Professor Paul Sermon is Research Professor in Nanomaterials at Brunel University. He has a passion for inventing greener ways of doing everyday things.
Like removing vehicle emissions.
The trouble with conventional three-way catalytic converters is that they use rare earth metals. These are expensive and, by definition, in short supply. Also, they're becoming rarer every day.
And there's another problem; a conventional three-way catalyst can't be recycled because it contains poisons.
Paul wanted to find an alternative. So, alongside Cookson Marketing, he pitched for, and won, a government contract (via the Technology Strategy Board) to develop an alternative, and to explore its route to market. Using nano-technology, and with the help of Brunel University, Paul invented a catalyst that reduced even more emissions - without dependency upon on rare earth metals. What's more, it could be both recycled and regenerated.
Cookson Marketing called it NanoCat. We designed and trademarked the logo and created a couple of videos to describe the invention to two different audiences. And we found a logical route to market which will benefit the UK by providing jobs.
Paul and NanoCat (with a little help from Cookson Marketing), are making the world a cleaner, greener, place.
