The 2016 Nobel Prize for Physics has been announced, and has been split between three eminent, and, as the papers like to point out, British-born, professors: David Thouless; Duncan Haldane; and Michael Kosterlitz. The award has been made for theoretical discoveries of topological phase transitions and topological phases of matter.
The research underpinning the prize-worthy work is firmly in the theoretical camp, which is always a source of sore pride for ex-experimentalists such as myself, although the Nobel Committee are keen to point out that the discoveries have “opened the door on an unknown world”, with the possible avenues of future research being linked to plausible advances in the fields of materials science and supercomputing.
A look at the recent physics prizes
Looking back through the history of the Physics prize however, it can be seen that some recent discoveries have led to more immediate real-world applications. Looking back to 2010, it is fairly clear that the award of the prize to former IgNobel prizewinner (now Sir) Andre Geim and (also now Sir) Konstantin Novoselov for the groundbreaking experiments regarding the two-dimensional material graphene have really exploded the field in this area, and graphene technology is quickly becoming widespread, in particular in the semiconductors, battery and composite materials sectors.
Physics, chemistry and commercial viability
Indeed, the University of Manchester now has several pending patent applications, and a few granted patents in this area of technology, such as US9318591, which is directed towards a “transistor device and materials for making”. It is nice to see that sometimes, physics isn’t just about the big atom-smashing picture, and can be turned into commercially-viable developments in a short space of time.
What about the Chemistry prize, however, announced to have been made for the design and synthesis of molecular materials to Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Fraser Stoddart and Bernard Feringa. The development of the world’s smallest machines surely must have real-world applications?
Whilst the “nanocar” sounds very impressive, and in reality, the technology underpinning controllable molecular rotation is so, we are a long way off being able to take a ‘Fantastic Voyage’ any time soon to use miniature machines to cure all human ailments.
Both Stoddart and Feringa are listed as inventors on various patents and applications, but primarily in relation to their primary areas of research, being supramolecular chemistry and oxidation catalysis respectively. As the Nobel Committee are at pains to point out, however, the molecular motor is at the same stage as the electric motor was in the 1830s, and that the real-world applicable uses are still some way off. We should therefore likely expect more practical applications of the technology to arrive in the coming years, if not decades.
If you have developed world-changing technology, why not call one of the patent attorneys at Albright IP to see whether you can add ‘patent proprietor’ to your list of accolades?
