Numerical Modelling and Experimental Studies to Design and Engineer Nanoparticulate Systems for Bioapplications. Project outcomes will enhance Australia's reputation for scientific innovation in the field of bio-nanotechnology. The project will expand the knowledge base in this area and increase Australia's international profile in research on nanomaterials for bio-related applications. The project partners UNSW and Australian company (Minomic), integrating their skills, expertise and facilities ....Numerical Modelling and Experimental Studies to Design and Engineer Nanoparticulate Systems for Bioapplications. Project outcomes will enhance Australia's reputation for scientific innovation in the field of bio-nanotechnology. The project will expand the knowledge base in this area and increase Australia's international profile in research on nanomaterials for bio-related applications. The project partners UNSW and Australian company (Minomic), integrating their skills, expertise and facilities to address current limitations in understanding the stability of magnetic nanoparticles in biological fluids. The Australian partners will play a leading role in commercializing new applications for functionalized magnetic nanoparticles. The project will provide an excellent multidisciplinary research environment and training for early career researchers.Read moreRead less
Designing New Visible-light Active Photocatalysts for Efficient CO2 Reduction. The increasing concern over Climate Change has triggered great efforts in developing new CO2 capture technologies. The outcomes of this program will lead to a new class of photocatalysts that underpin the development of economical CO2 reduction for clean fuel production using sunlight. Such technologies will speed up the transition of Australian environmental and energy industries from fossil fuel economy to renewable ....Designing New Visible-light Active Photocatalysts for Efficient CO2 Reduction. The increasing concern over Climate Change has triggered great efforts in developing new CO2 capture technologies. The outcomes of this program will lead to a new class of photocatalysts that underpin the development of economical CO2 reduction for clean fuel production using sunlight. Such technologies will speed up the transition of Australian environmental and energy industries from fossil fuel economy to renewable energy economy. The research program will contribute significantly to knowledge advancement in nanomaterials, surface chemistry, and photochemistry, and falls in the National Research Priority Area of 'Environmentally Sustainable Australia' addressing the key goals of Climate Change and low emission energy supply.Read moreRead less
Charge-driven self-assembly of nanocomposites of ionic polymers and oxide nanoparticles. This project addresses the materials needs in platform technologies for more efficient and cleaner means of generating energy and utilising energy. It also aims at better catalysts for cleaner chemical processes. The novel nanocomposites with significantly increased active ionic sites and higher ionic conductivity, and better activity in catalysis will lead to possible new breakthroughs in technologies for e ....Charge-driven self-assembly of nanocomposites of ionic polymers and oxide nanoparticles. This project addresses the materials needs in platform technologies for more efficient and cleaner means of generating energy and utilising energy. It also aims at better catalysts for cleaner chemical processes. The novel nanocomposites with significantly increased active ionic sites and higher ionic conductivity, and better activity in catalysis will lead to possible new breakthroughs in technologies for energy, environmental and self-cleaning materials. The fabrication approach developed are also applicable to other functional nanomaterials, providing new opportunities for innovative nanotechnology to clearer and greener chemical and energy industries.
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NANOCOMPOSITE PROTON-CONDUCTING MEMBRANES FOR FUEL CELL APPLICATIONS. This project aims to develop a new class of proton-conducting materials with high proton-conductivity, low gas permeability and good thermal stability for application to fuel cells. The strategy for such a new material is to exploit the unique properties of nanoscale particles of metal phosphates and silicates, hybridised with proton-conducting polymers. Such new materials will be enabling technology for commercialising both ....NANOCOMPOSITE PROTON-CONDUCTING MEMBRANES FOR FUEL CELL APPLICATIONS. This project aims to develop a new class of proton-conducting materials with high proton-conductivity, low gas permeability and good thermal stability for application to fuel cells. The strategy for such a new material is to exploit the unique properties of nanoscale particles of metal phosphates and silicates, hybridised with proton-conducting polymers. Such new materials will be enabling technology for commercialising both hydrogen and methanol fuel cells, promising a revolutionary clean energy supply particularly for transport vehicles and mobile devices. The project addresses the synthesis and characterisation of nanostructured composite of proton-conducting nanoparticles, a key to high performance fuel cell membranes.Read moreRead less
Band-Gap Engineered Visible Light Photocatalysts: Enabling Technologies for Sustainable Energy and the Environment. This program will contribute significantly to knowledge advancement in colloid chemistry, nanomaterials and electrochemistry, and is firmly embedded in the National Research Priorities of Frontier Science and an Environmentally Sustainable Australia. In particular, it addresses the goals of water and low emission energy supply. The outcomes of this research will advance a new class ....Band-Gap Engineered Visible Light Photocatalysts: Enabling Technologies for Sustainable Energy and the Environment. This program will contribute significantly to knowledge advancement in colloid chemistry, nanomaterials and electrochemistry, and is firmly embedded in the National Research Priorities of Frontier Science and an Environmentally Sustainable Australia. In particular, it addresses the goals of water and low emission energy supply. The outcomes of this research will advance a new class of visible-light active photocatalysts that underpin the development of hydrogen generation, low cost solar cells and water purification using sunlight. Such technologies will transform the Australian energy and environmental industries and speed up the transition from a fossil fuel economy to a renewable energy economy.Read moreRead less
Synthesis of Unique Mesoporous Graphitic Carbons and their Application to Fundamental Problems in Adsorption Science. The development of synthesis techniques to create porous graphitic carbons with highly ordered pore structures, easily accessible pore volume and good electrical conductivity can underpin technological advancements in many industrial applications such as energy storage, removal of pollutants from exhaust streams, direct-methanol fuel cells and lithium ion batteries. Techniques de ....Synthesis of Unique Mesoporous Graphitic Carbons and their Application to Fundamental Problems in Adsorption Science. The development of synthesis techniques to create porous graphitic carbons with highly ordered pore structures, easily accessible pore volume and good electrical conductivity can underpin technological advancements in many industrial applications such as energy storage, removal of pollutants from exhaust streams, direct-methanol fuel cells and lithium ion batteries. Techniques developed in this project are also applicable to creating other materials important to advanced sensors and optoelectronics. The fundamental study of water adsorption and hysteresis using these carbons will help us create better models for adsorption. This will underpin theoretical studies, characterisation and optimisation of carbon materials into the future. Read moreRead less
Greatly improved rectification by molecular diodes. Society has already seen dramatic benefits from microtechnology, which has made possible most of the devices that we take for granted. The limits of miniaturisation using current technology are rapidly being reached, and the next stage is in the realm of nanotechnology. The goal of the field known as molecular electronics is to reach the point where electronic components are composed of single molecules or single molecular layers. In this fi ....Greatly improved rectification by molecular diodes. Society has already seen dramatic benefits from microtechnology, which has made possible most of the devices that we take for granted. The limits of miniaturisation using current technology are rapidly being reached, and the next stage is in the realm of nanotechnology. The goal of the field known as molecular electronics is to reach the point where electronic components are composed of single molecules or single molecular layers. In this field the smallest active component is the molecular diode, and this project is focussed on achieving practical performance from molecular diodes, as a crucial first step in achieving miniaturisation far beyond anything now possible.Read moreRead less
Beyond Microarrays: Nano-Scaled Devices for High Throughput Biomolecular Sensing. Current developments in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology hold many promises in terms of revolutionising our industrial base, transforming biology, medical science and practice. This project strives to achieve some of these aims by, for the first time, building and testing nano-scaled devices with the capability to 'read' massive amounts of biological information. With the recent completion of the Human Genome proje ....Beyond Microarrays: Nano-Scaled Devices for High Throughput Biomolecular Sensing. Current developments in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology hold many promises in terms of revolutionising our industrial base, transforming biology, medical science and practice. This project strives to achieve some of these aims by, for the first time, building and testing nano-scaled devices with the capability to 'read' massive amounts of biological information. With the recent completion of the Human Genome project, major opportunities exist to provide spectacular advances in human health care (eg, via personalised medicine) provided that appropriate high-throughput biological reading devices can be developed. In developing such devices, this project also aims to substantially catalyse the Australian Nanotechnology/Biotechnology industry.Read moreRead less
Nano-structured sol-gels synthesised under microgravity conditions. This project aims to study the nano-structured silica formation under microgravity conditions using a sol-gel process. In the absence of gravitional forces and associated free convective disturbances, the sol reaction in our preliminary testing with NASA has revealed fundamental reorganisation in nano properties (i.e. fractal dimension, pore size, surface area and pore volume) as compared to tests carried out under normal gravi ....Nano-structured sol-gels synthesised under microgravity conditions. This project aims to study the nano-structured silica formation under microgravity conditions using a sol-gel process. In the absence of gravitional forces and associated free convective disturbances, the sol reaction in our preliminary testing with NASA has revealed fundamental reorganisation in nano properties (i.e. fractal dimension, pore size, surface area and pore volume) as compared to tests carried out under normal gravity conditions. This is a key feature of scientific interest for the production of nanomaterials for applications such as linear and non-linear optical materials and quantum materials.Read moreRead less
Smart Nanocapsules for Efficient Cellular Delivery of Bioactive Peptide Drugs. This project will bring about practical benefits in terms of developing efficient therapeutic drug delivery systems, which has a market growth estimated to be ca. 23% p.a. in the world. The novel encapsulation technology developed in this project is not only desirable for biomolecules but also applicable for other functional materials and will find wide applications in a number of fields, such as chemical, food proces ....Smart Nanocapsules for Efficient Cellular Delivery of Bioactive Peptide Drugs. This project will bring about practical benefits in terms of developing efficient therapeutic drug delivery systems, which has a market growth estimated to be ca. 23% p.a. in the world. The novel encapsulation technology developed in this project is not only desirable for biomolecules but also applicable for other functional materials and will find wide applications in a number of fields, such as chemical, food processing and cosmetic industries. Successful completion of the project can also strengthen our capacity to participate in new areas of research and positioning Australia at the forefront of bionanotechnology.Read moreRead less