Internationale Partnersuche

Innovation & Technologie Anfrage

Novel chemistry and technology for construction and building materials

Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Reference Number: TRUK20170421001
Publication Date: 21 April 2017

Summary

The UK arm of an international manufacturer and distributor of construction chemicals is searching for innovative chemistries and technologies. These would save time and improve quality in the application and later monitoring of integrity and functionality of concrete, grout, coatings, flooring systems etc. They may be transferred from different sectors. Industry and academia are sought for joint venture, technical cooperation, licensing and commercial agreements with technical assistance.

Description

The request comes from an international manufacturer of construction chemicals with a broad portfolio of products for cement admixtures, coatings, performance flooring etc. They are now searching for innovative chemistries and technologies, to add value over the products' life cycle. Such solutions may have been developed keeping a different sector in mind, or they may be in development still, but with demonstrable benefits.

The construction of a new building or surface, and the repair or renovation of an existing structure can require a wide range of materials and application methods. Various contractors are involved in their application and use, and the speed of completion is often dependent on the chemistry involved and its environment. The UK company seeks to provide contractors and facility managers the ability to apply a product quickly and consistently, check progress and quality of its application, continually monitor its integrity and functionality, prevent its breakdown and alert a suitable contractor to a need to repair. The market segments include both residential, commercial, industrial, infrastructure and institutional applications.  

In terms of materials solutions are sought for use with concrete, admixtures, cement additives, grouts, waterproofing/containment, sealants, performance flooring, wood and steel protection. This could include chemistry, enabling technology and devices. 

Industry and academia with such solutions are sought for joint venture, technical cooperation, licensing and commercial agreements with technical assistance.

The type of cooperation will very much depend on the stage of development and they have been elaborated under Partner Sought although this should not limit the possible ways forward.

Expertise sought

The solutions may include but are not limited to:

o	Self-healing systems (e.g. for waterproof coatings)

o	Solutions to highlight breach in integrity of water-proofed surfaces

o	System for early detection and monitoring of failure (e.g. via indicators such as responsive polymers) and corrosion

o	Additives to improve energy profile installed

o	Next generation cleaning/repair/restoration solutions to extend life of surface

o	Additives enabling a decorative feature for a functional surface or functionality for a decorative surface

o	Alternative concrete reinforcement technology (e.g. composites, fibres, etc.)

o	Systems to enable lightweight structural elements

o	New ‘green’ chemistries originally intended for different applications

o	Ease of application (e.g. packaging to address safety concerns; mixing; quicker application/curing)

The company has resources for further development. Jointly, said solutions should be marketable within 3 years. 

The solutions should be protectable. Both patents but also secret know-how will be considered. 

Importantly, the solutions must be scalable for this large-volume, cost-sensitive market.

Requested partner

- Type of partner sought: industry and academia.

- Specific area of activity of the partner: chemistry and materials science. Their current field of work need not be in the construction chemicals but there is potential to enter this field.

- Task to be performed by the partner sought: industry and academia are invited to send non-confidential description of their solutions to problems, how they are different, and what a good collaboration might be like.

The type of cooperation will very much depend on the stage of development. If a solution is already on the market, a commercial agreement with technical assistance is envisaged.

For a very early stage solution, a license agreement may be appropriate, for acquiring the intellectual property or know-how.

Where some resource has already been spent on taking the solutions to market, further technical development may be desirable under a technical cooperation agreement.

A joint venture may be suitable where the solution is on the market or close to market in a different sector, and the JV will accelerate a penetration into the construction chemicals sector.