Advanced refractory alloy components for aerospace and energy sectors. This project aims to employ state-of-the-art alloy modelling and a new additive manufacturing approach to fabricate advanced alloy components with superior high temperature and chemical properties. Components will be manufactured from both existing and completely new alloys. Expected outcomes include stronger and more damage resistant high temperature parts for high-speed aerospace vehicles, and more stable corrosion resistan ....Advanced refractory alloy components for aerospace and energy sectors. This project aims to employ state-of-the-art alloy modelling and a new additive manufacturing approach to fabricate advanced alloy components with superior high temperature and chemical properties. Components will be manufactured from both existing and completely new alloys. Expected outcomes include stronger and more damage resistant high temperature parts for high-speed aerospace vehicles, and more stable corrosion resistant alloys for application in molten salts. The project expects to increase our sovereign capabilities in advanced alloy component manufacture, for the benefit of sectors including high-velocity aerospace, defence and molten salt-based energy storage and power generation.Read moreRead less
2D Multiferroics: From Materials Design to Device Conceptualization. This project aims to design new transistors with high efficiency and low energy costing for the storage applications based on two-dimensional multifunctional heterostructures. Extensive computational simulations and joint experiments will be employed to develop fundamental knowledge essential to understanding the phenomena of magnetoelectric coupling, which is used to guide rational device design and implementation. The designe ....2D Multiferroics: From Materials Design to Device Conceptualization. This project aims to design new transistors with high efficiency and low energy costing for the storage applications based on two-dimensional multifunctional heterostructures. Extensive computational simulations and joint experiments will be employed to develop fundamental knowledge essential to understanding the phenomena of magnetoelectric coupling, which is used to guide rational device design and implementation. The designed magnetoelectric heterostructures and the multiferroic devices are expected to provide strong foundations for technological innovations resulting in devices with superior functionality and efficiency. The outcome of the project will significantly benefit high-tech electronics.Read moreRead less
Sustainable Electrocatalytic Synthesis of Urea. Urea is a critical chemical for agriculture, the chemical industry and pollution control, yet current production methods are unsustainable. This project aims to design high-efficiency catalysts for electrochemical urea synthesis from theoretical studies. This project expects to generate new knowledge of chemistry and catalysis from new reaction mechanisms and materials. Expected outcomes include optimum catalysts with high conversion efficiency and ....Sustainable Electrocatalytic Synthesis of Urea. Urea is a critical chemical for agriculture, the chemical industry and pollution control, yet current production methods are unsustainable. This project aims to design high-efficiency catalysts for electrochemical urea synthesis from theoretical studies. This project expects to generate new knowledge of chemistry and catalysis from new reaction mechanisms and materials. Expected outcomes include optimum catalysts with high conversion efficiency and reactant selectivity. The novel catalysts have the potential to deliver improved catalytic performance and controllable reaction reactants. This could deliver significant benefits to the crop production increase, cost reduction of chemical industry, and environmental pollution reduction.Read moreRead less
Bioinspired Ceramifiable Fire-Retardant Composite Coatings. This project aims to design bioinspired, adhesive, ceramifiable fire-retardant coatings through understanding their composition-property relationship and fire-retardant mechanism. The fire-retardant coatings are then applied to typical polymer foams to create fire-safe building thermal insulation materials. This project will generate new knowledge in materials science that helps to expedite next-generation advanced fire-retardant coatin ....Bioinspired Ceramifiable Fire-Retardant Composite Coatings. This project aims to design bioinspired, adhesive, ceramifiable fire-retardant coatings through understanding their composition-property relationship and fire-retardant mechanism. The fire-retardant coatings are then applied to typical polymer foams to create fire-safe building thermal insulation materials. This project will generate new knowledge in materials science that helps to expedite next-generation advanced fire-retardant coatings for a variety of flammable substrates. Expected outcomes of this project are cost-effective fire-retardant coatings and fire-safe, inexpensive thermal insulation materials. This project will bring significant economic benefits to Australia and help to create fire-resilient and energy-efficient buildings.Read moreRead less
Fire-Retardant Composite Resins for Bushfire-Safe Wind Farm Infrastructures. This project aims to develop advanced fire-retardant composite resins for manufacturing bushfire-safe wind farm infrastructures. The innovation of the project is the development of a new class of low-cost, novel, highly effective fire retardants and their value-added fire-retardant composite resins with well-preserved physical properties. This will be achieved by understanding the composition-property relationship of fi ....Fire-Retardant Composite Resins for Bushfire-Safe Wind Farm Infrastructures. This project aims to develop advanced fire-retardant composite resins for manufacturing bushfire-safe wind farm infrastructures. The innovation of the project is the development of a new class of low-cost, novel, highly effective fire retardants and their value-added fire-retardant composite resins with well-preserved physical properties. This will be achieved by understanding the composition-property relationship of fire retardants and optimising their synthetic parameters. The project will help position Australia’s advanced composite manufacturing at the forefront of technology. It will also accelerate Australia’s energy transition to renewables by enabling bushfire-safe wind farm infrastructure.Read moreRead less
Mid-Career Industry Fellowships - Grant ID: IM230100125
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,053,296.00
Summary
Life prediction and optimisation of advanced first-wall fusion materials. The project focusses on accelerating the development radiation-tolerant materials for fusion energy, in collaboration with HB11 and Tokamak Energy. Specifically, we aim to understand the degradation mechanisms of the “first-wall” component, which is exposed to high energy radiation. In turn, this will (a) enable accurate life assessments of the component, and (b) inform how to optimise it material for longer-lasting fusion ....Life prediction and optimisation of advanced first-wall fusion materials. The project focusses on accelerating the development radiation-tolerant materials for fusion energy, in collaboration with HB11 and Tokamak Energy. Specifically, we aim to understand the degradation mechanisms of the “first-wall” component, which is exposed to high energy radiation. In turn, this will (a) enable accurate life assessments of the component, and (b) inform how to optimise it material for longer-lasting fusion devices. The outcomes directly reduce the cost of energy produced by the partner’s fusion devices, help bridge the gap from TRL 3 to 6, and provide valuable inputs for techno-economic models and licensing applications. The fellowship will also enhance Australia’s prominence in the international fusion energy stage.Read moreRead less
Electrolyte and interface engineering of solid-state sodium batteries. This project aims to develop large-scale solid-state sodium-ion batteries exhibiting better safety compared to classic liquid electrolyte batteries without compromising on performance, thus addressing the significant issue of safety in batteries. This will be achieved by novel engineering of solid-state electrolytes and electrolyte-electrode interfacing by a fundamental understanding of sodium-ion transport using statistical ....Electrolyte and interface engineering of solid-state sodium batteries. This project aims to develop large-scale solid-state sodium-ion batteries exhibiting better safety compared to classic liquid electrolyte batteries without compromising on performance, thus addressing the significant issue of safety in batteries. This will be achieved by novel engineering of solid-state electrolytes and electrolyte-electrode interfacing by a fundamental understanding of sodium-ion transport using statistical and machine-learning techniques. Expected outcomes include an understanding of ion-transport mechanisms in batteries, delivery of advanced solid-state electrolytes with high ionic conductivity, and batteries with excellent performance and safety characteristics, which benefits Australia's environment and sustainability.Read moreRead less
Mid-Career Industry Fellowships - Grant ID: IM230100132
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,060,944.00
Summary
Novel minerals and mix design in low embodied carbon concrete products . Research and development in materials and mix design for concrete building products will target utilisation of abundant and low cost mineral materials including natural clay, hard rock quarry fines and unclassified fly ash resources. New mix design and preparation methods are targeting improved strength and production efficiency with reduced Portland cement and embodied carbon. This technology will be used in the manufactur ....Novel minerals and mix design in low embodied carbon concrete products . Research and development in materials and mix design for concrete building products will target utilisation of abundant and low cost mineral materials including natural clay, hard rock quarry fines and unclassified fly ash resources. New mix design and preparation methods are targeting improved strength and production efficiency with reduced Portland cement and embodied carbon. This technology will be used in the manufacture of concrete blocks, roof tiles and brick and block mortar products currently manufactured by Brickworks. Outcomes are efficient and sustainable full scale manufacture of higher value, low embodied carbon, lightweight, large format and/or high durability products that are not currently available to the Australian market.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230100616
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$421,574.00
Summary
Development of high-performance flame-retardant one-component epoxy resins. This project will create a new class of phosphorus/imidazole oligomers for single-component epoxy resins with superior storage stability, fire retardancy and mechanical properties. By establishing a fundamental understanding of the structure-composition-property relationships of one-component epoxy resins, it will address two major challenges - high reactivity and short shelf life, and poor flame retardancy and mechanica ....Development of high-performance flame-retardant one-component epoxy resins. This project will create a new class of phosphorus/imidazole oligomers for single-component epoxy resins with superior storage stability, fire retardancy and mechanical properties. By establishing a fundamental understanding of the structure-composition-property relationships of one-component epoxy resins, it will address two major challenges - high reactivity and short shelf life, and poor flame retardancy and mechanical properties, which limit practical applications. This project will develop environmentally benign, flame-retardant oligomers, reducing fire hazards, protecting lives, property and the environment, by replacing current flammable epoxy resins used in electrical, construction and transportation.Read moreRead less
Advanced Materials from Automated Synthesis of Sequence-Defined Polymers. The project aims to develop industrially scalable and environmentally friendly methods for synthesis of sequence-defined multiblock copolymers (polymer chains containing segments of different polymer types) using automated synthesis methods. The materials to be explored will be largely based on renewable biomass-derived monomeric building blocks. Such polymers are able to undergo microphase separation into spatially period ....Advanced Materials from Automated Synthesis of Sequence-Defined Polymers. The project aims to develop industrially scalable and environmentally friendly methods for synthesis of sequence-defined multiblock copolymers (polymer chains containing segments of different polymer types) using automated synthesis methods. The materials to be explored will be largely based on renewable biomass-derived monomeric building blocks. Such polymers are able to undergo microphase separation into spatially periodic compositional patterns, thereby providing access to a vast range of nano-engineered materials. This would enable design and synthesis of new advanced materials, making use of renewable resources and supporting the circular economy, with diverse potential applications ranging from nanomedicine to materials science.Read moreRead less