Approaching near-ideal strength for bulk amorphous metals. This project aims to develop a novel metal materials design strategy to break the strength ceilings of nanocrystalline metals and bulk metallic glasses. This strategy is based on a novel concept of synergy between a bulk amorphous matrix and phase-transforming nanocrystallites embedded within. The nanocrystallites, via their uniform transformation lattice distortion, prevent the formation of shear bands in the amorphous matrix and enable ....Approaching near-ideal strength for bulk amorphous metals. This project aims to develop a novel metal materials design strategy to break the strength ceilings of nanocrystalline metals and bulk metallic glasses. This strategy is based on a novel concept of synergy between a bulk amorphous matrix and phase-transforming nanocrystallites embedded within. The nanocrystallites, via their uniform transformation lattice distortion, prevent the formation of shear bands in the amorphous matrix and enable collective atomic load transfer to allow the amorphous matrix to continue to load to achieve its intrinsic near-ideal strength. The amorphous matrix eliminates the grain boundary plasticity of the nanoscrystallites. This concept is novel and untested in the history of physical metallurgy.Read moreRead less
Transformation Dual Phase Synergy for Unprecedented Superelasticity. This project aims to develop metallic materials of unprecedented mechanical properties based on a novel concept of transformation triggered dual-phase synergy. This is enabled by harnessing the intrinsic strength of interatomic bonds in solids using the nanoscience principle of lattice strain matching between phase transforming bodies. The project will provide significant benefits, such as innovating our metal production techno ....Transformation Dual Phase Synergy for Unprecedented Superelasticity. This project aims to develop metallic materials of unprecedented mechanical properties based on a novel concept of transformation triggered dual-phase synergy. This is enabled by harnessing the intrinsic strength of interatomic bonds in solids using the nanoscience principle of lattice strain matching between phase transforming bodies. The project will provide significant benefits, such as innovating our metal production technology and to value-add the metal processing and manufacturing industries of Australia.Read moreRead less
Elastic Strain Engineered Transforming Metal Matrix-Nanowire Composite. This project aims to develop metallic composites of superior mechanical properties based on the principle of elastic strain coupling between ultrahigh-strength nanowires and phase transforming matrix. This new composite design concept has not been explored in the literature. Using the principle of elastic strain coupling, the composite is able to exhibit extraordinary mechanical properties unmatched by any existing engineeri ....Elastic Strain Engineered Transforming Metal Matrix-Nanowire Composite. This project aims to develop metallic composites of superior mechanical properties based on the principle of elastic strain coupling between ultrahigh-strength nanowires and phase transforming matrix. This new composite design concept has not been explored in the literature. Using the principle of elastic strain coupling, the composite is able to exhibit extraordinary mechanical properties unmatched by any existing engineering materials, including high strength, low Young’s modulus and high elastic strain limit. This new concept is a breakthrough and offers a unique opportunity to overcome a long-standing challenge in nanowire composite design, commonly known as the “valley of death”.Read moreRead less
Advancing the Australian specialty alloy processing capability. This project aims to advance Australia’s specialty alloy processing capability by developing novel processing routes to overcome current bottlenecks that prevent supply meeting demand. New knowledge will be generated on alternative means of the processing of Rene 41, a Nickel-based superalloy with limited formability through a comprehensive experimental and modelling-based research program. Rene 41 is strategically important for man ....Advancing the Australian specialty alloy processing capability. This project aims to advance Australia’s specialty alloy processing capability by developing novel processing routes to overcome current bottlenecks that prevent supply meeting demand. New knowledge will be generated on alternative means of the processing of Rene 41, a Nickel-based superalloy with limited formability through a comprehensive experimental and modelling-based research program. Rene 41 is strategically important for manufacturing next generation turbofan engines. The expected outcome is the identification of innovative processing routes to provide stronger, defect-free specialty alloys for aerospace applications, vital to Australia’s advanced manufacturing.Read moreRead less
Novel microwave processing of carbon nanotube/thermoplastic composites. This project aims to develop a novel fabrication process for carbon nano-tube (CNT) / thermoplastic composites. The method, with lab based ‘proof of concept’, uses microwaves and overcomes problems of dispersion and aggregation of CNTs, which limit properties of the nano-composites. At lab scale, a 50 per cent increase in stiffness of polypropylene and an increase in electrical conductivity with the addition of 0.5 weight pe ....Novel microwave processing of carbon nanotube/thermoplastic composites. This project aims to develop a novel fabrication process for carbon nano-tube (CNT) / thermoplastic composites. The method, with lab based ‘proof of concept’, uses microwaves and overcomes problems of dispersion and aggregation of CNTs, which limit properties of the nano-composites. At lab scale, a 50 per cent increase in stiffness of polypropylene and an increase in electrical conductivity with the addition of 0.5 weight percent CNT has been demonstrated. This project should unravel mechanisms by which these outstanding property improvements are achieved and will scale up the process to industrial level. Expected outcomes will be economical, lighter and stronger plastics for manufacturing applications such as rotational molding, transport and electronic packaging.Read moreRead less
High performance polymer fibres for recyclable composites . The project aims to develop novel drawn polymer fibres with aligned carbon nanotubes incorporated inside and also grafted nanotubes on their surface. Such polymer fibres can be used to reinforce thermoplastics to make high performance composites with effective recyclability. This is important as the existing thermosetting composites are not recyclable and significant property enhancement require high loading (>30%) of reinforcing fibres ....High performance polymer fibres for recyclable composites . The project aims to develop novel drawn polymer fibres with aligned carbon nanotubes incorporated inside and also grafted nanotubes on their surface. Such polymer fibres can be used to reinforce thermoplastics to make high performance composites with effective recyclability. This is important as the existing thermosetting composites are not recyclable and significant property enhancement require high loading (>30%) of reinforcing fibres. The outcomes of this project will be novel technology for making high stiffness polymer fibres and their use in thermoplastic composites. The benefits will be to allow easy processing and recycling. They will be used in down-sizing of high volume products and high value automotive or aerospace products.Read moreRead less
Strain Matching Enabled Composite Design for Exceptional Mechanical Prowess. This project intends to develop phase-transforming matrix-nanolamellar composites of exceptional mechanical properties. Nanowires embedded in phase-transforming matrix composites achieve ultra-large elastic strains (around 6 per cent), thus ultra-high strengths. This project aims to build on this discovery and transcend the limitations of the nanowire composites by creating lattice-strain-matching enabled nanolamellar c ....Strain Matching Enabled Composite Design for Exceptional Mechanical Prowess. This project intends to develop phase-transforming matrix-nanolamellar composites of exceptional mechanical properties. Nanowires embedded in phase-transforming matrix composites achieve ultra-large elastic strains (around 6 per cent), thus ultra-high strengths. This project aims to build on this discovery and transcend the limitations of the nanowire composites by creating lattice-strain-matching enabled nanolamellar composites via innovative materials processing. The expected outcomes may lead to the design and creation of metallic composites of exceptional mechanical prowess and the development of close-to-application technology for fabrication of the composite materials.Read moreRead less
Direct Laser Sintering of Aluminium. The project has both national and international significance and addresses the National Research Priority: Frontier Technologies - Advanced Materials (light alloys). Rapid manufacturing produces functional parts directly from a computer solid model using a layer wise rapid prototyping device. Rapid manufacturing is particularly important in the Australian context where small production runs means that tooling and inventory costs are a much larger proportion o ....Direct Laser Sintering of Aluminium. The project has both national and international significance and addresses the National Research Priority: Frontier Technologies - Advanced Materials (light alloys). Rapid manufacturing produces functional parts directly from a computer solid model using a layer wise rapid prototyping device. Rapid manufacturing is particularly important in the Australian context where small production runs means that tooling and inventory costs are a much larger proportion of the total cost than in North American, European or Asian countries. With a large installed machine base, a substantial automotive and automotive component industry and a major aluminium industry, this project can assist in the further development of these industries.Read moreRead less
On demand three-dimensional printing of stainless steel parts. On demand three-dimensional printing of stainless steel parts. This project aims to revolutionize the security of supply of critical stainless steel parts by producing them on-site and on demand, using three dimensional metal printing. Australia’s oil and gas industry uses tonnes of stainless steel for critical processing components in production plants. Australia is also one of the few developed nations without appreciable productio ....On demand three-dimensional printing of stainless steel parts. On demand three-dimensional printing of stainless steel parts. This project aims to revolutionize the security of supply of critical stainless steel parts by producing them on-site and on demand, using three dimensional metal printing. Australia’s oil and gas industry uses tonnes of stainless steel for critical processing components in production plants. Australia is also one of the few developed nations without appreciable production and processing facilities for stainless steels, so relies on specialist overseas suppliers. This is a major risk to the industry, which stores billions of dollars’ worth of replacement parts, including stainless steels, in inventory. This project should reduce reliance on overseas steel suppliers and free up hundreds of millions of dollars of capital invested in the inventory stores of replacement stainless steel parts.Read moreRead less
Design and fabrication of custom titanium implant scaffolds produced by selective laser melting. The development of implants that can be tailored to match individual patient requirements will result in increased functionality and longevity of the device, decreased pain and suffering and a reduction in hospitalisation time and medical costs. This is especially true where massive bone loss has occurred. Research in this area is vital to underpin Australian technological progress in a field of ris ....Design and fabrication of custom titanium implant scaffolds produced by selective laser melting. The development of implants that can be tailored to match individual patient requirements will result in increased functionality and longevity of the device, decreased pain and suffering and a reduction in hospitalisation time and medical costs. This is especially true where massive bone loss has occurred. Research in this area is vital to underpin Australian technological progress in a field of rising economic and social importance, especially given Australia's aging population. The project will strengthen expertise in materials science and mathematical optimization. Further, the coupling of these fields will allow Australian scientists and technologists to exploit the full potential of solid freeform fabrication in new applications.Read moreRead less