Materials are defined as "useful substances".  They are used to make things: aeroplanes, trains and automobiles; roads bridges and houses; computers, mobile phones and televisions; power generation, transmission and storage systems; even spare parts for human bodies.  Materials underpin the manufacturing economies of every country in the world.  We all have a vital interest in ensuring that our planet's finite resources of raw materials are used wisely, their performance is optimised, they are recycled efficiently, the emission of pollution during their production is minimised, and the energy consumed in their manufacture and use is reduced as much as possible. 

The development of nanomaterials opens up new and exciting prospects for materials science.  By reducing the dimensions of materials systems, greater functionality can potentially be achieved with the use of fewer resources and less energy.  In order to unlock the potential of this exciting area of science and technology, an international approach is increasingly required.  The UK - China Partnership in Science has identified Materials, and in particular Nanomaterials, as a key area for collaboration between our two countries.
Key outcomes include: 

• Establishment of a UK-China materials consortium led by Prof. George Smith in the UK and to Identify possible areas of joint research and collaboration among individual research groups, centres and institutions in UK and China.
• Establishment of a UK-China biomaterials steering committee to stimulate ideas, signpost priority topics for joint UK-China biomaterials work and road-map future projects collaboration.    
• Nanomaterials, materials for energy and biomaterials are identified and agreed as the first three priority areas for UK-China materials research collaboration.