Ultra-low-loss fluoride glass optical fibres for the future global network. The transmission loss of silica optical fibres limits the capacity of the global internet. Fluoride glass fibres have the potential of reducing the loss by more than 10 times. This project aims to overcome two of the technological challenges of the ultra-low-loss fluoride fibre optics network: (1) commercial-scale manufacturing of improved fibres and (2) signal amplification at 2.3μm. By generating new fundamental knowle ....Ultra-low-loss fluoride glass optical fibres for the future global network. The transmission loss of silica optical fibres limits the capacity of the global internet. Fluoride glass fibres have the potential of reducing the loss by more than 10 times. This project aims to overcome two of the technological challenges of the ultra-low-loss fluoride fibre optics network: (1) commercial-scale manufacturing of improved fibres and (2) signal amplification at 2.3μm. By generating new fundamental knowledge on rare-earth transitions and glass crystal formation, expected outcomes include innovative fibre fabrication methods optimised for space manufacturing. Benefits will include enhanced internet capacity with lower energy requirements, and opportunities for sovereign capability in fluoride fibre fabrication in Australia.Read moreRead less
Enhanced sensitivity of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Enhanced sensitivity of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. This project aims to enhance the sensitivity of nano-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (nanoESI-MS) by an order of magnitude by simultaneously overcoming the two interdependent limitations in ion generation and transmission efficiency. This project will design glass capillaries and tubes with complex structures to enable both multiplexing ion generation fr ....Enhanced sensitivity of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Enhanced sensitivity of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. This project aims to enhance the sensitivity of nano-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (nanoESI-MS) by an order of magnitude by simultaneously overcoming the two interdependent limitations in ion generation and transmission efficiency. This project will design glass capillaries and tubes with complex structures to enable both multiplexing ion generation from a single capillary and geometrically matching the bore of the tube collecting the emitted ion plume. NanoESI-MS has become an indispensable analytical tool for proteomics and synthetic chemistry. The significant enhancement of nanoESI-MS sensitivity in this project is expected to accelerate progress in disease research, biomarker discovery and drug development.Read moreRead less
Smart design technology enabling the mid-infrared revolution. While mid-infrared (MIR) lasers have become indispensable to key industries ranging from research and healthcare to defence, industrial deployment of this technology has been hampered by the lack of cost-effective MIR optical fibres. This project aims to overcome this barrier through the creation of an innovative design toolkit for the fabrication of complex optical fibre structures. This efficient and commercially viable concept-to-m ....Smart design technology enabling the mid-infrared revolution. While mid-infrared (MIR) lasers have become indispensable to key industries ranging from research and healthcare to defence, industrial deployment of this technology has been hampered by the lack of cost-effective MIR optical fibres. This project aims to overcome this barrier through the creation of an innovative design toolkit for the fabrication of complex optical fibre structures. This efficient and commercially viable concept-to-manufacture development process will pave the way towards the MIR fibre technology revolution and will yield significant economic benefits spanning industrial process controls and environmental monitoring to hazardous chemical detection and biological sensing.Read moreRead less
Vacuum insulated energy-efficient windows. Vacuum insulated energy-efficient windows. This project aims to develop large vacuum insulated windows with higher insulation performance than triple glazing, the best currently available, by toughening glass to increase its strength, flatness and safety. Higher performance windows reduce energy wastage in the developed world, and vacuum glazing’s thin profile means they can be retrofitted into buildings immediately, without the delay of replacing build ....Vacuum insulated energy-efficient windows. Vacuum insulated energy-efficient windows. This project aims to develop large vacuum insulated windows with higher insulation performance than triple glazing, the best currently available, by toughening glass to increase its strength, flatness and safety. Higher performance windows reduce energy wastage in the developed world, and vacuum glazing’s thin profile means they can be retrofitted into buildings immediately, without the delay of replacing building stock. The anticipated outcome is a major reduction in energy use for climate control in buildings, a large and rapidly growing energy sector that climate change makes unsustainable; and rapid economic, social and environmental benefits through sustainable climate control in cities.Read moreRead less
Extreme temperature monitoring for minerals and metals processing. This project aims to extend the capabilities of the optical fibre temperature sensor technology developed by the research team, based on microstructured optical fibres and femtosecond laser ablation fibre Bragg gratings, to conduct a range of measurements inside industrial furnace environments that are impossible using existing technology. This device will also be validated within the furnaces located at the minerals and metals p ....Extreme temperature monitoring for minerals and metals processing. This project aims to extend the capabilities of the optical fibre temperature sensor technology developed by the research team, based on microstructured optical fibres and femtosecond laser ablation fibre Bragg gratings, to conduct a range of measurements inside industrial furnace environments that are impossible using existing technology. This device will also be validated within the furnaces located at the minerals and metals processing facility operated by Nyrstar in Port Pirie. This project is designed to enable smelter operators to improve production efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and minimise equipment failure.Read moreRead less
New Paradigm for Materials Technology for AZS Glassmaking Refractories. The project aims to enable the inexpensive manufacture of widely used refractories with reduced energy and materials costs and improved thermal and mechanical properties. The project plans to exploit technology patented by the researchers to fabricate percolated mullite materials from fly ash by sintering, yielding properties equivalent or superior to those of fuse-cast alumina-zirconia-silica refractories (AZS). AZS is expe ....New Paradigm for Materials Technology for AZS Glassmaking Refractories. The project aims to enable the inexpensive manufacture of widely used refractories with reduced energy and materials costs and improved thermal and mechanical properties. The project plans to exploit technology patented by the researchers to fabricate percolated mullite materials from fly ash by sintering, yielding properties equivalent or superior to those of fuse-cast alumina-zirconia-silica refractories (AZS). AZS is expensive since it requires melting by fuse-casting and high-purity raw materials. The project aims to eliminate both requirements by sintering and use of waste fly ash, giving microstructures of dense, direct-bonded, percolated, mullite, single crystals, with residual impurities in the interstices that do not affect creep.Read moreRead less
Hermetic encapsulated perovskite solar cells for energy harvesting glazings. This project aims is to develop fully hermetic, vacuum encapsulation for perovskite solar cells as energy harvesting glazing systems in buildings with high thermal insulation. This glazing system should simultaneously mitigate heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter, control the entry of light, and generate electric power. This project seeks to develop a new advanced glass encapsulation method with electrical feedth ....Hermetic encapsulated perovskite solar cells for energy harvesting glazings. This project aims is to develop fully hermetic, vacuum encapsulation for perovskite solar cells as energy harvesting glazing systems in buildings with high thermal insulation. This glazing system should simultaneously mitigate heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter, control the entry of light, and generate electric power. This project seeks to develop a new advanced glass encapsulation method with electrical feedthroughs that is fully compatible with perovskite solar cells. It should revolutionise the architectural glazing market with a new generation product with unprecedented electrical power generation capacity and a simultaneous increase in thermal insulation to provide the ultimate energy solution for future cities. An expected outcome from this project is a range of new products to expand the solar market beyond roof-top applications and solar farms.Read moreRead less