Nanotechnology companies are to be offered advice and help in setting up a research consortium to bid for government funding.
The Nanotechnology Knowledge Transfer Network (NanoKTN), which nanotechnology firms, has joined with the Materials KTN to offer help in pairing technology developers with integrators and end users.
“Nanotechnology 
encompasses enabling technologies which can revolutionise materials and processes, but integrating these into end applications requires a networking and communication process which we aim to facilitate,” said Dr Martin Kemp of NanoKTN.
The first focus on the initiative is to promote research projects investigating the use of nano-enhanced materials for transport applications.
Faraday Advance, under the direction of Dr Colin Johnstone, is the transport 
node of the Materials KTN which focuses on materials in the transport industry, and hence by collaborating with the NanoKTN, the two networks hope to develop nano-enhanced materials projects to benefit the transportation sector.
“Several of the themes may be relevant, such as high value products, resource efficient and sustainable processes (improving productivity or reducing material, energy and resource consumption in production processes), and condition diagnosis,” said Kemp.
The first funding call to be targeted is the Technology Strategy Board ‘High Value Manufacturing’ Call which opens on 19th January 2009 with expressions of interest required by 26th February 2009.
Nanomaterials, materials, and transportation companies interested in finding partners or discussing in confidence a proposal idea, can contact Dr Martin Kemp, NanoKTN or Dr Colin Johnstone, Materials KTN.