Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE200100162
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$444,000.00
Summary
Quantitative Movies of Nanoscale Dynamics by Video Atomic Force Microscopy. This project aims to address an urgent need for Australian researchers to undertake previously impossible real time studies of nanoscale dynamics concerning colloids and surfaces with unprecedented structural and temporal resolution using Video Rate Atomic Force Microscopy. This will lead to a step changes in understating, and rapid progress, in colloids and surfaces projects spanning chemistry, biology, biochemistry, m ....Quantitative Movies of Nanoscale Dynamics by Video Atomic Force Microscopy. This project aims to address an urgent need for Australian researchers to undertake previously impossible real time studies of nanoscale dynamics concerning colloids and surfaces with unprecedented structural and temporal resolution using Video Rate Atomic Force Microscopy. This will lead to a step changes in understating, and rapid progress, in colloids and surfaces projects spanning chemistry, biology, biochemistry, medicine, engineering, sensors and materials science. The new information the delivered will enable colloids and surfaces to be refined with precision for function, build on domestic expertise in allied methods, and place Australian researchers at the forefront of the study of molecular scale process.Read moreRead less
Benchmarking of advanced scattering probes for materials characterisation. The project seeks to establish the accuracy and validity of different methods of nanoscale structure determination. Nanoscale structure is crucial to the properties of many modern materials with diverse applications: e.g. sensors and actuators in cell phones; smart shock absorbers and fuel injectors in cars; memory devices; drug delivery devices.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE130100121
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$670,000.00
Summary
A facility for the nanoscale imaging and characterisation of materials. Nanotechnology is dependent on measuring surface properties and this cutting-edge scanning probe microscopy facility will provide this capability. Atomic resolution imaging, along with spectroscopy for chemical information, and nanoindentation for physical information, will generate solutions for physical and life sciences, and materials engineering.
Using light to move molecules-a novel approach to exploring intermolecular forces. It is in the last few nanometres above a surface that many real-world effects originate. Using a fine stylus and the momentum from a laser beam, the project will nano-mechanically perturb molecules to reveal forces on a sub-molecular scale. Gaining control at this scale is central to developing an understanding of many natural and industrial processes.
Surface forces between novel surfaces. Friction, adhesion, the self assembly of molecules essential to life and the flow properties of slurries is explained via an understanding of surface forces. These very short-range forces are often studied using ideal surfaces of very low roughness. As only a few surfaces are available with these ideal characteristics this has greatly limited the choice of materials that could previously be employed in surface force investigations. This project will use ato ....Surface forces between novel surfaces. Friction, adhesion, the self assembly of molecules essential to life and the flow properties of slurries is explained via an understanding of surface forces. These very short-range forces are often studied using ideal surfaces of very low roughness. As only a few surfaces are available with these ideal characteristics this has greatly limited the choice of materials that could previously be employed in surface force investigations. This project will use atomic layer deposition to produce thin films of novel materials that are extremely smooth and highly suitable for such investigations. Thereby, the understanding of surface forces, adhesion and adsorption phenomenon will be expanded to a wide range of new materials. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE140100090
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$200,000.00
Summary
Surface and Colloid Characterisation Facility. Surface and colloid characterisation facility: Surface science lies at the heart of biointerface and colloid science. This facility will enable particle size, shape, distribution, surface area and charge to be measured as well as the amount of material adsorbed to interfaces, the configuration of that material and the response of the surface to stimuli such as changing pH or salinity. All these parameters influence the properties of these important ....Surface and Colloid Characterisation Facility. Surface and colloid characterisation facility: Surface science lies at the heart of biointerface and colloid science. This facility will enable particle size, shape, distribution, surface area and charge to be measured as well as the amount of material adsorbed to interfaces, the configuration of that material and the response of the surface to stimuli such as changing pH or salinity. All these parameters influence the properties of these important systems. As such this facility will underpin the research of a number of groups across three institutions over the next decade and promote collaboration between scientists with a range of complementary expertise in fields where surface science is important from biology to ionic liquids.Read moreRead less
The Quantum Dot SPASER. Can we replace electrons with photons in future computers? This project provides two steps toward this goal. By combining advanced materials with ultra-small metallic structures, a new nano-sized form of a laser, called the spaser will be realised. Furthermore, a key component of a computer, a nanoscale modulator, will be demonstrated.
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
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE130100057
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$200,000.00
Summary
A diffractometer for small molecule structural elucidation by crystallographic analysis. X-ray diffractometry provides an unambiguous means of identifying the three-dimensional spatial arrangement of atoms within molecules affording important insights into the origins of chemical properties. A modern diffractometer will provide information to help develop new functional materials, therapeutic agents and environmentally sustainable processes.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE120100021
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$150,000.00
Summary
A diagnostics platform for advanced plasma-chemical analysis. A wide range of production processes involve the use of plasmas to modify materials, but they are not well understood. This project will give Australian researchers the tools to look inside plasma processes and fully characterise them for the first time, unlocking new knowledge and providing new insight into the plasma processing environment.