Queen Mary recently partnered with FormFormForm, an east London-based SME working to develop next-generation mouldable glues.
Mouldable glue product Sugru
FormFormForm’s mission is “to fix, improve and reimagine the things we already have. If we double the life of our stuff, we halve what goes to landfill”. In 2009, the company launched its trademark product, Sugru – a mouldable glue for use in DIY.
Sugru is malleable when taken out of the pack, but sets after a number of hours to form a silicone rubber. It is resistant to water, temperate, electricity and shocks; sticks to almost anything; and can hold up to 2kg.
By 2017, FormFormForm was looking to expand its business into new areas, including the toy and manufacturing sectors. The company entered into a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with Queen Mary to make use of the University’s expertise in novel silicone chemistries and material characterisation.
KTPs are a long-running InnovateUK scheme aimed at promoting company innovation and growth through academic collaboration. They are a three-way partnership between a company that needs knowledge, a university that has that knowledge, and a qualified Associate who embeds the knowledge in the company. They are partly funded by the company and partly by Innovate UK.
Under the guidance of supervisors Professor Julien Gautrot (Queen Mary) and Mr Tom Dowden (FormFormForm), the Associate Dr Khai Ngyuen achieved major success in developing:
For these achievements, Dr Nyugen was recognised as a Future Innovator at the KTP Best of the Best Awards 2020.
Learn more about research collaborations at Queen Mary.