Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL190100126
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,508,332.00
Summary
Carbon-based Metal-free Catalysis: An Emerging Field with Great Potential. Catalysis is a major field and noble metal catalysts play a key role in renewable energy technologies, chemical and environmental processes. However, the scarcity and high cost of noble metals have caused sustainability problems. Since this Laureate applicant discovered the first metal-free carbon catalyst for energy, carbon-based metal-free catalysis rapidly became a promising emerging field, but many scientific question ....Carbon-based Metal-free Catalysis: An Emerging Field with Great Potential. Catalysis is a major field and noble metal catalysts play a key role in renewable energy technologies, chemical and environmental processes. However, the scarcity and high cost of noble metals have caused sustainability problems. Since this Laureate applicant discovered the first metal-free carbon catalyst for energy, carbon-based metal-free catalysis rapidly became a promising emerging field, but many scientific questions remain unsolved. In this program, innovative approaches will be developed to produce never-before-realized catalytic active centres of a controlled location and structure for mechanistic understanding to enable future breakthroughs in metal-free catalysis and a broad range of technology with far ranging applications.Read moreRead less
Dislocation motion and anelastic recovery in layered ceramic titanate. This project aims to research deformation and facture in brittle ceramic nanowire materials and anelastic behaviour in tensile deformation. Layered sodium titanate is used in energy storage and water treatment, but in-situ tensile tests have observed unconventional deformation behaviour, with significant dislocation motion and anelastic recovery. This project will study the deformation mechanism in layered sodium titanate nan ....Dislocation motion and anelastic recovery in layered ceramic titanate. This project aims to research deformation and facture in brittle ceramic nanowire materials and anelastic behaviour in tensile deformation. Layered sodium titanate is used in energy storage and water treatment, but in-situ tensile tests have observed unconventional deformation behaviour, with significant dislocation motion and anelastic recovery. This project will study the deformation mechanism in layered sodium titanate nanowires through molecular dynamics simulations, empirical interatomic potential, and in situ TEM experiments. Expected outcomes include knowledge of the deformation mechanism of this layered titanate which can be broadened to technologically important layered ceramic materials.Read moreRead less
Sound Control Panels Made of Digital Acoustics Elements. This project aims to pioneer a new generation of smart sound control panels made of digital acoustics elements for broadband sound control. The project expects to generate a break-through mechanistic understanding of energy dissipation among the acoustical, mechanical and electrical components in the proposed devices. It is expected that these devices will have superior sound absorption performance from 50 Hz to 10 kHz, and will be low cos ....Sound Control Panels Made of Digital Acoustics Elements. This project aims to pioneer a new generation of smart sound control panels made of digital acoustics elements for broadband sound control. The project expects to generate a break-through mechanistic understanding of energy dissipation among the acoustical, mechanical and electrical components in the proposed devices. It is expected that these devices will have superior sound absorption performance from 50 Hz to 10 kHz, and will be low cost, compact (<10 mm thick), environmentally sustainable, clean (fibreless), and be adaptive to environments. It will provide a solution for broadband sound control, which is critical for many domestic, industry, and military applications to create a quieter and more comfortable sound environment.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130100879
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Design, modelling and advanced control of high performance nanopositioners for atomic force microscopy. A high-speed nanopositioner with nanoscale manoeuvring accuracy is used extensively in nanotechnology applications such as biological cell studies and nanomanipulation. This project seeks to address fundamental problems associated with the design and control of nanopositioners, which will subsequently benefit Australian nanotechnology research.
Gas metal arc welding process monitoring with acoustic sensing. This project aims to investigate the physical mechanisms of Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) sound generation, and establish an acoustic model that correlates the acoustic signal with other wielding parameters. Key acoustic features and identification algorithms for process monitoring will be explored, and a prototype GMAW process monitoring system developed. GMAW is an arc welding process that is widely used in industry and well suited ....Gas metal arc welding process monitoring with acoustic sensing. This project aims to investigate the physical mechanisms of Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) sound generation, and establish an acoustic model that correlates the acoustic signal with other wielding parameters. Key acoustic features and identification algorithms for process monitoring will be explored, and a prototype GMAW process monitoring system developed. GMAW is an arc welding process that is widely used in industry and well suited to automatic welding. The proposed monitoring method is an urgent need identified by industries for improving process control and quality. Auditory cues have been found to be critical for expert welders to adjust the weld process and to maintain quality, but the mechanisms underpinning the process are not well understood. The project will provide significant benefit to the Australian manufacturing industry’s productivity and innovation.Read moreRead less
A sentinel network for vibration-based termite control. Termite damage is costly and eradication via chemicals is hazardous to environment and health. As termites use vibrations to make foraging decisions and eavesdrop on competitors/predators, it is feasible but not attempted hitherto to detect and control termites using vibrations. A smart sentinel network will be developed to enable timber infrastructure to be continuously monitored for termites and for termites to be repelled using specific ....A sentinel network for vibration-based termite control. Termite damage is costly and eradication via chemicals is hazardous to environment and health. As termites use vibrations to make foraging decisions and eavesdrop on competitors/predators, it is feasible but not attempted hitherto to detect and control termites using vibrations. A smart sentinel network will be developed to enable timber infrastructure to be continuously monitored for termites and for termites to be repelled using specific vibration signals and manipulated structures, with minimal environmental and health impacts. For this network to be efficient and effective, an improved understanding on how vibrations influence termite sociality will be obtained by studying habituation and signal adaptation on collective behaviour.Read moreRead less
Multiscale modelling and nondeterministic optimisation for reliable stents. This project aims to study modelling and optimisation for a more reliable design of intravascular stents. Intravascular stents are a class of lifelong micro-devices to support blood vessel for restoring circulation. Despite its remarkable initial outcome, the high rate of long-term mechanical failure remains a major concern. This project will tackle plasticity, fatigue damage and fracture across different length scales. ....Multiscale modelling and nondeterministic optimisation for reliable stents. This project aims to study modelling and optimisation for a more reliable design of intravascular stents. Intravascular stents are a class of lifelong micro-devices to support blood vessel for restoring circulation. Despite its remarkable initial outcome, the high rate of long-term mechanical failure remains a major concern. This project will tackle plasticity, fatigue damage and fracture across different length scales. The proposed optimisation is expected to minimise failure, thereby enhancing the longevity and reliability of stent therapy. This will have significant benefits, such as accommodating variations in stents and service conditions for achieving a long-lasting and reliable therapeutical outcome.Read moreRead less
Tailoring composite propellers for reduced sound radiation. This project aims to explore the generation of noise by composite propellers and to use this understanding to tailor the composite properties to reduce underwater noise. Propellers are a harmful source of noise in the marine environment, disturbing animal behaviour, revealing the location of naval vessels and interfering with sonar operation. Adaptive composite propellers are potentially quieter than metal propellers, as well as offerin ....Tailoring composite propellers for reduced sound radiation. This project aims to explore the generation of noise by composite propellers and to use this understanding to tailor the composite properties to reduce underwater noise. Propellers are a harmful source of noise in the marine environment, disturbing animal behaviour, revealing the location of naval vessels and interfering with sonar operation. Adaptive composite propellers are potentially quieter than metal propellers, as well as offering improvements in efficiency and fuel consumption. The aims of this project are to understand the physical mechanisms associated with composite propeller noise generation. The outcomes are intended to provide advanced numerical capabilities that will support the development of quieter marine propeller designs to improve defence capability and the acoustic environment for marine mammals.Read moreRead less
Computational design for engineering micro/nanotopography. Micro/nanotopography and associated characteristics has major influences in several emerging areas of environmental, biomedical and energy engineering. This project will develop a new computational framework for topographical design and fabrication. It will create new research opportunities and technological innovation for the future development.
Innovative metamaterial magnetorheological technology for mining machines. Hard-rock mining machines have been identified as the next generation mining technology, which will finally replace the traditional drill and blast method to increase productivity and mitigate dangerous working conditions. This project aims to develop innovative metamaterial magnetorheological elastomer joints for a typical hard-rock mining machine to improve the mining efficiency by reducing the vibration. The findings a ....Innovative metamaterial magnetorheological technology for mining machines. Hard-rock mining machines have been identified as the next generation mining technology, which will finally replace the traditional drill and blast method to increase productivity and mitigate dangerous working conditions. This project aims to develop innovative metamaterial magnetorheological elastomer joints for a typical hard-rock mining machine to improve the mining efficiency by reducing the vibration. The findings and outcomes of this research will advance the knowledge and practice of hard-rock mining machines in Australia. The success of this project will significantly increase mining productivity and reduce human injuryRead moreRead less