The Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) invites you to participate in a short survey about your
interaction with the ARDC and use of our national research infrastructure and services. The survey will take
approximately 5 minutes and is anonymous. It’s open to anyone who uses our digital research infrastructure
services including Reasearch Link Australia.
We will use the information you provide to improve the national research infrastructure and services we
deliver and to report on user satisfaction to the Australian Government’s National Collaborative Research
Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) program.
Please take a few minutes to provide your input. The survey closes COB Friday 29 May 2026.
Complete the 5 min survey now by clicking on the link below.
Optimizing the UV Protection of Textiles with Nano Zinc Oxide. Colour fading, due to poor fastness to light - especially ultraviolet light - is a critical problem that continues to plague the textile industry, especially for products such as flags, awnings and car upholstery that are used in outside applications and therefore exposed directly to sunlight. This research, in collaboration with Micronisers Pty Ltd, will develop improved nano zinc oxide formulations that will significantly reduce th ....Optimizing the UV Protection of Textiles with Nano Zinc Oxide. Colour fading, due to poor fastness to light - especially ultraviolet light - is a critical problem that continues to plague the textile industry, especially for products such as flags, awnings and car upholstery that are used in outside applications and therefore exposed directly to sunlight. This research, in collaboration with Micronisers Pty Ltd, will develop improved nano zinc oxide formulations that will significantly reduce the colour fading problems, and hence add value to the fledgling nano-tech (as well as traditional textile) industries in Australia. It could enable local production of a specialised textile finishing agent for export to major textile producers in South East Asia.Read moreRead less
Modelling and Performance Evaluation of Stab and Ballistic Resistant Fabrics. The aims of the project are to model and design stab resistant fabrics, and evaluate their stab and ballistic performance under simulated end-use conditions. Bi-component ballistic and stab resistant wearable and concealable garments will be produced and comprehensively characterised. This program is a significant first step towards developing Australian owned intellectual property for specialised protective garments f ....Modelling and Performance Evaluation of Stab and Ballistic Resistant Fabrics. The aims of the project are to model and design stab resistant fabrics, and evaluate their stab and ballistic performance under simulated end-use conditions. Bi-component ballistic and stab resistant wearable and concealable garments will be produced and comprehensively characterised. This program is a significant first step towards developing Australian owned intellectual property for specialised protective garments for local and export markets. Results from this study will produce fundamental knowledge on stab and ballistic resistant fabrics and armours, and provide practical information on the preparation of commercially acceptable protective products.Read moreRead less
Advanced polymer fibres with multiple functionalities. This project will add value to the local polymer and fibre industries. Australia is a significant producer of synthetic polymers such as polypropylene and the largest producer of wool. There is also local production of nanoparticles such as zinc oxide. This project will add value to all these producers through innovative uses and applications of different types of material. Combining organic and inorganic particles in a polymer matrix has no ....Advanced polymer fibres with multiple functionalities. This project will add value to the local polymer and fibre industries. Australia is a significant producer of synthetic polymers such as polypropylene and the largest producer of wool. There is also local production of nanoparticles such as zinc oxide. This project will add value to all these producers through innovative uses and applications of different types of material. Combining organic and inorganic particles in a polymer matrix has not been reported. This innovation will strengthen our position in research into advanced materials, which is a national research priority.Read moreRead less
Application and Evaluation of New Phase Change Materials in Textiles for Minimization of Heat Stress in Elite Athletes. Elite athletes experience heat stress during endurance events as they reach natural barriers of heat dissipation and thermal regulation. These stresses limit performance and present severe psychological challenges. Research showing that cooling body temperatures prior to competition can increase performance led the Australian Institute of Sport to develop ice jackets during the ....Application and Evaluation of New Phase Change Materials in Textiles for Minimization of Heat Stress in Elite Athletes. Elite athletes experience heat stress during endurance events as they reach natural barriers of heat dissipation and thermal regulation. These stresses limit performance and present severe psychological challenges. Research showing that cooling body temperatures prior to competition can increase performance led the Australian Institute of Sport to develop ice jackets during the 1990s. Our project will develop a new generation of athlete garments embedded with phase change materials that provide efficient cooling during competition, without the disadvantages of ice chilling. These novel materials may provide a competitive edge under the extreme conditions expected at the Athens Olympics and beyond.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0883017
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$300,000.00
Summary
Advanced processing and characterisation facility for functional polymers and polymer nanofibres. The pilot-scale processing and advanced characterisation facility will significantly strengthen R&D capacity for innovative research and development of functional polymers and polymer nanofibres, hence adding value to the $10-billion plus market for plastics, rubber and biopolymers manufactured and used in Australia. It will further strengthen Australia's position in polymer and nanofibre research a ....Advanced processing and characterisation facility for functional polymers and polymer nanofibres. The pilot-scale processing and advanced characterisation facility will significantly strengthen R&D capacity for innovative research and development of functional polymers and polymer nanofibres, hence adding value to the $10-billion plus market for plastics, rubber and biopolymers manufactured and used in Australia. It will further strengthen Australia's position in polymer and nanofibre research and innovation.Read moreRead less
Biochemistry of tropoelastin: functional analysis of an essential cell-interactive domain. Elastin is ten times more durable than the best man-made synthetic rubbers because our bodies need to control life-threatening rips in skin, artery and lung. Warm-blooded animals use elastin to build diversely shaped elastic materials for multiple biological environments in these tissues. In this project, we will learn a lot more about the most preserved and functional part of elastin. These discoveries wi ....Biochemistry of tropoelastin: functional analysis of an essential cell-interactive domain. Elastin is ten times more durable than the best man-made synthetic rubbers because our bodies need to control life-threatening rips in skin, artery and lung. Warm-blooded animals use elastin to build diversely shaped elastic materials for multiple biological environments in these tissues. In this project, we will learn a lot more about the most preserved and functional part of elastin. These discoveries will increase our understanding of the grand architectural rules by which elastic protein-based structures are made. We will learn new ways to manage cell interactions in an elastic environment and define design rules to assist in the future design of new cell-binding, elastic, composite materials.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100195
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,000,000.00
Summary
Field-emission gun transmission electron microscope for the research in nanomaterials, metal alloys and biological sciences. The proposed facility is required by a large range of world-leading research programs in light metals, nanomaterials, fibres and biomaterials. These research programs are strongly supported by automobile, textile, mineral and advanced materials industries that have important roles in the current national economy and local communities. The facility will improve significan ....Field-emission gun transmission electron microscope for the research in nanomaterials, metal alloys and biological sciences. The proposed facility is required by a large range of world-leading research programs in light metals, nanomaterials, fibres and biomaterials. These research programs are strongly supported by automobile, textile, mineral and advanced materials industries that have important roles in the current national economy and local communities. The facility will improve significantly our current research ability and help the creation of new research areas in nanotechnology and energy materials beneficial to clean energy, environmental protections and health care. It is also important equipment for new research student training.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0668504
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$648,000.00
Summary
Real-time Observation of Thermal and Mechanical Response at the Nano Level. The requested facility is an electron microscope dedicated to observing, in real-time, the nano-scale mechanisms that control the response of materials to stress and temperature. The insight provided by this facility is needed for the development of the next generation of materials, particularly "nano" materials based on particles, fibres, whiskers, nano-tubes, thin films and other micro-formed parts. These materials wil ....Real-time Observation of Thermal and Mechanical Response at the Nano Level. The requested facility is an electron microscope dedicated to observing, in real-time, the nano-scale mechanisms that control the response of materials to stress and temperature. The insight provided by this facility is needed for the development of the next generation of materials, particularly "nano" materials based on particles, fibres, whiskers, nano-tubes, thin films and other micro-formed parts. These materials will underpin the next generation of technological advances and new applications such as nano-machines. The facility will also be used to train the future scientists who will develop these exciting new technologies.Read moreRead less