Built-in electric field, light co-driven materials for energy and sensing . This project aims to resolve critical, bottleneck issues in the development of photocatalysis and photoelectrochemistry - key technologies towards the realisation of a sustainable carbon-neutral society. This project expects to use an innovative strain-engineering approach establishing a built-in electric field within materials for highly efficient separation and transport of photoexcited carriers. Expected outcomes of t ....Built-in electric field, light co-driven materials for energy and sensing . This project aims to resolve critical, bottleneck issues in the development of photocatalysis and photoelectrochemistry - key technologies towards the realisation of a sustainable carbon-neutral society. This project expects to use an innovative strain-engineering approach establishing a built-in electric field within materials for highly efficient separation and transport of photoexcited carriers. Expected outcomes of this project are to create new, ground-breaking materials and/or nanosystems that overcome intrinsic weakness of conventional semiconductors and significantly improve their photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical performance, for the benefit of the utilisation of solar and light energy in energy, environment and health. Read moreRead less
New technologies for e-waste recycling. This project aims to provide commercially viable methods for recycling electronic waste (e-waste), with a focus on plastic recycling and precious metal recovery from circuit boards. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the separation and recovery of gold, silver, and palladium using novel leach reagents and sorbents. Additionally, new techniques will be evaluated for converting e-waste plastic into construction materials. Expected outcomes of ....New technologies for e-waste recycling. This project aims to provide commercially viable methods for recycling electronic waste (e-waste), with a focus on plastic recycling and precious metal recovery from circuit boards. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the separation and recovery of gold, silver, and palladium using novel leach reagents and sorbents. Additionally, new techniques will be evaluated for converting e-waste plastic into construction materials. Expected outcomes of this project include new capabilities for Australia's e-waste recycling industry, as the majority of circuit board waste is shipped overseas. This should provide significant economic benefits such as the recovery of valuable metals and the development of novel construction materials.Read moreRead less
Nano-engineered catalysts for sustainable fuel production from waste . This project aims to address two major problems simultaneously-reducing the burden of non-recyclable waste currently going to landfill in Australia, and offsetting Australia’s reliance on imported diesel to support industry and transport needs. While approximately 95% of diesel consumed in Australia is imported, vast quantities of carbon-based waste ends up in landfill. Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is a mixture of plant-based ....Nano-engineered catalysts for sustainable fuel production from waste . This project aims to address two major problems simultaneously-reducing the burden of non-recyclable waste currently going to landfill in Australia, and offsetting Australia’s reliance on imported diesel to support industry and transport needs. While approximately 95% of diesel consumed in Australia is imported, vast quantities of carbon-based waste ends up in landfill. Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is a mixture of plant-based waste (including food, garden, paper, and wood) and fossil-fuel derived materials (plastics). Using an innovative and environmentally-sustainable catalytic process, the outcomes of this project are aimed alleviating Australia’s dependence on diesel fuel imports and better waste management solutions in Australia.Read moreRead less
Polymer nanofibres for advanced paint formulations. Surface coatings seal, strengthen, and decorate the majority of surfaces in the building industry—a $72 billion market. Despite their importance, advances in paint science have only been incremental and a truly robust and water resistant paint coating has yet to be developed. Dulux Group Australia and the University of Sydney will use polymer nanofibres as additives to radically redesign architectural coatings, with the goal to drastically incr ....Polymer nanofibres for advanced paint formulations. Surface coatings seal, strengthen, and decorate the majority of surfaces in the building industry—a $72 billion market. Despite their importance, advances in paint science have only been incremental and a truly robust and water resistant paint coating has yet to be developed. Dulux Group Australia and the University of Sydney will use polymer nanofibres as additives to radically redesign architectural coatings, with the goal to drastically increase their durability. The partnership will bring a technological breakthrough that will lead to less disruption for the environment, and important economic and technological benefits for Australia.Read moreRead less
Advanced framework materials for hydrogen storage applications. This project aims to develop new molecular materials capable of the highly efficient storage of hydrogen gas. Through an innovative interdisciplinary approach that targets the synthesis and detailed characterisation of two classes of molecular material this project expects to generate step-change advances in the understanding of how hydrogen gas uptake relates to the chemical and physical attributes of porous molecular systems. Sign ....Advanced framework materials for hydrogen storage applications. This project aims to develop new molecular materials capable of the highly efficient storage of hydrogen gas. Through an innovative interdisciplinary approach that targets the synthesis and detailed characterisation of two classes of molecular material this project expects to generate step-change advances in the understanding of how hydrogen gas uptake relates to the chemical and physical attributes of porous molecular systems. Significant anticipated outcomes and benefits include the development of new material design approaches that optimise performance across a diverse parameter space, and the generation of advanced new materials worthy of commercial development, spanning small scale mobile to large scale stationary storage applications.Read moreRead less
Metal-organic Framework (MOF) Superstructure Catalysts. The development of new catalyst technology is crucial to uncovering energy-efficient strategies for valorising chemicals. Although the designable pore networks of Metal-organic Frameworks (MOFs) provide a highly favourable environment for heterogeneous catalysis, most stable MOF materials are microporous - possessing pores less than 2 nm - which hinders mass transport. This research will develop novel, hierarchically porous MOF superstruct ....Metal-organic Framework (MOF) Superstructure Catalysts. The development of new catalyst technology is crucial to uncovering energy-efficient strategies for valorising chemicals. Although the designable pore networks of Metal-organic Frameworks (MOFs) provide a highly favourable environment for heterogeneous catalysis, most stable MOF materials are microporous - possessing pores less than 2 nm - which hinders mass transport. This research will develop novel, hierarchically porous MOF superstructures that will overcome these limitations and serve as platform materials for the development of new catalysts. This research will address future challenges in industrial catalysis and realise an important step towards the commercial application of MOF catalysis for valoriation of chemical feedstocks. Read moreRead less
Advancing the Chemistry of Metal-organic Frameworks for Biotechnology. This research will advance the fundamental chemical science required for the emerging field of Metal-organic Framework (MOF) biocomposites. A significant challenge to the commercial use of enzymes (biocatalysis), proteins (protein-based therapeutics) and virus-based vaccines is their instability to elevated temperatures and/or non-biological media. MOFs can encapsulate and protect biomolecules, thereby overcoming this limitat ....Advancing the Chemistry of Metal-organic Frameworks for Biotechnology. This research will advance the fundamental chemical science required for the emerging field of Metal-organic Framework (MOF) biocomposites. A significant challenge to the commercial use of enzymes (biocatalysis), proteins (protein-based therapeutics) and virus-based vaccines is their instability to elevated temperatures and/or non-biological media. MOFs can encapsulate and protect biomolecules, thereby overcoming this limitation. This project will develop fundamental parameters that govern the formation, stability and activity of these biocomposites, expanding the scope of MOF materials available for bioprotection, and enable new developments in the areas of industrial biocatalysis and protein/virus-based therapeutics.Read moreRead less
Controllable Synthesis of Defects in Catalysts for Electrocatalysis . This project aims to address the most critical issue of electrocatalysis: identification of active sites for carbon-based metal free catalysts (CMFCs). Through the development of new methodologies, this proposal will, for the first time, controllably synthesise the vacancy defects that are the major active sites for CMFCs. The expected outcomes from this project include in-depth understanding of the fundamentals of electrocata ....Controllable Synthesis of Defects in Catalysts for Electrocatalysis . This project aims to address the most critical issue of electrocatalysis: identification of active sites for carbon-based metal free catalysts (CMFCs). Through the development of new methodologies, this proposal will, for the first time, controllably synthesise the vacancy defects that are the major active sites for CMFCs. The expected outcomes from this project include in-depth understanding of the fundamentals of electrocatalysis: the reactivity of active sites and the catalytic performance with the number of active sites; which will not only significantly advance knowledge but also achieve breakthrough technologies that greatly benefit to the society and economy both for Australia and worldwide.Read moreRead less
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL170100014
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,275,680.00
Summary
Light-Induced chemical modularity: a new frontier in macromolecular design. This project aims to develop powerful light-driven chemistries for the modular construction of advanced macromolecular materials. The expected outcome is a versatile, light-based precision macromolecular synthetic technology platform, enabling critical advances in soft matter material design and synthesis, ranging from selectivity control of chemical reactions and information-coded and biomimetic light-responsive macromo ....Light-Induced chemical modularity: a new frontier in macromolecular design. This project aims to develop powerful light-driven chemistries for the modular construction of advanced macromolecular materials. The expected outcome is a versatile, light-based precision macromolecular synthetic technology platform, enabling critical advances in soft matter material design and synthesis, ranging from selectivity control of chemical reactions and information-coded and biomimetic light-responsive macromolecules to advanced functional photoresists for 3D laser lithography as well as materials that self-report structural transformations by light or are reprogrammable in their properties by photonic fields. Harnessing the power of light as a precision tool for the construction of advanced macromolecular materials will provide technology outcomes for Australian manufacturing industries from electronics to health. This includes laser-driven 3D printing technology at the nano-level, light-adaptive smart reprogrammable coatings and materials, synthetic proteins responsive to light as well as tailor-made single cell niches.Read moreRead less
Fighting slime with free radicals - new surface coatings for biofilm remediation. Bacterial biofilms are a major problem in a number of environmental, industrial and medical applications. They cause significant risks to human health and present an enormous economic burden to society. This project aims to develop smart polymeric coatings that will discourage bacterial attachment and ensure greater long term control over biofilm growth. These coatings represent a breakthrough in the field and will ....Fighting slime with free radicals - new surface coatings for biofilm remediation. Bacterial biofilms are a major problem in a number of environmental, industrial and medical applications. They cause significant risks to human health and present an enormous economic burden to society. This project aims to develop smart polymeric coatings that will discourage bacterial attachment and ensure greater long term control over biofilm growth. These coatings represent a breakthrough in the field and will have a profound impact in many areas, including reducing infections related to medical implants and improving the efficiency of marine engineering systems.Read moreRead less