Development of room temperature diluted magnetic semiconductors for spintronics devices application. Semiconductor spintronics is very likely to have a significant impact on future generations of devices. Until recently, Australian research groups have played a minor role in the field. The proposed program will lead to new discoveries or fundamental advances within semiconductor spintronics or have substantial impact on the progress in this field. The accomplishments of this project can great ....Development of room temperature diluted magnetic semiconductors for spintronics devices application. Semiconductor spintronics is very likely to have a significant impact on future generations of devices. Until recently, Australian research groups have played a minor role in the field. The proposed program will lead to new discoveries or fundamental advances within semiconductor spintronics or have substantial impact on the progress in this field. The accomplishments of this project can greatly increase the scientific understanding of diluted magnetic semiconductors and expand Australia's knowledge base in research in these materials. This program can also be an education platform to provide a number of scientific talents for Australia by intensively training high quality postgraduates at the international level.Read moreRead less
A Predictive Theory of Kinetic Demixing in Engineering Ceramics. Technological advances bring demands for new engineering ceramics and the improvement of existing ones. The properties of engineering ceramics are critically dependent on the composition and distribution of atomic components. However, separation or demixing of the components occurs in-service at high temperatures as a result of stress, electric fields or oxygen gradients. Demixing causes a major loss of performance and longevity. T ....A Predictive Theory of Kinetic Demixing in Engineering Ceramics. Technological advances bring demands for new engineering ceramics and the improvement of existing ones. The properties of engineering ceramics are critically dependent on the composition and distribution of atomic components. However, separation or demixing of the components occurs in-service at high temperatures as a result of stress, electric fields or oxygen gradients. Demixing causes a major loss of performance and longevity. This Project will develop a robust and versatile theory of demixing to enhance longevities of engineering ceramics. It will also guide the deliberate manipulation of demixing to generate novel compositionally-graded engineering ceramics having new properties of technological interest.Read moreRead less
Some Outstanding Mechanics Problems in Layered Ferroelectromagnetic Composites with Enhanced Magnetoelectric Effect. The proposed research has high impact on both science and technology of ferroelectromagnetic materials. The outcomes will expand Australia's knowledge base and research capability in this emerging field. Relevant industries, such as smart materials and devices, can benefit from the results of this project. The theoretical, experimental and numerical results can be directly transfo ....Some Outstanding Mechanics Problems in Layered Ferroelectromagnetic Composites with Enhanced Magnetoelectric Effect. The proposed research has high impact on both science and technology of ferroelectromagnetic materials. The outcomes will expand Australia's knowledge base and research capability in this emerging field. Relevant industries, such as smart materials and devices, can benefit from the results of this project. The theoretical, experimental and numerical results can be directly transformed to design and application guidelines for the materials engineers and scientists to develop innovative and structurally/functionally reliable ferroelectromagnetic composites and their various devices and products.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150100750
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$315,000.00
Summary
On the origin of high strain in lead-free piezoelectric materials. Legislation against the use of lead initiated a search for lead-free piezoelectric ceramics. This project aims to derive guidelines for the development and implementation of this new class of materials. This project will utilise an analysis technique that allows elucidation of the origin of the high strain in piezoelectric materials. A separate analysis of the three known strain mechanisms in materials with coexisting phases will ....On the origin of high strain in lead-free piezoelectric materials. Legislation against the use of lead initiated a search for lead-free piezoelectric ceramics. This project aims to derive guidelines for the development and implementation of this new class of materials. This project will utilise an analysis technique that allows elucidation of the origin of the high strain in piezoelectric materials. A separate analysis of the three known strain mechanisms in materials with coexisting phases will innovatively correlate theory and macroscopic observation with processes on the atomic scale. The quantification of the contribution of each mechanism will lead to new insights into the enhancement of sustainable functional materials.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0668469
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$195,000.00
Summary
The Rapid Kinetics Research Facility - an Integrated system for rapid kinetic studies of materials using synchrotron radiation. The Rapid Kinetics Research Facility will provide Australian researchers with the tools to follow and understand very rapid processes within advanced materials. This will greatly assist in: i) the development of more efficient materials processing technologies, ii) the development of advanced catalysts able to neutralize pollutants and reduce the energy cost of industri ....The Rapid Kinetics Research Facility - an Integrated system for rapid kinetic studies of materials using synchrotron radiation. The Rapid Kinetics Research Facility will provide Australian researchers with the tools to follow and understand very rapid processes within advanced materials. This will greatly assist in: i) the development of more efficient materials processing technologies, ii) the development of advanced catalysts able to neutralize pollutants and reduce the energy cost of industrial processes, iii) the development of viable hydrogen fuel storage media and iv) the training of young Australian researchers in advanced methods of materials characterization. Read moreRead less
Enhanced electro-active properties in polycrystalline ceramics: a multi-length-scale approach. Electro-active materials are used in a wide range of devices including ultrasound imaging equipment and nano-positioning systems. This project will determine the most fundamental mechanisms at work in these materials allowing for the optimisation of high-performance and environmentally friendly electro-active devices for future industries.
Grain-boundary sliding in high-temperature ceramics: mechanical spectroscopy of high-purity magnesium oxide. The demise of elastic behaviour in materials stressed at sufficiently high temperature limits the usefulness of ceramics for structural applications, and is also responsible for reduced wave speeds and associated attenuation of seismic waves in the Earth's interior. Yet the nature of the transition in fine-grained materials tested at high temperature from elastic through anelastic to vis ....Grain-boundary sliding in high-temperature ceramics: mechanical spectroscopy of high-purity magnesium oxide. The demise of elastic behaviour in materials stressed at sufficiently high temperature limits the usefulness of ceramics for structural applications, and is also responsible for reduced wave speeds and associated attenuation of seismic waves in the Earth's interior. Yet the nature of the transition in fine-grained materials tested at high temperature from elastic through anelastic to viscous rheology remains poorly understood. Through a combination of mechanical testing by torsional forced oscillation/ microcreep methods of carefully fabricated and characterised specimens of polycrystalline MgO and associated micro-mechanical modelling we seek to clarify this fundamental and general aspect of high-temperature mechanical behaviour.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120102644
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Fatigue degradation in lead-free piezoelectric ceramics: the key factor for successful industrial implementation. Many everyday devices, that is mobile phones, operate with lead-based ceramics, which can be hazardous; although there are promising lead-free materials, these show complex electric behaviour which can lead to structural damage and device failure. This project will define the degradation mechanisms so that reliable non-toxic ceramics can be designed.
Probing anti-ferroelectric to ferroelectric structural phase transitions: towards high power energy transformation devices. Materials which can be rapidly switched from anti-ferroelectric to ferroelectric states exhibit a wide range of exploitable properties. This project will identify the factors enabling such materials to respond to applied electric fields and mechanical stresses and use them to enhance the ability of industry to develop new advanced materials.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE120100223
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$340,000.00
Summary
Advanced X-ray diffraction facility for high energy and extreme conditions. X-ray powder diffraction is a powerful technique for determining the structure of matter at the atomic scale. This project will establish a new Australian capability for X-ray powder diffraction under extreme conditions that emulate real harsh service environments for advanced functional materials.