Advanced Materials from Automated Synthesis of Sequence-Defined Polymers. The project aims to develop industrially scalable and environmentally friendly methods for synthesis of sequence-defined multiblock copolymers (polymer chains containing segments of different polymer types) using automated synthesis methods. The materials to be explored will be largely based on renewable biomass-derived monomeric building blocks. Such polymers are able to undergo microphase separation into spatially period ....Advanced Materials from Automated Synthesis of Sequence-Defined Polymers. The project aims to develop industrially scalable and environmentally friendly methods for synthesis of sequence-defined multiblock copolymers (polymer chains containing segments of different polymer types) using automated synthesis methods. The materials to be explored will be largely based on renewable biomass-derived monomeric building blocks. Such polymers are able to undergo microphase separation into spatially periodic compositional patterns, thereby providing access to a vast range of nano-engineered materials. This would enable design and synthesis of new advanced materials, making use of renewable resources and supporting the circular economy, with diverse potential applications ranging from nanomedicine to materials science.Read moreRead less
Innovative Zn alloys with essential mechanical and biofunctional properties. This project aims to develop a breakthrough understanding of the impact of alloying additions on the strengthening mechanisms, degradation behaviour, antibacterial properties and biofunctionalities of zinc alloys. The project expects to generate new knowledge in alloying strategies, plastic deformation and surface modification of zinc alloys to achieve mechanical, corrosion and biofunctional properties satisfying the re ....Innovative Zn alloys with essential mechanical and biofunctional properties. This project aims to develop a breakthrough understanding of the impact of alloying additions on the strengthening mechanisms, degradation behaviour, antibacterial properties and biofunctionalities of zinc alloys. The project expects to generate new knowledge in alloying strategies, plastic deformation and surface modification of zinc alloys to achieve mechanical, corrosion and biofunctional properties satisfying the requirements of biodegradable metallic materials. The expected outcomes are the development of novel zinc alloys and practical technologies for industry applications, such as thermomechanical processing and surface coating. The benefits are expected to extend to physical metallurgy and biomaterial manufacturing.Read moreRead less
Innovative Stable Free Radical-Substituted Conjugated Electronic Polymers. The project aims to develop an innovative class of stable free radicals side-chain substituted conjugated donor-acceptor electronic polymers with unique polaronic and radical charge transport capabilities. The targeted optoelectronic material class is unique and has not been explored in depth before. The combination of unpaired electrons and delocalized backbone -electrons delivers exciting modes of charge transfer that ....Innovative Stable Free Radical-Substituted Conjugated Electronic Polymers. The project aims to develop an innovative class of stable free radicals side-chain substituted conjugated donor-acceptor electronic polymers with unique polaronic and radical charge transport capabilities. The targeted optoelectronic material class is unique and has not been explored in depth before. The combination of unpaired electrons and delocalized backbone -electrons delivers exciting modes of charge transfer that provide these novel materials with clear potential as electroactive materials with applications in various nanoelectronics devices. Developing a fundamental understanding of charge transport properties and potential device applications will open up a new field of research in advanced optoelectronic technology. Read moreRead less
2D Multiferroics: From Materials Design to Device Conceptualization. This project aims to design new transistors with high efficiency and low energy costing for the storage applications based on two-dimensional multifunctional heterostructures. Extensive computational simulations and joint experiments will be employed to develop fundamental knowledge essential to understanding the phenomena of magnetoelectric coupling, which is used to guide rational device design and implementation. The designe ....2D Multiferroics: From Materials Design to Device Conceptualization. This project aims to design new transistors with high efficiency and low energy costing for the storage applications based on two-dimensional multifunctional heterostructures. Extensive computational simulations and joint experiments will be employed to develop fundamental knowledge essential to understanding the phenomena of magnetoelectric coupling, which is used to guide rational device design and implementation. The designed magnetoelectric heterostructures and the multiferroic devices are expected to provide strong foundations for technological innovations resulting in devices with superior functionality and efficiency. The outcome of the project will significantly benefit high-tech electronics.Read moreRead less
Light Powered Materials for Producing Chemical Fuels. This project aims to develop a hybrid, solar-powered catalytic material for the manufacture of liquid hydrocarbon chemicals, without consuming external heating. The key concept is to transform hydrogen and carbon monoxide into long-chain hydrocarbons over hybrid materials that can convert light energy into heat and simultaneously catalyze the chemical transformation. Investigations on the relations between material synthesis, nanostructures, ....Light Powered Materials for Producing Chemical Fuels. This project aims to develop a hybrid, solar-powered catalytic material for the manufacture of liquid hydrocarbon chemicals, without consuming external heating. The key concept is to transform hydrogen and carbon monoxide into long-chain hydrocarbons over hybrid materials that can convert light energy into heat and simultaneously catalyze the chemical transformation. Investigations on the relations between material synthesis, nanostructures, and performance of the new catalysis processes will be conducted using experiments and theoretical computation. Expected outcomes include low cost and efficient materials for solar-to-fuel conversion, will provide benefits to low-carbon living, new clean energy resource and environmental protections.Read moreRead less
2D oxide supported single-atom catalysts for sustainable fuel generation. This project aims to develop two-dimensional oxide supported single-atom catalysts for sustainable fuel generation from water and CO2 using combined theoretical and experimental investigations. The outcomes of this project will offer atomic and electronic level principles in designing high-performance catalysts and provide novel approaches on green fuel generations for emerging energy technologies. The success of this proj ....2D oxide supported single-atom catalysts for sustainable fuel generation. This project aims to develop two-dimensional oxide supported single-atom catalysts for sustainable fuel generation from water and CO2 using combined theoretical and experimental investigations. The outcomes of this project will offer atomic and electronic level principles in designing high-performance catalysts and provide novel approaches on green fuel generations for emerging energy technologies. The success of this project will meet the knowledge gap between advanced materials and practical sustainable energy technologies, and contribute to the development of sustainable society of Australia and international community by supplying low-cost and green fuels.Read moreRead less
Folding polymers for high-performance energy storage. This project aims to address the current bottleneck of energy storage capability in polymers by developing new compact structures through programmed polymer folding. This project expects to understand how structures determine electrochemistry properties by creating densely packed redox-active polymers to break the limits of charge transfer rates and storage ability. Expected outcomes include deep insights into fundamental electrochemical reac ....Folding polymers for high-performance energy storage. This project aims to address the current bottleneck of energy storage capability in polymers by developing new compact structures through programmed polymer folding. This project expects to understand how structures determine electrochemistry properties by creating densely packed redox-active polymers to break the limits of charge transfer rates and storage ability. Expected outcomes include deep insights into fundamental electrochemical reaction mechanisms, laying a strong foundation for the applications of polymers from flexible electronic devices to micro-grid energy storage. This project should provide significant benefit in new knowledge and support advanced manufacturing using our high value-added materials.Read moreRead less
Photoelectrode design for solar driven methane to methanol conversion. This project aims to achieve efficient photoelectrocatalytic partial oxidation of greenhouse gas methane for methanol production with high selectivity. The program will design new semiconductor materials through rational defect engineering and co-catalyst selection to revolutionise methane conversion. The expected outcomes include sustainable processes to convert methane into valuable liquid chemicals like methanol, and compr ....Photoelectrode design for solar driven methane to methanol conversion. This project aims to achieve efficient photoelectrocatalytic partial oxidation of greenhouse gas methane for methanol production with high selectivity. The program will design new semiconductor materials through rational defect engineering and co-catalyst selection to revolutionise methane conversion. The expected outcomes include sustainable processes to convert methane into valuable liquid chemicals like methanol, and comprehensive understanding on functional material design for solar driven catalytic reactions. The significant benefits will include revolutionary methane mitigation technologies and sustainable processes for value-added chemical production, alleviating key environmental and energy challenges facing Australia and the world.Read moreRead less
Enabling technology unlocking full potential of high bandgap chalcopyrite . This project is aimed at solving the fundamental challenges of high bandgap chalcopyrite light-harvesting material to unlock its full potential as the top cell for photovoltaic tandem cell and the photocathode for photoelectrochemical applications. This will be realised by dynamic optimisation of its performance in photovoltaic solar cell device through understanding of its defects origins, enabling defects controlling t ....Enabling technology unlocking full potential of high bandgap chalcopyrite . This project is aimed at solving the fundamental challenges of high bandgap chalcopyrite light-harvesting material to unlock its full potential as the top cell for photovoltaic tandem cell and the photocathode for photoelectrochemical applications. This will be realised by dynamic optimisation of its performance in photovoltaic solar cell device through understanding of its defects origins, enabling defects controlling technologies, and microscopic carrier loss mechanism analysis via systematic macro-to-micro characterisations combined with 3D device simulation. The project completion will reinforce the next-generation tandem cell and photoelectrochemical technologies with the efficient, stable, RoHS-compliant and thin chalcopyrite devices.Read moreRead less
Engineered topological nanostructures – a new frontier in materials design. The aim of engineering and utilising topological defects such as domain walls and and skyrmions in functional materials is currently receiving tremendous attention. Their significance lies in a plethora of fascinating phenomena for fundamental research and future technological applications in nanoelectronics. One frontier area of research is negative capacitance nanoelectronics using such materials, carrying the prospect ....Engineered topological nanostructures – a new frontier in materials design. The aim of engineering and utilising topological defects such as domain walls and and skyrmions in functional materials is currently receiving tremendous attention. Their significance lies in a plethora of fascinating phenomena for fundamental research and future technological applications in nanoelectronics. One frontier area of research is negative capacitance nanoelectronics using such materials, carrying the prospect of revolutionizing ultralow energy electronics, which will be developed here. The project's expected outcomes are new concepts for the synthesis and design of topological nanostructures for such applications. The utilization of these materials will benefit efficient controllable functionality for future nanoelectronics.Read moreRead less