Green Machining of Powder Metallurgy Based Aluminium Composites. This project will initiate and establish a collaborative research program between Professor Wojciech Z. Misiolek of Lehigh University (Bethlehem, PA, USA) and Professor Graham Schaffer at The University of Queensland. Professor Misiolek will spend an extended six month period at The University of Queensland. The specific aim of the project is to develop a method to machine aluminium composites in the green, or unsintered, state. Th ....Green Machining of Powder Metallurgy Based Aluminium Composites. This project will initiate and establish a collaborative research program between Professor Wojciech Z. Misiolek of Lehigh University (Bethlehem, PA, USA) and Professor Graham Schaffer at The University of Queensland. Professor Misiolek will spend an extended six month period at The University of Queensland. The specific aim of the project is to develop a method to machine aluminium composites in the green, or unsintered, state. This will overcome a major impediment to the wider utilisation of aluminium matrix composites, which have an attractive combination of properties but cannot be formed into complex shapes using conventional processing methodologies.Read moreRead less
Meso- and Macro-porous Bioactive Glasses for Bone-repairing. This project aims to use self-assembly and pore engineering at different length scales to fabricate novel bioactive glasses of highly ordered mesoporous structure. By precisely controlling the composition, size and volume of both mesopores and macropores, bioactive glasses with improved bone forming activities will be obtained. The successful synthesis of such bioactive glasses is expected to lead to the fundamental understanding of st ....Meso- and Macro-porous Bioactive Glasses for Bone-repairing. This project aims to use self-assembly and pore engineering at different length scales to fabricate novel bioactive glasses of highly ordered mesoporous structure. By precisely controlling the composition, size and volume of both mesopores and macropores, bioactive glasses with improved bone forming activities will be obtained. The successful synthesis of such bioactive glasses is expected to lead to the fundamental understanding of structure-bioactivity relationship, and new materials effective for tissue engineering. This will also open up new opportunities for other applications such as drug delivery, implanting.Read moreRead less
Bulk Metallic Glasses and Their Applications. Bulk Metallic Glasses (BMG) represent a significant breakthrough in amorphous metallic materials research and opens up an enormous potential for BMG as engineering materials. However, currently there is no effective way to select optimum composition. The project will bring Australia together with two leading international research groups to develop a computer model for BMG alloy design and to further optimise BMG production processes. BMG engineering ....Bulk Metallic Glasses and Their Applications. Bulk Metallic Glasses (BMG) represent a significant breakthrough in amorphous metallic materials research and opens up an enormous potential for BMG as engineering materials. However, currently there is no effective way to select optimum composition. The project will bring Australia together with two leading international research groups to develop a computer model for BMG alloy design and to further optimise BMG production processes. BMG engineering components will be produced. The project provides Australian researchers access to leading expertise and specialized facilities which will rapidly bring us to the highest level. It represents Australia's first involvement in this significant material innovation. Read moreRead less
Modifying Structure and Properties of Carbon Nanotubes for Device Applications (MWN). The focus of this project is to develop new heteroatom-doped carbon nanotube materials for use in conjugated-polymer composite photovoltaic cells. Synthesis of boron and of nitrogen doped carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by the US researchers will be complemented by ion-implantation post-synthesis of CNTs by the Australian team, to gain a thorough and detailed understanding of how the CNTs can act effectively as both an ....Modifying Structure and Properties of Carbon Nanotubes for Device Applications (MWN). The focus of this project is to develop new heteroatom-doped carbon nanotube materials for use in conjugated-polymer composite photovoltaic cells. Synthesis of boron and of nitrogen doped carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by the US researchers will be complemented by ion-implantation post-synthesis of CNTs by the Australian team, to gain a thorough and detailed understanding of how the CNTs can act effectively as both an electron acceptor and charge transport medium in a conjugated polymer. Outcomes will include fundamental advances in our understanding of charge transport in the composite devices and prototype organic photovoltaic devices of improved efficiency.Read moreRead less
Contaminant Transport in Marine Sediment. Sediments in bays and estuaries are often contaminated. The inorganic contaminants in sediments can be released back into the water body through mass transfer processes. The mass transfer rate is largely controlled by the wave-driven seepage flux across the seabed. Quantification of this flux is thus a key factor in modelling water quality of coastal water bodies. This project aims to: (1) develop models forwave-induced seepage flux within sediments and ....Contaminant Transport in Marine Sediment. Sediments in bays and estuaries are often contaminated. The inorganic contaminants in sediments can be released back into the water body through mass transfer processes. The mass transfer rate is largely controlled by the wave-driven seepage flux across the seabed. Quantification of this flux is thus a key factor in modelling water quality of coastal water bodies. This project aims to: (1) develop models forwave-induced seepage flux within sediments and contaminant transport; and (2) establish the link between seepage flux and contaminant transport. Outcomes of the proposed research will enhance the understanding of the mechanism of contaminant transport in marine sediment.Read moreRead less
Modelling of sand wave migration and its interaction with pipelines. The movement of sand due to sand waves can interfere with marine structures such as pipelines and cables on the seabed. It may also cause free spans of pipelines, with potentially serious consequences. Most previous research has considered sand wave propagation and the stability of pipelines as separate problems. In this project, we propose a coupled analysis of sand wave migration and its interaction with pipelines through mat ....Modelling of sand wave migration and its interaction with pipelines. The movement of sand due to sand waves can interfere with marine structures such as pipelines and cables on the seabed. It may also cause free spans of pipelines, with potentially serious consequences. Most previous research has considered sand wave propagation and the stability of pipelines as separate problems. In this project, we propose a coupled analysis of sand wave migration and its interaction with pipelines through mathematical and numerical modelling. The theoretical work will be supported by laboratory experiments. The resulting research will provide a better understanding of sand wave migration, beach profiles and the stability of pipelines.Read moreRead less
Tidal watertable fluctuation in a sandy ocean beach. Tidal dynamics in a sandy beach is important for erosion, saltwater intrusion and biological activities. Most previous researches were based on linearised shallow flow, ignoring capillary effects and soil behaviour, which are particularly important for a sandy beach. In this project, we propose to establish an analytical approximation for the tidal watertable fluctuation in a sandy beach by incorporate the capillary effects and soil behaviour. ....Tidal watertable fluctuation in a sandy ocean beach. Tidal dynamics in a sandy beach is important for erosion, saltwater intrusion and biological activities. Most previous researches were based on linearised shallow flow, ignoring capillary effects and soil behaviour, which are particularly important for a sandy beach. In this project, we propose to establish an analytical approximation for the tidal watertable fluctuation in a sandy beach by incorporate the capillary effects and soil behaviour. The analytical work will be supported by numerical and laboratory experiments. The research outcomes will provide a better understanding in tidal waves, beaches and groundwater interaction and also establish a long-term collaboration between two institutes.Read moreRead less
Performance analysis of the Unified Power Flow Controller based on multi-bridge converter. The objective of this research is to conceive a new configuration of UPFC without series injection transformers, based on two-level full-bridge modules. The conceived system can be utilized for the power systems to control the power flow through the transmission line.
The benefit is in reducing restrictions on electricity transfer links.
The project will develop a laboratory version of the novel UPFC de ....Performance analysis of the Unified Power Flow Controller based on multi-bridge converter. The objective of this research is to conceive a new configuration of UPFC without series injection transformers, based on two-level full-bridge modules. The conceived system can be utilized for the power systems to control the power flow through the transmission line.
The benefit is in reducing restrictions on electricity transfer links.
The project will develop a laboratory version of the novel UPFC demonstrating the hardware and control requirements for this form of UPFC which could reduce the costs of this corrective solution up to 30% below existing solutions.
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Inkjet printing of nanoparticulate materials. The aim of this project is to develop inkjet printing technology to facilitate the freeform fabrication of nanomaterials. The application of nanomaterials will lead to breakthroughs in information technology, health, the environment and energy generation and storage. This project will develop the methods required to inkjet print nanomaterials into multilayered components. This is a multifunctional rapid prototyping technology that synthesises compone ....Inkjet printing of nanoparticulate materials. The aim of this project is to develop inkjet printing technology to facilitate the freeform fabrication of nanomaterials. The application of nanomaterials will lead to breakthroughs in information technology, health, the environment and energy generation and storage. This project will develop the methods required to inkjet print nanomaterials into multilayered components. This is a multifunctional rapid prototyping technology that synthesises components directly from computer solid models and radically compresses the time from concept to delivery. The outcome of this project will be a fabrication facility which will enable us to make and test nanoscale materials and components made from them.Read moreRead less
Structure of Epitaxial Semiconductor Quantum Dots. Epitaxially grown semiconductor quantum dots have received extensive attention in recent years due to their potential applications in electronic and optoelectronic devises. However, the quality of current grown quantum dots is still very far from that required for real device applications due to a lack of detailed knowledge of their nanostructures. This project aims to combine the strength of growing semiconductor quantum dots at Fudan Universit ....Structure of Epitaxial Semiconductor Quantum Dots. Epitaxially grown semiconductor quantum dots have received extensive attention in recent years due to their potential applications in electronic and optoelectronic devises. However, the quality of current grown quantum dots is still very far from that required for real device applications due to a lack of detailed knowledge of their nanostructures. This project aims to combine the strength of growing semiconductor quantum dots at Fudan University and the world-class characterisation facilities (advanced transmission electron microscopy) at the University of Queensland to actively explore optimum paths for epaxially growing device-quality semiconductor quantum dots.Read moreRead less