Advances in Materials Science and Engineering have been growing factors in driving innovation in a broad range of technologies. From the electrolytes and electrode materials in batteries for electric vehicles; to the semiconductors, dielectrics, and screens of the latest smart phones; materials are at the core of technological development.
In recent years, a growing understanding of the factors leading to material properties has resulted in the creation of so called “designer materials”: bespoke materials developed with specific chemical and physical properties to enable improvements in existing products, as well as generating new products that can radically change an industry.
Essential to the development of designer materials, are the processes required to make and use them. These processes vary widely from material to material, requiring a clear understanding of both material properties and process engineering to gain effective patent protection. New materials lead to new applications, not all of which will have been considered by the developer of the material. It is part of the skill of a drafter of patent applications to provide a patent that enables these uses to be protected appropriately.
Phillips & Leigh have a very strong capability in Materials Science and Engineering. Not only has Jim Boff practised in this field for over 30 years, Nashim Imam has been a materials research scientist in industry, an inventor, and is an adept prosecutor of Materials Science patents: he understands innovation from first thought through to finished product, and so knows what needs to go in the product, the process and the patent.
Their expertise in understanding how to best capture innovation in this field is complemented by Arthur Boff and by the recent arrival of Randeep Riyat and Tahsin Ali Kassam having freshly completed their PhDs.
Randeep has a PhD in Physics specialising in superconductivity, with a particular emphasis in magnetism. Tahsin has a PhD in Materials Engineering relating to brazing technologies.
The breadth of Materials Science and Engineering backgrounds in Phillips & Leigh mean we are well suited to deal with any materials related technologies. Below are just some examples of the many materials, processes and applications that have been handled by Phillips & Leigh:
Ceramics and Glasses – Armour, Thermal Insulation, Refractory Materials, Ceramic Fuel Cell Components
Carbon – Fuel Cell Flow Field Plates, Electrode Materials for Lithium Ion Batteries, HPHT Diamond Synthesis, CVD Diamond and Diamond-like Carbon
Nanotechnology – Graphene, Quantum Dots, Material Characterisation, Catalysis
Metals – Brazing Alloys, Magneto-acoustic Devices, Amorphous Metals and their Processing, Foundry Technologies
Engineering and Processing – Metals and Joining, Casting, Coatings, Composites
Polymers – Electroluminescent Polymers [e.g. OLEDs], Textiles, Biomaterials, Biodegradable Plastics
Magnetic and Electric Materials – Dielectric Materials, Insulators, Superconductors, Piezoelectric Materials, Photovoltaic Materials
Functional Device Applications – Batteries, Prosthetics, Feedthrough Technologies, Aerospace Components
If you would like to speak to one of our attorneys regarding anything discussed above, we welcome all and any enquiries.