Advanced Siloxane Waveguide Devices for Telecommunications. This project will develop new methods for fabricating compact, high performance photonic integrated circuits (PICs) for use in future telecommunications networks in films of proprietary Inorganic Polymer Glasses (IPGs) commercialised by RPO Pty Ltd. New fabrication methods are required to overcome limitations of the current approach to patterning IPGs used by RPO Pty Ltd. Research will concentrate on hard contact lithography in conjunct ....Advanced Siloxane Waveguide Devices for Telecommunications. This project will develop new methods for fabricating compact, high performance photonic integrated circuits (PICs) for use in future telecommunications networks in films of proprietary Inorganic Polymer Glasses (IPGs) commercialised by RPO Pty Ltd. New fabrication methods are required to overcome limitations of the current approach to patterning IPGs used by RPO Pty Ltd. Research will concentrate on hard contact lithography in conjunction with dry (plasma) etching as well as ion beam milling; laser machining or UV writing for grating production. IPGs present special challenges for these technologies. The project outcomes will include new approaches to processing and the demonstration of the fabrication of innovative PICs in IPGs.Read moreRead less
Evaluating modern printing inks: the behaviour of charged particles in concentrated nonaqueous colloidal dispersions. The Partner Organisation in this proposal, Research Laboratories of Australia (RLA) is a small Adelaide-based company which is at the forefront of modern colour printing technology. RLA provides liquid toners to several major international manufacturers of colour printers for use in liquid immersion development processes. This proposal will develop an instrument for characterisin ....Evaluating modern printing inks: the behaviour of charged particles in concentrated nonaqueous colloidal dispersions. The Partner Organisation in this proposal, Research Laboratories of Australia (RLA) is a small Adelaide-based company which is at the forefront of modern colour printing technology. RLA provides liquid toners to several major international manufacturers of colour printers for use in liquid immersion development processes. This proposal will develop an instrument for characterising the properties of liquid inks, enabling continual R&D improvement of RLA's products. Furthermore, the instrument can be commercialised and marketed worldwide to companies dealing with concentrated colloidal dispersions in a wide range of industries including foods, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and surface coatings.Read moreRead less
Cost effective high output polymer fibre optic lighting systems. A new flexible composite polymer can transport light over distances beyond 30 metres within diameters of 5mm to 25mm and still be intrinsically bright. The link between composition, transport efficiency and output will be established. Input studies will include tailored external optics and full integration of bright LED's inside the cable. Prototypes evaluated will include, lighting inside display refrigeration, "on person" safety ....Cost effective high output polymer fibre optic lighting systems. A new flexible composite polymer can transport light over distances beyond 30 metres within diameters of 5mm to 25mm and still be intrinsically bright. The link between composition, transport efficiency and output will be established. Input studies will include tailored external optics and full integration of bright LED's inside the cable. Prototypes evaluated will include, lighting inside display refrigeration, "on person" safety and fashion lighting (including novel jewellery), solar powered LED lighting for remote areas (including roadworks, stand alone signs, developing country and remote rural homes), daylight and lamps together in the one cable, and general lighting. Many of these will be developed by the industry collaborator.Read moreRead less
Fibre Optic Dosimeters for Medical and Environmental Applications. We will develop fibre optic dosimeters for environmental monitoring and radiation therapy. A novel approach using refractive index gradients will be used to capture scintillator light while rejecting noise. New knowledge will be gained of the mechanisms of radiation damage in scintillators and glasses. The small, flexible, accurate fibre optic dosimeters will be equivalent in absorbing characteristics to human tissue, making them ....Fibre Optic Dosimeters for Medical and Environmental Applications. We will develop fibre optic dosimeters for environmental monitoring and radiation therapy. A novel approach using refractive index gradients will be used to capture scintillator light while rejecting noise. New knowledge will be gained of the mechanisms of radiation damage in scintillators and glasses. The small, flexible, accurate fibre optic dosimeters will be equivalent in absorbing characteristics to human tissue, making them superior to all currently available dosimeters. Fibre optic dosimeters will enable new adaptive radiotherapy techniques and provide quality assurance of dose delivery in radiotherapy. Their multiplexing capability will lead to applications in monitoring of workplaces and aerospace environments.Read moreRead less
The Identification and Development of Strategies for Increasing Engineering Enrolments. There is a continuing nation-wide decline in high school student enrolment in higher level mathematics and science. This is already leading to a reduction in the number of students undertaking university engineering programs in Australia and the situation is expected to worsen. This project is directed toward a better understanding of the reasons for the trend and the development of strategies to reverse it. ....The Identification and Development of Strategies for Increasing Engineering Enrolments. There is a continuing nation-wide decline in high school student enrolment in higher level mathematics and science. This is already leading to a reduction in the number of students undertaking university engineering programs in Australia and the situation is expected to worsen. This project is directed toward a better understanding of the reasons for the trend and the development of strategies to reverse it. It aims to 1. Evaluate the most effective strategies that increase student's interests and understanding of engineering and increase participation in engineering studies. 2. Develop an optimised national communication strategy for promoting engineering studies to secondary students.Read moreRead less
Power scaling of remote plasma sources for gallium nitride film growth with real-time monitoring of activated nitrogen species. Domestic, industrial and community lighting currently accounts for ~20% of the world's overall energy consumption. Commonly used incandescent lights are based on inefficient, century-old technologies. In contrast, light emitting diodes (LEDs) use ~80% less energy and last ~100 times longer. LED deployment will bring substantial economic and environmental benefits for Au ....Power scaling of remote plasma sources for gallium nitride film growth with real-time monitoring of activated nitrogen species. Domestic, industrial and community lighting currently accounts for ~20% of the world's overall energy consumption. Commonly used incandescent lights are based on inefficient, century-old technologies. In contrast, light emitting diodes (LEDs) use ~80% less energy and last ~100 times longer. LED deployment will bring substantial economic and environmental benefits for Australia and globally. Next generation high-efficiency LEDs for lighting, will operate with reduced energy consumption, thus contributing to reaching future national targets for CO2 emission reduction. This project will achieve reduced production cost of a key LED material, and will support Australia's leadership in a growing global semiconductor manufacturing industry.Read moreRead less
The Architecture of Academic Research. In pursuit of increased and more innovative research there has been substantial expenditure in the construction of research environments yet little independent evaluation of their impact. The results of this project are crucial in determining future best practice in the design and operation of research environments. It will support the Australian design industry to achieve better outcomes in tertiary facilities here and abroad. More broadly, the architectur ....The Architecture of Academic Research. In pursuit of increased and more innovative research there has been substantial expenditure in the construction of research environments yet little independent evaluation of their impact. The results of this project are crucial in determining future best practice in the design and operation of research environments. It will support the Australian design industry to achieve better outcomes in tertiary facilities here and abroad. More broadly, the architectural profession and university sectors will gain critical insights into each other's working methods and needs. Ultimately, this project will help to improve the effectiveness of research in Australian universities. Read moreRead less
Value Adding to Australian Cashmere Fleece. This project will lead to major technical advance in the processing of both cashmere fibres and cashmere guard hair. Reducing the level of breakage in fine cashmere fibres will add significant premium to the price of cashmere fibres and products. In addition, the large amount of coarse guard hair removed from cashmere dehairing process will be converted into quality fine powders, which will add significant value to an otherwise 'waste' product. This pr ....Value Adding to Australian Cashmere Fleece. This project will lead to major technical advance in the processing of both cashmere fibres and cashmere guard hair. Reducing the level of breakage in fine cashmere fibres will add significant premium to the price of cashmere fibres and products. In addition, the large amount of coarse guard hair removed from cashmere dehairing process will be converted into quality fine powders, which will add significant value to an otherwise 'waste' product. This project will benefit the entire animal fibre industry, particularly the rare animal fibre industry.Read moreRead less
Mechanisms of Ammonium Nitrate Decomposition and Stability of Industrial Explosives in Reactive Mining Grounds. This project is designed to probe reaction mechanisms of ammonium nitrate based explosives with pyritic shales commonly found in overburdens of mineral deposits, and to study the influence of various factors, such as mineralogical characteristics, carbonaceous materials, weathering, pH values and application of various inhibition agents, on the decomposition and stability of ammonium n ....Mechanisms of Ammonium Nitrate Decomposition and Stability of Industrial Explosives in Reactive Mining Grounds. This project is designed to probe reaction mechanisms of ammonium nitrate based explosives with pyritic shales commonly found in overburdens of mineral deposits, and to study the influence of various factors, such as mineralogical characteristics, carbonaceous materials, weathering, pH values and application of various inhibition agents, on the decomposition and stability of ammonium nitrate. Ammonium nitrate crystallisation, which significantly reduces the stability of emulsion explosives, will be examined using both chemical and microscopic tools. The outcomes of this research will provide a scientific basis that underpins the development of safe and cost-effective explosives for applications in dangerous reactive mining grounds.Read moreRead less
New Techniques for Structural Biology and Directed Molecular Evolution. This PhD program will equip an Australian graduate with advanced training in techniques in molecular genetics and protein chemistry that are currently in high demand by the biotechnology industry, and also provide him/her with direct experience of an industrial R&D laboratory environment. Moreover, it will establish a basis for further collaboration between a leading University-based research laboratory and an established R& ....New Techniques for Structural Biology and Directed Molecular Evolution. This PhD program will equip an Australian graduate with advanced training in techniques in molecular genetics and protein chemistry that are currently in high demand by the biotechnology industry, and also provide him/her with direct experience of an industrial R&D laboratory environment. Moreover, it will establish a basis for further collaboration between a leading University-based research laboratory and an established R&D company that will lead to development of new techniques for use in biotechnology in Australia and overseas.Read moreRead less