Advanced materials with engineered structures that give them advantageous properties beyond those of their constituent materials.

Context

Metamaterials present opportunities across the five Critical Technologies set out in the UK’s S&T Framework in 2023. There are distinct opportunities for metamaterials to enable advances in all the critical technologies.

Technology 

Metamaterials are made up of repetitive sub-structures known as meta-atoms. These are designed, engineered and combined to produce advantageous properties. Most are designed to interact differently with energy that travels in waves, e.g. electromagnetic. Others are designed for enhanced mechanical, structural or thermal properties.

Future thinking 

Metamaterials are increasingly considered important for future network technologies such as 6G. As the diversity of metamaterial technologies in development increases, so do the areas of potential application. For example, managing high temperatures in space applications, compact augmented reality optics, biosensors, anti-microbial materials, or more efficient solar panels and wireless charging.

UK position 

The UK produces impactful research, with strength in electromagnetic and acoustic metamaterials. The UK is host to start-ups, SMEs, and large organisations interested in development. The UK files fewer patents than leading nations.

Figure 1: ‘$10.7 billion: global market value by 2030 for metamaterials’

• $10.7 billion: global market value by 2030 for metamaterials
• 1st globally for research impact and quality by Field Citation Ratio (FCR), 2018-2021
• 4th globally for overall research output in 2018-2022

^{Source: Innovate UK Business Connect; Dimensions.}

The image above represents a line drawing of a material structure up close. A honeycomb-like fibre structure with hexagonal patterns accompanied by the text $10.7 billion is the global market value by 2030 for metamaterials, referencing iuk-business. To the right of that is a line-drawn map of the UK with text that says that ‘the UK is 1st globally for research impact and quality by Field Citation Ratio (FCR) in 2018-2021 and 4th globally for overall research output in 2018-2022.

Figure 2: Application map

	Transport	Energy & Net-zero	Aerospace & defence	Future telecoms	Healthcare	Photonics & sensing
Deployment	Vibration & Noise Management	Radar-stealthy wind turbines	Enhanced antennas	Wireless power transfer; electromagnetic shielding	Noise reduction; performance/protective wearables & equipment	Filters
Development	Optical processing – edge detection; compact inconspicuous antenna; LIDAR	Solar panel design; passive thermal & noise management	Sensing/targeting; space-based solar power; terahertz sources	Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces; high-power efficient radio frequency; 5G/6G; extreme bandwidth antenna	Point of care diagnostics; smart implants, prosthetics, and tissue engineering; health-sensing wearables	Ultra-thin lenses; anti-counterfeiting; augmented reality
Research	Autonomous & connected vehicles; wide field of view sensing; wireless charging	Critical mineral replacement; cryogenics; efficient displays/signs	Signature reduction & management; space nuclear reactors & propulsion systems; lightweight, ultra-stiff components	Quantum communications	Construction materials; antimicrobial surfaces; drug delivery	Single-molecule chemical sensing; miniaturised cameras; quantum computing; optical computing

Figure 3: Wave manipulation case study

On the left of the image above is a line drawing of straight lines being curved around a larger circle, with a small circle in the centre. To the right is a line drawing of a straw in a glass of water accompanied by the text “positive refraction”, to the right of this the same line drawing, however the straw bends in the opposite direction, accompanied by the text “negative refraction”.

Negative Refractive Index

As light and sound waves move from one material to another, their velocity changes, altering their path. When entering conventional materials, waves are bent towards the normal – known as positive refraction.

Metamaterials can be engineered to have a negative refractive index, which enables the manipulation of sound or electromagnetic waves. For example, bending incoming waves around an object to create an “invisible” zone. This may enable noise reductions in factories and hospitals or reduce the radar signature of wind turbines.

Opportunities 

Reduced SwaP demands: For conventional materials, increasing the performance of one parameter e.g., antenna bandwidth, often comes with a trade-off e.g., cost, weight. Metamaterials can reduce size, weight, and power (SWaP) demands of systems, reducing these trade-offs.

Future telecoms: Increasingly considered important for 6G and satellite communications.

Energy security & net zero: Reduced power consumption through acoustic and thermal management, enabling advances in renewable energy such as solar.

Healthcare: Low-cost biosensors and real-time biomonitoring, point-of-care diagnostics, advanced prosthetics, and noise management in clinical settings.

Challenges 

Global competition: Advanced materials are a common priority area for nations pursuing advantage through science and technology. Experts suggested the UK risks losing its competitive edge and ability to secure benefit from metamaterial technologies derived from the UK’s leading research.

Commercialising UK research: Experts highlighted gaps in support for translational research, manufacturing skills, and scale-up facilities. To achieve the full potential of metamaterials a coordinated approach between researchers and end users is needed to ensure development considers manufacturing and other commercial requirements.

Please share your views. Email us at emtech@go-science.gov.uk.