Tailoring nanocomposites with controllable structural-property relationship. This project aims to process and fabricate graphene-based materials into useful devices. Understanding nanocomposite structure-property relationships are crucial to rapidly develop functional devices. This project will use graphene in the form of nanocomposites and precisely construct them in devices via three-dimensional printing. This will be achieved through the polymer chemistry and interfacial engineering of graphe ....Tailoring nanocomposites with controllable structural-property relationship. This project aims to process and fabricate graphene-based materials into useful devices. Understanding nanocomposite structure-property relationships are crucial to rapidly develop functional devices. This project will use graphene in the form of nanocomposites and precisely construct them in devices via three-dimensional printing. This will be achieved through the polymer chemistry and interfacial engineering of graphene for enhanced dispersibility and self-assembly in the targeted polymer matrix, thus affording maximum synergistic properties. The project expects to develop three-dimensional printing techniques and control and understand the effect of micro-patterning and nano-structuring on printed graphene nanocomposites.Read moreRead less
Flexible molecular crystals: single crystals that bend, stretch and twist. This project aims to thoroughly quantify the elastic flexibility of a suite of metal-organic molecular crystals. Since antiquity, crystalline materials have been thought to be brittle and inflexible. Crystals can, in fact, display appreciable, even remarkable, elasticity. Some crystals can bend, stretch and twist. The influence that the molecules, and their arrangements in crystals, have on the extent of elasticity will b ....Flexible molecular crystals: single crystals that bend, stretch and twist. This project aims to thoroughly quantify the elastic flexibility of a suite of metal-organic molecular crystals. Since antiquity, crystalline materials have been thought to be brittle and inflexible. Crystals can, in fact, display appreciable, even remarkable, elasticity. Some crystals can bend, stretch and twist. The influence that the molecules, and their arrangements in crystals, have on the extent of elasticity will be determined along with molecular-scale mechanisms for contortion. This information will be used to design new crystals with predictable and tunable elasticity for potential applications previously considered impossible for crystalline materials.Read moreRead less
Precision-Engineered Polymer Nanomaterials. Designing polymer nanoparticles that interact with or mimic biological systems represents a challenge in the field of polymer science. The project will address this challenge to deliver a quantitative and qualitative understanding linking synthetic materials and biological systems. Structurally perfect polymeric dendrimers, prepared using break through synthetic approaches and kinetic and computer modelling, are the ideal structure to introduce this fu ....Precision-Engineered Polymer Nanomaterials. Designing polymer nanoparticles that interact with or mimic biological systems represents a challenge in the field of polymer science. The project will address this challenge to deliver a quantitative and qualitative understanding linking synthetic materials and biological systems. Structurally perfect polymeric dendrimers, prepared using break through synthetic approaches and kinetic and computer modelling, are the ideal structure to introduce this function with predictable behaviour. The project will achieve tangible impacts for global communities and industries including the development of biomimetic nanodevices for smart drug delivery devices and peptide mimics.Read moreRead less
Scalable and Applicable Nanostructured Adsorbents for Arsenic Removal with High Performance. Arsenic contamination in groundwater and drinking water affects over 100 million people worldwide and causes severe health problems. This project aims to use a recently patented technology to develop a new generation of adsorbents with controlled nanostructure and morphology for arsenic removal. The novel low-cost adsorbents are expected to have superior performance for the treatment of water containing ....Scalable and Applicable Nanostructured Adsorbents for Arsenic Removal with High Performance. Arsenic contamination in groundwater and drinking water affects over 100 million people worldwide and causes severe health problems. This project aims to use a recently patented technology to develop a new generation of adsorbents with controlled nanostructure and morphology for arsenic removal. The novel low-cost adsorbents are expected to have superior performance for the treatment of water containing arsenic at both high and low concentrations. The engineered products will be tested in high-throughput wastewater treatment in pharmaceutical factories and as a household drinking water treatment device. This project aims to bring economic and social benefits to Australian industry and improve the quality of life for people all over the world.Read moreRead less
Responsive porous materials for the triggered release of stored target molecules. This project will create a new generation of ultraporous materials capable of releasing a valuable molecule, stored within their pores, when an external trigger is applied. The porous materials, including metal organic frameworks and porous aromatic frameworks, will have components incorporated within them that can respond to stimuli such as ultraviolet or visible light, microwave, ultrasound, or pH change, causing ....Responsive porous materials for the triggered release of stored target molecules. This project will create a new generation of ultraporous materials capable of releasing a valuable molecule, stored within their pores, when an external trigger is applied. The porous materials, including metal organic frameworks and porous aromatic frameworks, will have components incorporated within them that can respond to stimuli such as ultraviolet or visible light, microwave, ultrasound, or pH change, causing the stored target molecule to be released. Target molecules will include carbon dioxide, fertilisers, clean burning gaseous fuels and medicines.Read moreRead less