Ultra-high mobility Dirac semimetal nanostructures for solid state devices. This project aims to develop novel Dirac semimetal nanostructures and determine their structural and chemical characteristics to ultimately assemble high-performance devices. The growth of band-engineered nanostructures and understanding their evolution, fine structure and unique properties are key steps for developing high-performance nanostructure-based devices. The new knowledge and skills developed in this project wi ....Ultra-high mobility Dirac semimetal nanostructures for solid state devices. This project aims to develop novel Dirac semimetal nanostructures and determine their structural and chemical characteristics to ultimately assemble high-performance devices. The growth of band-engineered nanostructures and understanding their evolution, fine structure and unique properties are key steps for developing high-performance nanostructure-based devices. The new knowledge and skills developed in this project will greatly enhance the knowledge base of nanoscience and nanotechnology, and will have a significant impact on practical applications of nanostructure-based devices. This project will underpin the development of next-generation electronic nanomaterials that will enhance the long-term viability of Australia’s high-technology industries.Read moreRead less
Plasma-assisted on-surface assembly for hydrogen production and beyond. This project aims to discover how to catalyse the formation and control the structure of functional materials with atomic precision using plasmas. New mechanisms of ultra-fast, plasma-catalytic on-surface nanoasembly will translate into energy-efficient, scalable digital fabrication of subnano-cluster and single-atomic-site catalysts over large 3D surface areas, tailored for advanced electrocatalysis. The outcomes including ....Plasma-assisted on-surface assembly for hydrogen production and beyond. This project aims to discover how to catalyse the formation and control the structure of functional materials with atomic precision using plasmas. New mechanisms of ultra-fast, plasma-catalytic on-surface nanoasembly will translate into energy-efficient, scalable digital fabrication of subnano-cluster and single-atomic-site catalysts over large 3D surface areas, tailored for advanced electrocatalysis. The outcomes including new concepts and insights into synergistic action of plasmas and solid surfaces will bridge atomic-scale materials formation and digital fabrication at industrial scales. The benefits including the new nanofabrication platform and clean energy will go beyond the demands of digital manufacturing and hydrogen economy. Read moreRead less
Cost-effective metal selenide materials for solid-state devices. Thermoelectric materials, directly converting thermal energy into electrical energy, offer a green and sustainable solution for the global energy dilemma. This project aims to develop cost-effective metal selenide materials for high-efficiency solid-state devices using a novel industry-level approach, coupled with nanostructure and band engineering strategies. The key breakthrough is to design high-performance metal selenide thermo ....Cost-effective metal selenide materials for solid-state devices. Thermoelectric materials, directly converting thermal energy into electrical energy, offer a green and sustainable solution for the global energy dilemma. This project aims to develop cost-effective metal selenide materials for high-efficiency solid-state devices using a novel industry-level approach, coupled with nanostructure and band engineering strategies. The key breakthrough is to design high-performance metal selenide thermoelectric materials with engineered chemistry and unique structures for new generation thermoelectrics. The expected outcomes will lead to an innovative technology for harvesting electricity from waste heat or sunlight, which will place Australia at the forefront of energy and manufacturing technologies.Read moreRead less
Inorganic/organic Hybrids for flexible thermoelectric generators. Flexible thermoelectric generators can directly harvest electricity from body heat, offering a new technology for wearable electronics, but their unsatisfied performance limits their applications. This project aims to design high-efficient and mechanically robust flexible thermoelectric devices based on novel hybrids with quantum dots and conducting polymers as key components. The key breakthrough is to establish unique devices wi ....Inorganic/organic Hybrids for flexible thermoelectric generators. Flexible thermoelectric generators can directly harvest electricity from body heat, offering a new technology for wearable electronics, but their unsatisfied performance limits their applications. This project aims to design high-efficient and mechanically robust flexible thermoelectric devices based on novel hybrids with quantum dots and conducting polymers as key components. The key breakthrough is to establish unique devices with record-high thermoelectric efficiency and to illustrate the underlying mechanisms for searching new-type flexible thermoelectrics. The expected outcomes will lead to innovative technology for energy conversion and advanced manufacturing and place Australia at the forefront of energy and manufacturing fields.Read moreRead less
On-Chip Detection and Molecular Fingerprinting of Emerging Toxicants. The project aims to address key questions about the development and integration of advanced materials and functional molecules into cutting-edge analytical tools for screening emerging environmental pollutants. This is expected to generate fundamental and applied knowledge in analytical chemistry, using an interdisciplinary approach to engineer materials with precisely tailored properties for ultra-sensitive and selective dete ....On-Chip Detection and Molecular Fingerprinting of Emerging Toxicants. The project aims to address key questions about the development and integration of advanced materials and functional molecules into cutting-edge analytical tools for screening emerging environmental pollutants. This is expected to generate fundamental and applied knowledge in analytical chemistry, using an interdisciplinary approach to engineer materials with precisely tailored properties for ultra-sensitive and selective detection of extremely persistent toxicants in water. Anticipated outcomes are optical materials and functional molecules, integrated into lab-on-a-chip platforms with advanced features for real-life environmental applications – with significant benefits for addressing major environmental and health treats to our society.Read moreRead less
Understanding the properties of layered nanostructures using in-situ TEM. This project aims to support the practical applications of layered nanostructure-based devices and systems. The development of layered chalcogenide nanostructures is a global research focus due to their potential applications in the energy sector. However, their structure–property link is unclear due to the lack of direct correlation between their structure and properties. This project aims to establish the intrinsic struc ....Understanding the properties of layered nanostructures using in-situ TEM. This project aims to support the practical applications of layered nanostructure-based devices and systems. The development of layered chalcogenide nanostructures is a global research focus due to their potential applications in the energy sector. However, their structure–property link is unclear due to the lack of direct correlation between their structure and properties. This project aims to establish the intrinsic structure–property link by closely correlating the structure (and structural variations) and properties (and varied properties) simultaneously determined from individual nanostructures inside a transmission electron microscope. Expected project outcomes may advance the knowledge base, and provide guidelines for the development of nanostructure-based devices for their high-performance applications, especially in the energy sector.Read moreRead less
Controlling nano-carbon complexity and function. The project aims to develop versatile continuous flow thin film microfluidic device technology incorporating different external fields, including innovative magnetic or electric fields coupled with pulsed lasers, for gaining access to novel nano-carbon material for which current methods are ineffective or of limited utility. The technology will allow exquisite control, with real time monitoring, on reforming of carbon into functional material with ....Controlling nano-carbon complexity and function. The project aims to develop versatile continuous flow thin film microfluidic device technology incorporating different external fields, including innovative magnetic or electric fields coupled with pulsed lasers, for gaining access to novel nano-carbon material for which current methods are ineffective or of limited utility. The technology will allow exquisite control, with real time monitoring, on reforming of carbon into functional material with tunable properties, along with the self assembly of nano-carbon, and fabricating composites of nano-carbon material. Understanding their fundamental properties including photoluminescence will be targeted, for leveraging the properties in applications to generate new processes and products.
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An account of wetting phenomena on nano-engineered surfaces. This project aims to provide researchers and industry with a toolbox to predict wetting behaviour on surfaces with nanoscale topography. A combined experimental and numerical study will lead to the discovery of the mechanisms by which topographical and chemical properties of the surface trigger the formation of nanostructure-induced air pockets and how these phenomena determine surface wettability. This will provide significant benefi ....An account of wetting phenomena on nano-engineered surfaces. This project aims to provide researchers and industry with a toolbox to predict wetting behaviour on surfaces with nanoscale topography. A combined experimental and numerical study will lead to the discovery of the mechanisms by which topographical and chemical properties of the surface trigger the formation of nanostructure-induced air pockets and how these phenomena determine surface wettability. This will provide significant benefits, as the predictive surface-wettability model will enhance controllability and productivity of diverse manufacturing processes and lead to new applications, high-value products and economic benefits in mining, energy, electronics, biomedicine and other fields.Read moreRead less
High shear fluid flow driving carbon foundry for advanced manufacturing. This project aims to develop versatile continuous flow thin film microfluidic device technology for harnessing contact electrification generated by sub-micron high shear flows in fabricating novel and high-performance nano-carbons for which current methods are ineffective or impossible. This project expects to generate new knowledge on complex vortex fluid fields, their intricate interactions with external electric and magn ....High shear fluid flow driving carbon foundry for advanced manufacturing. This project aims to develop versatile continuous flow thin film microfluidic device technology for harnessing contact electrification generated by sub-micron high shear flows in fabricating novel and high-performance nano-carbons for which current methods are ineffective or impossible. This project expects to generate new knowledge on complex vortex fluid fields, their intricate interactions with external electric and magnetic fields and carbon nanostructure formation. Expected outcomes for this project include exquisite control on reforming nanocarbon with tuneable properties and unprecedented hetero-structures. This should provide significant benefits, such as in generating new processes and products for advanced manufacturing. Read moreRead less
Ductile grinding mechanism and technology of brittle single crystals. This project aims to develop a fundamental understanding of the removal mechanics of emerging brittle single crystals under grinding-induced loading. A successful outcome will not only develop a new theoretical model for predicting the ductile removal regime of this class of difficult-to-machine materials, but their cost-effective ductile grinding processes will also be generated. It will address a longstanding bottleneck prod ....Ductile grinding mechanism and technology of brittle single crystals. This project aims to develop a fundamental understanding of the removal mechanics of emerging brittle single crystals under grinding-induced loading. A successful outcome will not only develop a new theoretical model for predicting the ductile removal regime of this class of difficult-to-machine materials, but their cost-effective ductile grinding processes will also be generated. It will address a longstanding bottleneck productivity issue in advanced manufacturing. The breakthrough technology developed in the project is expected to significantly benefit a number of industrial sectors for the fabrication of more affordable high-performance devices including mobile phones, light-emitting diodes, solar cells, sensors, and laser systems.Read moreRead less