Why the UK needs an advanced materials strategy

Originally published by Business Green - you can also view it there.

A clear industrial strategy, incorporating advanced materials, would give green industry a firm steer, argue John Hartley and Dr Elinor Galanis from UK clean tech firm Levidian.

The thinnest and strongest material in the world - graphene - was isolated in Manchester nearly two decades ago. Professors Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov went on to win the Nobel Prize in Physics for their ground-breaking discovery. So why, 20 years on, does the UK trail other countries in the application of graphene and other advanced materials?

The performance-enabling potential and broad applicability of graphene within several key emerging sectors, and the fact it was discovered here, should put the UK far ahead of the rest of the world in research and development (R&D) and the application of this advanced material. Yet, though we are one of the leaders, we are not the leader. China has been making significant gains in this space, followed closely by Brazil and Canada.

The reason for that lies partly decades ago, when the UK was slow to act on the discovery of graphene and didn’t protect the IP because the commercial potential wasn’t recognised. Some expertise and experience left the country - Professor Novoselov, for example, went to Singapore - and other countries raced to fill the space. But the legacy of that discovery remains a huge opportunity for the UK.

Graphene is only one example of an advanced material, and many are critical to the energy transition. What the UK is currently lacking - and what other countries' success has stemmed from - is a coherent industrial and commercialisation strategy. Much has been written, in these pages and others, about that absence of long-term thinking. And importantly, part of that plan must be an Advanced Materials Strategy. As it stands, we have world-famous universities and research institutions and a rich heritage of scientific breakthroughs, but we are lacking the necessary support from the government to ensure that these innovations are successfully commercialised in the UK, rather than departing abroad.

The transition from concept to commercialisation is the crucial stage where innovation needs sources of patient capital. There is often a long period of work to ensure that what is functional at laboratory scale produces success in the commercial environment. Many private investors expect quick returns, presenting a challenge for those companies seeking investment to build and scale in a sustainable fashion.

This is where support is critical. The UK government has plenty of levers it can pull in its role as an investor, including using the UK Infrastructure Bank (UKIB) and British Business Bank (BBB). But more is needed. A coherent industrial strategy would establish a clear, long-term policy framework, prioritising supportive regulation and targeted tax incentives. A stable and predictable business environment is key to reducing uncertainty and encouraging that flow of patient capital.

A holistic strategy would therefore open up economic opportunity for trailblazing technologies, as well as providing the drive the UK needs in order to achieve one of its most pressing goals: net zero. Advanced materials, including superconductors, carbon nanotubes, perovskite solar cells, and nanocomposites all have unique properties that could deliver advances in energy storage, renewable energy generation and energy efficiency.

In the case of graphene, its strength, flexibility, and lightweight properties can contribute to the development of a wide variety of more sustainable products. Graphene-reinforced composites can be used in wind turbine blades, lightweight vehicle components, and infrastructure materials, improving their strength and durability while reducing their weight and - crucially - their environmental impact.

It could also make grids smarter, with graphene-based sensors monitoring energy distribution, detecting faults, and optimising grid performance. In other materials like rubber or concrete, it could reduce the consumption of 'dirtier' additives or reduce the overall amount of material needed to deliver an outcome. But to fully realise this potential, we need far more commercial research, development, and more rapid scaling up.

With collaboration between industry and research institutions providing a solid base on which to build a successful tech sector, the priority needs to turn towards helping build the commercial relationships between manufacturers and industrial users of the materials.

We need a clear industrial strategy, incorporating advanced materials, to give industry a firm steer and open the pathway to regulatory change supporting innovative material testing and adoption. Critical to the piece is a government prepared to act as a customer, to drive those early conversions from concept to reality, and encourage that flow of finance that is so critical if we're to take advantage of the opportunity on offer.

John Hartley is Levidian’s CEO and Dr Elinor Galanis is our Director of Commercial Development.