An in-built depolymerisation solution for polyethylene waste. This project aims to design enzymes that can be embedded into polyethylene, and later activated by the elevated temperatures of a compost heap, to depolymerise the plastic to small molecules. There are no good options available for the controlled decomposition of polyethylene waste at present, and instead researchers have focussed on solutions that rely on modifications to the underlying chemistry of the backbone and or collection to ....An in-built depolymerisation solution for polyethylene waste. This project aims to design enzymes that can be embedded into polyethylene, and later activated by the elevated temperatures of a compost heap, to depolymerise the plastic to small molecules. There are no good options available for the controlled decomposition of polyethylene waste at present, and instead researchers have focussed on solutions that rely on modifications to the underlying chemistry of the backbone and or collection to a central facility. Our approach would result in an in-built decomposition that does not require collection and recycling in a central facility. Since it is based on a depolymerisation mechanism it does not result in the production of harmful, partially disintegrated microplastics.Read moreRead less
Interfacial and Structural Changes During Digestion of Milk-like Systems. This project aims to enhance the understanding of the behaviour of milk and milk-like systems during digestion. Utilising new Australian research infrastructure the project aims to unlock the complex behaviour across different types of milk (including human breast milk) and infant formulae, linking how enzymes behave towards fat droplets and the consequences for lipid structuring and nutrient transport. The rational design ....Interfacial and Structural Changes During Digestion of Milk-like Systems. This project aims to enhance the understanding of the behaviour of milk and milk-like systems during digestion. Utilising new Australian research infrastructure the project aims to unlock the complex behaviour across different types of milk (including human breast milk) and infant formulae, linking how enzymes behave towards fat droplets and the consequences for lipid structuring and nutrient transport. The rational design of systems that function much more closely to human milk will enable the development of new products with flow on benefits in human nutrition and increased utilisation of products from our dairy industry.Read moreRead less
'Multi-Coloured' Tracers for Magnetic Particle Imaging . Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) is predicted to be the future of imaging and will outperform all current imaging techniques by having 'colours', improved resolution and 3D precision. This project aims to create 'multi-coloured' high-performance MPI tracers by synthesising a range of the most effective magnetic nanoparticle structures. The expected outcome is the fundamental understanding of the relationships between nanoparticle structures ....'Multi-Coloured' Tracers for Magnetic Particle Imaging . Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) is predicted to be the future of imaging and will outperform all current imaging techniques by having 'colours', improved resolution and 3D precision. This project aims to create 'multi-coloured' high-performance MPI tracers by synthesising a range of the most effective magnetic nanoparticle structures. The expected outcome is the fundamental understanding of the relationships between nanoparticle structures and their magnetic properties for the formation of MPI signals with distinct ‘colours’. The benefits will be a library of MPI tracers that are able to provide ‘coloured’, high intensity, precise signals beyond what can be achieved with other imaging technologies.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230101504
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$438,026.00
Summary
Crossing restrictive biobarriers with self-assembled lipid nanocarriers. This project aims to determine how nanoscale objects which mimic the surface of cells behave in biologically relevant environments. This project expects to generate new knowledge in physical chemistry by complementing innovative surface chemistry design and characterisation with data science approaches. The expected outcome of this project is identification of the mode of interaction of these biomimetic objects with cells, ....Crossing restrictive biobarriers with self-assembled lipid nanocarriers. This project aims to determine how nanoscale objects which mimic the surface of cells behave in biologically relevant environments. This project expects to generate new knowledge in physical chemistry by complementing innovative surface chemistry design and characterisation with data science approaches. The expected outcome of this project is identification of the mode of interaction of these biomimetic objects with cells, which may then reveal a new pathway for the delivery of pharmaceuticals. This could provide significant future benefits in the treatment of neurological diseases and bacterial infections, by overcoming the barrier that the cell surface presents to the uptake of many medicinal drugs.Read moreRead less
Polymer nanofibres for advanced paint formulations. Surface coatings seal, strengthen, and decorate the majority of surfaces in the building industry—a $72 billion market. Despite their importance, advances in paint science have only been incremental and a truly robust and water resistant paint coating has yet to be developed. Dulux Group Australia and the University of Sydney will use polymer nanofibres as additives to radically redesign architectural coatings, with the goal to drastically incr ....Polymer nanofibres for advanced paint formulations. Surface coatings seal, strengthen, and decorate the majority of surfaces in the building industry—a $72 billion market. Despite their importance, advances in paint science have only been incremental and a truly robust and water resistant paint coating has yet to be developed. Dulux Group Australia and the University of Sydney will use polymer nanofibres as additives to radically redesign architectural coatings, with the goal to drastically increase their durability. The partnership will bring a technological breakthrough that will lead to less disruption for the environment, and important economic and technological benefits for Australia.Read moreRead less
Nanoscale Dynamics and Structure of SAILs at Electrodes. This project will produce new, high performance, surface active ionic liquids. Surface active ionic liquids are pure salts in which one of the ions is based on a surfactant molecule. Surface active ionic liquids are much more effective than conventional electrolytes for some applications, but only at elevated temperature; at low temperature, ion dynamics are too slow. We will use cutting edge techniques to probe ion dynamics in surface act ....Nanoscale Dynamics and Structure of SAILs at Electrodes. This project will produce new, high performance, surface active ionic liquids. Surface active ionic liquids are pure salts in which one of the ions is based on a surfactant molecule. Surface active ionic liquids are much more effective than conventional electrolytes for some applications, but only at elevated temperature; at low temperature, ion dynamics are too slow. We will use cutting edge techniques to probe ion dynamics in surface active ionic liquids in the bulk and at electrode surfaces, and use this to elucidate rules for the rational design of new surface active ionic liquids with fast dynamics at low temperature, towards their use at room temperature in diverse areas; this project will target capacitors and gas sensors. Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220101471
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$441,100.00
Summary
Controlling uranium species to its long-term stability in bioremediation. This project aims to reveal the mechanisms of uranium transformation and immobilisation in both aerobic and anaerobic conditions of bioremediation with the emphasis on elucidating stable uranium immobilised under different pathways and conditions. This project expects to generate new knowledge regarding the relationship between uranium speciation and stability with the matrix mineral, microbiota, and environmental conditio ....Controlling uranium species to its long-term stability in bioremediation. This project aims to reveal the mechanisms of uranium transformation and immobilisation in both aerobic and anaerobic conditions of bioremediation with the emphasis on elucidating stable uranium immobilised under different pathways and conditions. This project expects to generate new knowledge regarding the relationship between uranium speciation and stability with the matrix mineral, microbiota, and environmental conditions. Expected outcomes from this project include new strategies for preferential immobilisation of uranium to stable species that are resistant to air and acid. The anticipated benefits of this project include mitigating uranium contamination and promoting the sustainable development of the uranium industry in Australia.Read moreRead less
Gas-enriched slippery surfaces. This project will exploit novel experimental and simulations approaches to investigate gas enrichment at liquid-liquid interfaces, and its effect on interfacial slip. The outcomes of the project will be a deeper understanding of oil-water interfaces capturing the presence of interfacial gas layers, slippery surfaces with superior drag reducing and fouling reducing properties, and control over nanobubble formation under flow. The new surfaces will have potential ap ....Gas-enriched slippery surfaces. This project will exploit novel experimental and simulations approaches to investigate gas enrichment at liquid-liquid interfaces, and its effect on interfacial slip. The outcomes of the project will be a deeper understanding of oil-water interfaces capturing the presence of interfacial gas layers, slippery surfaces with superior drag reducing and fouling reducing properties, and control over nanobubble formation under flow. The new surfaces will have potential application in improving the energy efficiency of microfluidic and multiphase flow. Benefits are expected in terms of reduced emissions, fuel cost and pollution related to transport of goods by sea, and extraction of oil from rocks.Read moreRead less
Nanoparticles with structures that mimic enzymes for electrocatalysis. This project aims to create a new class of electrocatalysts with architectures inspired by enzymes. Electrocatalysts are the backbone of the modern energy economy. In the new electrocatalysts developed by the project, the intention is the active sites will be spatially separated from the bulk solution by nanopores, as enzymes do. This architecture allows the reaction environment to be altered from the bulk solution, active tr ....Nanoparticles with structures that mimic enzymes for electrocatalysis. This project aims to create a new class of electrocatalysts with architectures inspired by enzymes. Electrocatalysts are the backbone of the modern energy economy. In the new electrocatalysts developed by the project, the intention is the active sites will be spatially separated from the bulk solution by nanopores, as enzymes do. This architecture allows the reaction environment to be altered from the bulk solution, active transport of species to the active site and cascade reactions to be performed. This should give advantages in activity, selectivity and the ability to perform multistep reactions. The intended outcomes are better performing hydrogen fuel cells and more effective conversion of carbon dioxide into useful organic compounds.Read moreRead less