Design of Functionalized Mesoporous Fullerenes for Clean Energy. This project aims to design multifunctional, noble metal-free, and highly ordered mesoporous fullerene with a high conductivity and different porous structures, functionalised with nitrogen and/or metal and metal oxide nanoparticles in both powder and film forms. The most promising, stable, and highly efficient noble metal-free electrode catalyst system will be designed with the functionalised mesoporous fullerenes for polymer elec ....Design of Functionalized Mesoporous Fullerenes for Clean Energy. This project aims to design multifunctional, noble metal-free, and highly ordered mesoporous fullerene with a high conductivity and different porous structures, functionalised with nitrogen and/or metal and metal oxide nanoparticles in both powder and film forms. The most promising, stable, and highly efficient noble metal-free electrode catalyst system will be designed with the functionalised mesoporous fullerenes for polymer electrolyte membrane and direct methanol fuel cells. This novel highly efficient and low cost electrode system for fuel cells aims to help address clean energy generation and environmental problems and create new opportunities for Australian industries.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE180100073
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$468,474.00
Summary
Nanoimprint systems: expanding research capability of roll to roll printer. This project aims to strengthen Australian research activities in the development of advanced multifunctional materials through the purchase of thermal and ultraviolet (UV) nano-imprint lithography modules to expand the nanofabrication capacity of roll-to-roll printer line. The various processes used to make nano-sized devices and components fall into two major categories, coating and patterning. Integrating the thermal ....Nanoimprint systems: expanding research capability of roll to roll printer. This project aims to strengthen Australian research activities in the development of advanced multifunctional materials through the purchase of thermal and ultraviolet (UV) nano-imprint lithography modules to expand the nanofabrication capacity of roll-to-roll printer line. The various processes used to make nano-sized devices and components fall into two major categories, coating and patterning. Integrating the thermal and UV nanoimprint lithography modules into the roll-to-roll printer line will provide a unique and simple materials fabrication platform. It will combine coating and nanolithography processes in a low cost, high-throughput and high-resolution format for advanced nanofabrication of microelectronic, telecommunication, biomedical and energy devices.Read moreRead less
Using extreme conditions to synthesise new materials. This project aims to synthesise useful materials from non-crystalline light element precursors. Boron, carbon and nitrogen are the hardest known solids, and their ability to form many kinds of chemical bonds offers opportunities for attractive new materials. This project will apply high pressures and temperatures to non-crystalline precursor materials to access previously unobtainable synthesis conditions. This project will create strong and ....Using extreme conditions to synthesise new materials. This project aims to synthesise useful materials from non-crystalline light element precursors. Boron, carbon and nitrogen are the hardest known solids, and their ability to form many kinds of chemical bonds offers opportunities for attractive new materials. This project will apply high pressures and temperatures to non-crystalline precursor materials to access previously unobtainable synthesis conditions. This project will create strong and hard materials with tuneable optical and electronic properties. The expected outcome is new light materials that emit and detect light in the far ultraviolet for biological imaging and tough materials with low friction needed for motors and regenerative technologies.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE200100032
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$600,000.00
Summary
Advanced Multifunctional Electro-Opto-Magneto-Mechanical Analysis Platform. This project aims to build an advanced multi-functional Electro-Opto-Magneto-Mechanical analysis platform for characterizing nanomaterials and micro-/nano-scale devices. This platform expects to provide rich and unique characterization capabilities (electrical, optical, magnetic and mechanical) for hybrid devices with low temperature and high vacuum environment. The expected outcomes include multidisciplinary research co ....Advanced Multifunctional Electro-Opto-Magneto-Mechanical Analysis Platform. This project aims to build an advanced multi-functional Electro-Opto-Magneto-Mechanical analysis platform for characterizing nanomaterials and micro-/nano-scale devices. This platform expects to provide rich and unique characterization capabilities (electrical, optical, magnetic and mechanical) for hybrid devices with low temperature and high vacuum environment. The expected outcomes include multidisciplinary research collaborations and a wide range of next-generation technologies including non-invasive medical instruments, wearable devices, communication, quantum information systems and energy storage solutions. This should enable local design and construction of hybrid devices and advance the growth of local high-technology industries.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220100676
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$430,582.00
Summary
Realising highly selective catalysts for continuous chlorine production. The aim is to directly electrocatalytic low concentration NaCl solution under mild conditions, to form chlorine gas for the polymers and pharmaceuticals production, enabled by the low dimensional metal-organic framework based catalysts. The project will also gain an atomic-level understanding of the mechanism of CER, based on in-situ spectroscopies e.g., X-ray absorption and Raman. Unlike electrocatalytic chlorine evolution ....Realising highly selective catalysts for continuous chlorine production. The aim is to directly electrocatalytic low concentration NaCl solution under mild conditions, to form chlorine gas for the polymers and pharmaceuticals production, enabled by the low dimensional metal-organic framework based catalysts. The project will also gain an atomic-level understanding of the mechanism of CER, based on in-situ spectroscopies e.g., X-ray absorption and Raman. Unlike electrocatalytic chlorine evolution using membrane cell with one membrane only, the project will design a novel integrated reactor system to alleviate the naturally sluggish chlorine evolution reaction, CER, significantly improving the yield and selectivity. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100116
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$350,000.00
Summary
Facilities of thermophysical characterisations at nanometre scale for development of advanced materials, energy technologies and biomedical components. Australia's energy, mining, metallurgical, defence, pharmaceutical and biomedical industries are spearheading the advancement of technologies in the global competitive market. They are the engines of Australian economic strength. Future progress of these industries will be largely driven by advances in materials. The installation of the propose ....Facilities of thermophysical characterisations at nanometre scale for development of advanced materials, energy technologies and biomedical components. Australia's energy, mining, metallurgical, defence, pharmaceutical and biomedical industries are spearheading the advancement of technologies in the global competitive market. They are the engines of Australian economic strength. Future progress of these industries will be largely driven by advances in materials. The installation of the proposed facilities will add a new dimension to high-level research performance and significantly enhance the capability for characterisation of various forms of materials and biomedical components in Australia. The continual development of advanced materials and energy technology will potentially provide a sustainable means for meeting the increasing global challenge for the industries.Read moreRead less
Biomimetic surface coatings for drag and fouling reduction. This project aims to provide new insights into liquid flow and adsorption at liquid/solid and liquid/liquid interfaces, by using a combination of theoretical predictions, nanoscale techniques and nanofabrication approaches. Expected outcomes are the development of liquid-repellent slippery surface coatings that reduce hydrodynamic drag and inhibit marine fouling. This will benefit the fields of advanced manufacturing and smart coatings, ....Biomimetic surface coatings for drag and fouling reduction. This project aims to provide new insights into liquid flow and adsorption at liquid/solid and liquid/liquid interfaces, by using a combination of theoretical predictions, nanoscale techniques and nanofabrication approaches. Expected outcomes are the development of liquid-repellent slippery surface coatings that reduce hydrodynamic drag and inhibit marine fouling. This will benefit the fields of advanced manufacturing and smart coatings, and will underpin a wide range of energy efficient processes and products. Slippery coatings will solve urgent environmental problems of social value by improving the energy and chemical efficiency in fluid flow, heat transfer, secondary oil recovery, microfluidics, and anti-fouling.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE170100087
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,100,000.00
Summary
Plasma-focused ion beam for nanoscale characterisation of materials. This project aims to enable research programmes in functional materials to characterise materials using xenon-plasma focused ion beam (FIB) instrumentation. The plasma FIB, with its fast milling speeds across large areas, will enable new three-dimensional imaging experiments and types of transmission electron microscopy samples. This will have applications in engineering, photovoltaics and environmental geosciences, which all n ....Plasma-focused ion beam for nanoscale characterisation of materials. This project aims to enable research programmes in functional materials to characterise materials using xenon-plasma focused ion beam (FIB) instrumentation. The plasma FIB, with its fast milling speeds across large areas, will enable new three-dimensional imaging experiments and types of transmission electron microscopy samples. This will have applications in engineering, photovoltaics and environmental geosciences, which all need to analyse materials on a nanometre scale.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160100071
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$300,000.00
Summary
Light-bending strategies of next generation scalable plasmonic devices. This project will focus on a goal of engineering novel plasmonic metamaterials for manipulating light at the nanoscale. In particular, it will employ curved anodized alumina templates as well as 3D hybrid structures to explore light bending and strong resonances at the visible spectral range. Plasmonic metamaterials offer a unique ability to control subwavelength light propagation, for achieving unprecedented sensing sensiti ....Light-bending strategies of next generation scalable plasmonic devices. This project will focus on a goal of engineering novel plasmonic metamaterials for manipulating light at the nanoscale. In particular, it will employ curved anodized alumina templates as well as 3D hybrid structures to explore light bending and strong resonances at the visible spectral range. Plasmonic metamaterials offer a unique ability to control subwavelength light propagation, for achieving unprecedented sensing sensitivities and emerging nanophotonics phenomena. However, fabrication challenges and high losses hamper their application in the visible spectral range. Engineering these plasmonic structures in a scalable manner should strengthen Australia’s economy, lead to new industrial companies in the emerging field of plasmonics, attract international investments and create job opportunities.Read moreRead less