New Membrane Methods to Extract Lactose From Waste Dairy Streams. Dairy processors throughout the world produce about 145,000,000 t of liquid whey per year. Lactose, the principle component in cheese whey, contributes a significant pollution problem for dairy processors. The aim of this Linkage Award application is to develop membranes that selectively extract the lactose. This requires the preparation of membrane carriers that transport the lactose through the membrane. The development of new a ....New Membrane Methods to Extract Lactose From Waste Dairy Streams. Dairy processors throughout the world produce about 145,000,000 t of liquid whey per year. Lactose, the principle component in cheese whey, contributes a significant pollution problem for dairy processors. The aim of this Linkage Award application is to develop membranes that selectively extract the lactose. This requires the preparation of membrane carriers that transport the lactose through the membrane. The development of new approaches and technologies for the isolation and purification of lactose from feed streams may lead to improved processes for manufacture of purified lactose or new lactose products.Read moreRead less
Nanostructures of Surfactants at Solid-Liquid and Gas-Liquid Interfaces and Interfacial Properties. The proposed research aims to investigate nanostructures of surface-active agents at interfaces and related interfacial properties. Specifically, the proposal focuses on quantitative models for the self-assembly of surfactants at solid-liquid and gas-liquid interfaces, experimental validation of the models and interfacial properties produced by the surfactants for industrial applications. The stud ....Nanostructures of Surfactants at Solid-Liquid and Gas-Liquid Interfaces and Interfacial Properties. The proposed research aims to investigate nanostructures of surface-active agents at interfaces and related interfacial properties. Specifically, the proposal focuses on quantitative models for the self-assembly of surfactants at solid-liquid and gas-liquid interfaces, experimental validation of the models and interfacial properties produced by the surfactants for industrial applications. The study will increase our understanding of surfactant-interface interaction to allow us to have greater control over the interfacial properties and improve the interface-based industrial processes. The research is relevant to the minerals and coal processing industry worth hundreds of billions dollars annually to Australia and USA.Read moreRead less
Development of ultrastable high flux hydrophobic pervaporation membranes for organic separations. Perfluorinated glassy polymers (Teflons AF) as membrane materials are endowed with unique fluxes and excellent stability when in contact with various liquid organic mixtures. However, they have never been explored as membrane materials for pervaporation. The aims of this project are therefore to evaluate the applicability of composite membranes based on amorphous Teflons AF to the separation of orga ....Development of ultrastable high flux hydrophobic pervaporation membranes for organic separations. Perfluorinated glassy polymers (Teflons AF) as membrane materials are endowed with unique fluxes and excellent stability when in contact with various liquid organic mixtures. However, they have never been explored as membrane materials for pervaporation. The aims of this project are therefore to evaluate the applicability of composite membranes based on amorphous Teflons AF to the separation of organic mixtures and the removal of organic pollutants from water. The outcomes of this project will be the development of novel environmentally friendly processes in the petrochemical and biotechnology industries as well as ecologically efficient methods of waste water treatment.Read moreRead less
Frictional and viscous effects during transport in nanopores. Gas mixtures exposed to materials containing molecular sized pores (nanopores) are adsorbed, forming states of matter not existing in the bulk. Differential forces acting on the components of mixtures promote industrially and environmentally important separations. However, transport of confined fluids has been poorly understood. Recently we have made progress using computer simulation, and have proposed a highly successful theory. ....Frictional and viscous effects during transport in nanopores. Gas mixtures exposed to materials containing molecular sized pores (nanopores) are adsorbed, forming states of matter not existing in the bulk. Differential forces acting on the components of mixtures promote industrially and environmentally important separations. However, transport of confined fluids has been poorly understood. Recently we have made progress using computer simulation, and have proposed a highly successful theory. These investigations have revealed the crucial role of scattering from the surface atoms of the confining solid. Theoretical investigation of single spherical species has been initiated, and extension to other species and to mixtures is now envisaged.Read moreRead less
The separation of carbon dioxide from industrial sources using nanoporous carbon. Carbon nanotubes and nanoporous carbon membranes offer the possibility of low cost energy efficient separations of gas mixtures. Possible applications include the purification of greenhouse gases for sequestration and the purification of hydrogen from reformer gas for use in a hydrogen energy economy. The proposed project involves the development of mathematical models and computer simulations to understand and ....The separation of carbon dioxide from industrial sources using nanoporous carbon. Carbon nanotubes and nanoporous carbon membranes offer the possibility of low cost energy efficient separations of gas mixtures. Possible applications include the purification of greenhouse gases for sequestration and the purification of hydrogen from reformer gas for use in a hydrogen energy economy. The proposed project involves the development of mathematical models and computer simulations to understand and optimise the nanoporous structure for different gas separations, and experimental research to produce the carbon nanoporous materials and determine their effectiveness of gas separation.Read moreRead less
University of Queensland/Arizona State University partnership to design industrially suitable zeolite membranes for desalination. For desalination, the highest costs are organic-based membrane replacement (lasting ~1 year) and energy requirement. Functionalised zeolitic membranes are low-cost, high performing, chemically tolerant and thermally stable. New zeolite membranes in principle could perform the separation outlasting their organic counterparts, while at the same time offering major energ ....University of Queensland/Arizona State University partnership to design industrially suitable zeolite membranes for desalination. For desalination, the highest costs are organic-based membrane replacement (lasting ~1 year) and energy requirement. Functionalised zeolitic membranes are low-cost, high performing, chemically tolerant and thermally stable. New zeolite membranes in principle could perform the separation outlasting their organic counterparts, while at the same time offering major energy reductions from higher fluxes. Current zeolite membrane research for desalination however is lacking. The proposed team offers experience in bringing highly significant lab scale technologies to industrial scales. The outcomes will address mutual priorities between Australia and USA for reliable low cost supply of fresh water.Read moreRead less
China and Latin America: New Challenges and Opportunities for Australia. This project examines the growing international influence and strength of one of Australia's most strategically important neighbours, the People's Republic of China. Emerging commercial and diplomatic alliances between China and Latin America pose economic and political challenges for Australia and other resource exporters. This research consolidates Australia's reputation as a leader in the field of China Studies by clarif ....China and Latin America: New Challenges and Opportunities for Australia. This project examines the growing international influence and strength of one of Australia's most strategically important neighbours, the People's Republic of China. Emerging commercial and diplomatic alliances between China and Latin America pose economic and political challenges for Australia and other resource exporters. This research consolidates Australia's reputation as a leader in the field of China Studies by clarifying the nature of these challenges over the next five to ten years. The project will produce academic seminars in Sydney, Guadalajara, and Monterrey; the exchange of Australian and Mexican scholars, and joint publications in a field of study that bears direct relevance to the national interests of both countries.Read moreRead less
A comparative study on women's policy machinery in Korea and Australia. This project aims to contribute to the better understanding of women's policy machinery in Korea and Australia in order to develop more effective policymaking and implementation. This topic is theoretically and empirically under researched. The project, as a major comparative study on women's policies in two countries will make a significant contribution to the understanding of women's policy making process in a specific nat ....A comparative study on women's policy machinery in Korea and Australia. This project aims to contribute to the better understanding of women's policy machinery in Korea and Australia in order to develop more effective policymaking and implementation. This topic is theoretically and empirically under researched. The project, as a major comparative study on women's policies in two countries will make a significant contribution to the understanding of women's policy making process in a specific national context. This research will investigate the relevance of national machineries for the advancement of women. Appropriate mechanisms through which the mainstreaming of gender can take place are considered, and the levels of governance involved - the relationship between gender mainstreaming and state structures, and the effect of this relationship on policy implementation will be examined. Thus, this research will contribute to the better understanding of how and by what processes women's interests are represented to the state policy making structures.Read moreRead less
Comparative Border Studies. While borders are of increasing interest to Australian scholars and policy-makers, much existing research in Australia is focused on issues of border security or border integrity. There is an urgent need to supplement this work with theoretical and empirical insights drawn from the field of border studies. North America is a key site for international research in this field. Collaboration with North American scholars is thus an important step in developing and expandi ....Comparative Border Studies. While borders are of increasing interest to Australian scholars and policy-makers, much existing research in Australia is focused on issues of border security or border integrity. There is an urgent need to supplement this work with theoretical and empirical insights drawn from the field of border studies. North America is a key site for international research in this field. Collaboration with North American scholars is thus an important step in developing and expanding Australian expertise in border studies. This project will provide the intellectual environment and collaborative networks necessary to establish the first dedicated Centre for Border Studies in Australia.Read moreRead less
Crafting Authoritarian Politics. Although Russia is nominally a democracy, strong elements of authoritarianism remain dominant. This project examines how Russia has accommodated these authoritarian themes within a representative democracy and, more generally, seeks to shed new light on the process of democratization in postcommunist societies. Russia is the 8th largest country in the world by population and the 11th largest economy based on GDP; it also remains nuclear-armed. Understanding th ....Crafting Authoritarian Politics. Although Russia is nominally a democracy, strong elements of authoritarianism remain dominant. This project examines how Russia has accommodated these authoritarian themes within a representative democracy and, more generally, seeks to shed new light on the process of democratization in postcommunist societies. Russia is the 8th largest country in the world by population and the 11th largest economy based on GDP; it also remains nuclear-armed. Understanding the dynamics of democratization in Russia has implications for political stability across a large section of the world which is currently in transition from authoritarianism to democracy.Read moreRead less