Hierarchically Structured Graphene-Based Nanoassemblies. Developing high-efficiency, low-cost and environmentally friendly electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices is essential to many consumer electronics. The development of high-performance graphene-based electrode materials in this project will have significant impacts on the Australian economy. This project is expected to help place Australia at the forefront of advanced energy materials and nanotechnology, and enhance the inter ....Hierarchically Structured Graphene-Based Nanoassemblies. Developing high-efficiency, low-cost and environmentally friendly electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices is essential to many consumer electronics. The development of high-performance graphene-based electrode materials in this project will have significant impacts on the Australian economy. This project is expected to help place Australia at the forefront of advanced energy materials and nanotechnology, and enhance the international competitiveness and export power of Australian industry in the high-technology areas. It will also help address the rapidly growing environmental concerns and the increasing global demand for energy.Read moreRead less
ARC Centre for Nanostructured Electromaterials. Electromaterials transport electrons or ions and facilitate charge transfer, underpinning most energy capture/storage processes and cell communication. We propose a national Centre to develop nanostructured electromaterials with exceptional properties. The Centre aims to synthesise novel nanomaterials and assemble them into innovative nanoscale devices. We will exploit these materials to enhance performance in energy conversion/storage systems (eg. ....ARC Centre for Nanostructured Electromaterials. Electromaterials transport electrons or ions and facilitate charge transfer, underpinning most energy capture/storage processes and cell communication. We propose a national Centre to develop nanostructured electromaterials with exceptional properties. The Centre aims to synthesise novel nanomaterials and assemble them into innovative nanoscale devices. We will exploit these materials to enhance performance in energy conversion/storage systems (eg. photovoltaics, batteries, including wearable systems), and novel energy transfer in bioapplications (eg. Bionic Ear). These advances, together with the resource of trained personnel, will assist Australian industry to exploit this exciting area.Read moreRead less
Development of nonvolatile fast proton-transport materials. There are many problems with existing proton-transport materials for emerging fuel cell applications such as electric vehicles. A high proton conductivity and high thermal stability are some of the requirements for fuel cell electrolytes. The aims of this project are to develop nonvolatile proton-transport matrices based on zwitterionic liquids with various acids, develop polymer gel materials based on these, and characterize these ne ....Development of nonvolatile fast proton-transport materials. There are many problems with existing proton-transport materials for emerging fuel cell applications such as electric vehicles. A high proton conductivity and high thermal stability are some of the requirements for fuel cell electrolytes. The aims of this project are to develop nonvolatile proton-transport matrices based on zwitterionic liquids with various acids, develop polymer gel materials based on these, and characterize these new proton-transport materials by analyzing ionic conductivity, viscosity, thermal behaviors, and their interrelationships.Read moreRead less
Advanced Polymer Electrolytes for Device Applications. The future of an energy sustainable society relies upon the development of a range of technologies that will involve devices such as lithium batteries, supercapacitors, sensors and fuel cells. One of the key challenges is the discovery and development of high performance materials which overcome performance limiting issues such as conductivity, durability and stability in current devices. Our recent discovery of novel successful approaches ....Advanced Polymer Electrolytes for Device Applications. The future of an energy sustainable society relies upon the development of a range of technologies that will involve devices such as lithium batteries, supercapacitors, sensors and fuel cells. One of the key challenges is the discovery and development of high performance materials which overcome performance limiting issues such as conductivity, durability and stability in current devices. Our recent discovery of novel successful approaches to the design of improved electrolyte materials will be systematically exploited to develop materials that will provide the significant advance in device performance that is required.Read moreRead less
Hydro-mechanical interactions in coal geo-sequestration of carbon dioxide. One of the most critical environmental issues facing society is that of global warming because of increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide released from burning of fossil fuels. Storage of CO2 in the ground, geo-sequestration, offers the promise of significant reductions in atmospheric CO2 release, particularly from coal fired power stations which produce 40% of Australia's CO2 emissions. The proposed project will lead ....Hydro-mechanical interactions in coal geo-sequestration of carbon dioxide. One of the most critical environmental issues facing society is that of global warming because of increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide released from burning of fossil fuels. Storage of CO2 in the ground, geo-sequestration, offers the promise of significant reductions in atmospheric CO2 release, particularly from coal fired power stations which produce 40% of Australia's CO2 emissions. The proposed project will lead to greater understanding and reduced risks during the injection and storage of CO2 in deep unmineable coal deposits. This will contribute to national efforts to reduce global warming, safeguard the Australian coal industry, and allow continued electricity generation from coal-fired plants. Read moreRead less
Cellular and network basis of information processing in the mammalian visual system. The project aims to discover the strategies by which cells in the brain interact with each other to code the sensory input efficiently. It is expected that simultaneous recording of the activity of many neurones from the visual cortex of anaesthetised cats during visual stimulation will reveal how the biophysics of synaptic integration combined with excitatory and inhibitory inputs from different sources sculpt ....Cellular and network basis of information processing in the mammalian visual system. The project aims to discover the strategies by which cells in the brain interact with each other to code the sensory input efficiently. It is expected that simultaneous recording of the activity of many neurones from the visual cortex of anaesthetised cats during visual stimulation will reveal how the biophysics of synaptic integration combined with excitatory and inhibitory inputs from different sources sculpts the output of individual neurones. The experiments will be extended to the study of possible interactions between different areas of the brain and the study of mechanisms by which the cortical network and higher cognitive factors such as attention and memory might influence the coding of sensory information in awake animals.Read moreRead less
ARC Centre of Excellence - Australian Centre for Electromaterials Science. The Centre will tackle some of the biggest challenges facing society: those of renewable energy, sustainable industries and enhancing human health. Improvements in all these areas are possible by developing electromaterials with improved efficiency in the generation and transfer of electrical charge. By developing new nano-materials and new theories to explain their behaviour, the Centre will make advances in the areas ....ARC Centre of Excellence - Australian Centre for Electromaterials Science. The Centre will tackle some of the biggest challenges facing society: those of renewable energy, sustainable industries and enhancing human health. Improvements in all these areas are possible by developing electromaterials with improved efficiency in the generation and transfer of electrical charge. By developing new nano-materials and new theories to explain their behaviour, the Centre will make advances in the areas of human health through the regeneration of damaged nerves (eg. in spinal injury) and development of artificial muscles; in renewable energy (plastic solar cells, lightweight batteries and electronic textiles) and in sustainable industries (recovery of precious metals and new corrosion protection technologies).Read moreRead less
Ionic Liquids and Solids - New Designs, Insights and Applications. Ionic Materials in the form of liquid salts and plastic crystals are of interest in a wide range of applications including environmentally benign synthesis of chemicals and high stability electrolytes for batteries, capacitors and other devices. These materials represent some of the most stable chemicals known, making them attractive for any application where complete stability and recycling are issues. Building on our recent wor ....Ionic Liquids and Solids - New Designs, Insights and Applications. Ionic Materials in the form of liquid salts and plastic crystals are of interest in a wide range of applications including environmentally benign synthesis of chemicals and high stability electrolytes for batteries, capacitors and other devices. These materials represent some of the most stable chemicals known, making them attractive for any application where complete stability and recycling are issues. Building on our recent work, this project will design, prepare and characterize novel materials of this type for a number of target applications. Collaborators in Europe and USA will be involved in the analysis and testing of the materials.Read moreRead less
Porphyrin-Based Supramolecular Assemblies and Arrays - Model Systems for the Construction of Photosynthetic Mimics. Crown ether-based multichromophoric systems will be used to mimic the steps through which plants convert light into chemical energy. The crown bridging units allow a variety of metal and organic cations, which provide electronic and structural roles, to be non-covalently bound within their cavities. These systems are advantageous over other photosynthetic models in that a variety ....Porphyrin-Based Supramolecular Assemblies and Arrays - Model Systems for the Construction of Photosynthetic Mimics. Crown ether-based multichromophoric systems will be used to mimic the steps through which plants convert light into chemical energy. The crown bridging units allow a variety of metal and organic cations, which provide electronic and structural roles, to be non-covalently bound within their cavities. These systems are advantageous over other photosynthetic models in that a variety of electron transfer mediators can be examined in a readily controlled and systematic way simply through the choice of cation. In this way, the role played by molecular recognition in the modulation of long-range electron transfer can be evaluated. This work will lead to designing better artificial solar energy converters and molecular electronic devices.Read moreRead less
Low viscosity, high ionic conductivity ionic liquids for lithium metal batteries. Current consumer electronic devices rely on lithium-ion batteries to provide a high energy density power source. There are growing safety concerns about the electrolytes in these devices after recent incidents involving fires in mobile phones. Recent advances in ionic liquids (ILs) have seen the development of new electrolytes for such devices, with enhanced physical properties that offer major safety advantages. H ....Low viscosity, high ionic conductivity ionic liquids for lithium metal batteries. Current consumer electronic devices rely on lithium-ion batteries to provide a high energy density power source. There are growing safety concerns about the electrolytes in these devices after recent incidents involving fires in mobile phones. Recent advances in ionic liquids (ILs) have seen the development of new electrolytes for such devices, with enhanced physical properties that offer major safety advantages. However, the viscosity of these materials currently limit their capabilities. New IL materials to be developed in this project will pave the way for the development of safer devices and new sustainable energy industries in Australia.Read moreRead less