559222323&s=fbdc84df445f2d6c0179ce8d4e41a94f 480w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/graphene-lab-2.jpg?w=960&h=540&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1559222323&s=33b34e30b6109e61a94544e8556bca79 960w)
Rapid scale up and production at volume
Our industrial scale equipment helps customers to prove business cases needed for investment.
Complete end-to-end process
From design and development to scale-up and commercialisation, our business support provides you with experts in each in area.
Our state-of-the-art facilities and expertise
Capabilities, facilities and expertise
Our unique capabilities
We help customers to predict performance improvements in real-world conditions to enable product adoption such as selling through the supply chain: We can help customers develop nanomaterial containing systems such as thin film coating, ink jet printing and resin infusion to create test pieces/prototypes for characterisation and testing, assess the final application properties and modify the formulation if necessary.
We enable customers to develop their product systematically, rather than by trial and error, to increase productivity and reduce time to market: We understand the effect of graphene in applied products and we can characterise these products to have a fundamental understanding of the formulation process.
CPI’s technical know-how means our customers learn faster: We have capability and expertise to understand complex multi-component systems, including nanomaterials and 2D materials, including graphene. We work with a wide range of constituents which can be incorporated into composite and multi-material products to enhance product properties such as thermal and electrical conductivity, thermal transfer, strength, surface hardness, corrosion protection and lubricity.
We enable businesses to evaluate their current capabilities and determine next steps: CPI’s Innovation Integrator® model identifies existing innovation gaps in your company, product, process or technology and determines the next steps to enable you to progress from innovation to commercialisation.
Our innovation know-how
Our extensive innovation knowledge can help you:
- Gain fundamental knowledge on developing composites and composite products, and how to improve their properties, by accessing CPI’s industry expertise and its position as a High Value Manufacturing Catapult centre.
- Experiment in a neutral and flexible testing ground where material suppliers and formulators can come together to generate data they can trust.
- Gain access to a wide range of types and grades of novel nanomaterial, including graphene which, when coupled with our functionalisation capability, allows you to develop materials suitable for your application more quickly through using the appropriate grade of nanomaterial.
- Ensure and implement safe-handling of nano-materials
Our proven performance attributes
Our proven performance attributes from previous CPI projects
- Conductive coatings for metal passivation to increase manufacturing productivity and reduce production cost.
- Enhanced thermal conductivity in plastic/composite components to extend product lifetime and reduce the complexity of components.
- Enhanced electrical conductivity and low fill factor in adhesives and bonding agents to provide new products for the Internet of Things (IoT).
- Enhanced mechanical properties for body/vehicle armour to provide lighter, more flexible materials that are easier to use and more comfortable to wear.
- Improving heat transfer, therefore reducing the size of components, e.g. radiators.