Carbonate binding: an ecologically sustainable alternative to cement. Carbonate binding is a frontier technology that promises a new generation of advanced materials for applications in construction. Precast concrete accounts for a large and increasing portion of total concrete usage. Precast materials made by carbonate binding would offer several advantages over conventional precast concrete. The energy savings of a low temperature process with negligible greenhouse gas emissions would contr ....Carbonate binding: an ecologically sustainable alternative to cement. Carbonate binding is a frontier technology that promises a new generation of advanced materials for applications in construction. Precast concrete accounts for a large and increasing portion of total concrete usage. Precast materials made by carbonate binding would offer several advantages over conventional precast concrete. The energy savings of a low temperature process with negligible greenhouse gas emissions would contribute immensely to the goal of an environmentally sustainable Australia. The reduced hardening period would offer substantial increases in productivity to manufacturers.Read moreRead less
Flow process and visible-light driven reactions for polymer manufacturing. This project aims to develop rapid, scalable light-driven continuous flow processing techniques that allow the production of value-added synthetic polymers that cannot be achieved by existing technologies. The project will take advantage of the spatio-temporal control of the light mediated polymerisation with flow process to achieve control over the primary structure, the sequential arrangement of monomer units in a polym ....Flow process and visible-light driven reactions for polymer manufacturing. This project aims to develop rapid, scalable light-driven continuous flow processing techniques that allow the production of value-added synthetic polymers that cannot be achieved by existing technologies. The project will take advantage of the spatio-temporal control of the light mediated polymerisation with flow process to achieve control over the primary structure, the sequential arrangement of monomer units in a polymer chain and the molecular weight distribution. The project will result in the preparation of functional polymers containing a specific arrangement of monomers in the polymer chain and a precise distribution of polymer chains. The development of such process will result in the development of advanced materials.Read moreRead less
Next generation core-shell materials based on biomolecular dual-templating. This project aims to discover and develop new methods and knowledge for the precision engineering of next-generation core-shell materials using sustainable biomolecular dual-templating processes. This research builds on a recent breakthrough - emulsion and biomimetic dual-templating technology for facile preparation of silica capsules, and is expected to revolutionise current approaches for making core-shell materials. S ....Next generation core-shell materials based on biomolecular dual-templating. This project aims to discover and develop new methods and knowledge for the precision engineering of next-generation core-shell materials using sustainable biomolecular dual-templating processes. This research builds on a recent breakthrough - emulsion and biomimetic dual-templating technology for facile preparation of silica capsules, and is expected to revolutionise current approaches for making core-shell materials. Significant outcomes are expected to be achieved through building fundamental understanding around this breakthrough, including new concepts for hierarchical nanomaterials based on biomolecular design, new molecular and engineering design rules for core-shell materials, and novel materials for applications in sustained release and delivery systems.Read moreRead less
On-demand 3D polymer scaffolds for directed stem cell differentiation. The project will develop new polymer gels that can be sculpted into shapes, representing tissues and organs. This 3D scaffold will provide a surface with biological signals to create functional tissues from stem cells. The approach will create engineered intestinal tissue with great promise to increase the survival rates of colon cancer patients.
New Extraction Membranes and Beads for Use in Industrial Separation. This project involves the development and testing of new polymeric membranes and beads exhibiting high efficiency in the recovery of metal ions from hydrometallurgical solutions. These membranes and beads will also allow effective removal of toxic metal contaminants from wastewater streams before discharge into the environment and clean-up of contaminated natural waters. The research will ultimately lead to: (a) interactions wi ....New Extraction Membranes and Beads for Use in Industrial Separation. This project involves the development and testing of new polymeric membranes and beads exhibiting high efficiency in the recovery of metal ions from hydrometallurgical solutions. These membranes and beads will also allow effective removal of toxic metal contaminants from wastewater streams before discharge into the environment and clean-up of contaminated natural waters. The research will ultimately lead to: (a) interactions with Australian companies involved in metal processing, metal finishing and hydrometallurgy with beneficial effects to Australian industry; (b) training of high quality scientists; and (c) more efficient environmental protection and remediation thus helping to maintain Australia environmentally sustainable.Read moreRead less
Tuning Membrane Chemistry for Desalination and Water Reuse Applications. Climate change has led to a dramatic reduction in the availability of fresh water in southern Australia. Consequently, seawater desalination and wastewater recycling facilities are growing in number and size throughout the country. This project will directly benefit operation of these facilities by providing insight into the fundamentals of the membranes they utilise. The development of better predictive models of performan ....Tuning Membrane Chemistry for Desalination and Water Reuse Applications. Climate change has led to a dramatic reduction in the availability of fresh water in southern Australia. Consequently, seawater desalination and wastewater recycling facilities are growing in number and size throughout the country. This project will directly benefit operation of these facilities by providing insight into the fundamentals of the membranes they utilise. The development of better predictive models of performance will lead to more efficient water production. The project will specifically evaluate the ability of these membranes to retain dangerous contaminants such as endocrine disrupting chemicals and boric acid. Ultimately, the project will lead to lower costs for water production in Australia and better guarantee of supply.Read moreRead less
Development of nanoporous materials for capture and release of oxygen. This project aims to develop new materials to make lighter, more efficient oxygen concentrators. The project will combine materials that can capture oxygen with particles that can be magnetically heated, making it possible to release the oxygen rapidly and efficiently when needed. Expected outcomes from this project include new composite materials and better understanding of how gases are trapped and released within composite ....Development of nanoporous materials for capture and release of oxygen. This project aims to develop new materials to make lighter, more efficient oxygen concentrators. The project will combine materials that can capture oxygen with particles that can be magnetically heated, making it possible to release the oxygen rapidly and efficiently when needed. Expected outcomes from this project include new composite materials and better understanding of how gases are trapped and released within composite materials. Benefits from this project may include oxygen concentrators that are more portable and have longer battery life, both with industrial and medical applications.Read moreRead less
Pore Engineering of Chromatography Membranes for Bioseparation. Protein separation and purification is an essential unit operation in manufacturing processes of therapeutic proteins. The project aims to advance the practical applications of chromatography membrane, an emerging technology for protein separation and purification, by tailoring membrane pore geometry and surface functionality to achieve enhanced separation performance. The project expects to generate advanced knowledge and technique ....Pore Engineering of Chromatography Membranes for Bioseparation. Protein separation and purification is an essential unit operation in manufacturing processes of therapeutic proteins. The project aims to advance the practical applications of chromatography membrane, an emerging technology for protein separation and purification, by tailoring membrane pore geometry and surface functionality to achieve enhanced separation performance. The project expects to generate advanced knowledge and techniques in the fields of reactive polymer synthesis, functional membrane fabrication and application in bioseparation. The innovative membranes developed in the project are able to improve the production capacity of therapeutic protein manufacturing processes, providing significant economic benefits to Australia.Read moreRead less
Carbon Molecular Sieve Membranes for Organic Solvent Separation. Directly addressing the pressing challenge of organic solvent separation faced by numerous industries, the project aims to develop molecular sieve membranes with outstanding selectivity and solvent tolerance by constructing zeolite-carbon mixed matrix membrane via incorporating zeolite nanosheets into carbon materials. The project expects to generate advanced knowledge of nanosheet synthesis, membrane fabrication and selective mole ....Carbon Molecular Sieve Membranes for Organic Solvent Separation. Directly addressing the pressing challenge of organic solvent separation faced by numerous industries, the project aims to develop molecular sieve membranes with outstanding selectivity and solvent tolerance by constructing zeolite-carbon mixed matrix membrane via incorporating zeolite nanosheets into carbon materials. The project expects to generate advanced knowledge of nanosheet synthesis, membrane fabrication and selective molecule transport. The membranes developed in the project have great potentials for improving the production capacity and sustainability of Australian industries, e.g., pharmaceutical manufacturing, bioethanol production and petroleum refining, providing significant economic and environmental benefits to Australia.Read moreRead less
Fundamental studies in extensional rheology of polymers and biomacromolecules. Long molecules such as polymers, DNA and other biopolymers are of significant practical and fundamental interest. The behaviour of such polymers in extensional or stretching flows and the consequent stresses generated can be measured as a result of advances in instrumentation pioneered at Monash University. This research program builds on this foundation to understand the effects of molecular architecture on the prope ....Fundamental studies in extensional rheology of polymers and biomacromolecules. Long molecules such as polymers, DNA and other biopolymers are of significant practical and fundamental interest. The behaviour of such polymers in extensional or stretching flows and the consequent stresses generated can be measured as a result of advances in instrumentation pioneered at Monash University. This research program builds on this foundation to understand the effects of molecular architecture on the properties of macromolecules and to rigorously test several innovative theoretical concepts that have been advanced over the last 20 years. Such knowledge allows the tailoring of polymer shape to their end use and permits the design of novel polymers.Read moreRead less