Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100662
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$453,000.00
Summary
Engineering interfaces to enable a new generation of hybrid materials. Hybrid combinations of hydrogel and solid materials allow a high level of functionality for devices such as tissue-engineering scaffolds and soft machines. However, the weak bonding between hydrogels and solids severely hampers their function. This project aims to develop versatile plasma processes that facilitate strong interfaces between hydrogels of choice and solid materials of all kinds. The expected outcome is a green p ....Engineering interfaces to enable a new generation of hybrid materials. Hybrid combinations of hydrogel and solid materials allow a high level of functionality for devices such as tissue-engineering scaffolds and soft machines. However, the weak bonding between hydrogels and solids severely hampers their function. This project aims to develop versatile plasma processes that facilitate strong interfaces between hydrogels of choice and solid materials of all kinds. The expected outcome is a green platform technology for the modular construction of advanced solid-hydrogel hybrids with tailor-made functions; enabling critical advances in the design and synthesis of structured soft matter devices. The project offers significant benefits for Australian high-tech manufacturing industries from health to electronics.Read moreRead less
Advanced materials for space propulsion: satellites and cubesats. Poorly controlled interactions between plasmas and surfaces often mean loss of process efficiency and surface degradation over time. For Hall thrusters, a type of engine used to move satellites in space, this means increased fuel consumption and shorter useful life. Through modelling and experiment, this project will show how intelligent selection of advanced materials and plasma parameters can minimise surface wear, enable in sit ....Advanced materials for space propulsion: satellites and cubesats. Poorly controlled interactions between plasmas and surfaces often mean loss of process efficiency and surface degradation over time. For Hall thrusters, a type of engine used to move satellites in space, this means increased fuel consumption and shorter useful life. Through modelling and experiment, this project will show how intelligent selection of advanced materials and plasma parameters can minimise surface wear, enable in situ material repair to extend device lifetime, and modulate plasma properties to increase thruster efficiency for a given task. These benefits enable reliable propulsion platforms for massive communication and observation satellite networks and deep space exploration.Read moreRead less
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL190100216
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,279,753.00
Summary
Plasma surface engineering for break-through technologies in biomedicine. This program aims to develop new plasma surface modification processes for complex porous structures using a strongly multidisciplinary approach combining plasma physics, materials engineering and expertise from biosciences. It will establish fundamental new understanding of plasma interactions within complex materials by combining innovations in simulation and experiment. Expected outcomes will be new research capacity i ....Plasma surface engineering for break-through technologies in biomedicine. This program aims to develop new plasma surface modification processes for complex porous structures using a strongly multidisciplinary approach combining plasma physics, materials engineering and expertise from biosciences. It will establish fundamental new understanding of plasma interactions within complex materials by combining innovations in simulation and experiment. Expected outcomes will be new research capacity in the increasingly important field of bioengineering, and environmentally friendly plasma processes that enable the creation of robust biologically functional surfaces, providing significant benefits for diagnostic and therapeutic biomedical applications.Read moreRead less
In-situ biofunctionalisation for additive manufacturing. Additive manufacturing that incorporates printing of live cells can create hierarchical, multi-component structures that mimic biology. However, an ability to include spatially segregated biological cues is currently lacking. This project will develop plasma pen modules to selectively functionalise surfaces and interfaces, as they are being printed, with robustly immobilised hydrogels and biological signalling molecules to direct cell beha ....In-situ biofunctionalisation for additive manufacturing. Additive manufacturing that incorporates printing of live cells can create hierarchical, multi-component structures that mimic biology. However, an ability to include spatially segregated biological cues is currently lacking. This project will develop plasma pen modules to selectively functionalise surfaces and interfaces, as they are being printed, with robustly immobilised hydrogels and biological signalling molecules to direct cell behaviour. The expected outcome is a green technology enabling the fabrication of structures that replicate the native environments of cells in the body to provide optimal efficacy in drug discovery and regenerative medicine, and significant benefits for the Australian biomedical sector.Read moreRead less
A new dimension of functionality for high surface-area-to volume materials. This project aims to develop processes that can successfully functionalise the inner surfaces of high surface area to volume structures with interconnected porosity. These structures underpin many processes in modern manufacturing. Examples include columns and fluidised beds for purification, materials for energy storage and conversion, biomedical scaffolds and structures for high sensitivity sensing. The efficacy of the ....A new dimension of functionality for high surface-area-to volume materials. This project aims to develop processes that can successfully functionalise the inner surfaces of high surface area to volume structures with interconnected porosity. These structures underpin many processes in modern manufacturing. Examples include columns and fluidised beds for purification, materials for energy storage and conversion, biomedical scaffolds and structures for high sensitivity sensing. The efficacy of these materials is strongly affected by the condition of the surfaces, but modifying the surfaces of internal pores deep within such structures presents major challenges. This project will provide environmental friendly, dry plasma processes to tailor surface functionality, improving the efficacy of existing processes and opening up new far reaching applications for such materials.Read moreRead less
Luminescence-based imaging system for industrial tandem solar cells. This project aims to develop an Australian-made inspection system for next-generation solar cells. Besides allowing, for the first time, fast measurements of large-size tandem solar cells, the system will also enable the determination of key parameters that cannot be measured by current methods. This capability is expected to generate new knowledge in the areas of perovskite and tandem solar cells.
The expected outcomes include ....Luminescence-based imaging system for industrial tandem solar cells. This project aims to develop an Australian-made inspection system for next-generation solar cells. Besides allowing, for the first time, fast measurements of large-size tandem solar cells, the system will also enable the determination of key parameters that cannot be measured by current methods. This capability is expected to generate new knowledge in the areas of perovskite and tandem solar cells.
The expected outcomes include the development of new characterisation methods for advanced solar cells and improvement of their quality, as well as enhancing Australian capabilities in building sophisticated characterisation instruments. This should provide benefits such as cheaper solar energy and the development of local inspection industry.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100453
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$442,408.00
Summary
Nervous tissue stimulation using Multi-Junction Silicon Photodiodes. Currently, in order to stimulate different areas in nervous tissue, brain-machine-interfaces (BMIs) usually rely on multi electrode arrays where each electrode is connected to a wire, that connects to other electronics, all of which has to be safely encapsulated, thus increasing the size of the devices and complicating the surgical procedure for implanted devices. This project aims to develop a silicon multi-junction photodiode ....Nervous tissue stimulation using Multi-Junction Silicon Photodiodes. Currently, in order to stimulate different areas in nervous tissue, brain-machine-interfaces (BMIs) usually rely on multi electrode arrays where each electrode is connected to a wire, that connects to other electronics, all of which has to be safely encapsulated, thus increasing the size of the devices and complicating the surgical procedure for implanted devices. This project aims to develop a silicon multi-junction photodiode that can provide a photovoltage high enough to efficiently excite nervous tissue. A BMI based on this approach could be much smaller and could be powered optically via thin fibres, thus in the long run enabling smaller and safer implants for restoring function in disabled people.Read moreRead less
High performance durable perovskite solar cells for space applications . There has been a rapid growth in space exploration and experimentation fuelled by global support. Space hardware needs to be powered by a sustainable source of energy. The use of solar photovoltaics is the preferred choice. As we move into the era of 'commercial space', cost will become paramount necessitating the development of new cost effective photovoltaic technologies. Metal halide perovskite solar cells show the great ....High performance durable perovskite solar cells for space applications . There has been a rapid growth in space exploration and experimentation fuelled by global support. Space hardware needs to be powered by a sustainable source of energy. The use of solar photovoltaics is the preferred choice. As we move into the era of 'commercial space', cost will become paramount necessitating the development of new cost effective photovoltaic technologies. Metal halide perovskite solar cells show the greatest potential. They have a higher power to weight ratio and are significantly cheaper to be manufactured compared to incumbent space cells. This project aims to develop and demonstrate perovskite solar cells to achieve high areal power conversion efficiencies and long operating lifetimes withstanding space environment. Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210101129
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$425,948.00
Summary
Two-Dimensional Material Tandem Detectors for Polarimetry and Spectroscopy. The aim of this project is to leverage the fundamental advantages that two-dimensional (2D) materials could provide to vertically-stacked (tandem) photodetectors. The strong absorption, tunable bandgap and polarisation dependence that many 2D materials exhibit, provides a means by which to detect properties of light. This topic is significant because it could overcome current cost/performance issues of tandem detectors, .... Two-Dimensional Material Tandem Detectors for Polarimetry and Spectroscopy. The aim of this project is to leverage the fundamental advantages that two-dimensional (2D) materials could provide to vertically-stacked (tandem) photodetectors. The strong absorption, tunable bandgap and polarisation dependence that many 2D materials exhibit, provides a means by which to detect properties of light. This topic is significant because it could overcome current cost/performance issues of tandem detectors, enabling widespread usage. The expected project outcome is the development of a novel tandem 2D detector, which as a single detector/pixel, can extract the intensity, polarisation and wavelength region of incoming light. This would provide benefits for many future applications, including machine vision and aerial surveying.Read moreRead less
Photoreversible hydrogels to study stem cell memory and fate. This project will develop materials whose stiffness can be reversibly increased and decreased by the simple application of light, and use these to build knowledge of how stem cell fate is regulated. The influence of mechanical cues on the structure and organisation of the nucleus will be determined. Expected outcomes are new synthetic and light-reversible culture materials, and fundamental insights into how forces change the nucleus t ....Photoreversible hydrogels to study stem cell memory and fate. This project will develop materials whose stiffness can be reversibly increased and decreased by the simple application of light, and use these to build knowledge of how stem cell fate is regulated. The influence of mechanical cues on the structure and organisation of the nucleus will be determined. Expected outcomes are new synthetic and light-reversible culture materials, and fundamental insights into how forces change the nucleus to alter stem cell aging and fate. The findings will provide critical information required for the future development of assays to measure cell potency and instructive biomaterials to drive stem cell expansion and tissue-regeneration and will have impact by underpinning future advances in stem cell technologies.Read moreRead less