High Quality Gallium Oxide for Power Electronics. This project aims to combine advanced nanocharacterisation techniques with complementary expertise in semiconductor growth to produce high-quality gallium oxide that will enable fabrication of high efficiency, cost-effective power electronics. These state-of-the-art devices are urgently required to significantly reduce power conversion losses to maximise the performance and benefits of electricity generation systems using renewable energy sources ....High Quality Gallium Oxide for Power Electronics. This project aims to combine advanced nanocharacterisation techniques with complementary expertise in semiconductor growth to produce high-quality gallium oxide that will enable fabrication of high efficiency, cost-effective power electronics. These state-of-the-art devices are urgently required to significantly reduce power conversion losses to maximise the performance and benefits of electricity generation systems using renewable energy sources. The availability of superior oxide materials with bespoke electrical properties will enable the construction of fast high-voltage electronic switches, converters and other components with enhanced performance and unique capabilities.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE210100036
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$950,000.00
Summary
A customised triple-beam microscope for precise fabricating/characterising . This project aims to establish a customised triple-beam microscope to enable precise fabrication and polishing (using ion beams) and characterisation (using electron beam) of a wide range of advanced materials. It will provide solutions to prepare ultra-high quality and artefact-free specimens for transmission electron microscopy studies, and allow fabrication of unique nanostructures and nanostructured templates for hi ....A customised triple-beam microscope for precise fabricating/characterising . This project aims to establish a customised triple-beam microscope to enable precise fabrication and polishing (using ion beams) and characterisation (using electron beam) of a wide range of advanced materials. It will provide solutions to prepare ultra-high quality and artefact-free specimens for transmission electron microscopy studies, and allow fabrication of unique nanostructures and nanostructured templates for high-performance applications. The customised features of the proposed instrument are the first of its kind in Australia. The new knowledge developed through this project will significantly impact on scientific insights and practical applications of new materials related to physics, chemistry, biology, geology and engineering.Read moreRead less
Establishing Design Principles Of Polymers For Intracellular Delivery . Engineered polymers have played a central role in the field of bionanotechnology by enabling targeted nanoscale cell interactions. Progress in the field of intracellular delivery is currently affected by a major bottleneck due to the absence of effective polymers that is applicable across the range of bimolecular cargoes. In essence depending on the type of cargo: DNA, RNA or protien, the polymer needs programmability. The l ....Establishing Design Principles Of Polymers For Intracellular Delivery . Engineered polymers have played a central role in the field of bionanotechnology by enabling targeted nanoscale cell interactions. Progress in the field of intracellular delivery is currently affected by a major bottleneck due to the absence of effective polymers that is applicable across the range of bimolecular cargoes. In essence depending on the type of cargo: DNA, RNA or protien, the polymer needs programmability. The limited tunability of traditional polymers agents makes them unsuitable for this particular application. The multidisciplinary project addresses this significant problem by engineering novel sequences of defined polymer based nanoscale agents to achieve efficient delivery in cells.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230101542
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$450,154.00
Summary
Impact of humoral immunity on nanoparticle–biological interactions. This project aims to improve the biological applications of nanomaterials by understanding their fundamental interactions with proteins and cells in relevant biological environments. This will create new knowledge on how humoral (antibody-mediated) immunity affects nanomaterials using cutting-edge immunoassays, bio–nano characterisation techniques, and bioinformatics. Expected outcomes of the project include an understanding of ....Impact of humoral immunity on nanoparticle–biological interactions. This project aims to improve the biological applications of nanomaterials by understanding their fundamental interactions with proteins and cells in relevant biological environments. This will create new knowledge on how humoral (antibody-mediated) immunity affects nanomaterials using cutting-edge immunoassays, bio–nano characterisation techniques, and bioinformatics. Expected outcomes of the project include an understanding of how specific antibodies modulate the protein coatings on nanomaterials, which will shed light on how immune cells interact with nanomaterials. This will lead to design principles for nanomaterial properties to improve their effectiveness in delivering drugs and gene therapies.Read moreRead less
Bioengineering self-assembly of innovative core-shell nanomaterials . This project aims to generate new knowledge in nanoscale bioengineering. It expects to develop a disruptive platform technology for design and manufacture of advanced nanomaterials to provide solutions for unmet needs in industry. It will explore an innovative bioengineering concept that merges biopolymer synthesis with virus-like particle self-assembly to produce innovative tunable core-shell nanomaterials. Expected outcomes ....Bioengineering self-assembly of innovative core-shell nanomaterials . This project aims to generate new knowledge in nanoscale bioengineering. It expects to develop a disruptive platform technology for design and manufacture of advanced nanomaterials to provide solutions for unmet needs in industry. It will explore an innovative bioengineering concept that merges biopolymer synthesis with virus-like particle self-assembly to produce innovative tunable core-shell nanomaterials. Expected outcomes are the development of advanced techniques for design and manufacture of innovate nanomaterials with enhanced stability and performance. This innovative platform technology for precision engineering of high-performance nanomaterials should provide significant benefits for biotechnological and agricultural industries.Read moreRead less
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL210100180
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,781,000.00
Summary
Upconversion nanophotonic systems . The photon upconversion process can produce visible light from lower-energy near-infrared incident light. This Laureate Program aims to address major bottlenecks in upconversion nanotechnology – the efficiency, stability and absorption bandwidth. Expected outcomes include new knowledge in the interface design of hybrid materials, a world-leading single-particle spectroscopy system, a new family of molecular probes, and novel super-resolution microscopy for fun ....Upconversion nanophotonic systems . The photon upconversion process can produce visible light from lower-energy near-infrared incident light. This Laureate Program aims to address major bottlenecks in upconversion nanotechnology – the efficiency, stability and absorption bandwidth. Expected outcomes include new knowledge in the interface design of hybrid materials, a world-leading single-particle spectroscopy system, a new family of molecular probes, and novel super-resolution microscopy for functional imaging of subcellular organelles. This research offers exciting opportunities for single-molecule tracking, quantitative diagnostics, non-invasive imaging, bio-mechanical force measurement and thermometry; tools to observe the nanoscale world inside live cells.Read moreRead less
Bespoke nanomaterials for understanding nano-bio interactions under flow. This project aims to develop innovative scalable synthesis techniques to produce polymeric nanomaterials with controlled properties and characterise interactions between nanomaterials and cells under flow conditions. This project expects to generate new knowledge in priority research areas of nanotechnology, polymer chemistry and immunology. The outcome of this project is an original scalable and environmentally friendly t ....Bespoke nanomaterials for understanding nano-bio interactions under flow. This project aims to develop innovative scalable synthesis techniques to produce polymeric nanomaterials with controlled properties and characterise interactions between nanomaterials and cells under flow conditions. This project expects to generate new knowledge in priority research areas of nanotechnology, polymer chemistry and immunology. The outcome of this project is an original scalable and environmentally friendly technology, new knowledge of cell-nanomaterial interactions and new design principles for nanoparticles with potential future applications in drug delivery, immunology and nanomedicine. This project should provide significant benefits to polymer, nanomaterial and pharmaceutical research and industry in Australia.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE240100259
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$445,437.00
Summary
Next Generation Mass Spectrometry for Single-Cell Metabolomics. Characterising metabolites at the single cell level will provide valuable insights into the functionality of individual cells and reveal mechanisms that cannot be observed in bulk cell analysis. To address existing challenges in single-cell metabolite analysis, this project aims to develop an ultra-sensitive nanostructure-initiator mass spectrometry (NIMS) platform, which uses an innovative carbon material with a carefully designed ....Next Generation Mass Spectrometry for Single-Cell Metabolomics. Characterising metabolites at the single cell level will provide valuable insights into the functionality of individual cells and reveal mechanisms that cannot be observed in bulk cell analysis. To address existing challenges in single-cell metabolite analysis, this project aims to develop an ultra-sensitive nanostructure-initiator mass spectrometry (NIMS) platform, which uses an innovative carbon material with a carefully designed nanostructure to enhance detection efficiency. Expected outcomes include the development of a revolutionary carbon assisted NIMS platform for single-cell metabolomics analysis, and valuable intellectual property of commercial interest to provide economic benefit to Australia through technology advancement.Read moreRead less
Indistinguishable Quantum Emitters in van der Waals Materials. Solid state sources of single photons ("quantum emitters") are a key building block for implementation of scalable quantum technologies. Amongst many potential platforms studied, impurities in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) are at the forefront due to their brightness and ease of manufacturing. However, their main disadvantage is spectral instability which prohibits engineering of practical devices. The current project will address th ....Indistinguishable Quantum Emitters in van der Waals Materials. Solid state sources of single photons ("quantum emitters") are a key building block for implementation of scalable quantum technologies. Amongst many potential platforms studied, impurities in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) are at the forefront due to their brightness and ease of manufacturing. However, their main disadvantage is spectral instability which prohibits engineering of practical devices. The current project will address this bottleneck and deliver an optically stable solid state quantum light source in hBN. The project will produce a robust hardware toolkit for quantum technologies. It will provide excellent training for young Australians and generate key intellectual property for quantum startups and the quantum industry.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230100324
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$394,318.00
Summary
Cooperative Single Atom Catalysts for Zn-CO2 Batteries. This project aims to develop cooperative single-atom catalysts for efficient and selective electrocatalytic CO2 conversion and Zn-CO2 batteries. Cooperative catalysts at the single atom limit can potentially achieve enhanced electrochemical properties beyond state-of-the-art and will trigger significant theoretical and technological interests in energy conversion and storage fields. It is expected to generate new knowledge in materials scie ....Cooperative Single Atom Catalysts for Zn-CO2 Batteries. This project aims to develop cooperative single-atom catalysts for efficient and selective electrocatalytic CO2 conversion and Zn-CO2 batteries. Cooperative catalysts at the single atom limit can potentially achieve enhanced electrochemical properties beyond state-of-the-art and will trigger significant theoretical and technological interests in energy conversion and storage fields. It is expected to generate new knowledge in materials science and electrochemistry, using interdisciplinary approaches of atom-precise material engineering, in situ characterisation and full-cell optimisation. Significant economic and environmental benefits are expected from developing carbon-neutral CO2 electrolysers with low cost and high energy efficiency.Read moreRead less