“Advanced materials” are materials designed with a purpose to have novel or enhanced properties and improve performance over conventional materials, products and processes.
Many of the challenges facing society today, including sustainability in agriculture, further development of electronics, improved transportation solutions and requirements for renewable energy sources all benefit from contunuing advances in materials technology.
Whilst strong in many fields, Europe is currently seen to be lagging behind in some key industries including industrial biotech and nanotechnology.
The accompanying graph provides a ranking of performance in key technologies in technology generation, start-up creation and skills comparing EU with US, China and Japan7 (source: EC SWD (2021) 352). This graph highlights key industries in which Europe is lagging behind, e.g., Security, Industrial Biotech, Nanotech, Robotics, AI, Micro-and Nanoelectronics, and Big Data.
Systemic Approach of Advanced Materials for Prosperity – A 2030 Perspective
With Advanced Materials playing a pivotal role in all of these areas, Europe must build on its strength by creating suitable ecosystems that allow it to overcome this weakness. Defending and further building on our strategic position in “Advanced Materials” will be a core asset when combined with our leadership in manufacturing industry capacity and competency (automobile, aeronautics, …).
Advanced Materials 2030 Manifesto
The MATERIALS 2030 MANIFESTO (Systemic Approach of Advanced Materials for Prosperity – A 2030 Perspective) which was published on 7 February 2022 calls for “a systemic approach to develop the next generation solution-oriented advanced materials which will offer faster, scalable and efficient responses to the challenges and thus turn them into opportunities for Europe’s society, economy and environment today and in the future. “
The Manifesto outlines key areas in which Europe must support the evolution of materials research underway, specifically in the following:
- Uniting Digital and Material capacities and competences – high performance computing, big data and AI revolutionise the digital modelling, simulation and screening of materials properties, materials development and production processes.
- Combining technology push and market pull – discovery-led research should be connected with developments along the value chain and scaling up processes led by start-ups and industry.
The document also outlines four fundamental pillars that generate the basis for the development of advanced materials:
- Safeguarding Europe’s technology leadership;
- Reducing the environmental footprint by using advanced materials;
- Securing strategic autonomy; and,
- Targeting advanced materials innovation markets.
Reaching the Vision with Advanced Materials
Advanced materials are key to providing solutions for many applications that address the challenges mentioned above.
The following diagram helps to demonstrate that there is a significant share of similarity in the materials’ challenges across different markets, creating substantial potential for collaboration.
Two significant crosscutting enablers are coming to the fore: new technologies and innovations (green band) and new polices (blue band). In order to unlock the full potential of advanced materials, digital innovations must be applied within materials development, as well as creating a harmonised understanding on how to measure, quantify and benchmark the sustainability performance of new materials.
For more information on the MATERIALS 2030 MANIFESTO please follow the link ( https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/research_and_innovation/research_by_area/documents/advanced-materials-2030-manifesto.pdf).
AEGLE TECHNOLOGY has been founded with this goal in mind. We aim to be a strong active partner in a novel European strategy for a sustainable society through the next generation of advanced materials.
Our approach is to combine academic research and knowledge with experience in all aspects of product research, development and commercialisation. Our team includes world-class expertise in the design and manufacture of advanced materials, experience in large scale IT system development and implementation, implementation of regulatory frameworks, business development and supply chain management.
For more information, please got to our website at https://aegle-technology.es or contact us at sales@aegle-technology.es to discuss your requirements.