Stability of nanoscale structures at the surface of metallic glasses. This project aims to develop advanced electrodes and catalysts for batteries and hydrogen generation. These technologies are crucial components in the efficient use of alternative energy supplies. The outcome of this project will be an accurate computer modelling tool for predicting nanoporous structures of metallic glass generated by de-alloying, and for establishing the role of various factors in determining the stability of ....Stability of nanoscale structures at the surface of metallic glasses. This project aims to develop advanced electrodes and catalysts for batteries and hydrogen generation. These technologies are crucial components in the efficient use of alternative energy supplies. The outcome of this project will be an accurate computer modelling tool for predicting nanoporous structures of metallic glass generated by de-alloying, and for establishing the role of various factors in determining the stability of metallic glass nanostructures. This work will include fundamental insights into glass surfaces and dissolution.Read moreRead less
Soft Modes, Amorphous Defects and the Mechanical Properties of Metallic Glasses. Accounting for the material properties of glassy solids in terms of the atomic configurations and processes remains a profound challenge, largely due to the complexity and heterogeneity of amorphous structure. This project uses computer simulations to explore the proposition that localised soft vibrational modes in metallic glasses play a role analogous to that of crystal defects and can provide a valuable microscop ....Soft Modes, Amorphous Defects and the Mechanical Properties of Metallic Glasses. Accounting for the material properties of glassy solids in terms of the atomic configurations and processes remains a profound challenge, largely due to the complexity and heterogeneity of amorphous structure. This project uses computer simulations to explore the proposition that localised soft vibrational modes in metallic glasses play a role analogous to that of crystal defects and can provide a valuable microscopic account of the material properties and their dependence on composition and preparation. This research will lead to a significant improvement in our capacity to tune the properties of amorphous alloys by fabrication methods.Read moreRead less
Interactions, phase behavior and self-assembly of colloidal nanorods: Establishing design rules for creating new nano-structured materials. This project aims to apply new computational methods developed by the applicant to characterise the interactions between colloidal nanorods and their self-assembly in the presence of interfaces and directional interactions. While nanoparticles can currently be made in a staggering array of shapes, patterns and materials, organising such objects into extended ....Interactions, phase behavior and self-assembly of colloidal nanorods: Establishing design rules for creating new nano-structured materials. This project aims to apply new computational methods developed by the applicant to characterise the interactions between colloidal nanorods and their self-assembly in the presence of interfaces and directional interactions. While nanoparticles can currently be made in a staggering array of shapes, patterns and materials, organising such objects into extended structures that could revolutionise technology remains a challenge. The expected outcome is a robust strategy for making monolayer films of rods aligned perpendicular to a variety of interfaces for the fabrication of solar cells, microfiltration membranes and biosensors.Read moreRead less
Kinetics of Fast Crystal Growth in Inorganic Alloys and Molecular Liquids. The aim of this project is to identify the physical origins of fast crystal growth in three important classes of materials: metallic alloys, chalcogenide alloys and organic molecules. Fast crystal growth is crucial to the development of solid state memory based on phase change. In metallic glasses and many pharmaceuticals, fast growth is a problem, destabilising the desired glassy state. The anticipated outcomes of the pr ....Kinetics of Fast Crystal Growth in Inorganic Alloys and Molecular Liquids. The aim of this project is to identify the physical origins of fast crystal growth in three important classes of materials: metallic alloys, chalcogenide alloys and organic molecules. Fast crystal growth is crucial to the development of solid state memory based on phase change. In metallic glasses and many pharmaceuticals, fast growth is a problem, destabilising the desired glassy state. The anticipated outcomes of the project will include the capability to chemically manipulate the crystal growth rate to design new functional phase changes devices, to identify new types of glass forming materials and to replace the 80-year-old theory of crystal growth with one that accurately reflects the microscopic mechanisms of ordering at the growing interface.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100256
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$415,283.00
Summary
Extracting the hidden structure of glass from particle vibrations. Predicting the rigid behaviour of glass from its disordered, amorphous atomic structure remains a challenge in materials science. This project aims to define an innovative measure of structure based on how constrained each particle is, which can be quantified by measuring the particles’ vibrations. Using this new measure of structure, this project expects to link the microscopic structure of glass to its macroscopic properties v ....Extracting the hidden structure of glass from particle vibrations. Predicting the rigid behaviour of glass from its disordered, amorphous atomic structure remains a challenge in materials science. This project aims to define an innovative measure of structure based on how constrained each particle is, which can be quantified by measuring the particles’ vibrations. Using this new measure of structure, this project expects to link the microscopic structure of glass to its macroscopic properties via computer simulations. Expected outcomes of this project include a new methodology for characterising amorphous materials and an improved understanding of the nature of glass. This should provide significant benefits, such as an increased ability to rationally design amorphous materials with desired properties.Read moreRead less