Final Report Summary - NANOFUN-POLY (Nanostructured and functional polymer-based materials and nanocomposites)
The main objective of European Network of Excellence (NoE) Nanostructured and functional polymer-based materials and nanocomposites (NANOFUN-POLY) project was to form the European Centre for Nanostructured Polymers (ECNP). The centre's major aim is the coordination and the joint carrying-out of activities and operations-particularly with regard to polymer nanotechnologies-principally for the sake and in the interests of the partners of the NoE NANOFUN-POLY project.
The attainment of this objective presupposed the form of a transdisciplinary partnership which consists of a hundred and twenty scientists. Applications which pertain to NANOFUN-POLY materials concern strategic industrial sectors which can become competitive only by implementing advanced technologies such as optoelectronics and telecommunications, packaging, agriculture, building construction, automotive and aerospace as well as biomaterial and so forth.
The NANOFUN-POLY project would provide European leadership by virtue of an integrated approach, namely an integration of critical mass of resources and expertise. The latter and any ECNP's subsequent networking activities aim to support research as well as to enhance further knowledge to specific scientific areas from macromolecular and supramolecular chemistry to tailored design methods concerning polymer-based nanostructured polymers and composites. As far as the integrating activities are concerned, they include the co-ordination between NoE's research activities and other participants' activities outside NoE, the operation of integrated education and training programmes, the sharing of research facilities, tools and platforms, the joint management of the participants' knowledge portfolio, the staff mobility and exchanges as well as the reinforcement of electronic communication tools.
Furthermore, a jointly executed research programme was conducted in order to support the goals of the network by developing new research programmes and platforms for common use and by generating new knowledge in order to expand the collective knowledge portfolio. Finally, a range of activities has been developed in order to promote excellence. The key elements consist of a joint programme for training researchers and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) students, an annual conference as well as a number of websites for intercommunication. Further related activities comprise dissemination and communication activities (including transfer process technologies and public raise of awareness and comprehension of science) as well as networking activities to diffuse knowledge to either internal or external network teams.
The network also comprises partners outside Europe by dint of which promotion of excellence would be achieved as well as access gain to knowledge potentially unavailable to a particular region. The final objective was fulfilled in this project, namely the creation of a lasting integrated organisation or ECNP able to foster research, education as well as technology transfer with regard to nanostructured polymers and nanocomposites.
The attainment of this objective presupposed the form of a transdisciplinary partnership which consists of a hundred and twenty scientists. Applications which pertain to NANOFUN-POLY materials concern strategic industrial sectors which can become competitive only by implementing advanced technologies such as optoelectronics and telecommunications, packaging, agriculture, building construction, automotive and aerospace as well as biomaterial and so forth.
The NANOFUN-POLY project would provide European leadership by virtue of an integrated approach, namely an integration of critical mass of resources and expertise. The latter and any ECNP's subsequent networking activities aim to support research as well as to enhance further knowledge to specific scientific areas from macromolecular and supramolecular chemistry to tailored design methods concerning polymer-based nanostructured polymers and composites. As far as the integrating activities are concerned, they include the co-ordination between NoE's research activities and other participants' activities outside NoE, the operation of integrated education and training programmes, the sharing of research facilities, tools and platforms, the joint management of the participants' knowledge portfolio, the staff mobility and exchanges as well as the reinforcement of electronic communication tools.
Furthermore, a jointly executed research programme was conducted in order to support the goals of the network by developing new research programmes and platforms for common use and by generating new knowledge in order to expand the collective knowledge portfolio. Finally, a range of activities has been developed in order to promote excellence. The key elements consist of a joint programme for training researchers and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) students, an annual conference as well as a number of websites for intercommunication. Further related activities comprise dissemination and communication activities (including transfer process technologies and public raise of awareness and comprehension of science) as well as networking activities to diffuse knowledge to either internal or external network teams.
The network also comprises partners outside Europe by dint of which promotion of excellence would be achieved as well as access gain to knowledge potentially unavailable to a particular region. The final objective was fulfilled in this project, namely the creation of a lasting integrated organisation or ECNP able to foster research, education as well as technology transfer with regard to nanostructured polymers and nanocomposites.
