Spinning Nanosheets for Versatile Applications. This project seeks to develop a highly versatile and innovative fibre spinning research platform for fabricating multifunctional hybrid fibres with unprecedented mechanical, electrical and electrochemical properties. The novel fibres to be produced can be assembled into macroscale architectures or be weaved into functional textiles that can feed into relevant technologies and Australian industries such as advanced textiles for wearable energy stora ....Spinning Nanosheets for Versatile Applications. This project seeks to develop a highly versatile and innovative fibre spinning research platform for fabricating multifunctional hybrid fibres with unprecedented mechanical, electrical and electrochemical properties. The novel fibres to be produced can be assembled into macroscale architectures or be weaved into functional textiles that can feed into relevant technologies and Australian industries such as advanced textiles for wearable energy storage and conversion, microelectrodes and sensors, and smart medical/biomedical platforms. More importantly, this project will have far reaching implications across a range of research disciplines, and ultimately sectors critical to Australia’s health, social, and economic future.Read moreRead less
Field-Enhanced Electrospinning for Fine and Uniform Nanofibres. This project will result in a new platform technology to produce very fine and uniform nanofibres that can be used in a range of advanced applications. It will further strengthen our leading position in the field of nanofibre technology, and contribute to the National Research Priority area of Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries. Australia already has niche expertise in nanomaterials. This proje ....Field-Enhanced Electrospinning for Fine and Uniform Nanofibres. This project will result in a new platform technology to produce very fine and uniform nanofibres that can be used in a range of advanced applications. It will further strengthen our leading position in the field of nanofibre technology, and contribute to the National Research Priority area of Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries. Australia already has niche expertise in nanomaterials. This project will significantly enhance our international standing in the field. There is a growing list of local companies that are interested in exploring the production and application of nanofibrous materials also.Read moreRead less
Three-Dimensional Polymer Fibre Scaffolds with Functional Nano-structured Surface. The Partner Organisation to this research, CyGenics Ltd, is a world leader in cell biotechnology. A key challenge faced by the CyGenics and other biotech companies is the provision of tissue scaffolding materials that have the right three-dimensional macroscopic structure plus a suitable nano-structured surface micro-environment, similar to the natural extracellular matrix. This joint project combines expertise in ....Three-Dimensional Polymer Fibre Scaffolds with Functional Nano-structured Surface. The Partner Organisation to this research, CyGenics Ltd, is a world leader in cell biotechnology. A key challenge faced by the CyGenics and other biotech companies is the provision of tissue scaffolding materials that have the right three-dimensional macroscopic structure plus a suitable nano-structured surface micro-environment, similar to the natural extracellular matrix. This joint project combines expertise in polymer fibres, surface engineering and cell culture to tackle the key challenge. The outcome will help position the local polymer fibre and cell culture industries at the forefront of tissue scaffolding materials research and development. Read moreRead less
Optimizing the UV Protection of Textiles with Nano Zinc Oxide. Colour fading, due to poor fastness to light - especially ultraviolet light - is a critical problem that continues to plague the textile industry, especially for products such as flags, awnings and car upholstery that are used in outside applications and therefore exposed directly to sunlight. This research, in collaboration with Micronisers Pty Ltd, will develop improved nano zinc oxide formulations that will significantly reduce th ....Optimizing the UV Protection of Textiles with Nano Zinc Oxide. Colour fading, due to poor fastness to light - especially ultraviolet light - is a critical problem that continues to plague the textile industry, especially for products such as flags, awnings and car upholstery that are used in outside applications and therefore exposed directly to sunlight. This research, in collaboration with Micronisers Pty Ltd, will develop improved nano zinc oxide formulations that will significantly reduce the colour fading problems, and hence add value to the fledgling nano-tech (as well as traditional textile) industries in Australia. It could enable local production of a specialised textile finishing agent for export to major textile producers in South East Asia.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100068
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$390,000.00
Summary
Bioinspired liposome-based smart sensors. This project aims to develop a liposome-based biosensor technology that mimics cell sensory systems. Selective detection of compounds is increasingly important for food, health and environmental monitoring. Biosensor development faces long-standing challenges such as response time, sensitivity, specificity, and multiplexing. On the other hand, cells can sense and discriminate multiple biomolecules in seconds with high sensitivity and specificity. This pr ....Bioinspired liposome-based smart sensors. This project aims to develop a liposome-based biosensor technology that mimics cell sensory systems. Selective detection of compounds is increasingly important for food, health and environmental monitoring. Biosensor development faces long-standing challenges such as response time, sensitivity, specificity, and multiplexing. On the other hand, cells can sense and discriminate multiple biomolecules in seconds with high sensitivity and specificity. This project aims to harness cells’ exquisite biological properties to improve current detection techniques. It will integrate liposome-based sensors with microfluidics to perform analytical tasks ranging from food safety to diagnostics.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE200100186
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$233,000.00
Summary
The 3D Nanofabrication Facility. This project aims to breach the gap between meso, micro and nanoscale manufacturing by means of a novel 3D printing technique with nanometric resolution. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the technologies to fabricate complex structures with freedom of design from the meso to the nanoscale, currently not possible in Australia, by using the innovative integration of this technique within a well establish nanofabrication facility. Expected outcomes ....The 3D Nanofabrication Facility. This project aims to breach the gap between meso, micro and nanoscale manufacturing by means of a novel 3D printing technique with nanometric resolution. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the technologies to fabricate complex structures with freedom of design from the meso to the nanoscale, currently not possible in Australia, by using the innovative integration of this technique within a well establish nanofabrication facility. Expected outcomes of this project include new discoveries in fields such as nanotechnology, photonics, robotics, metamaterials, biosurface engineering or biotechnology. This should provide significant benefits, such as placing Australia in the leadership of nanotechnology and additive manufacturing.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE180100073
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$468,474.00
Summary
Nanoimprint systems: expanding research capability of roll to roll printer. This project aims to strengthen Australian research activities in the development of advanced multifunctional materials through the purchase of thermal and ultraviolet (UV) nano-imprint lithography modules to expand the nanofabrication capacity of roll-to-roll printer line. The various processes used to make nano-sized devices and components fall into two major categories, coating and patterning. Integrating the thermal ....Nanoimprint systems: expanding research capability of roll to roll printer. This project aims to strengthen Australian research activities in the development of advanced multifunctional materials through the purchase of thermal and ultraviolet (UV) nano-imprint lithography modules to expand the nanofabrication capacity of roll-to-roll printer line. The various processes used to make nano-sized devices and components fall into two major categories, coating and patterning. Integrating the thermal and UV nanoimprint lithography modules into the roll-to-roll printer line will provide a unique and simple materials fabrication platform. It will combine coating and nanolithography processes in a low cost, high-throughput and high-resolution format for advanced nanofabrication of microelectronic, telecommunication, biomedical and energy devices.Read moreRead less
Trapping and Watching Biomolecular Complexes near Nanopores. This project aims to develop a technology to trap and interrogate nanosized molecular complexes in their natural state. Nanosized complexes in water provide the core machinery of biological systems and require detailed understanding to help unravel fundamental biological mechanisms. A prototype of a methodology has been developed to trap and interrogate nanoscaled objects as small as 190 nanometres within a nanopore device. By performi ....Trapping and Watching Biomolecular Complexes near Nanopores. This project aims to develop a technology to trap and interrogate nanosized molecular complexes in their natural state. Nanosized complexes in water provide the core machinery of biological systems and require detailed understanding to help unravel fundamental biological mechanisms. A prototype of a methodology has been developed to trap and interrogate nanoscaled objects as small as 190 nanometres within a nanopore device. By performing research to fully understand, miniaturise and develop this method further, this project aims to enable the quantitative observation of nanoscaled biological machinery involved in cell-to-cell communication and DNA unfolding. Such a technology platform may have applications in areas such as biology, biotechnology and advanced materials.Read moreRead less
A New Platform of Bio-inspired Nanoparticles for Enhanced Cellular Delivery. Delivery of various molecules into cells is crucial in modern medicine. Compared to viral vectors, non-viral vectors are safer delivery vehicles, but their delivery efficiency must be improved before they can be broadly used. Inspired by the surface topography of viruses with high infectivity, this project aims to provide a fundamental understanding of the impact of surface roughness on cellular delivery efficiency; and ....A New Platform of Bio-inspired Nanoparticles for Enhanced Cellular Delivery. Delivery of various molecules into cells is crucial in modern medicine. Compared to viral vectors, non-viral vectors are safer delivery vehicles, but their delivery efficiency must be improved before they can be broadly used. Inspired by the surface topography of viruses with high infectivity, this project aims to provide a fundamental understanding of the impact of surface roughness on cellular delivery efficiency; and to use this knowledge in the designed synthesis of a new family of bio-inspired non-viral nanoparticles with both safety and high cellular delivery efficiency. The new and high performance nano-carriers will become a platform technology with broad bio-applications in gene therapy, cancer therapy and bio-imaging.Read moreRead less
DNA exhibits new self-assembled structures due to clustered DNA methylation. This project aims to develop a technology to investigate detailed epigenetic patterns in DNA by directly interrogating the physical properties of DNA polymers in their native state. Epigenetics controls whether genes and genetic programs are turned on or off in living systems. The project will build on a recent discovery that key physical properties of native DNA polymers are strongly influenced by epigenetic patterns c ....DNA exhibits new self-assembled structures due to clustered DNA methylation. This project aims to develop a technology to investigate detailed epigenetic patterns in DNA by directly interrogating the physical properties of DNA polymers in their native state. Epigenetics controls whether genes and genetic programs are turned on or off in living systems. The project will build on a recent discovery that key physical properties of native DNA polymers are strongly influenced by epigenetic patterns created by living organisms. By fully understanding this phenomenon, this project aims to provide new tools for the study of epigenetics with broad potential applications in the life sciences, biotechnology and nanotechnology.Read moreRead less