Organometallic Transformations of Organic Compounds. The program will develop new metal-based catalysts for two main purposes (i) transforming basic hydrocarbons eg. natural gas and low-molecular-weight petroleum products into more advanced compounds (such as alcohols, alkenes and carboxylic acids); and (ii) converting nitrogen gas into nitrogen-containing compounds eg. ammonia or ammonia derivatives. In both projects, the aim is to take readily available and abundant starting materials that ar ....Organometallic Transformations of Organic Compounds. The program will develop new metal-based catalysts for two main purposes (i) transforming basic hydrocarbons eg. natural gas and low-molecular-weight petroleum products into more advanced compounds (such as alcohols, alkenes and carboxylic acids); and (ii) converting nitrogen gas into nitrogen-containing compounds eg. ammonia or ammonia derivatives. In both projects, the aim is to take readily available and abundant starting materials that are currently difficult to utilise and to design and develop specific reagents to convert them to "value-added" products. The program will also explore the mode of action of metal-based reagents leading to better reagent and catalyst design.Read moreRead less
Generation of Novel Fermentation Products and their Exploitation in the Synthesis of Biologically Active Organic Compounds with Therapeutic Potential. Collections of new micro-organisms and their metabolites suitable for use in the chemical synthesis programs will emerge from the proposed research. This will provide a potentially highly-valuable national resource that could serve the needs of many laboratories around Australia by allowing them to establish more direct routes to target molecules ....Generation of Novel Fermentation Products and their Exploitation in the Synthesis of Biologically Active Organic Compounds with Therapeutic Potential. Collections of new micro-organisms and their metabolites suitable for use in the chemical synthesis programs will emerge from the proposed research. This will provide a potentially highly-valuable national resource that could serve the needs of many laboratories around Australia by allowing them to establish more direct routes to target molecules being sought in the development of new therapeutic agents and/or materials. The combined application of molecular biological, microbiological and chemical synthesis techniques in a concerted manner in the one location will lead to a raft of new opportunities for the biotech and pharmaceutical industries in Australia.Read moreRead less
Integrated self assembly processes and spinning disc reactor technology. Spinning Disc Reactor technology is new to Australia and will have wide ranging applications in nano-technology and in developing benign industrial chemical processes with smaller footprint and significantly reduced capital outlay. The cutting edge research will foster collaboration with industry, and lead to establishing new industries in device technology, smart materials, health care products, catalysis and energy storag ....Integrated self assembly processes and spinning disc reactor technology. Spinning Disc Reactor technology is new to Australia and will have wide ranging applications in nano-technology and in developing benign industrial chemical processes with smaller footprint and significantly reduced capital outlay. The cutting edge research will foster collaboration with industry, and lead to establishing new industries in device technology, smart materials, health care products, catalysis and energy storage, through exploiting commercial opportunities. The project will provide excellent research training in a range of scientific skills and in professional development, and will involve overseas PhD exchange programs. The exciting research incorporating benign metrics will enhance public opinion towards science. Read moreRead less
Materials World Network Synthesis and Processing Optoelectronic Materials in Supercritical and Condensed Phase Carbon Dioxide. The Australian partner will have leveraged access to the skill base and facilities of the Cornell Center for Materials Research, and the NSF MRSEC that leads the world in frontier technologies in advanced materials. The partnership will deliver to Australia progress in national priority goals "Frontier Technologies" and new manufacturing technologies in environmentally ....Materials World Network Synthesis and Processing Optoelectronic Materials in Supercritical and Condensed Phase Carbon Dioxide. The Australian partner will have leveraged access to the skill base and facilities of the Cornell Center for Materials Research, and the NSF MRSEC that leads the world in frontier technologies in advanced materials. The partnership will deliver to Australia progress in national priority goals "Frontier Technologies" and new manufacturing technologies in environmentally friendly media that will enhance the national research priority "An Environmentally Sustainable Australia". New transferable skills will be acquired by the participants in the project. Technology transfer could result in the formation of spinoff companies to exploite the intellectual property arising in the project.Read moreRead less
Determining the Nano-Structure of Ordered Amphiphile Self-Assembly Materials with Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy (PALS). To remain internationally competitive in the future many Australian manufacturing enterprises will need to exploit nano-space. These manufacturers of advanced products containing nano-structured materials will be reliant on sophisticated characterisation techniques in order to maintain a competitive edge. This project will place Australia at the forefront of th ....Determining the Nano-Structure of Ordered Amphiphile Self-Assembly Materials with Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy (PALS). To remain internationally competitive in the future many Australian manufacturing enterprises will need to exploit nano-space. These manufacturers of advanced products containing nano-structured materials will be reliant on sophisticated characterisation techniques in order to maintain a competitive edge. This project will place Australia at the forefront of the application of one such technique, Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy (PALS), to ordered nano-structured amphiphile self-assembly materials. Australian post-graduate students and post-doctoral fellows will also be trained in the creation and characterisation of molecular self-assembly materials which underpin the bottom-up approach in nanotechnology.Read moreRead less
Process Systems for Distributed Chemical Manufacturing. This Project investigates a new paradigm for chemicals production, moving away from large-scale centralised plant to distributed manufacture in relatively small localised facilities. The Project is built on the conjunction of a revolutionary process systems synthesis methodology with a new approach to highly compact equipment manufacture. The Project is of great significance to developing countries and to smaller, remote economies such as A ....Process Systems for Distributed Chemical Manufacturing. This Project investigates a new paradigm for chemicals production, moving away from large-scale centralised plant to distributed manufacture in relatively small localised facilities. The Project is built on the conjunction of a revolutionary process systems synthesis methodology with a new approach to highly compact equipment manufacture. The Project is of great significance to developing countries and to smaller, remote economies such as Australia's, which cannot justify or compete with world-scale production facilities. We will develop our ideas in a case study and identify routes to practical implementation of this example in particular and of the new approach in general.Read moreRead less
Integrated approach to self assembled molecular capsules. Process intensification technologies in the form of spinning disc and rotating tube processing are new to Australia and present many opportunities for both carrying out the synthesis of organic compounds and in fabricating nanomaterials. The ensuing nanotechnological applications are more benign in approach then other fabrication techniques, minimising the generation of waste at the same time under continuous flow which is likely to be mo ....Integrated approach to self assembled molecular capsules. Process intensification technologies in the form of spinning disc and rotating tube processing are new to Australia and present many opportunities for both carrying out the synthesis of organic compounds and in fabricating nanomaterials. The ensuing nanotechnological applications are more benign in approach then other fabrication techniques, minimising the generation of waste at the same time under continuous flow which is likely to be more attractive to industry. Proposed applications such as drug delivery, catalysis, smart materials and device technology are expected to foster industrial collaborations. The project will provide first-rate research training and promote Australian science through the development of these new technologies.Read moreRead less
Molecular genetic analysis of genes controlling morphogenesis: Dimorphic switching in the fungus Penicillium marneffei. Fungi exist in two predominant growth forms; unicellular yeast and multicellular mould (filamentous hyphae). Some fungi can alternate between these two forms in response to environmental stimuli, a process known as dimorphic switching. The cells of these two forms have distinctive shapes and physiological capacities established by genome-wide expression patterns that are trigge ....Molecular genetic analysis of genes controlling morphogenesis: Dimorphic switching in the fungus Penicillium marneffei. Fungi exist in two predominant growth forms; unicellular yeast and multicellular mould (filamentous hyphae). Some fungi can alternate between these two forms in response to environmental stimuli, a process known as dimorphic switching. The cells of these two forms have distinctive shapes and physiological capacities established by genome-wide expression patterns that are triggered by signalling pathways. This research aims to understand the fundamental mechanisms controlling dimorphic switching using Penicillium marneffei, a model system. P. marneffei switches between yeast and filamentous forms in response to temperature. Uncovering the molecular mechanisms that control dimorphic switching has important implications for biotechnology and medicine.Read moreRead less
Near zero-emission hydrogen and carbon production from natural gas and bio-methane. Hydrogen is envisaged as a clean fuel for power generation particularly for the transportation sector. In the short- and mid-term future, hydrogen will be derived from fossil fuels. Based on the conventional processes, the route from fossil fuels to hydrogen invariably produces greenhouse gases. Geosequestration is a viable technique of storing carbon dioxide but has an uncertain long-term environmental ramifi ....Near zero-emission hydrogen and carbon production from natural gas and bio-methane. Hydrogen is envisaged as a clean fuel for power generation particularly for the transportation sector. In the short- and mid-term future, hydrogen will be derived from fossil fuels. Based on the conventional processes, the route from fossil fuels to hydrogen invariably produces greenhouse gases. Geosequestration is a viable technique of storing carbon dioxide but has an uncertain long-term environmental ramification. In contrast, our proposed technique avoids the production of greenhouse gases and, instead, engenders high value added graphitized carbon as a by-product. Given the relative stability and value of graphitized carbon, our catalytic cracking process provides another option to geosequestration.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0882634
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$220,000.00
Summary
Integrated Process Intensification Facility. The new equipment will provide a unique facility for process intensification (PI). No other techniques are capable of controlling features of nano-particles (size, shape, agglomeration, phases and defects) under continuous flow, which is essential for applications in nano-technology. There are unique capabilities of PI in chemical synthesis, including drug development and drug discovery. Overall, applications of PI cover health care products, device t ....Integrated Process Intensification Facility. The new equipment will provide a unique facility for process intensification (PI). No other techniques are capable of controlling features of nano-particles (size, shape, agglomeration, phases and defects) under continuous flow, which is essential for applications in nano-technology. There are unique capabilities of PI in chemical synthesis, including drug development and drug discovery. Overall, applications of PI cover health care products, device technology, and more, for the benefit of the community at large. The facility will foster a more innovative research culture and provide excellent research training at the highest international level, and will provide a platform to foster greater links with industry.Read moreRead less