Research at YKI
The research at YKI focuses on technical surface and colloid chemistry. The research type is either client research or open research.
Client research
Client work is carried out with a client (industry, government, or private person) on a confidential basis. The client contract service is much appreciated and covers a spectrum of activities from product and process development to trouble-shooting or analysis of literature search.
In many cases there are several clients forming a consortium. YKI is involved in many such consortia with industries, other institutes and/or universities. There are several types of consortia. One is the vertical type where industries in a supply chain are participating. Another type is the horizontal type where industries with a common challenge group together in order to solve a problem. A third type is a group of industries that form a consortium in order to develop a new technology (see for example Codirect or Exselent). All client research is on a confidential basis.
Open research
Open research aims at developing a methodology, understanding and/or technology for a specific problem. The term “use-inspired research” is used for this type of research. This kind of research aims at understanding existing technologies and phenomena in order to improve them and create new areas of application. The results are open to public and published in international journals and at conferences.
There are two types of open research. The first one focuses on technology and is considering strictly applied research. The technology and application focus areas guide and encourage surface chemical research towards platform development for commercial exploitation, and are designed to both use and push YKI’s fundamental knowledge development.
The second type of open research focuses on knowledge and is considering the use- inspired research with a quest for fundamental understanding. Knowledge focus areas guide and encourage surface chemical research towards fundamental understanding regarding the aspects of surface chemistry necessary and relevant for YKI’s specific technology focus areas.