Mr.
Micheál Martin
TD, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment,
has today announced details of a Science Foundation
Ireland (SFI) award to the Centre for Research
on Adaptive Nanostructures and Nanodevices (CRANN),
Trinity College Dublin. The three-year grant
of €1.8 million will facilitate research,
conducted in association with Hewlett Packard,
in the field of carbon nanotube composites.
The research is focused on the development of a novel carbon nanotube/polymer
composite which will potentially have a unique combination of optical,
electrical and mechanical properties making it suitable for potential applications
in flexible electronic devices including displays and other consumer electronics.
In addition to the SFI award, Hewlett Packard will contribute staff to
work directly in CRANN for the lifetime of the project and appropriate
access to research and manufacturing facilities in Leixlip. Additionally,
the project will have access to expertise from HP research labs in Corvallis,
USA.
Minister Martin said: “This ambitious research collaboration between CRANN
and Hewlett Packard fulfils the Governments stated aspirations to have
our multi-national companies diversify their activities beyond manufacturing
and to engage in higher-value-add operations such as R&D. The Hewlett
Packard and CRANN collaboration blends a well defined and challenging scientific
problem which has the potential to generate large commercial opportunities
in the flexible electronics market.”
Professor John Boland, Director, CRANN stated “this project leverages
the world class scientific capabilities within our centre and represents
a significant enhancement to our existing research programme. The
project couples the innovative strengths of our scientists with the
technology development capabilities of Hewlett Packard, creating
a highly skilled and multidisciplinary research team capable of developing
a unique new technology platform.”
Lionel Alexander, vice president & general manager of Hewlett Packard
Manufacturing Ltd, added “this is an exciting and strategic body of research
that HP has chosen to carry out in Ireland in collaboration with CRANN
and it will accelerate the pace of discovery and commercial application
in the emerging field of nanotechnology'.
Professor Mark Keane, Director of Information & Communications Technology,
SFI added “this collaboration represents a unique opportunity for CRANN
to exploit their fundamental research skills in a potentially commercial
context. The research outlined in the proposal is extremely challenging,
of significant scientific merit and of great potential commercial importance.
It would appear to be a perfect project to realise a strategic collaboration
between industry and academia, it is clear that neither party in isolation
could hope to achieve the goals outlined in the timeframe required.”
Significantly CRANN will now have two technological leaders as industrial
partners, Intel and Hewlett Packard, in addition to its collaborations
with Irish SMEs including Deerac Fluidics, Commergy, Magnetic Solutions
and Eblana Technologies. |
Notes :
On behalf of the Irish government, SFI is investing under the National Development
Plan in academic researchers and research teams who are most likely to generate
new knowledge, leading-edge technologies, and competitive enterprises in the
fields underpinning two broad areas, biotechnology and information and communications
technology. SFI makes grants based upon the merit review of distinguished scientists
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