Contributions to the foundations upon which true crystal engineering of functional solids will be based. The emerging area of crystal engineering promises to provide access to sophisticated materials tailored for specific applications. A major thrust of the proposed work is concerned with controlling the interactions and thus the arrangement of small molecular building blocks used to construct such materials. Through a variety of novel approaches that are proposed, we expect that our research wo ....Contributions to the foundations upon which true crystal engineering of functional solids will be based. The emerging area of crystal engineering promises to provide access to sophisticated materials tailored for specific applications. A major thrust of the proposed work is concerned with controlling the interactions and thus the arrangement of small molecular building blocks used to construct such materials. Through a variety of novel approaches that are proposed, we expect that our research work will provide a valuable scientific contribution to the development of crystal engineering, whilst affording an excellent training ground for the sorts of scientists upon whom Australia's future prosperity will depend.Read moreRead less
Coordination Polymers and Oligomers and Labyrinthine Molecular Solids as Materials for the Sorption of Gases/Vapours, with Emphasis on Hydrogen. The work will afford new types of gas sorbing solids, which may find practical uses in the separation and storage of gases and in catalysis. Hydrogen is almost the perfect, pollution-free fuel; Australia's abundant sunlight potentially makes it cheap and readily available here. The lack of a safe and economic means of storing hydrogen at easily achiev ....Coordination Polymers and Oligomers and Labyrinthine Molecular Solids as Materials for the Sorption of Gases/Vapours, with Emphasis on Hydrogen. The work will afford new types of gas sorbing solids, which may find practical uses in the separation and storage of gases and in catalysis. Hydrogen is almost the perfect, pollution-free fuel; Australia's abundant sunlight potentially makes it cheap and readily available here. The lack of a safe and economic means of storing hydrogen at easily achieved and maintained pressures remains the chief obstacle to the viability of numerous hydrogen-powered devices of the future such as cell phones, laptop computers, cordless tools and vehicles. The work proposed will contribute to the development of safe, efficient, and portable hydrogen storage systems.Read moreRead less
Lowering the barriers to a hydrogen technology: What slows proton conductors? When hydrogen burns the only product is water, therefore making it the most attractive form of clean energy. Central to the technological use of hydrogen is the need for a material through which only this element can pass, both so that the energy can be extracted and for purification. At present high temperatures are needed to allow hydrogen to pass through solids that exhibit this sieving property. Through state of th ....Lowering the barriers to a hydrogen technology: What slows proton conductors? When hydrogen burns the only product is water, therefore making it the most attractive form of clean energy. Central to the technological use of hydrogen is the need for a material through which only this element can pass, both so that the energy can be extracted and for purification. At present high temperatures are needed to allow hydrogen to pass through solids that exhibit this sieving property. Through state of the art computational methods the movement through these materials can be observed so that the regions that slow the hydrogen down can be identified. From this understanding it will be possible to design more efficient ways of producing energy that can provide clean air for cities and reliable power for remote communities.Read moreRead less
Responsive nanoporous organic cages. This project will generate advanced materials that are constructed from functional nanoscale building blocks. The general design principles developed in this work will be utilised to synthesise a nanoporous adsorbent system that is able to self regulate its physical properties through dynamic structural responses to its environment.
Metal-organic frameworks as heterogeneous catalytic systems. Catalysts of industrial chemical processes that are soluble in the reaction mixture are often less stable and harder to separate from the products. This project will tackle these issues by integrating such catalysts into an open framework material that combines the advantages of both soluble and insoluble catalysts - a hybrid catalytic material.
Light driven degradation of persistent organic pollutants. This project aims to address the accumulation of pollutants in our environment by developing and optimising materials that utilise light energy to breakdown these persistent chemicals. Combining novel techniques and approaches, this project expects to generate new knowledge in the field of materials science and photochemistry. The anticipated outcomes of this project include an advancement of environmental remediation methods and the cap ....Light driven degradation of persistent organic pollutants. This project aims to address the accumulation of pollutants in our environment by developing and optimising materials that utilise light energy to breakdown these persistent chemicals. Combining novel techniques and approaches, this project expects to generate new knowledge in the field of materials science and photochemistry. The anticipated outcomes of this project include an advancement of environmental remediation methods and the capture of pollutants at their source. This should provide significant benefits to both humans and the environment through preventing the adverse impacts of pollutant exposure.Read moreRead less
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
All-Metal Nanoporous Materials as Highly Active Electrocatalysts. This project aims to create new avenues for well-controlled large-scale synthesis of hierarchical nanoporous platinum-based architectures, and develop applications for the resultant new electrocatalysts. Developing novel high-performance, low-cost, and long-life electrode catalysts can improve the efficiency, cost, and durability of energy conversion technology. The project plans to use the unique properties of well-defined nanoar ....All-Metal Nanoporous Materials as Highly Active Electrocatalysts. This project aims to create new avenues for well-controlled large-scale synthesis of hierarchical nanoporous platinum-based architectures, and develop applications for the resultant new electrocatalysts. Developing novel high-performance, low-cost, and long-life electrode catalysts can improve the efficiency, cost, and durability of energy conversion technology. The project plans to use the unique properties of well-defined nanoarchitectures to reduce platinum content and to improve electrocatalytic performance. Nanoporous systems in electrocatalysts can provide more active sites and effective surface permeability, which should enhance catalytic activity. Project outcomes may also contribute to our understanding of the relationships among morphologies, pore structures, surface atomic structures and catalytic activities to guide the development of other kinds of high performance nanoporous catalysts.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
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE110100097
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$600,000.00
Summary
Advanced characterisation of materials by nuclear magnetic resonance. Advanced characterisation of materials by nuclear magnetic resonance will support a broad range of research possibilities for development of advanced materials for medical, industrial and environmental applications. Details of molecular structure and mobility will be uncovered which will provide guidance for making improvements to new and existing materials.