The mechanism of scale formation and inhibition in alkaline industrial process streams. Scaling, which reduces flow and heating efficiency, is a serious problem in single stream alumina Bayer plants. This project will potentially save the Australian alumina industry many tens of millions of dollars a year by the development of more effective on-line scale mitigation strategies based on the fundamental understanding of the processes involved.
Nanoparticle inks for electronic applications employing nanostructured thin-films. The development of next-generation technologies requires careful engineering of materials at the nanoscale. Using nanoparticle inks, many of the engineering difficulties which exist at these length scales can be overcome, thus allowing for technologies such as thin-film solar cells to become cheaper and more efficient.
Turning homogeneous catalysts into heterogeneous catalysts: Robust linking of organometallic complexes onto inert carbon supports. Improvement in the sustainability of fine chemical synthesis is urgently required to meet the increasing demand for new pharmaceuticals. This project will develop new approaches to catalyst immobilisation, to enhance catalyst recovery, as well as to the characterisation of such catalysts for understanding structure and mechanism.
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL100100117
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,713,582.00
Summary
Molecular Plasmonics - From Single Electrons to Quantum Catalysis and Optical Logic Gates. After a decade of basic research, Nanotechnology is now entering its most disruptive phase. New nanoscale phenomena are being exploited and converted into viable technologies. Plasmonics - the manipulation of light using metal nanostructures - is one of the most promising of these. Plasmonics will enable scientists to achieve optical computing, reach higher data storage densities, and synthesize better cat ....Molecular Plasmonics - From Single Electrons to Quantum Catalysis and Optical Logic Gates. After a decade of basic research, Nanotechnology is now entering its most disruptive phase. New nanoscale phenomena are being exploited and converted into viable technologies. Plasmonics - the manipulation of light using metal nanostructures - is one of the most promising of these. Plasmonics will enable scientists to achieve optical computing, reach higher data storage densities, and synthesize better catalysts. Other applications include bio-sensing and rapid pathogen detection. To realise these potential outcomes, a leading international cluster focussing on plasmonics will be set up and this cluster will link state-of-the-art materials science, instrumentation and theory.Read moreRead less
Photonic circuitry from the noble metals: nanocrystal coupling. Linear arrays of crystalline nanoparticles are able to act in a manner analogous to an optical fibre, but with much smaller dimensions. This project will investigate the underlying principles of waveguiding within the arrays and aims to build and test sections of such optical fibres, thereby assessing their use in optical circuits.
Atomic Structure and Stability of Nanocrystal Facets. This project aims to provide a ‘toolkit’ to understand and grow nanocrystal shapes to achieve desired optical properties. The facets of a metal nanocrystal comprise just a few atoms, which are pivotal to its growth and properties. This project aims to develop methods to measure the location and stability of these atoms to understand the factors controlling their assembly and to understand their impact on the properties of the nanocrystal. It ....Atomic Structure and Stability of Nanocrystal Facets. This project aims to provide a ‘toolkit’ to understand and grow nanocrystal shapes to achieve desired optical properties. The facets of a metal nanocrystal comprise just a few atoms, which are pivotal to its growth and properties. This project aims to develop methods to measure the location and stability of these atoms to understand the factors controlling their assembly and to understand their impact on the properties of the nanocrystal. It plans to correlate atomic structure and corresponding optical excitations with unprecedented spatial and energy resolution. Combining these advances, the project aims to relate nanofacet chemistry, structure, stability and optical excitations to deliver a new understanding of optical properties and their control.Read moreRead less
Harnessing Asymmetry in Hybrid Metal Nanocrystal Assemblies. The interaction between metallic nanoparticles creates highly enhanced, localised electric fields and has recently emerged as a strategic area widely applicable across physics, chemistry and biology for sensing, optoelectronics and optical films. The novel optical signatures of larger, highly symmetric nanoparticle assemblies may be drastically changed by breaking the structural symmetry, leading to unique phenomenon such as Fano-like ....Harnessing Asymmetry in Hybrid Metal Nanocrystal Assemblies. The interaction between metallic nanoparticles creates highly enhanced, localised electric fields and has recently emerged as a strategic area widely applicable across physics, chemistry and biology for sensing, optoelectronics and optical films. The novel optical signatures of larger, highly symmetric nanoparticle assemblies may be drastically changed by breaking the structural symmetry, leading to unique phenomenon such as Fano-like resonances. This project aims to extend metal nanoparticle assemblies to include fluorophores in well-defined positions, creating an inherent and switchable symmetry breaking. Inclusion of additional functionality into such structures is essential for their use in smart optical films and switchable devices.Read moreRead less