Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100065
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$423,808.00
Summary
Designing Organocatalysts to Achieve Hyperpolarised Magnetic Resonance. Magnetic resonance techniques (such as MRI scans) suffer from an inherent insensitivity problem. In medical imaging, this can hamper diagnosis and mean long scan times for patients. This project aims to chemically develop catalysts which dramatically increase sensitivity, producing a signal that is thousands of times more visible. This project is significant as these catalysts can turn common, harmless molecules in the body ....Designing Organocatalysts to Achieve Hyperpolarised Magnetic Resonance. Magnetic resonance techniques (such as MRI scans) suffer from an inherent insensitivity problem. In medical imaging, this can hamper diagnosis and mean long scan times for patients. This project aims to chemically develop catalysts which dramatically increase sensitivity, producing a signal that is thousands of times more visible. This project is significant as these catalysts can turn common, harmless molecules in the body - even water - into visible tracers. The expected outcomes of this project include the synthesis and understanding of these catalysts which will be chemically fine-tuned to maximise their effectiveness. Potential benefits include translation to MRI applications to improve diagnosis and treatment, or chemical monitoring.Read moreRead less
New laser and mass spectrometry methods for detecting protonation isomers. Mass spectrometry is a major tool for the detection of molecules for understanding disease, pollution control and chemical synthesis. However, intricate differences in molecular structure - vital to chemical function - can confuse detection methods leading to false negatives. This is especially problematic for complex biological samples. Recent breakthroughs in laser-based mass spectrometry methods, combined with ion mobi ....New laser and mass spectrometry methods for detecting protonation isomers. Mass spectrometry is a major tool for the detection of molecules for understanding disease, pollution control and chemical synthesis. However, intricate differences in molecular structure - vital to chemical function - can confuse detection methods leading to false negatives. This is especially problematic for complex biological samples. Recent breakthroughs in laser-based mass spectrometry methods, combined with ion mobility, now allow detection of subtle yet important structural features. This project aims to exploit these advances by developing new instrumentation and protocols with these enhanced capabilities thus accelerating advances in automated mass spectrometry, improved antibiotic detection and complex biomolecule screening.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE210100124
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$538,590.00
Summary
An Advanced Ultrafast Laser Spectroscopy Facility in Queensland. The project aims to establish a world-class ultrafast laser spectroscopy facility to investigate how molecules interact with visible or ultraviolet light. Light-matter interactions are key to energy generation in nature through photosynthesis as well as everyday technologies including optical communications and displays. This project expects to generate new knowledge in on how light interacts with matter at the molecular level. Exp ....An Advanced Ultrafast Laser Spectroscopy Facility in Queensland. The project aims to establish a world-class ultrafast laser spectroscopy facility to investigate how molecules interact with visible or ultraviolet light. Light-matter interactions are key to energy generation in nature through photosynthesis as well as everyday technologies including optical communications and displays. This project expects to generate new knowledge in on how light interacts with matter at the molecular level. Expected outcomes of the ultrafast spectroscopic measurements will be understanding the fate of light absorbed by or generated in different materials. Application of the knowledge gained will enable the design of materials for more efficient technologies such as solar cells, lighting, and sensors.Read moreRead less
Electronic-vibrational spectroscopy: A new probe for structure and function. This project aims to solve a major challenge in ultrafast spectroscopy: to identify and quantify competing reaction pathways in complex photochemical systems. Ultrafast Spectroscopy provides information on excited-state processes of photochemical reactions, however, unravelling heterogeneous systems with competing parallel processes remains difficult. Multidimensional electronic-vibrational spectroscopy, sensitive to el ....Electronic-vibrational spectroscopy: A new probe for structure and function. This project aims to solve a major challenge in ultrafast spectroscopy: to identify and quantify competing reaction pathways in complex photochemical systems. Ultrafast Spectroscopy provides information on excited-state processes of photochemical reactions, however, unravelling heterogeneous systems with competing parallel processes remains difficult. Multidimensional electronic-vibrational spectroscopy, sensitive to electronic dynamics and molecular structure, is expected to overcome this barrier. This new level of detail will profoundly enhance our understanding of energy and chemical conversion in complex systems and will reveal design targets for optimising next-generation light-energy harvesting, conducting, and emitting materials.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE210100083
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$777,493.00
Summary
A cutting-edge and high-throughput nuclear magnetic resonance platform. The proposal aims to establish a multi-institutional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) platform across two of Victoria’s leading research universities. The platform will consist of two state-of-the-art NMR spectrometers equipped with parallel acquisition and variable temperature capabilities. It will renew obsolete equipment and support cutting-edge research in fundamental and applied chemical and materials science across the ....A cutting-edge and high-throughput nuclear magnetic resonance platform. The proposal aims to establish a multi-institutional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) platform across two of Victoria’s leading research universities. The platform will consist of two state-of-the-art NMR spectrometers equipped with parallel acquisition and variable temperature capabilities. It will renew obsolete equipment and support cutting-edge research in fundamental and applied chemical and materials science across the Victorian region. Expected outcomes include enhanced research capacity and productivity, supporting new interdisciplinary collaborations. Benefits will accrue across the spectrum of the chemical sciences and include environmental monitoring, drug development, process chemistry, and advanced materials manufacturing.Read moreRead less
Smart Molecular Materials for Sensors, Displays and Nanodevices. The aims of this project are to synthesise new smart molecular materials and elucidate the chemical origin of the physical properties they exhibit. Exposure of these transition metal-based compounds to heat or light will induce changes in colour and magnetic behaviour, affording potential roles as the smallest possible electronic components or addressable entities for high density data storage. It is expected that the materials wil ....Smart Molecular Materials for Sensors, Displays and Nanodevices. The aims of this project are to synthesise new smart molecular materials and elucidate the chemical origin of the physical properties they exhibit. Exposure of these transition metal-based compounds to heat or light will induce changes in colour and magnetic behaviour, affording potential roles as the smallest possible electronic components or addressable entities for high density data storage. It is expected that the materials will also exhibit tunable thermochromic and photochromic properties, which are important for applications in photoresponsive devices or temperature sensors. The structure-function relationships determined will inform the development of molecular materials for future nanodevices, sensors or displays.Read moreRead less
Double resonance spectroscopy for astrochemistry. We will use advanced laser techniques to probe simulated astrophysical environments with a view to identifying molecules in space. The types of molecules under study are also of direct relevance to other fields such as combustion, and will reveal details of the chemistry of pollution and atmospheres.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120100467
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Unravelling the intrinsic structure and stability of multiply charged anions in the gas-phase using photoelectron spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Molecules possessing multiple negative charges are common constituents in chemistry, influencing a range of processes ranging from photochemical smog formation to protein structure in vivo. This project will develop new technologies to probe their molecular structure in the gas-phase, leading to a more rigorous understanding of these species.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE180100060
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$563,390.00
Summary
Shared picosecond-laser facility. This project aims to extend the Shared Picosecond Laser Facility to include picosecond-pulse technology and to incorporate new consortium members. The Facility, shared among members at four universities and building on over 23 years of collaboration, continues to provide access to state-of-the-art lasers. The Facility will take advantage of its bulk purchasing power to negotiate significant discounts, extended warranties and maintenance contracts. The new lasers ....Shared picosecond-laser facility. This project aims to extend the Shared Picosecond Laser Facility to include picosecond-pulse technology and to incorporate new consortium members. The Facility, shared among members at four universities and building on over 23 years of collaboration, continues to provide access to state-of-the-art lasers. The Facility will take advantage of its bulk purchasing power to negotiate significant discounts, extended warranties and maintenance contracts. The new lasers will enable access to picosecond timescales and facilitate complex multi-laser experiments in a wide variety of projects including reaction dynamics, materials chemistry and photovoltaics.Read moreRead less