The world of nanoscience gets smaller
Formulated products are all around us, from personal care products to pharmaceuticals to agrochemicals. These products can benefit from the explosion of novel nanostructure materials that have been developed over the last decades. The performance of a formulated product depends not only on its chemical composition but also on the structure that the different compounds form at a nanometre scale. At present, the design of formulated products is based on repeated cycles of measurements and testing, and optimisation largely depends on the experience of the formulator. Therefore, formulation design imposes a barrier to the development of new products, and it will continue to do so as the range of ingredients that can be added to a formulation to provide a specific function increases and as new assembly technologies are being continuously developed. INFORM (Integrating nanomaterials in formulations) was an EU-funded coordination action aimed at bringing together nano-formulation scientists to exchange ideas and disseminate knowledge. The initiative involved partners from the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and the United States. Its main activities included yearly meetings addressing a number of thematic areas of fundamental importance to formulation science. The project focused on coordinating research activities and reviewing challenges and needs for successfully incorporating nanomaterials in formulations. Researchers identified six where nanostructured materials play an important role: nanobiomaterials; nanopowders; suspension stability and processing; nanoscale chemistry; films, tapes and coatings; and safety and environment. Nano-formulation events were held in 2010, 2011 and 2012, in Stockholm, Singapore and Barcelona, respectively. The events were acknowledged by the International Year of Chemistry, attracted Nobel prize winners and, by all accounts, exceeded expectations in terms of attendance. The nano-formulation events were complemented by an exchange programme. INFORM organised 20 researcher exchanges, facilitating the establishment of new partnerships, particularly between Asia and Europe. Importantly, these exchanges involved scientists who would not have had the opportunity to meet had it not been for the work of INFORM. Thanks to INFORM efforts, the world of nano-formulation has grown a little bit smaller. This will mean better materials for new applications to improve the lives of citizens, while providing new business opportunities for industry.
Keywords
Formulated products, nanomaterials, INFORM, nano-formulation, coatings
