Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230101504
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$438,026.00
Summary
Crossing restrictive biobarriers with self-assembled lipid nanocarriers. This project aims to determine how nanoscale objects which mimic the surface of cells behave in biologically relevant environments. This project expects to generate new knowledge in physical chemistry by complementing innovative surface chemistry design and characterisation with data science approaches. The expected outcome of this project is identification of the mode of interaction of these biomimetic objects with cells, ....Crossing restrictive biobarriers with self-assembled lipid nanocarriers. This project aims to determine how nanoscale objects which mimic the surface of cells behave in biologically relevant environments. This project expects to generate new knowledge in physical chemistry by complementing innovative surface chemistry design and characterisation with data science approaches. The expected outcome of this project is identification of the mode of interaction of these biomimetic objects with cells, which may then reveal a new pathway for the delivery of pharmaceuticals. This could provide significant future benefits in the treatment of neurological diseases and bacterial infections, by overcoming the barrier that the cell surface presents to the uptake of many medicinal drugs.Read moreRead less
New photoinitiators and polymers for tack-free LED cured surface coatings. This project aims to develop surface coatings curable by energy from Light Emitting Diodes (LEDS) by overcoming existing hurdles, while improving workplace health and safety.
The project expects to achieve this by developing a new class of photoinitiator molecules, with enhanced reactivity, via a unique understanding of synthesis, photochemistry and commercial coatings formulation.
Outcomes will be new surface coatings ....New photoinitiators and polymers for tack-free LED cured surface coatings. This project aims to develop surface coatings curable by energy from Light Emitting Diodes (LEDS) by overcoming existing hurdles, while improving workplace health and safety.
The project expects to achieve this by developing a new class of photoinitiator molecules, with enhanced reactivity, via a unique understanding of synthesis, photochemistry and commercial coatings formulation.
Outcomes will be new surface coatings for a wide range of end uses, publication in high ranking journals and commercialisation of the technology.
Benefits of this project will include elimination of mercury and reduction in exposure to solvents in the Australian workplace, and a lower energy requirement to produce high-quality surface coated products.Read moreRead less
Bioinspired tuneable catalysts for renewable ammonia production. The project will design a new solar-powered system for electrosynthesis of ammonia to replace the current energy intensive, non-sustainable process that generates 1.5% of global CO2 emissions. An innovative new system will be developed by combining cutting edge electrochemical, spectroscopic and theoretical methods. Expected key outcomes include novel concepts in the design of advanced materials, and an efficient process for the gr ....Bioinspired tuneable catalysts for renewable ammonia production. The project will design a new solar-powered system for electrosynthesis of ammonia to replace the current energy intensive, non-sustainable process that generates 1.5% of global CO2 emissions. An innovative new system will be developed by combining cutting edge electrochemical, spectroscopic and theoretical methods. Expected key outcomes include novel concepts in the design of advanced materials, and an efficient process for the green ammonia synthesis. Given the strategic importance of ammonia as a future energy carrier for the export of Australian renewables and as a major source of fertilisers, this project should provide significant national economic and ecological benefits and is expected to have a broad reaching global impact.Read moreRead less
Sodium ion interactions with biomass-derived hard carbon electrodes. This project aims to investigate sodium ion behavior when electrochemically interacting with hard carbon electrode materials by using both in-situ and ex-situ techniques in combination with advanced computational methods. This project expects to generate new knowledge and establish structure-property-performance correlations, thus providing guidelines and strategies for synthesising cost-effective electrode materials from bioma ....Sodium ion interactions with biomass-derived hard carbon electrodes. This project aims to investigate sodium ion behavior when electrochemically interacting with hard carbon electrode materials by using both in-situ and ex-situ techniques in combination with advanced computational methods. This project expects to generate new knowledge and establish structure-property-performance correlations, thus providing guidelines and strategies for synthesising cost-effective electrode materials from biomass for developing sustainable sodium-ion batteries. The intended outcome of this project includes knowledge advancement, enhanced capability to build international collaborations, training of early career researchers and students, and positioning Australia on the world map as a world-leading nation in energy storage.Read moreRead less
Deciphering ion specificity in complex electrolytes . This project aims to understand how ions influence the behaviour and properties of complex electrolytes (solutions containing either multiple ions, solvent mixtures, high electrolyte concentrations or a variety of interfaces, solutes or polymers). Complex electrolytes are ubiquitous in colloidal and particle technologies and underpin industrial and natural processes. Our team will combine experiment, simulation and theory to deliver a univers ....Deciphering ion specificity in complex electrolytes . This project aims to understand how ions influence the behaviour and properties of complex electrolytes (solutions containing either multiple ions, solvent mixtures, high electrolyte concentrations or a variety of interfaces, solutes or polymers). Complex electrolytes are ubiquitous in colloidal and particle technologies and underpin industrial and natural processes. Our team will combine experiment, simulation and theory to deliver a universal framework for understanding and predicting specific ion effects in complex electrolytes. The project outcomes are expected to deliver new understanding for researchers, robust rules of thumb for technologists and a public resource for data-driven solutions in applications utilising salt solutions. Read moreRead less
Unravelling the dominant drivers of ion specificity. This project aims to understand what governs the sensitivity of many technological and biological processes to the precise nature of the salt present in solution. The term ‘ion-specific’ encompasses all the circumstances in which the influence of a salt in solution depends on the precise chemical nature of the salt, not just the electrical charge on the ions that form the salt. As such, ion-specific effects abound and have important consequenc ....Unravelling the dominant drivers of ion specificity. This project aims to understand what governs the sensitivity of many technological and biological processes to the precise nature of the salt present in solution. The term ‘ion-specific’ encompasses all the circumstances in which the influence of a salt in solution depends on the precise chemical nature of the salt, not just the electrical charge on the ions that form the salt. As such, ion-specific effects abound and have important consequences in most situations involving solutions, including cellular functions and battery technology. This project will enable us to understand and control the influence of specific ions, building on our recently described fundamental ion-specific series with colloid science experiments and quantum simulations. This project should overcome current challenges in predicting ion-specific effects leading to progress in a wide variety of applications of colloid and interface science, from sensor interfaces to self-assembly.Read moreRead less
'Multi-Coloured' Tracers for Magnetic Particle Imaging . Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) is predicted to be the future of imaging and will outperform all current imaging techniques by having 'colours', improved resolution and 3D precision. This project aims to create 'multi-coloured' high-performance MPI tracers by synthesising a range of the most effective magnetic nanoparticle structures. The expected outcome is the fundamental understanding of the relationships between nanoparticle structures ....'Multi-Coloured' Tracers for Magnetic Particle Imaging . Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) is predicted to be the future of imaging and will outperform all current imaging techniques by having 'colours', improved resolution and 3D precision. This project aims to create 'multi-coloured' high-performance MPI tracers by synthesising a range of the most effective magnetic nanoparticle structures. The expected outcome is the fundamental understanding of the relationships between nanoparticle structures and their magnetic properties for the formation of MPI signals with distinct ‘colours’. The benefits will be a library of MPI tracers that are able to provide ‘coloured’, high intensity, precise signals beyond what can be achieved with other imaging technologies.Read moreRead less
Improving the stability of biomolecules using ionic liquids. This project aims to address critical issues in studying proteins outside their native environments by developing new solvents that will increase their stability and solubility. The project expects to create new knowledge in our understanding of solvent chemical properties through a novel approach using high throughput robotics, synchrotron analysis of protein structures and Molecular Dynamics simulations. The expected outcome is a set ....Improving the stability of biomolecules using ionic liquids. This project aims to address critical issues in studying proteins outside their native environments by developing new solvents that will increase their stability and solubility. The project expects to create new knowledge in our understanding of solvent chemical properties through a novel approach using high throughput robotics, synchrotron analysis of protein structures and Molecular Dynamics simulations. The expected outcome is a set of design rules for creating new solvents. This should benefit many research and industrial applications, including determining protein structure for the development of new drugs and biocatalysts, and cryopreservation of protein-based pharmaceuticals.Read moreRead less
Liquid metal solvents and colloids – a new frontier in chemistry. This project aims to develop a holistic understanding of dynamic bond formation within molten metals to unlock the full potential of liquid metal chemistry. The project expects to develop new methodologies required to study the nanoscale chemistry of liquid metals, an emerging class of solvents that could revolutionise modern catalysis, metallurgy and inorganic synthesis. The expected outcomes are an in-depth theoretical understan ....Liquid metal solvents and colloids – a new frontier in chemistry. This project aims to develop a holistic understanding of dynamic bond formation within molten metals to unlock the full potential of liquid metal chemistry. The project expects to develop new methodologies required to study the nanoscale chemistry of liquid metals, an emerging class of solvents that could revolutionise modern catalysis, metallurgy and inorganic synthesis. The expected outcomes are an in-depth theoretical understanding of liquid metal chemistry as well as new electron and atomic force microscopy techniques that will shed light on these extraordinary materials. This should benefit future studies of liquid metal chemistry and consequently the development of industrial applications of these unique liquids.Read moreRead less
A Midas touch for electrophiles in new reaction development. This project aims to address the lack of knowledge about how high-value organic molecules are formed in gold-catalysed reactions by advancing a novel mode of catalysis. This project expects to generate new knowledge about these gold-catalysed reactions using an innovative, interdisciplinary approach incorporating computational and synthetic techniques. Expected outcomes of this project include the optimisation and development of import ....A Midas touch for electrophiles in new reaction development. This project aims to address the lack of knowledge about how high-value organic molecules are formed in gold-catalysed reactions by advancing a novel mode of catalysis. This project expects to generate new knowledge about these gold-catalysed reactions using an innovative, interdisciplinary approach incorporating computational and synthetic techniques. Expected outcomes of this project include the optimisation and development of important organic reactions and enhancing collaboration nationally and internationally between computational and synthetic chemists. This should provide significant benefits in the form of improved chemical reactions for chemists to prepare new pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and materials.Read moreRead less