Controlling precipitation processes in the production of value-added zirconia. Doral Specialty Chemicals produces specialised zirconia products from zircon sands mined in WA. Doping the zirconia with metals such as yttrium and aluminium can produce advanced ceramics, with applications in areas such as solid oxide fuel cells and oxygen sensors. The aim of this project is to improve the fundamental understanding of the chemistry in the initial processing steps, so that the process can be readily m ....Controlling precipitation processes in the production of value-added zirconia. Doral Specialty Chemicals produces specialised zirconia products from zircon sands mined in WA. Doping the zirconia with metals such as yttrium and aluminium can produce advanced ceramics, with applications in areas such as solid oxide fuel cells and oxygen sensors. The aim of this project is to improve the fundamental understanding of the chemistry in the initial processing steps, so that the process can be readily modified to produce new doped zirconia ceramics, without the extensive empirical process development currently required. The resulting ability to quickly produce new compositions on a commercial scale will put this industry in a world-leading position, dramatically increasing the added value of the zirconia products.Read moreRead less
Polyoxometalate Clusters: Catalytic Chemistry in Solution and Condensed States. Polyoxometalate cluster anions are soluble metal-oxygen clusters that are cheap, robust and non-toxic.
Conditions for systematic tuning of redox potentials over the range +2 to -3 V have become accessible via certain photo-active polyoxometalates. The same system can provide powerful oxidants (that rival chlorine) and powerful reductants (that rival potassium).
The program will take advantage of this unique ....Polyoxometalate Clusters: Catalytic Chemistry in Solution and Condensed States. Polyoxometalate cluster anions are soluble metal-oxygen clusters that are cheap, robust and non-toxic.
Conditions for systematic tuning of redox potentials over the range +2 to -3 V have become accessible via certain photo-active polyoxometalates. The same system can provide powerful oxidants (that rival chlorine) and powerful reductants (that rival potassium).
The program will take advantage of this unique range of properties to explore:-
(i) coupling of photo- and electro-chemical processes into effective catalytic cycles;
(ii) photo- and electro-chemical processes in ionic liquid solvents;
(iii) synthesis and redox reactivity of nanoparticles stabilised by polyoxometalates.
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