Fundamentals and applications of dynamic interfacial forces in soft matter. The proposed program will make an internationally significant contribution to the fundamental understanding of soft matter on the nanoscale. This has a direct impact upon processes that are key to a wide range of Australian industries ranging from the manufacture of functional foods to minerals recovery to pharmaceutical formulation, where innovative solutions can substantially improve productivity, increase export pote ....Fundamentals and applications of dynamic interfacial forces in soft matter. The proposed program will make an internationally significant contribution to the fundamental understanding of soft matter on the nanoscale. This has a direct impact upon processes that are key to a wide range of Australian industries ranging from the manufacture of functional foods to minerals recovery to pharmaceutical formulation, where innovative solutions can substantially improve productivity, increase export potential and reduce environmental impact. The outcomes of this work, in the form of high impact papers and conference presentations, will build and enhance Australia's reputation as a world leader in nanotechnology and colloid science. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0346870
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$290,000.00
Summary
High framing rate stereoscopic particle image velocimetry (HFR SPIV) facility. This proposal seeks to establish a specialised high framing rate stereoscopic particle image velocimetry (HFR SPIV) facility for the measurement of rapidly changing velocity fields in complex flows. The proposed facility is currently not available in Australia and is significant in that it provides a continuous time sequence of rapidly changing 3D velocity fields in a two-dimensional plane. The facility will provide e ....High framing rate stereoscopic particle image velocimetry (HFR SPIV) facility. This proposal seeks to establish a specialised high framing rate stereoscopic particle image velocimetry (HFR SPIV) facility for the measurement of rapidly changing velocity fields in complex flows. The proposed facility is currently not available in Australia and is significant in that it provides a continuous time sequence of rapidly changing 3D velocity fields in a two-dimensional plane. The facility will provide experimental validation for models and theories developed for fast transient flows in non-periodic time dependent flows, multi-phase flows, solid mechanics and natural convection.Read moreRead less
Transport Processes in Flexible Porous Materials for Gas Separation and Storage. This project seeks to understand the mechanisms of transport processes in flexible porous materials, which have great potential in gas separation and storage. Coal and natural gas are important to the Australian economy, and the potential applications of flexible porous materials, such as air separation and hydrogen storage, are crucial for Australia to use coal and natural gas cleanly. The analysis method to be dev ....Transport Processes in Flexible Porous Materials for Gas Separation and Storage. This project seeks to understand the mechanisms of transport processes in flexible porous materials, which have great potential in gas separation and storage. Coal and natural gas are important to the Australian economy, and the potential applications of flexible porous materials, such as air separation and hydrogen storage, are crucial for Australia to use coal and natural gas cleanly. The analysis method to be developed is useful not only to gas separation and storage, but also to hydrogeology and soil science in Australia.Read moreRead less
Sustainable processes for next-generation surface coatings and core-shell nanoparticles based on biomolecular templating. Nanotechnology promises new materials with broad impact, yet our ability to manufacture complex nanomaterials using sustainable processes is very limited. This project will advance our knowledge of nanomaterial manufacture using inspiration from how complex materials are made in nature. This project will deliver next-generation surface coatings that are incredibly thin but st ....Sustainable processes for next-generation surface coatings and core-shell nanoparticles based on biomolecular templating. Nanotechnology promises new materials with broad impact, yet our ability to manufacture complex nanomaterials using sustainable processes is very limited. This project will advance our knowledge of nanomaterial manufacture using inspiration from how complex materials are made in nature. This project will deliver next-generation surface coatings that are incredibly thin but strong, and specialised nanoparticles made using biocompatible processes. The knowledge and methods developed will benefit the biotechnology and nanotechnology sectors, as well as research in soft-matter science, quantum computing, photonics and healthcare. The value proposition for innovation in these fields will increasingly rely on new nanomanufacturing approaches.Read moreRead less
Characterization and optimisation of Myomatrix: A novel extracellular matrix hydrogel from muscle. This project would have several sources of benefit for the community. Foremost we will have produced a product that will have a strong commercial application in several fields including basic science and bioengineering. If its full potential were achieved, the development of this innovative new hydrogel would strengthen Australia's standing in the biotechnology field and also enrich specific applic ....Characterization and optimisation of Myomatrix: A novel extracellular matrix hydrogel from muscle. This project would have several sources of benefit for the community. Foremost we will have produced a product that will have a strong commercial application in several fields including basic science and bioengineering. If its full potential were achieved, the development of this innovative new hydrogel would strengthen Australia's standing in the biotechnology field and also enrich specific applications. The knowledge gained from the characterization of this product could also be of benefit to several areas including chemical engineering, tissue engineering, tissue repair, polymer chemistry and food manufacture. The expertise generated and the possibility of collaboration, both academic and with industry would also benefit the community. Read moreRead less
Frictional and viscous effects during transport in nanopores. Gas mixtures exposed to materials containing molecular sized pores (nanopores) are adsorbed, forming states of matter not existing in the bulk. Differential forces acting on the components of mixtures promote industrially and environmentally important separations. However, transport of confined fluids has been poorly understood. Recently we have made progress using computer simulation, and have proposed a highly successful theory. ....Frictional and viscous effects during transport in nanopores. Gas mixtures exposed to materials containing molecular sized pores (nanopores) are adsorbed, forming states of matter not existing in the bulk. Differential forces acting on the components of mixtures promote industrially and environmentally important separations. However, transport of confined fluids has been poorly understood. Recently we have made progress using computer simulation, and have proposed a highly successful theory. These investigations have revealed the crucial role of scattering from the surface atoms of the confining solid. Theoretical investigation of single spherical species has been initiated, and extension to other species and to mixtures is now envisaged.Read moreRead less
Mechanisms of Ammonium Nitrate Decomposition and Stability of Industrial Explosives in Reactive Mining Grounds. This project is designed to probe reaction mechanisms of ammonium nitrate based explosives with pyritic shales commonly found in overburdens of mineral deposits, and to study the influence of various factors, such as mineralogical characteristics, carbonaceous materials, weathering, pH values and application of various inhibition agents, on the decomposition and stability of ammonium n ....Mechanisms of Ammonium Nitrate Decomposition and Stability of Industrial Explosives in Reactive Mining Grounds. This project is designed to probe reaction mechanisms of ammonium nitrate based explosives with pyritic shales commonly found in overburdens of mineral deposits, and to study the influence of various factors, such as mineralogical characteristics, carbonaceous materials, weathering, pH values and application of various inhibition agents, on the decomposition and stability of ammonium nitrate. Ammonium nitrate crystallisation, which significantly reduces the stability of emulsion explosives, will be examined using both chemical and microscopic tools. The outcomes of this research will provide a scientific basis that underpins the development of safe and cost-effective explosives for applications in dangerous reactive mining grounds.Read moreRead less
Benign fabrication of microfluidic hydrogel for improved artificial vasculature in bone implants. We will create a benign technology for synthesising microfluidic hydrogels to generate artificial vascultures in bone implants. It is a critical step to enable the use of tissue-engineered vital organs, such as bone, heart and kidney in patients with end-stage organ failure. Thicker scaffolds will be possible, as the vasculature will provide nutrients and oxygen for cells to grow into 3D scaffolds. ....Benign fabrication of microfluidic hydrogel for improved artificial vasculature in bone implants. We will create a benign technology for synthesising microfluidic hydrogels to generate artificial vascultures in bone implants. It is a critical step to enable the use of tissue-engineered vital organs, such as bone, heart and kidney in patients with end-stage organ failure. Thicker scaffolds will be possible, as the vasculature will provide nutrients and oxygen for cells to grow into 3D scaffolds. It will promote capacity of Australia for manufacturing global biomaterial products for tissue engineering. We will also develop in-situ imaging analytical protocols for the rapid analysis of broad arrays of functional molecules, with significant bearing on BioMEMS design to develop methods for diagnosis of fatal diseases.Read moreRead less
Formation of organic pollutants in fires of treated and contaminated wood. This project quantifies the emission of dioxins and biphenyls in burning of treated and contaminated wood to provide data on whether combustion of such materials should be regulated in Australia and whether an educational campaign needs to be mounted to make public aware of this problem. For example, our preliminary results indicate that, timber treated with copper boron azole, a non-arsenic replacement for CCA preservat ....Formation of organic pollutants in fires of treated and contaminated wood. This project quantifies the emission of dioxins and biphenyls in burning of treated and contaminated wood to provide data on whether combustion of such materials should be regulated in Australia and whether an educational campaign needs to be mounted to make public aware of this problem. For example, our preliminary results indicate that, timber treated with copper boron azole, a non-arsenic replacement for CCA preservative, produces extremely high levels of dioxins, both in flames and in the ash. If the preliminary results are confirmed, this agent must be disallowed as a wood preservative in Australia, as it poses unacceptable risks to the Australian population and environment. Read moreRead less
Wet Granular Materials: A Three-Dimensional Study Using X-Ray Microtomography. Wet granular materials are of immense economic importance in industries such as mining, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and food processing. It has been estimated that operations involving the storage, handling and transport of granular materials account for over a third of the capital costs and over half of all the operating costs involved in process industries worldwide. An improved understanding of the dramatic effec ....Wet Granular Materials: A Three-Dimensional Study Using X-Ray Microtomography. Wet granular materials are of immense economic importance in industries such as mining, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and food processing. It has been estimated that operations involving the storage, handling and transport of granular materials account for over a third of the capital costs and over half of all the operating costs involved in process industries worldwide. An improved understanding of the dramatic effects of liquid on the cohesion, flow and mixing of granular materials will be of benefit to Australian industry both in terms of helping to reduce costly problems, such as caking and segregation, and in terms of the development of better particulate-based products, such as ceramics and pharmaceuticals.Read moreRead less