A national framework for managing malignant plastics in museum collections. A national framework for managing malignant plastics in museum collections. This collaborative project between three universities, four museums and an art gallery aims to discover how to predict and increase the lifespan of malignant plastics or polymers by studying their identification, deterioration and conservation. 5 to 80% of museum collections, composed of growing numbers of plastic or polymer-based materials, need ....A national framework for managing malignant plastics in museum collections. A national framework for managing malignant plastics in museum collections. This collaborative project between three universities, four museums and an art gallery aims to discover how to predict and increase the lifespan of malignant plastics or polymers by studying their identification, deterioration and conservation. 5 to 80% of museum collections, composed of growing numbers of plastic or polymer-based materials, need better preservation. Conservators do not have much expertise in preserving plastics, which are contemporary and have a relatively short life expectancy. This project intends to provide museums with a model for prioritising and effectively allocating resources to preserve a vulnerable group of collections for future generations.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Research Hubs - Grant ID: IH170100009
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,000,000.00
Summary
ARC Research Hub for Energy-efficient Separation. The ARC Research Hub for Energy-efficient Separation aims to develop advanced separation materials, innovative products and smart processes to reduce the energy consumption of separation processes. The Research Hub will create a multi-disciplinary training platform, supplying a highly-trained workforce for the advanced manufacturing sector, particularly in separation technology–a growth area in which Australia can lead the world. The advancement ....ARC Research Hub for Energy-efficient Separation. The ARC Research Hub for Energy-efficient Separation aims to develop advanced separation materials, innovative products and smart processes to reduce the energy consumption of separation processes. The Research Hub will create a multi-disciplinary training platform, supplying a highly-trained workforce for the advanced manufacturing sector, particularly in separation technology–a growth area in which Australia can lead the world. The advancement of Australia’s capability as a world-leading technology provider in manufacturing advanced separation materials and equipment will enable Australian industry to become more energy-efficient and cost-competitive in a global economy.Read moreRead less
Engineering two dimensional polymers for membrane-based chemical separation. This project aims to develop novel two-dimensional polymers with precisely controlled pore-sizes for preparing membrane materials which can efficiently separate these gaseous chemicals at ambient temperatures. Key industrial chemical mixtures with similar size and boiling points are difficult to separate by conventional distillation methods. Currently, purification of olefins alone accounts for 0.3% of global energy use ....Engineering two dimensional polymers for membrane-based chemical separation. This project aims to develop novel two-dimensional polymers with precisely controlled pore-sizes for preparing membrane materials which can efficiently separate these gaseous chemicals at ambient temperatures. Key industrial chemical mixtures with similar size and boiling points are difficult to separate by conventional distillation methods. Currently, purification of olefins alone accounts for 0.3% of global energy use. The expected outcomes of the project will have a huge impact on industrial purification processing by providing a disruptive membrane technology, and will significantly reduce energy consumption and open up new routes for resources.Read moreRead less
Next generation easy-clean lenses by robust liquid-repellent nanotextures. This project aims to produce better performing self-cleaning lenses, which are less likely to get dirty and are easy to clean. It will develop water and oil repellent coatings with superior optical transparency and mechanical, solvent and UV stability for both hard coated and anti-reflection coated optical lenses. Engineering of stable, ultra-liquid repellent nanomaterials on transparent surfaces will create a foundation ....Next generation easy-clean lenses by robust liquid-repellent nanotextures. This project aims to produce better performing self-cleaning lenses, which are less likely to get dirty and are easy to clean. It will develop water and oil repellent coatings with superior optical transparency and mechanical, solvent and UV stability for both hard coated and anti-reflection coated optical lenses. Engineering of stable, ultra-liquid repellent nanomaterials on transparent surfaces will create a foundation of knowledge for the industrial development of the future generation of easy care coatings, with vast application potential.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
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL180100053
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,162,000.00
Summary
Re-discovering liquid metals from core to surface. This project aims to investigate and make new discoveries on the unique properties of liquid metals. Liquid metals have traditionally been used in mining, for switches, barometers, heat transfer units, and coolers and heaters. However, recent discoveries have indicated that liquid metals have untapped potential in applications for creating systems with extraordinary physical and chemical properties. This project will expand our knowledge of liqu ....Re-discovering liquid metals from core to surface. This project aims to investigate and make new discoveries on the unique properties of liquid metals. Liquid metals have traditionally been used in mining, for switches, barometers, heat transfer units, and coolers and heaters. However, recent discoveries have indicated that liquid metals have untapped potential in applications for creating systems with extraordinary physical and chemical properties. This project will expand our knowledge of liquid metals by exploring liquid metals as electron rich solvents and investigating new properties to develop future applications in electronics, optics, catalysts, thermal devices and bio systems.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC160100032
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,024,379.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre in Lightweight Automotive Structures. ARC Training Centre in Lightweight Automotive Structures. This training centre aims to train a cohort of industry-focused researchers and to develop new lightweighting technologies, which are key to reducing carbon dioxide (CO2 emissions in transportation. In partnership with domestic and international companies and universities, this centre intends to develop new lightweight materials, advanced manufacturing processes, energy storage des ....ARC Training Centre in Lightweight Automotive Structures. ARC Training Centre in Lightweight Automotive Structures. This training centre aims to train a cohort of industry-focused researchers and to develop new lightweighting technologies, which are key to reducing carbon dioxide (CO2 emissions in transportation. In partnership with domestic and international companies and universities, this centre intends to develop new lightweight materials, advanced manufacturing processes, energy storage designs, and rapid non-destructive evaluation techniques. The intended outcome is to accelerate the transformation of Australia's automotive industry—now facing unprecedented structural adjustment—from vehicle production to export of design and engineering services, high-value products, and novel technology solutions.Read moreRead less
Snails to the rescue! Conservation of Australia’s island invertebrates. This project aims to deliver an exemplar industry network model for conservation on Australia’s islands which are hotspots both of biodiversity and of extinctions. Protecting species on islands is therefore key to securing Australia’s biodiversity. We will secure Norfolk Island's 60 species of land snails via in situ and ex situ conservation with six key industry partners. The project expects to unite conservation actions ac ....Snails to the rescue! Conservation of Australia’s island invertebrates. This project aims to deliver an exemplar industry network model for conservation on Australia’s islands which are hotspots both of biodiversity and of extinctions. Protecting species on islands is therefore key to securing Australia’s biodiversity. We will secure Norfolk Island's 60 species of land snails via in situ and ex situ conservation with six key industry partners. The project expects to unite conservation actions across research, governments, and industry. Expected outcomes of this project include Norfolk Island emerging as a leader in global conservation. This should provide significant benefits such as a model for conservation that is applicable to thousands of isolated, range-restricted invertebrate species across Australia.Read moreRead less