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UK funding (£450,000): EPSRC Core equipment 2024 - Cardiff University Ukri 31 Dec 2024 UK Research and Innovation, United Kingdom
Overview
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EPSRC Core equipment 2024 - Cardiff University
| Abstract | Cardiff University would use the EPSRC Core Equipment Award 2024 allocation to purchase three items of core equipment that have been identified via a competitive process for maintaining, replacing and upgrading key research assets as part of a broader strategy to support the development and maintenance of its world class laboratories. The proposed items for investment are all relevant to the EPSRC research portfolio and will support existing and future EPS-facing research funding. All three items will be underpinning multi-user equipment and all three have co-leads who are early career researchers. Two will be an upgrade /refurbish existing equipment (‘invest to save’). All proposed items will be listed on Cardiff University’s and GW4 equipment databases and will be openly accessible. Each laboratory will have detailed access guides to help visitors understand accessibility considerations before they visit. (i) Surface Profilometry Facility modernisation A surface profilometer is an essential item of equipment to research friction, lubrication and wear (Tribology) of gears, bearings and other components at the microscopic (micron and nano-metre) scale. We have a surface profilometer facility that is >25 years old and although various components have been upgraded in the past to extend the facility’s lifespan, it is now unreliable, with spare components unavailable and complete failure is likely, resulting in significant disruption within the Tribology group at Cardiff University and the facility’s wider user base. The aim therefore is to replace the obsolete items of the current surface profilometer facility, whilst enabling backwards compatibility with existing equipment to maintain activity and reduce waste and cost. (ii) High-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence, charged aerosol & ultraviolet detection High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) is an essential tool in laboratory analysis, used to separate, identify, quantify and purify chemicals for a diverse range of applications, including pharmaceuticals, biomolecules, polymers and environmental monitoring. We have two existing items of equipment for this purpose that we wish to replace; one has recently failed (and replacement parts are no longer available) and the other is low resolution and increasingly unreliable. Neither can provide semi-preparative functionality. It will have complementary, multiple detectors combined with a fraction collector that will enable chemical composition analysis and semi-preparative purification, providing superior performance compared to existing platforms and enable us to expand our research into new areas. (iii) Fluid Characterisation facility for Soft Materials Reducing our dependence on oil-based/fluorinated materials & additives and non-recoverable plastics is a primary societal goal, backed by industry, political will and (increasingly) legislation, driving research into fully recyclable plastics, green fuels and alternative surfactants. In developing new materials, detailed understanding of flow properties is essential. Current equipment to measure flow properties requires urgent upgrading as they are not cost-effective, are labour intensive and there is increased demand for high-throughput physical characterisation. The equipment requested will provide high-throughput screening and enable detailed study of a wider range of materials, solutions and formulations, supporting the expanding interdisciplinary research base in this area and delivering savings in time, cost and environmental impact. The facility would be unique in Wales and the Southwest making it attractive to a wider research base. |
| Category | Research Grant |
| Reference | UKRI385 |
| Status | Closed |
| Funded period start | 31/12/2024 |
| Funded period end | 01/07/2026 |
| Funded value | £450,000.00 |
| Source | https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=UKRI385 |
Participating Organisations
| CARDIFF UNIVERSITY |
The filing refers to a past date, and does not necessarily reflect the current state. The latest known state is available on the following page: Cardiff University, Cardiff.