Effects of Phase Purity, Porosity and Oxygen Partial Pressure on the Thermal Stability of Nanolayered Ternary Carbides. The successful completion of this collaborative research will lead to (a) enhanced understanding of the roles of phase purity, porosity and atmosphere on the thermal stability of ternary carbides which is crucial for the design of high-performance ternary carbide heating elements; (b) fostering and strengthening of the continuing research collaboration between Curtin University ....Effects of Phase Purity, Porosity and Oxygen Partial Pressure on the Thermal Stability of Nanolayered Ternary Carbides. The successful completion of this collaborative research will lead to (a) enhanced understanding of the roles of phase purity, porosity and atmosphere on the thermal stability of ternary carbides which is crucial for the design of high-performance ternary carbide heating elements; (b) fostering and strengthening of the continuing research collaboration between Curtin University and the Institute of Metals Research; (c) development of high performance prototype ternary carbide heating elements for use in high temperature furnaces and ovens; and (d) potential joint ventures with local suppliers of furnaces in Australia and China, together with Kanthal of Sweden to assist in the manufacture of ternary carbide heating elements. Read moreRead less
Synthesis of Novel Nanostructured Ternary Carbide Composites. This research will lead to (a) new advances and provide contribution of new knowledge to the Priority Research Areas of Advanced Materials; (b) a novel vacuum heat-treatment process for nanostructured materials design. This will offer the ceramics industry in Australia a new technology for producing wear- and heat-resistant components for advanced engineering applications. (c) design of new layer-graded materials with a unique combina ....Synthesis of Novel Nanostructured Ternary Carbide Composites. This research will lead to (a) new advances and provide contribution of new knowledge to the Priority Research Areas of Advanced Materials; (b) a novel vacuum heat-treatment process for nanostructured materials design. This will offer the ceramics industry in Australia a new technology for producing wear- and heat-resistant components for advanced engineering applications. (c) design of new layer-graded materials with a unique combination of hardness for wear resistance and toughness for damage tolerance. This will enable the ceramics industry in Australia to compete internationally in the business of advanced and high performance ceramic products.Read moreRead less
Damage micromechanisms in alumina hybrid bilayers with graded interfaces. This project proposes a new design concept for high performance alumina hybrids with graded interfaces. The key to this process is the incorporation of thin graded interfaces between an outer homogeneous alumina layer for strength, hardness and wear resistance, and an inner heterogeneous alumina hybrid layer for damage tolerance. The project will explore unresolved issues concerning the effect of graded interfaces on the f ....Damage micromechanisms in alumina hybrid bilayers with graded interfaces. This project proposes a new design concept for high performance alumina hybrids with graded interfaces. The key to this process is the incorporation of thin graded interfaces between an outer homogeneous alumina layer for strength, hardness and wear resistance, and an inner heterogeneous alumina hybrid layer for damage tolerance. The project will explore unresolved issues concerning the effect of graded interfaces on the failure micromechanisms. Advances in this area will provide new strategy or insights for designing novel next generation layered materials.Read moreRead less
Evolution of Contact Damage in Layer Structures. Brittle layer structures (eg brittle coating on ceramic substrate) can be much more damage tolerant than their constituent material components - cracks tend to remain contained within the coating. Very little is known about the factors that control this behaviour. This project will exploit unique local expertise in modelling damage evolution to fill a niche in a large study being carried out at the National Institute of Standards (NIST) in the U ....Evolution of Contact Damage in Layer Structures. Brittle layer structures (eg brittle coating on ceramic substrate) can be much more damage tolerant than their constituent material components - cracks tend to remain contained within the coating. Very little is known about the factors that control this behaviour. This project will exploit unique local expertise in modelling damage evolution to fill a niche in a large study being carried out at the National Institute of Standards (NIST) in the U.S.A. An understanding of the factors that maximise the containment of cracks is essential to the design and development of the next generation of advanced layer composites for many biomechanical and other engineering applications.Read moreRead less
Grain-boundary sliding in high-temperature ceramics: mechanical spectroscopy of high-purity magnesium oxide. The demise of elastic behaviour in materials stressed at sufficiently high temperature limits the usefulness of ceramics for structural applications, and is also responsible for reduced wave speeds and associated attenuation of seismic waves in the Earth's interior. Yet the nature of the transition in fine-grained materials tested at high temperature from elastic through anelastic to vis ....Grain-boundary sliding in high-temperature ceramics: mechanical spectroscopy of high-purity magnesium oxide. The demise of elastic behaviour in materials stressed at sufficiently high temperature limits the usefulness of ceramics for structural applications, and is also responsible for reduced wave speeds and associated attenuation of seismic waves in the Earth's interior. Yet the nature of the transition in fine-grained materials tested at high temperature from elastic through anelastic to viscous rheology remains poorly understood. Through a combination of mechanical testing by torsional forced oscillation/ microcreep methods of carefully fabricated and characterised specimens of polycrystalline MgO and associated micro-mechanical modelling we seek to clarify this fundamental and general aspect of high-temperature mechanical behaviour.Read moreRead less
Boundary Effects on Bridging-Stress/Crack-Opening Relationship and Specific Fracture Energy. This project is to investigate the boundary/interface influence on fracture/material properties of composites and thin layered structures along crack path to free boundary and bi-material interface. The local fracture energy dissipation along crack path is emphasised and used to study the boundary influence on the cohesive law - the relationship between crack bridging stress and crack opening displaceme ....Boundary Effects on Bridging-Stress/Crack-Opening Relationship and Specific Fracture Energy. This project is to investigate the boundary/interface influence on fracture/material properties of composites and thin layered structures along crack path to free boundary and bi-material interface. The local fracture energy dissipation along crack path is emphasised and used to study the boundary influence on the cohesive law - the relationship between crack bridging stress and crack opening displacement. New fracture mechanics model is proposed that incorporates the boundary/interface influence and the more popular size effect. The new boundary/interface effect model will be more relevant to modern materials applications related to layered ceramics, thin films, coatings in electronic and bio-medical applications.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0346882
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$296,000.00
Summary
A Micro-CT facility for non-destructive 3D X-ray microscopy of opaque materials. This project will establish a Micro-CT facility for non-destructive 3D X-ray microscopy of the internal structure of materials. The facility will support research from a broad spectrum of disciplines and extend regional microscopy and microanalysis capabilities. With a resolution of 1.8µm this instrument will provide 3D images with virtually no sample preparation. The range of materials that this applies to includes ....A Micro-CT facility for non-destructive 3D X-ray microscopy of opaque materials. This project will establish a Micro-CT facility for non-destructive 3D X-ray microscopy of the internal structure of materials. The facility will support research from a broad spectrum of disciplines and extend regional microscopy and microanalysis capabilities. With a resolution of 1.8µm this instrument will provide 3D images with virtually no sample preparation. The range of materials that this applies to includes minerals, wood, biomaterials, polymers, composites, archaeological ceramics and mummified tissue, and biological materials such as bone, teeth and coral. This facilitates research which had been considered too difficult because of the sample preparation needed to examine internal structure.
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Removal and degradation of microplastics using halloysite nanocomposite. The project aims to utilize halloysite clay combined with novel highly magnetized nanoparticles for the removal and degradation of microplastics in the contaminated water system. The project expects to fabricate cheap and environmentally-friendly materials using innovative chemical synthesis and surface modification for adsorption and decomposition of microplastics utilizing both high surface area of halloysite nanotubes a ....Removal and degradation of microplastics using halloysite nanocomposite. The project aims to utilize halloysite clay combined with novel highly magnetized nanoparticles for the removal and degradation of microplastics in the contaminated water system. The project expects to fabricate cheap and environmentally-friendly materials using innovative chemical synthesis and surface modification for adsorption and decomposition of microplastics utilizing both high surface area of halloysite nanotubes and catalytic activity of transition metals. This project will facilitate collaboration between multidisciplinary researchers and a vibrant group of industrial participants to advance next-generation composite materials for water treatment and ensure the supply of clean water for healthy living.Read moreRead less
A Fundamental Study Of The Behaviour Of Clay Brick Fines In Autoclaved Calcium Silicate Based Building Products. Clay brick fines constitute a significant proportion of Construction and Demolition waste, the disposal of which is a recognised global problem. This project aims to provide a fundamental understanding of the behaviour of clay brick fines in autoclaved calcium silicate based building products. Current practice of manufacture of these widely produced building materials does not use cla ....A Fundamental Study Of The Behaviour Of Clay Brick Fines In Autoclaved Calcium Silicate Based Building Products. Clay brick fines constitute a significant proportion of Construction and Demolition waste, the disposal of which is a recognised global problem. This project aims to provide a fundamental understanding of the behaviour of clay brick fines in autoclaved calcium silicate based building products. Current practice of manufacture of these widely produced building materials does not use clay brick fines due to a lack of technical information on this renewable resource material. Findings of this study will provide a benchmark for the development of new generation building products worldwide utlilising clay brick fines.Read moreRead less
Development of new-generation autoclaved cellulose fibre-cement composites using alumina-silica rich industrial waste. Autoclaved cellulose fibre-cement (FC) composites are used for construction purposes globally. Alumina-silica rich industrial waste, such as fired clay bricks and tiles, are proven to be highly reactive under autoclaving conditions and are generated in abundance either during the production process or demolition of buildings worldwide. The project aims to utilise this renewable ....Development of new-generation autoclaved cellulose fibre-cement composites using alumina-silica rich industrial waste. Autoclaved cellulose fibre-cement (FC) composites are used for construction purposes globally. Alumina-silica rich industrial waste, such as fired clay bricks and tiles, are proven to be highly reactive under autoclaving conditions and are generated in abundance either during the production process or demolition of buildings worldwide. The project aims to utilise this renewable waste for the manufacture of improved FC products. The successful outcomes of the project could allow a new range of cost-effective building products which need less energy for their manufacture, to be realised for both developed and developing countries.Read moreRead less