Materials that can dissipate, reflect or absorb heat, are electrically insulating, have high-tensile strength, and are stable at high temperatures are crucial for many high-performance applications. Such materials find use in transport (heat resistance, friction, extreme loads); aerospace and space systems (robust wave transparent materials); electronics (non-conductive, heat dissipating materials); and functional woven textiles (thermal management). One example, of many, in the use of these so-called "next generation materials" comes from their potential for deployment in aeronautics or space technologies (hypersonic aircraft), where electrically insulating materials are required for high-voltage applications that can withstand atmospheric re-entry conditions and extreme levels of radiation. Such materials must also be easily processable, of relatively low cost, and amenable to efficient and scalable manufacture, especially of continuous fibres that allow for the shaping of the complex forms necessary for specific applications. Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is one such material. A close cousin of graphite/graphene (having a very similar structure where "BN" replaces "CC"), h-BN has excellent heat conductivities, is an electrical insulator, is chemically very stable (to over 1000 C in air), and is considered non-hazardous. However, current routes to continuous h-BN fibres are very expensive, use difficult to obtain precursors and have not been demonstrated on a commercial scale. This is in contrast to societally and technologically ubiquitous carbon fibres, that are produced on a huge scale (120kton/pa) from polymer precursors such as polyacrylonitrile. Equivalent h-BN fibres would possess all the benefits of carbon fibre (low weight/thermal expansion and high tensile-strength/shock resistance) but also have desirable thermal management, electronic (insulating) and chemical stability benefits that carbon fibre does not. In many respects, h-BN is the perfect next generation material. What is needed to overcome current roadblocks in h-BN fibre production is a relatively simple, cost-effective, and scalable source of polymer pre-ceramic, that can then be processed in a continuous and efficient manner to form h-BN fibres. We propose that a relatively new type of BN-containing polymer, polyaminoboranes (PAB), could be such ideal precursors. While PABs are made by atom-efficient catalytic coupling of smaller, accessible, precursor amine-borane units, e.g. H3B.NMeH2, they have not been used as fibre precursors due to the historical lack of reliable, scalable and controlled routes for their synthesis. This proposal directly addresses this technological gap by bringing together expertise in two complementary fields: organometallic catalysis and mechanism for the controlled and efficient synthesis of PAB on scale (Weller), and the manufacture of high-performance nanomaterials using continuous fabrication methods (Grobert). Recent breakthroughs by Weller (scalable PAB synthesis) and Grobert (proof of principle PAB-fibre production) now show that PAB are perfectly poised to be processable preceramics to h-BN fibres. Encouraged by these exciting joint preliminary results we will develop scalable routes to high-quality h-BN fibres. This will be done through developing straightforward, controlled and efficient routes to the precursor polyaminoboranes, for which mechanism-led design strategies will be used to optimise catalytic control over the polymer characteristics. The production of bespoke B-N main chain polyaminoborane systems on scale will fully unlock their use as precursors for the fabrication of ultra-light-weight, mechanically strong, continuous h-BN ceramic fibres. The translation of our scientific breakthroughs into a broader industrial context will be enabled through close engagement with our industry project partners Boron Specialties, Strathclyde Light Weight Manufacturing Centre & Williams Advanced Engineering.

Our CDT in Inorganic Materials for Advanced Manufacturing (IMAT) will provide the knowledge, training and innovation in Inorganic Chemistry and Materials Science needed to power large-scale, high-growth, current and future manufacturing industries. Our cohort-centred programme will build the skills needed to understand, transform and discover better products and materials, and to tackle the practical challenges of manufacturing, application and recycling. IMAT CDT addresses the 'Meeting a user need' CDT focus area, while also addressing 3 EPSRC strategic priorities: 'Physical Sciences Powerhouse', 'Engineering Net Zero' and 'Quantum Technologies'. 'Inorganics' are essential to many industries, from fuel cells to electronics, from batteries to catalysts, from solar cells to medical imaging. These materials are made by technically skilful chemical transformations of elements from across the breadth of the Periodic Table: success is only achievable via in-depth understanding of their properties and dynamic behaviour, requiring systems-thinking across the boundaries of Chemistry and Materials Science. The sector is characterized by an unusually high demand for high-level (MSc/PhD) qualified employees. Moreover, wide-ranging synergies in manufacturing challenges for 'inorganics' mean significant added value is attached to interdisciplinary training in this area. For example, understanding ionic/electronic conductivity is relevant to thermo-electric materials, photo-voltaics, batteries and quantum technologies; replacing heavy metals with earth-abundant alternatives is relevant to chemical manufacturing from plastics to fragrances to speciality chemicals; and methods to manufacture starting from 'natural molecules' like water, oxygen, nitrogen and CO2 will impact nearly every sector of the chemical industry. IMAT will train graduates to navigate interconnected supply chains and meet industry technology/sustainability demands. To invent and propel future industries, graduates must have a clear understanding of scientific fundamentals and be able to quickly apply them to difficult, fast-changing challenges to ensure the UK's leadership in high-tech, high-growth industries. A wide breadth of technical competence is essential, given the sector dominance of small enterprises employing <50 people. The 'inorganic' sector must also meet challenges associated with resource sustainability, manufacturing net zero, pollution minimisation and recycling; our cohorts will be trained to think broadly, with awareness of environmental, societal, legal and economic factors. Our creative and highly skilled graduates will transform sectors as diverse as energy generation, storage, electronics, construction materials, consumer goods, sensing/detection and healthcare. IMAT builds upon the successful EPSRC 'inorganic synthesis' CDT (OxICFM) and (based on extensive end-user/partner feedback) expands its training portfolio to include materials science, physics, engineering and other areas needed to equip graduates to tackle advanced materials challenges. It addresses local, national and international skills gaps identified by our partners, who include companies spanning a wide range of business sizes/sectors, together with local enterprise partnerships and manufacturing catapults. IMAT offers a unique set of training goals in 'inorganic' chemistry and materials - a key discipline encompassing everything made which is not an organic molecule: from salts to composites, from acids/bases to ceramics, from organometallics to (bio)catalysts, from soft-matter to the toughest materials known, and from semi-conductors to super-conductors. A unifying training spanning this breadth is made possible through the strength of expertise across Oxford Chemistry and Materials, and our national partner network. Our goal is to empower future graduates by equipping them with this critical knowledge ready to apply it to new manufacturing sectors.

The OxICFM CDT, centred in Oxford University's Department of Chemistry, and involving eight key industrial stakeholders, two STFC national facilities, and faculty from Oxford Materials, Physics and Engineering seeks to address a UK-wide need for the training of doctoral scientists in the synthesis of inorganic materials relevant to the future prosperity of the manufacturing sector. Chemical synthesis is a key enabling scientific discipline that allows humanity to maintain and improve its quality of life. Within the UK, the EPSRC's own data show that the chemical/chemistry-using sectors contributed a total of £258B in value-added in 2007 (21% of UK GDP), and supported over 6 million UK jobs. Manufacturing processes and future materials are highlighted as key technologies in the recent UK Industrial Strategy green paper, and the long-term skills demand for scientists to develop new materials and nanotechnology was highlighted in the UK Government's 2013 Foresight report. The EPSRC's prioritisation in the area is highlighted by (among other things) the recent Future Manufacturing Hubs call. Future advances in societally critical areas such as petrochemical utilisation, battery technologies, semiconductors, smart materials, catalysts for chemical manufacturing, carbon capture, solar conversion and water supply/agro-chemicals are all underpinned by the ability to design and make chemical compounds and materials - to order - with custom designed properties. As an example, many technological developments in the last 30 years would not have been possible without Goodenough's fundamental work (carried out in Oxford) leading to the development of cathode materials for rechargeable lithium batteries - and ultimately to a $30B global industry currently growing at 10% per annum. We will exploit the uniquely broad range of excellence, innovation and multi-disciplinarity offered at Oxford by a critical mass of world-class researchers in this area (40+ faculty), to deliver a rigorous, challenging and relevant CDT programme in what is an under-represented area of graduate training. We believe that such a programme is not only timely and complementary to existing EPSRC CDT provision, but will address the national need for resilience, growth and innovation in key manufacturing sectors. The 'art and craft' of inorganic synthesis as applied to manufacturing is necessarily extremely diverse. OxICFM will exploit a cohort model allied to training incorporating faculty-, industry- and peer-led components, to deliver scientists (i) with a broad spectrum training across the interface between inorganic synthesis and manufacturing, and (ii) with in-depth expertise in one specific stream (molecular, nano-scale or extended materials). This model is driven by a strong end-user pull, including a desire expressed on numerous occasions by industrial partners, to recruit doctoral graduates who not only have depth of expertise in one area, but who can also apply themselves to a broad spectrum of inter-disciplinary challenges in manufacturing related synthesis with greater effectiveness than 'standard' doctoral graduates. As expressed by our SME partners and highlighted in Econic's letter of support: '(we do) not need lots more chemistry (post)graduates, we needed better prepared ones who could understand and adapt to working in industry more readily. I see a clear connection with the CDT intent and our own, and other scaling chemical businesses, needs.' With this clear vision in mind, a central component of our approach is the integration of industry-led training from both larger partner companies and SMEs in order to promote a holistic understanding of cross-scale issues relating to different business models. We stress that our aim is not to add significantly to total post-graduate numbers in Oxford Chemistry, but rather to provide a different training package to those currently available.