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The company knew the University of 91ֱ�� has expertise which could enable Unilever’s R&D teams to deepen their knowledge and hence deliver superior innovations to consumers.

Unilever has been driving an ambitious sustainability agenda for over two decades. Product reformulation is part of the journey to net zero, so Unilever turned to the University of 91ֱ��’s School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences to explore the science behind its products.

The global company, which develops and produces everything from ice cream to personal care and nutrition products, was keen to understand how it could predict outcomes when removing or adding different ingredients and knew the School’s expertise in analysing molecular microstructures could help. 

Unilever Product Science Group Leader Claire Jones said: “If you understand how your product is put together from the building blocks, you can use those scientific principles to help you build future products and then understand how best to manufacture them as well.”

How the KTP worked

The School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences assigned a KTP associate to the project, a postdoctoral student who spent two years sharing his knowledge of characterisation techniques such as ‘x-ray scattering’, which uses x-rays to follow the behaviour of structural morphologies formed by the different ingredients which featured in some of the company’s key personal care products.

Senior research fellow Dr Oleksandr Mykhaylyk said: “The advantage of x-rays is that they are more penetrating than electrons so you can access the three-dimensional structure of materials and collect data without damaging the material in situ. It means you can gather data from materials that have been subjected to high temperatures, different pressures or changing pH which is very difficult to do with other structural techniques.”

The knowledge sharing was intensive. Claire said: “It wasn’t done remotely. The KTP associate, James, worked with the project team really closely, in two of our R&D sites, to identify our key questions, and our challenges – and the most appropriate methods to meet those challenges.

“He helped us develop the methods, and also then to apply them to our real challenges. It wasn’t just about enabling us to do the measurements but about developing the understanding that we needed to then actually interpret the results in detail.

“He also helped to build skills within our team as well. It really has been a proper transfer of knowledge. Having him working with us on the KTP, and having the expertise in 91ֱ��, really helped us to make the most of the project.”

Impact of the KTP

Unilever expects the insights gained to directly contribute to products in the UK and global markets in the longer term.

It also credits the KTP with contributing to the creation of a technology roadmap for the development of more biodegradable products and enabling the company to gain deeper insights into its products and manufacturing processes. 

The experience of working with James and the University team led by fellow Dr Mykhaylyk has also inspired them to establish a regular internal training programme to immerse their own staff in some of the microstructure analysis techniques learned.

Claire said: “Partnering for expertise is something that Unilever has always done, and we will always do, because that collaboration helps us to grow as a company.  And KTPs are unique in that they focus on that collaborative partnership, enabling the transfer of knowledge and expertise from an academic partner to a business. 

"It’s too early to say what the full impact of the KTP will be, but it has been a highly effective partnership. And it is not just going to impact those immediate project objectives.”