Exploring the bio-nano interface in plants to enhance crop growth. This project aims to improve the delivery of nutrients and therapeutics to plants by understanding their interactions with nanomaterials. This will create new knowledge on the impact of air, water, and soilborne nanomaterials utilizing cutting-edge bio-nano characterization techniques, innovative lab testing, and high-throughput nanoparticle coating and screening. Expected outcomes of the project include 1) an understanding into ....Exploring the bio-nano interface in plants to enhance crop growth. This project aims to improve the delivery of nutrients and therapeutics to plants by understanding their interactions with nanomaterials. This will create new knowledge on the impact of air, water, and soilborne nanomaterials utilizing cutting-edge bio-nano characterization techniques, innovative lab testing, and high-throughput nanoparticle coating and screening. Expected outcomes of the project include 1) an understanding into how nanomaterial coating technologies impact nanomaterial properties, which will 2) shed light on how nanomaterials interact with plants, which leads to 3) breakthroughs in using nanomaterials to deliver nutrients, fertilizers, and pesticides to boost crop yields and productivity in Australian agriculture.Read moreRead less
Photonic crystals: The key to breaking the silicon-solar cell efficiency barrier. This project aims to investigate solar light harvesting using light trapping by photonic crystal on an amorphous-Silicon thin-film combining passivation technologies with light trapping. Using this new light trapping method, based on a specially designed periodic surface structure, the project expects to set a new standard in solar energy conversion efficiency. The expected outcomes of this project represent a ste ....Photonic crystals: The key to breaking the silicon-solar cell efficiency barrier. This project aims to investigate solar light harvesting using light trapping by photonic crystal on an amorphous-Silicon thin-film combining passivation technologies with light trapping. Using this new light trapping method, based on a specially designed periodic surface structure, the project expects to set a new standard in solar energy conversion efficiency. The expected outcomes of this project represent a step change in Silicon solar cell efficiency, applicable to different materials and especially useful for thin flexible cells. The project has the potential to benefit the renewable energy sector, increasing the efficiency of sustainable energy production, with positive economic and environmental impacts.Read moreRead less
Electro-Optical Primers for Safe Use and Clean Manufacturing. Conventional primers contain a mechanically-sensitive primary explosive that is used to detonate the more stable propellant in a bullet. This project aims to address the health and environmental impacts of heavy metals in current primers by replacing them with benign, electrically or optically activated silicon-based materials. Modern semiconductor fabrication techniques will be used to develop safe and clean primers through cost-effe ....Electro-Optical Primers for Safe Use and Clean Manufacturing. Conventional primers contain a mechanically-sensitive primary explosive that is used to detonate the more stable propellant in a bullet. This project aims to address the health and environmental impacts of heavy metals in current primers by replacing them with benign, electrically or optically activated silicon-based materials. Modern semiconductor fabrication techniques will be used to develop safe and clean primers through cost-effective doping and deposition protocols. The expected outcomes of the project include a sovereign primer manufacturing capability for Australia. This will provide a significant strategic advantage and health benefits for law enforcement and defence personnel during live fire training and firing range exercises.Read moreRead less
Early Career Industry Fellowships - Grant ID: IE230100048
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$466,097.00
Summary
Ammonium-selective membranes to shift water industry into circular economy. The project aims to develop ammonium-selective membranes which are urgently needed in Australian key industries for sustainable ammonia recovery. The project expects to construct the membranes to achieve desirable pore size and surface functionality for fast and selective ammonia transport. The developed membranes should make ammonia recovery from wastewater more effective and sustainable, leading to the healthy waterway ....Ammonium-selective membranes to shift water industry into circular economy. The project aims to develop ammonium-selective membranes which are urgently needed in Australian key industries for sustainable ammonia recovery. The project expects to construct the membranes to achieve desirable pore size and surface functionality for fast and selective ammonia transport. The developed membranes should make ammonia recovery from wastewater more effective and sustainable, leading to the healthy waterway and reduced energy for both ammonia production and removal. Recovered ammonia expects to produce valuable products, supporting agriculture industry and hydrogen economy. The developed membranes should enable water industry's shift into circular economy, providing significant economic and environmental benefits to Australia.Read moreRead less
Crystal engineering of membranes for chiral separation . This project addresses the urgent challenge of chiral separation in the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals by creating a new class of membranes produced by engineering functionalised porous framework crystals. This project expects to generate new knowledge regarding how membrane chemistry and architecture can be used to achieve highly selective, fast chiral molecule transport. The expected outcomes of the project include ne ....Crystal engineering of membranes for chiral separation . This project addresses the urgent challenge of chiral separation in the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals by creating a new class of membranes produced by engineering functionalised porous framework crystals. This project expects to generate new knowledge regarding how membrane chemistry and architecture can be used to achieve highly selective, fast chiral molecule transport. The expected outcomes of the project include new membrane compositions, design principles, fabrication techniques, and proof-of-concept production of scalable, high-performance composite membranes. This project should produce significant economic and environmental benefits in the development of advanced membranes, pharmaceuticals, and agrochemicals.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230101371
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$459,592.00
Summary
Boron nitride nanosheets for low energy consumption self-cooling devices. This project aims to investigate the thermal transport mechanism of strained two-dimensional materials for self-cooling thermal management. It expects to generate new knowledge about their unique thermal properties, guiding the use of waste heat generated in electronics for self-cooling. Expected outcomes include a novel energy-effective thermal management strategy and enhanced capacity to engineer thermal transport in two ....Boron nitride nanosheets for low energy consumption self-cooling devices. This project aims to investigate the thermal transport mechanism of strained two-dimensional materials for self-cooling thermal management. It expects to generate new knowledge about their unique thermal properties, guiding the use of waste heat generated in electronics for self-cooling. Expected outcomes include a novel energy-effective thermal management strategy and enhanced capacity to engineer thermal transport in two-dimensional materials that will be deployed in miniaturised and high-density electronics to overcome overheating problems. This will provide significant benefits to the economy and the environment, such as reduced cost, energy consumption and CO2 emissions in thermal management technologies. Read moreRead less
Development of Novel Functionalised Two-dimensional Nanomaterials. This project aims to develop a series of novel 2D nanomaterials and their nanocomposites that have applications ranging from energy storage via a functional separator for batteries to thermal management devices. Developing novel functional 2D nanomaterials is important for several applications including energy storage, composite materials, and thermal management, as well as advancing knowledge in the control design of 2D nanomate ....Development of Novel Functionalised Two-dimensional Nanomaterials. This project aims to develop a series of novel 2D nanomaterials and their nanocomposites that have applications ranging from energy storage via a functional separator for batteries to thermal management devices. Developing novel functional 2D nanomaterials is important for several applications including energy storage, composite materials, and thermal management, as well as advancing knowledge in the control design of 2D nanomaterials and to promote the development of sustainable energy storage and thermal management technologies. The benefits to Australia, will be in addressing energy and environmental concerns by developing new clean and environmentally friendly energy devices and boosting national economic growth.Read moreRead less