Controlled Supramolecular Assembly in Aqueous Molecular and Macroscopic Systems. This project uses benign and mainly bio-degradable materials to produce hydrogels which are remarkable new materials containing at least ninety-eight percent water which may be made into films. Similar films are proving to be valuable in covering wounds, particularly serious burns, and in greatly improving wound healing and tissue growth. They may also be useful in new coating and aircraft de-icing technologies. The ....Controlled Supramolecular Assembly in Aqueous Molecular and Macroscopic Systems. This project uses benign and mainly bio-degradable materials to produce hydrogels which are remarkable new materials containing at least ninety-eight percent water which may be made into films. Similar films are proving to be valuable in covering wounds, particularly serious burns, and in greatly improving wound healing and tissue growth. They may also be useful in new coating and aircraft de-icing technologies. These environmentally friendly materials are likely to find a multitude of uses as their development progresses. Young Australians involved in the project will gain experience in cutting edge science, its practical applications, and in international collaboration - a training essential to Australia's future prosperity.Read moreRead less
Anion Binding and Sensing With Self-Assembled Metallo-Supramolecular Assemblies. Anions are of particular significance in several areas relating to the day-to-day lives of Australians; for example as contaminants in waterways and nuclear waste streams, as indicators of chemical weapons, and as antagonists in biological systems. The proposed research programme will investigate a relatively unexplored approach to binding and sensing anions. This will further research in the area of supramolecular ....Anion Binding and Sensing With Self-Assembled Metallo-Supramolecular Assemblies. Anions are of particular significance in several areas relating to the day-to-day lives of Australians; for example as contaminants in waterways and nuclear waste streams, as indicators of chemical weapons, and as antagonists in biological systems. The proposed research programme will investigate a relatively unexplored approach to binding and sensing anions. This will further research in the area of supramolecular chemistry, providing additional research expertise in this rapidly progressing area of the chemical sciences. In terms of Breakthrough science the targeted assemblies will shed further light on self-assembly processes involving ligands with different domains, placing Australian research at the forefront of such investigations.Read moreRead less
Internally decorated discrete Metallo-supramolecular Assemblies and infinite Metal-Organic Frameworks as molecular containers. In the macroscopic world, containers are used to hold, provide physical protection, or create a modified environment for their contents. This project will result in the synthesis of novel molecular container materials that provide decorated internal surfaces capable of selectively binding chemical species. In addition to the breakthrough scientific benefits of establish ....Internally decorated discrete Metallo-supramolecular Assemblies and infinite Metal-Organic Frameworks as molecular containers. In the macroscopic world, containers are used to hold, provide physical protection, or create a modified environment for their contents. This project will result in the synthesis of novel molecular container materials that provide decorated internal surfaces capable of selectively binding chemical species. In addition to the breakthrough scientific benefits of establishing the fundamentals of these systems, the binding of chemicals, which are environmental contaminants, will provide the grounding for applications that will contribute to the national priority of 'Frontier technologies'. Furthermore, this research will lead to the training of the next generation of Australian scientists by quality international researchers.Read moreRead less
SENSORS FOR AROMATIC MOLECULES BASED ON METAL ION ACTIVATED MOLECULAR RECEPTORS. This project aims to develop highly sensitive chemical sensors for aromatic compounds which will quantify their concentration, in situ, without elaborate sample preparation or instrumentation. The sensors will employ advanced supramolecular chemistry in which the aromatic molecule becomes trapped within a binding cavity in the three dimensional structure of a larger receptor molecule. Coincident with the entrapmen ....SENSORS FOR AROMATIC MOLECULES BASED ON METAL ION ACTIVATED MOLECULAR RECEPTORS. This project aims to develop highly sensitive chemical sensors for aromatic compounds which will quantify their concentration, in situ, without elaborate sample preparation or instrumentation. The sensors will employ advanced supramolecular chemistry in which the aromatic molecule becomes trapped within a binding cavity in the three dimensional structure of a larger receptor molecule. Coincident with the entrapment a change in the fluorescence level of the receptor occurs which signals the presence of the aromatic compound and its concentration. This research will stimulate economic and social benefits through the development of new environmental and medical sensing techniques and analytical diagnostics.Read moreRead less
Design and synthesis of operating molecular machines and solution and solid-state devices. This project involves the construction of machines and other devices engineered at the molecular level, which therefore offer a greater degree of miniaturisation and sophistication than their macro-engineered counterparts. The work is expected to provide fundamental advances in nanotechnology and underpin new industries based on advanced materials.
Synthesis and characterisation of cadmium-free quantum dots. Quantum dots (QDs) - a highly functional class of nanocrystals - have a tremendous potential for applications in life sciences, energy conversion and electronics; however, their toxicity represents a problem for almost any utilisation. This project aims to find new synthesis methods for less toxic QDs and will thus pave the way for the use of these particles.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0453743
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$237,654.00
Summary
Advanced Materials Laser Characterisation Facility. A networked laser facility spanning the University of Melbourne, Monash University, the University of Adelaide, and Flinders University, will be created by integrating new laser instrumentation with existing specialised infrastructure. The facility will provide chemists at the four institutions with the necessary equipment to collaboratively investigate and optimise the properties of a diverse array of advanced materials, including nanoparticle ....Advanced Materials Laser Characterisation Facility. A networked laser facility spanning the University of Melbourne, Monash University, the University of Adelaide, and Flinders University, will be created by integrating new laser instrumentation with existing specialised infrastructure. The facility will provide chemists at the four institutions with the necessary equipment to collaboratively investigate and optimise the properties of a diverse array of advanced materials, including nanoparticles, polymers, biomaterials, and artificial photosynthetic systems. The outcome will be a world-class research network, outfitted with a suite of sophisticated techniques that are not currently available at any single university, or through any other Australian institution or consortium.Read moreRead less
Development of an Adjustable Porphyrin-based Molecular Platform for Nanotechnology Applications. Nanotechnology, the art of molecular control, is often heralded as the next industrial revolution. For this to be realised, the construction of useful devices will require precise control at the molecular level. Our control is realised through a process called self-assembly which means that the once the components of the device are correctly designed, the device will simply be able to put itself tog ....Development of an Adjustable Porphyrin-based Molecular Platform for Nanotechnology Applications. Nanotechnology, the art of molecular control, is often heralded as the next industrial revolution. For this to be realised, the construction of useful devices will require precise control at the molecular level. Our control is realised through a process called self-assembly which means that the once the components of the device are correctly designed, the device will simply be able to put itself together. This research will use nature's light harvesting elements, namely porphyrins, and our ability to precisely control their position with respect to each other to build new, more efficient solar cells.Read moreRead less
X-ray snapshots of chemical transformations in open framework materials. The aim of this project is to unearth structural insights into the chemistry of coordinatively unsaturated metal complexes – reactive species lacking their full complement of binding groups – by isolating them within a carefully designed metal-organic framework and examining them via single crystal X-ray diffraction. Such intrinsically reactive species play an important role in metal-based catalysis, but their definitive st ....X-ray snapshots of chemical transformations in open framework materials. The aim of this project is to unearth structural insights into the chemistry of coordinatively unsaturated metal complexes – reactive species lacking their full complement of binding groups – by isolating them within a carefully designed metal-organic framework and examining them via single crystal X-ray diffraction. Such intrinsically reactive species play an important role in metal-based catalysis, but their definitive structural characterisation remains a significant challenge. This project aims to facilitate a detailed understanding of how these species bind and activate substrates and thus provide important first steps towards developing novel adsorbents for separations and efficient catalysts.Read moreRead less
Molecular UV-A Sunscreen Filters: A Systematic Chemical Study. Australia has the world's highest melanoma and and non-melanoma skin cancer rate, with the latter representing the highest healthcare cost of any cancer. Current sunscreen formulations provide limited protection against solar ultraviolet-A radiation. This project is designed to improve this situation through developing new sunscreen filters for improved protection against ultraviolet-A radiation.