Stabilisation of Titania Pigment Slurries During Processing. This project aims to improve the stabilisation properties of titania pigment slurries during production. Current polyphosphate dispersants used by Tiwest are unstable under processing conditions. Tailored, robust dispersing reagents will therefore be investigated in order to provide improved stabilisation of pigments during processing. Enhanced understanding of the dispersing reagents interaction with the titania pigment surface and th ....Stabilisation of Titania Pigment Slurries During Processing. This project aims to improve the stabilisation properties of titania pigment slurries during production. Current polyphosphate dispersants used by Tiwest are unstable under processing conditions. Tailored, robust dispersing reagents will therefore be investigated in order to provide improved stabilisation of pigments during processing. Enhanced understanding of the dispersing reagents interaction with the titania pigment surface and the subsequent stability of the pigment will allow advances in processing and consequently improved final products. The potential growth in market share, by improved product performance, is in excess of $50M pa.Read moreRead less
Controlling density, viscosity and crystallisation in emulsion explosives to enhance safety and efficiency of blasting operations. The performance of emulsion explosives used throughout the mining industry can be severely compromised by the effects of shear arising from pumping and detonation shock waves. Understanding how shear affects droplet coalescence and crystallisation is critical in differential energy blasting, where emulsion density and composition vary widely along the bore hole. This ....Controlling density, viscosity and crystallisation in emulsion explosives to enhance safety and efficiency of blasting operations. The performance of emulsion explosives used throughout the mining industry can be severely compromised by the effects of shear arising from pumping and detonation shock waves. Understanding how shear affects droplet coalescence and crystallisation is critical in differential energy blasting, where emulsion density and composition vary widely along the bore hole. This project aims to contribute to the understanding of the effects of shear, and develop new methods and additives to stabilise droplets and bubbles over a wide range of compositions and conditions. The goal of this project is to improve the efficiency and safety of rock-blasting operations, reduce environmental impact, and reduce operating costs, giving the Australian mining industry a competitive edge.Read moreRead less
A Physicochemical Approach for Optimizing Drug Delivery from BioSilicon. By applying modern techniques and a multidisciplinary approach, this research will develop an understanding of drug loading of BioSiliconTM at a molecular level. This novel class of nano-structured biomaterial has exciting potential for developing a range of controllable drug delivery systems. Existing medical applications of BioSilicon deliver only small molecules for very specialised uses. Current research has not focused ....A Physicochemical Approach for Optimizing Drug Delivery from BioSilicon. By applying modern techniques and a multidisciplinary approach, this research will develop an understanding of drug loading of BioSiliconTM at a molecular level. This novel class of nano-structured biomaterial has exciting potential for developing a range of controllable drug delivery systems. Existing medical applications of BioSilicon deliver only small molecules for very specialised uses. Current research has not focused on understanding the pore structure and how it can be adapted for special applications. Our research will create new drug delivery systems with many innovative applications in medical, veterinary and bio-diagnostics fields. The medical and socio-economic impacts will be internationally significant.Read moreRead less
Evaluating modern printing inks: the behaviour of charged particles in concentrated nonaqueous colloidal dispersions. The Partner Organisation in this proposal, Research Laboratories of Australia (RLA) is a small Adelaide-based company which is at the forefront of modern colour printing technology. RLA provides liquid toners to several major international manufacturers of colour printers for use in liquid immersion development processes. This proposal will develop an instrument for characterisin ....Evaluating modern printing inks: the behaviour of charged particles in concentrated nonaqueous colloidal dispersions. The Partner Organisation in this proposal, Research Laboratories of Australia (RLA) is a small Adelaide-based company which is at the forefront of modern colour printing technology. RLA provides liquid toners to several major international manufacturers of colour printers for use in liquid immersion development processes. This proposal will develop an instrument for characterising the properties of liquid inks, enabling continual R&D improvement of RLA's products. Furthermore, the instrument can be commercialised and marketed worldwide to companies dealing with concentrated colloidal dispersions in a wide range of industries including foods, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and surface coatings.Read moreRead less
Polymers at Mineral Interfaces. Polymers are used widely in the mineral processing industry to alter mineral surfaces, often selectively. In spite of this, there remains a gap in our understanding of how polymers interact with mineral surfaces and how their surface structure affects the mineral surface properties. The aim of this project is to fill this gap by performing fundamental research on adsorbed polymer structure and properties, coupled with applied research on real mineral ores from a ....Polymers at Mineral Interfaces. Polymers are used widely in the mineral processing industry to alter mineral surfaces, often selectively. In spite of this, there remains a gap in our understanding of how polymers interact with mineral surfaces and how their surface structure affects the mineral surface properties. The aim of this project is to fill this gap by performing fundamental research on adsorbed polymer structure and properties, coupled with applied research on real mineral ores from a number of mineral companies. The combination of fundamental and applied research makes this project unique in the study of polymers at mineral interfaces, and will enable us to solve real processing problems through a rational choice of polymers for a given application.Read moreRead less
Novel Nanomaterials for Photocatalytic Water Purification - Science and Application. Water is rapidly becoming Australia's most critical natural resource, and there is an urgent need to re-use and recycle water from domestic use (graywater) and industry, as well as utilisation of larger scale harvesting of rainwater. The outcome of this project will be a technology which can remove organic material (biological and non-biological) from water, enabling a greater range of uses of wastewater. This ....Novel Nanomaterials for Photocatalytic Water Purification - Science and Application. Water is rapidly becoming Australia's most critical natural resource, and there is an urgent need to re-use and recycle water from domestic use (graywater) and industry, as well as utilisation of larger scale harvesting of rainwater. The outcome of this project will be a technology which can remove organic material (biological and non-biological) from water, enabling a greater range of uses of wastewater. This technology will play a significant role in delivering future water security, and developing new industries involved in manufacture and export of water treatment technologies. This project directly addresses the National Priority Research area of water, and international priorities involving greater re-use and recycling of water.Read moreRead less
Novel Self Assembled Particle Systems as a Key to Next Generation Biosensor Technology. Development and commercialisation of products utilising nanotechnology is crucial to future wealth creation for Australia. The translational research in this proposal will progress innovative concepts in nanotechnology-based biosensors, with potential for substantial improvements in disease diagnosis, leading to more economical and timely therapy. The products that arise from this research will also provide f ....Novel Self Assembled Particle Systems as a Key to Next Generation Biosensor Technology. Development and commercialisation of products utilising nanotechnology is crucial to future wealth creation for Australia. The translational research in this proposal will progress innovative concepts in nanotechnology-based biosensors, with potential for substantial improvements in disease diagnosis, leading to more economical and timely therapy. The products that arise from this research will also provide further employment for Australians, building on Universal Biosensor’s proven record of commercialization in Australia. The project will lead to training of Australian researchers in nanotechnology and in utilization of key Australian science infrastructure including the Australian Synchrotron and the Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication.Read moreRead less
High Efficiency Electrochemical Cells. This project will study a recently developed, energy efficient ‘capillary-fed’ electrochemical cell architecture in the facilitation of various electro-energy and electro-synthetic transformations. The new cell architecture will be examined as a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell and as a cell for extracting pure hydrogen from a 5-10% mixture of hydrogen in methane (natural gas), amongst others. The work seeks to improve upon the electrochemical performance of the b ....High Efficiency Electrochemical Cells. This project will study a recently developed, energy efficient ‘capillary-fed’ electrochemical cell architecture in the facilitation of various electro-energy and electro-synthetic transformations. The new cell architecture will be examined as a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell and as a cell for extracting pure hydrogen from a 5-10% mixture of hydrogen in methane (natural gas), amongst others. The work seeks to improve upon the electrochemical performance of the best commercial and academic cells of such types, if possible. In increasing the efficiency with which renewable electricity can be converted into renewable hydrogen and back, this project will support the national priority of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.Read moreRead less
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.
Advanced Molecular Frameworks for Sodium Battery Electrode Applications. This project aims to develop new molecular materials capable of high capacity sodium-ion insertion. Through an innovative interdisciplinary approach that targets the synthesis and detailed characterisation of an extensive family of materials this project expects to generate major advances in the understanding of how the chemical, physical and structural attributes of the materials relate to their electrical charge/discharge ....Advanced Molecular Frameworks for Sodium Battery Electrode Applications. This project aims to develop new molecular materials capable of high capacity sodium-ion insertion. Through an innovative interdisciplinary approach that targets the synthesis and detailed characterisation of an extensive family of materials this project expects to generate major advances in the understanding of how the chemical, physical and structural attributes of the materials relate to their electrical charge/discharge behaviours. Significant anticipated outcomes and benefits include the development of new material design approaches that optimise battery electrode performance across a diverse parameter space, and the generation of advanced new materials worthy of commercial development in low-cost, large-scale battery applications.Read moreRead less