Nanoscale Dynamics and Structure of SAILs at Electrodes. This project will produce new, high performance, surface active ionic liquids. Surface active ionic liquids are pure salts in which one of the ions is based on a surfactant molecule. Surface active ionic liquids are much more effective than conventional electrolytes for some applications, but only at elevated temperature; at low temperature, ion dynamics are too slow. We will use cutting edge techniques to probe ion dynamics in surface act ....Nanoscale Dynamics and Structure of SAILs at Electrodes. This project will produce new, high performance, surface active ionic liquids. Surface active ionic liquids are pure salts in which one of the ions is based on a surfactant molecule. Surface active ionic liquids are much more effective than conventional electrolytes for some applications, but only at elevated temperature; at low temperature, ion dynamics are too slow. We will use cutting edge techniques to probe ion dynamics in surface active ionic liquids in the bulk and at electrode surfaces, and use this to elucidate rules for the rational design of new surface active ionic liquids with fast dynamics at low temperature, towards their use at room temperature in diverse areas; this project will target capacitors and gas sensors. Read moreRead less
Gas-enriched slippery surfaces. This project will exploit novel experimental and simulations approaches to investigate gas enrichment at liquid-liquid interfaces, and its effect on interfacial slip. The outcomes of the project will be a deeper understanding of oil-water interfaces capturing the presence of interfacial gas layers, slippery surfaces with superior drag reducing and fouling reducing properties, and control over nanobubble formation under flow. The new surfaces will have potential ap ....Gas-enriched slippery surfaces. This project will exploit novel experimental and simulations approaches to investigate gas enrichment at liquid-liquid interfaces, and its effect on interfacial slip. The outcomes of the project will be a deeper understanding of oil-water interfaces capturing the presence of interfacial gas layers, slippery surfaces with superior drag reducing and fouling reducing properties, and control over nanobubble formation under flow. The new surfaces will have potential application in improving the energy efficiency of microfluidic and multiphase flow. Benefits are expected in terms of reduced emissions, fuel cost and pollution related to transport of goods by sea, and extraction of oil from rocks.Read moreRead less
On-water electrochemistry: redox catalysis at the water surface. From plastics to pharamaceuticals, chemists rely extensively on expensive and environmentally damaging solvents and reactants. In water, greener and cheaper electricity-driven reactions currently suffer from low velocity and poor selectivity. The project aims to develop the science of on-water electrochemistry, to make electricity-driven organic reactions in water viable. Demonstrating that for electrochemical reactions, rates and ....On-water electrochemistry: redox catalysis at the water surface. From plastics to pharamaceuticals, chemists rely extensively on expensive and environmentally damaging solvents and reactants. In water, greener and cheaper electricity-driven reactions currently suffer from low velocity and poor selectivity. The project aims to develop the science of on-water electrochemistry, to make electricity-driven organic reactions in water viable. Demonstrating that for electrochemical reactions, rates and selectivities increase on water’s surface rather than in its bulk will remove fundamental constraints on the viability of aqueous electro-synthesis – moving beyond current reactor designs to transform our view of electrochemistry and improve the sustainability of the chemical industry.Read moreRead less
Atomic-Scale Engineering of Bioactive Organic Molecules on Surfaces. Advances in scanning probe microscopy (SPM) have enabled the precise engineering of matter at surfaces. The ability to image and track changes at surfaces is simply staggering, but the frontier of molecules with pharmaceutical and agrichemical importance remains unexplored. This interdisciplinary project aims to synthesise fundamental molecules and reveal molecular rearrangement pathways utilising SPM. Expected outcomes of this ....Atomic-Scale Engineering of Bioactive Organic Molecules on Surfaces. Advances in scanning probe microscopy (SPM) have enabled the precise engineering of matter at surfaces. The ability to image and track changes at surfaces is simply staggering, but the frontier of molecules with pharmaceutical and agrichemical importance remains unexplored. This interdisciplinary project aims to synthesise fundamental molecules and reveal molecular rearrangement pathways utilising SPM. Expected outcomes of this project include new methods to couple molecules otherwise unobtainable by traditional means and fundamental knowledge of molecular manipulation and chemical structure. This aims to provide significant benefits, such as the translation of new chemical principles to academic and industrial laboratories.Read moreRead less
Deciphering lipid-RNA nanocarrier structure upon RNA complexation. This project aims to decipher the nanostructure evolution, at a millisecond timescale, of lipid self-assembly upon coupling with RNAs and track the nanocarrier structural changes induced by biologically relevant acidic environments. This project will generate new knowledge of the interplay between the self-assembled lipid-RNA nanostructures and cellular objects for successful payload release. The expected outcome of this project ....Deciphering lipid-RNA nanocarrier structure upon RNA complexation. This project aims to decipher the nanostructure evolution, at a millisecond timescale, of lipid self-assembly upon coupling with RNAs and track the nanocarrier structural changes induced by biologically relevant acidic environments. This project will generate new knowledge of the interplay between the self-assembled lipid-RNA nanostructures and cellular objects for successful payload release. The expected outcome of this project is identification of the fundamental mechanisms of lipid-RNA molecular self-assembly and intracellular nucleic acid delivery. This should provide significant advances in the field of lipid nanoparticle engineering for the delivery of RNA therapeutics. Read moreRead less
Liquid Metal Interfaces – A Novel Platform for Catalysis. This project aims to develop the basic design principles that govern the performance of liquid metal alloy catalysts for the methane pyrolysis reaction and manufacturing of ammonia. The project expects to generate new knowledge in understanding the reaction dynamics occurring at the gas-liquid metal interface under true working conditions and the composition-catalytic activity relationships of multi-component liquid alloy catalysts throug ....Liquid Metal Interfaces – A Novel Platform for Catalysis. This project aims to develop the basic design principles that govern the performance of liquid metal alloy catalysts for the methane pyrolysis reaction and manufacturing of ammonia. The project expects to generate new knowledge in understanding the reaction dynamics occurring at the gas-liquid metal interface under true working conditions and the composition-catalytic activity relationships of multi-component liquid alloy catalysts through a combined experimental and computational/theoretical approach. The expected outcomes are new liquid metal alloys that open the gateway to a new dimension of catalytic applications. The project should benefit Australia’s key societal challenges of emissions reduction, hydrogen storage and food security.Read moreRead less
Improving water quality modelling by better understanding solute transport. Poor stream water quality is a critical problem in Australia and globally. Stream water quality depends directly on pathways and time taken for water to transport pollutants through catchments. Predicting these pathways is highly challenging and currently requires specialised data. This project aims to better model the movement of water from rainfall to streams, enable greatly improved use of water quality data routinely ....Improving water quality modelling by better understanding solute transport. Poor stream water quality is a critical problem in Australia and globally. Stream water quality depends directly on pathways and time taken for water to transport pollutants through catchments. Predicting these pathways is highly challenging and currently requires specialised data. This project aims to better model the movement of water from rainfall to streams, enable greatly improved use of water quality data routinely collected in Australia's catchments and thereby better predict water quality behaviour. Proposed field studies aim to support this development. The outcomes sought are improved planning and management of water quality in our rivers, lakes and estuaries, improved health of these water bodies and improved water supplies.Read moreRead less
Deciphering ion specificity in complex electrolytes . This project aims to understand how ions influence the behaviour and properties of complex electrolytes (solutions containing either multiple ions, solvent mixtures, high electrolyte concentrations or a variety of interfaces, solutes or polymers). Complex electrolytes are ubiquitous in colloidal and particle technologies and underpin industrial and natural processes. Our team will combine experiment, simulation and theory to deliver a univers ....Deciphering ion specificity in complex electrolytes . This project aims to understand how ions influence the behaviour and properties of complex electrolytes (solutions containing either multiple ions, solvent mixtures, high electrolyte concentrations or a variety of interfaces, solutes or polymers). Complex electrolytes are ubiquitous in colloidal and particle technologies and underpin industrial and natural processes. Our team will combine experiment, simulation and theory to deliver a universal framework for understanding and predicting specific ion effects in complex electrolytes. The project outcomes are expected to deliver new understanding for researchers, robust rules of thumb for technologists and a public resource for data-driven solutions in applications utilising salt solutions. Read moreRead less
Unravelling the dominant drivers of ion specificity. This project aims to understand what governs the sensitivity of many technological and biological processes to the precise nature of the salt present in solution. The term ‘ion-specific’ encompasses all the circumstances in which the influence of a salt in solution depends on the precise chemical nature of the salt, not just the electrical charge on the ions that form the salt. As such, ion-specific effects abound and have important consequenc ....Unravelling the dominant drivers of ion specificity. This project aims to understand what governs the sensitivity of many technological and biological processes to the precise nature of the salt present in solution. The term ‘ion-specific’ encompasses all the circumstances in which the influence of a salt in solution depends on the precise chemical nature of the salt, not just the electrical charge on the ions that form the salt. As such, ion-specific effects abound and have important consequences in most situations involving solutions, including cellular functions and battery technology. This project will enable us to understand and control the influence of specific ions, building on our recently described fundamental ion-specific series with colloid science experiments and quantum simulations. This project should overcome current challenges in predicting ion-specific effects leading to progress in a wide variety of applications of colloid and interface science, from sensor interfaces to self-assembly.Read moreRead less
Liquid metal solvents and colloids – a new frontier in chemistry. This project aims to develop a holistic understanding of dynamic bond formation within molten metals to unlock the full potential of liquid metal chemistry. The project expects to develop new methodologies required to study the nanoscale chemistry of liquid metals, an emerging class of solvents that could revolutionise modern catalysis, metallurgy and inorganic synthesis. The expected outcomes are an in-depth theoretical understan ....Liquid metal solvents and colloids – a new frontier in chemistry. This project aims to develop a holistic understanding of dynamic bond formation within molten metals to unlock the full potential of liquid metal chemistry. The project expects to develop new methodologies required to study the nanoscale chemistry of liquid metals, an emerging class of solvents that could revolutionise modern catalysis, metallurgy and inorganic synthesis. The expected outcomes are an in-depth theoretical understanding of liquid metal chemistry as well as new electron and atomic force microscopy techniques that will shed light on these extraordinary materials. This should benefit future studies of liquid metal chemistry and consequently the development of industrial applications of these unique liquids.Read moreRead less