EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Formulation Engineering: Sustainable Structured Products

配方工程涉及微结构材料的制造和使用，其有效性取决于其微观结构。例如，巧克力的味道、质地和光泽取决于可可脂是否处于正确的晶体形式--当巧克力被加热和冷却时，其微观结构会变成难看的、不太适合食用的“开花”形式。配方产品分布广泛，包括食品、药品、涂料、催化剂、结构陶瓷、薄膜、化妆品、洗涤剂和农用化学品，每年总价值1800亿GB。在所有这些中，材料配方和微观结构控制着对产品功能至关重要的物理和化学特性。影响不同工业部门的研究问题是共同的：需要了解导致最佳纳米到微结构的加工，从而产生产品效果。产品大多是复杂的软材料；结构固体、软固体或结构液体，具有高度依赖于工艺的特性。CDT符合EPSRC呼吁的优先主题2：复杂软材料产品的设计和制造。CDT的愿景是成为世界领先的研究和培训提供商，解决配方产品的制造问题。英国在配方方面处于国际领先地位，拥有许多国家和跨国公司的研究和制造基地，但这门学科是跨学科的，因此许多学士学位课程都没有教授。因此，需要一个CDT来支持这一行业，并培养未来的地层工程领导者。到目前为止，配方工程专业的CDT已经获得了650万英镑的行业现金，毕业了75名学生，目前注册了46名学生。CDT在该领域处于领先地位；CPI的新国家制定中心于2016年成立，我们与他们密切合作。新中心的战略是与工业界共同制定的：CDT将在下一代配方产品的可持续制造方面开展跨学科研究项目，重点放在两个领域：(I)新市场‘M4’的新材料的制造和可制造性，产生理解，以创建配方产品的可持续路线；以及(Ii)‘走向4.0仿真’：在配方中使用现代数据处理和制造方法(‘行业4.0’)。我们收到了超过25封来自提供学生资助和900万英镑资助的公司的来信。该中心的研究将与一系列行业合作伙伴合作进行：我们的战略是与在多个领域处于世界领先地位的公司合作：食品(百事可乐、亿滋、联合利华)、HPC(宝洁、联合利华)、精细化学品(强生马泰、InnoSpec)、制药(阿斯利康、百时美施贵宝)和航空航天(劳斯莱斯)。这种结构通过与非竞争集团合作，最大限度地发挥了协同作用。我们将与产业界开展至少50个合作项目，其中大部分将是EngD项目，学生将嵌入到工业公司，并返回大学参加培训课程。这为学生提供了很好的工业研究培训；除了进行具有工业价值的研究项目外，学生还获得了工业经验，在内部和外部会议上展示了他们的工作，并接受了负责任的研究方法和支撑这一关键行业的跨学科科学和工程方面的培训。

Formulation engineering is concerned with the manufacture and use of microstructured materials, whose usefulness depends on their microstructure. For example, the taste, texture and shine of chocolate depends on the cocoa butter being in the right crystal form - when chocolate is heated and cooled its microstructure changes to the unsightly and less edible 'bloomed' form. Formulated products are widespread, and include foods, pharmaceuticals, paints, catalysts, structured ceramics, thin films, cosmetics, detergents and agrochemicals, with a total value of £180 bn per year. In all of these, material formulation and microstructure control the physical and chemical properties that are essential to the product function. The research issues that affect different industry sectors are common: the need is to understand the processing that results in optimal nano- to micro structure and thus product effect. Products are mostly complex soft materials; structured solids, soft solids or structured liquids, with highly process-dependent properties. The CDT fits into Priority Theme 2 of the EPSRC call: Design and Manufacture of Complex Soft Material Products. The vision for the CDT is to be a world-leading provider of research and training addressing the manufacture of formulated products. The UK is internationally-leading in formulation, with many research and manufacturing sites of national and multinational companies, but the subject is interdisciplinary and thus is not taught in many first degree courses. A CDT is thus needed to support this industry sector and to develop future leaders in formation engineering. The existing CDT in Formulation Engineering has received to date > £6.5 million in industry cash, has graduated >75 students and has 46 currently registered. The CDT has led the field; the new National Formulation Centre at CPI was created in 2016, and we work closely with them. The strategy of the new Centre has been co-created with industry: the CDT will develop interdisciplinary research projects in the sustainable manufacture of the next generation of formulated products, with focus in two areas (i) Manufacturing and Manufacturability of New Materials for New Markets 'M4', generating understanding to create sustainable routes to formulated products, and (ii) 'Towards 4.0rmulation': using modern data handling and manufacturing methods ('Industry 4.0') in formulation. We have more than 25 letters from companies offering studentships and >£9 million of support. The research of the Centre will be carried out in collaboration with a range of industry partners: our strategy is to work with companies that are are world-leading in a number of areas; foods (PepsiCo, Mondelez, Unilever), HPC (P+G, Unilever), fine chemicals (Johnson Matthey, Innospec), pharma (AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb) and aerospace (Rolls-Royce). This structure maximises the synergy possible through working with non-competing groups. We will carry out at least 50 collaborative projects with industry, most of which will be EngD projects in which students are embedded within industrial companies, and return to the University for training courses. This gives excellent training to the students in industrial research; in addition to carrying out a research project of industrial value, students gain experience of industry, present their work at internal and external meetings and receive training in responsible research methods and in the interdisciplinary science and engineering that underpin this critical industry sector.