Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE210100144
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,225,000.00
Summary
High Performance Single Crystal X-ray Diffraction Facility. This project aims to establish an advanced multidisciplinary facility for the structural characterisation of chemical and biological molecules. Through providing a broad suite of advanced capabilities, including measurement under a range of conditions and rapid crystal screening, the project expects to greatly accelerate research efforts across a wide spectrum of the molecular sciences. Expected outcomes include detailed understandings ....High Performance Single Crystal X-ray Diffraction Facility. This project aims to establish an advanced multidisciplinary facility for the structural characterisation of chemical and biological molecules. Through providing a broad suite of advanced capabilities, including measurement under a range of conditions and rapid crystal screening, the project expects to greatly accelerate research efforts across a wide spectrum of the molecular sciences. Expected outcomes include detailed understandings of the structures and functions of an array of scientifically and technologically important systems, spanning materials, proteins and pharmaceuticals. This should provide significant benefits, both in advancing the understanding of these systems and in spurring commercial development and application.Read moreRead less
A new explanation for the hydrophobic effect. The hydrophobic effect is a fundamental natural phenomenon: why do oil and water spontaneously separate and not mix? The project team proposes a new and novel explanation for this effect, based on known properties of water. The project team's theory explains hydrophobic effects in physics, chemistry and biology.
Resolving the interstellar carbon crisis with multilaser spectroscopy. This project aims to provide astronomers of the future with firm diagnostic tools to identify and understand exotic carbon species in the interstellar medium. Life on Earth began after delivery of carbon-based pre-biotic material to the young planet by comets and meteorites. This material came from outside the solar system, but we do not yet know the chemical make-up of the interstellar matter. This is because we do not under ....Resolving the interstellar carbon crisis with multilaser spectroscopy. This project aims to provide astronomers of the future with firm diagnostic tools to identify and understand exotic carbon species in the interstellar medium. Life on Earth began after delivery of carbon-based pre-biotic material to the young planet by comets and meteorites. This material came from outside the solar system, but we do not yet know the chemical make-up of the interstellar matter. This is because we do not understand precisely how the interstellar molecules and dust interact with starlight. This project will create and study models of interstellar matter in the laboratory, and will determine the chemical form of carbon in the interstellar medium. This will have lasting impact on astrophysical models, as well as theories of the origin of life.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
Promoting transition metal complex catalysis with plasmonic antennae. This project aims to apply visible light photocatalysis to a wide range of chemical reactions by utilizing the intriguing effects of intense light absorption by plasmonic metal nanoparticles, such as generating energetic electrons, changing reactant adsorption and the chemical binding of reactant with the catalyst. These effects will promote catalysis at surface-bound metal complex reaction sites under mild reaction conditions ....Promoting transition metal complex catalysis with plasmonic antennae. This project aims to apply visible light photocatalysis to a wide range of chemical reactions by utilizing the intriguing effects of intense light absorption by plasmonic metal nanoparticles, such as generating energetic electrons, changing reactant adsorption and the chemical binding of reactant with the catalyst. These effects will promote catalysis at surface-bound metal complex reaction sites under mild reaction conditions. This is a part of our long-term effort to transform chemical production by heating into green photocatalytic process. This project expects to generate knowledge crucial for developing theories for catalysis, the design of efficient catalysts, green chemical synthesis methods, and enhance international collaboration.Read moreRead less
Deep ocean thermodynamics and climate change. This project aims to obtain new insights into the thermodynamic and transport properties of mixtures containing water, particularly at high pressures, that impact directly on our understanding of climate change processes. The project will involve the use of a polarisable potential for water which has recently been demonstrated to yield predictions of high accuracy. It will be used to model saline water mixtures containing carbon dioxide, resulting in ....Deep ocean thermodynamics and climate change. This project aims to obtain new insights into the thermodynamic and transport properties of mixtures containing water, particularly at high pressures, that impact directly on our understanding of climate change processes. The project will involve the use of a polarisable potential for water which has recently been demonstrated to yield predictions of high accuracy. It will be used to model saline water mixtures containing carbon dioxide, resulting in valuable data for thermodynamic properties of the world's oceans. These data are of crucial importance for accurate climate change predictions and as such the project will have an important impact on understanding our changing environment.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE200100136
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,100,000.00
Summary
High Performance Solid State NMR Spectroscopy for Materials Research. The project will support research in a diverse set of fields such as biomedical engineering catalysis, energy storage and waste recovery, with cutting edge next-generation solid state (400 MHz) nuclear magnetic resonance capabilities and research expertise. The system enabling high sensitivity, high throughput analysis over extended temperature range will enable addressing of fundamental questions regarding the structure-prope ....High Performance Solid State NMR Spectroscopy for Materials Research. The project will support research in a diverse set of fields such as biomedical engineering catalysis, energy storage and waste recovery, with cutting edge next-generation solid state (400 MHz) nuclear magnetic resonance capabilities and research expertise. The system enabling high sensitivity, high throughput analysis over extended temperature range will enable addressing of fundamental questions regarding the structure-property relationships of advanced functional materials. Accessible to a wide user base in fundamental and applied research, in medicine, energy, catalysis and recycling of waste, the project will extend the current facilities to develop Sydney as regional centre for advanced solid state nuclear magnetic resonance analysis.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180101194
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$353,700.00
Summary
A chirped pulse microwave spectrometer for studying atmospheric chemistry. This project aims to construct a microwave spectrometer with a unique molecular source to study atmospheric chemistry. Criegee intermediates formed by the ozonolysis of terpenes are key species in atmospheric chemical processes. Only very recently have small Criegee intermediates been detected by various spectroscopic methods. In this project a purpose-built chirped, pulsed Fourier transform microwave spectrometer will be ....A chirped pulse microwave spectrometer for studying atmospheric chemistry. This project aims to construct a microwave spectrometer with a unique molecular source to study atmospheric chemistry. Criegee intermediates formed by the ozonolysis of terpenes are key species in atmospheric chemical processes. Only very recently have small Criegee intermediates been detected by various spectroscopic methods. In this project a purpose-built chirped, pulsed Fourier transform microwave spectrometer will be coupled with a specialised molecular source that will enable their direct observation and characterisation by rotational spectroscopy. This will allow the structure of these molecules to be determined, which will provide insights into their reaction mechanisms.Read moreRead less
The Development of Chemopropulsion-based Fluidic Transport Systems. The controlled transport of chemical species in fluidic systems is essential to the functioning of living systems. Emulating cellular transport processes in synthetic fluidic systems, so as to allow the controlled transport of reagents or products from one site to another, has the potential to add revolutionary capabilities to fluidic platforms. This project will explore the potential and limits of chemopropulsion and its use as ....The Development of Chemopropulsion-based Fluidic Transport Systems. The controlled transport of chemical species in fluidic systems is essential to the functioning of living systems. Emulating cellular transport processes in synthetic fluidic systems, so as to allow the controlled transport of reagents or products from one site to another, has the potential to add revolutionary capabilities to fluidic platforms. This project will explore the potential and limits of chemopropulsion and its use as a driving mechanism for cargo-carrying vehicles in fluids. The resulting fluidic transport systems could be used to transport medicine in the human body, act as chemical messengers for signal transduction in sensing or other systems or move cargo around microfluidic devices.Read moreRead less
Advanced Dynamic Function in Metal-Organic Framework Materials. This project targets the strategic incorporation of three important high-order functionalities into metal-organic framework materials. These are nanoporosity, that is the reversible inclusion of molecules and ions; anomalous mechanical response to changes in temperature, pressure and included guests; and electronic/magnetic function, specifically electron transfer and magnetic alignment. Examination of the unique interplay between ....Advanced Dynamic Function in Metal-Organic Framework Materials. This project targets the strategic incorporation of three important high-order functionalities into metal-organic framework materials. These are nanoporosity, that is the reversible inclusion of molecules and ions; anomalous mechanical response to changes in temperature, pressure and included guests; and electronic/magnetic function, specifically electron transfer and magnetic alignment. Examination of the unique interplay between these properties will address key questions in the science of nanoscale systems and may lead to the discovery of exciting new emergent phenomena. This will underpin the development of advanced new technologies, spanning gas separations, rechargeable batteries, high precision componentry and molecular electronic devices.Read moreRead less