The three year project (Integrating the nanoscale in formulations –InForm) aims to facilitate communication and consequently scientific advances in the field of formulation science regarding the use of nanomaterials.
Although the initiative is funded by the EU and it’s the UK’s Manchester University which will co-ordinate the project, it is by no means limited to European formulation scientists.
Project partners include research institutions, universities and companies based in India, Israel, Malaysia and Singapore and Australia amongst other countries.
The project is not industry specific and has been designed to bring together the top formulation scientists across many disciplines.
The €1.7m in funding will be used by InForm to organise a number of events and conferences, as well as providing grants to help scientists attend these networking opportunities and organising research exchanges.
It will focus on six key areas:
- the formulation of nano-bio materials
- the handling and processing of nanopowders
- process intensification and soft nanomaterial formulations
- physical chemistry at the nanoscale
- the nanoscale and the formulation of smart and functional coating, films and tapes, and
- toxicology and other health effects of nanomaterials.
InForm’s 2010 conference will be held in Sweden in June, and the following annual events will be in Singapore and Spain, with a number of other satellite meetings planned.