______________________________________________________________________________ National
Materials Strategy
Key sector opportunities
Several of the six opportunity areas for materials innovation identified by the strategy will be directly relevant to the manufacturing community:
■ Advanced manufacturing processes- these will be enhanced through advanced surface technologies, alloys, ceramics and specialist polymers, enabling manufacturers to create longer-lasting materials, reduce waste, and lower operational costs.
■ Material innovations in infrastructure and transport- breakthroughs here will improve durability and efficiency in infrastructure, contributing to a more resilient built environment.
■ Energy solutions- new solutions will play a critical role in supporting energyintensive manufacturers. Technologies like green hydrogen and advanced battery technologies will lower costs for energyintensive manufacturers and promote sustainable energy use.
■ Next-generation electronics- these will be critical to manufacturers as sensor technologies, electronics, and telecommunications are integral to advanced automated systems and smart manufacturing.
■ Packaging and consumer materials – circularity in high volume manufactured materials with be critical to a society which values its environment and critical resources, creating resilient and responsible supply chains.
By fostering innovation in these areas, manufacturers will enhance their capabilities, drive efficiency, and position themselves at the forefront of technological progress.
Cross-cutting themes
Beyond sector-specific opportunities, the strategy identified three crosscutting themes that must be developed over the next decade to achieve a more joined-up materials innovation sector that is primed to drive the solutions required for a next-gen world.
Digitalization with technologies like AI, machine learning and the adoption of Materials 4.0- the digitalization and automation of materials science to accelerate the discovery, development, optimization of new materials and materials reuse( digital fingerprinting)- will enable manufacturers to streamline operations, reduce waste, and accelerate time-to-market for new products. Investing in digital manufacturing technologies like AI, big data, and cyber-physical systems will be crucial to stay ahead of the curve and make the most of emerging materials innovations.
Growing regulatory pressure to have a sustainability and circular economy first approach is driving manufacturers toward recyclable materials and circular design to align with net-zero goals. Addressing material shortages, such as reliance on scarce metals for green technologies like hydrogen production, will require a resilient, sustainable supply chain and cross-industry collaboration.
Finally, the strategy highlights the importance of translation and commercialization to ensure materials innovations efficiently scale discoveries into real-world applications. At the same time, clear regulatory policies will support innovation while maintaining quality and safety standards.
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