Synthesis of functionalised metal oxide beads with hierarchical pores for radionuclide and metal sequestration. The central aim of this project is to fabricate nanostructured materials to address the worldwide issue of nuclear waste. These novel materials, with tailored porosity and surface functionality, will decrease both radioactive waste volume and the potential for environmental risk. The collaboration between the Caruso group at the University of Melbourne and the Luca group at ANSTO will ....Synthesis of functionalised metal oxide beads with hierarchical pores for radionuclide and metal sequestration. The central aim of this project is to fabricate nanostructured materials to address the worldwide issue of nuclear waste. These novel materials, with tailored porosity and surface functionality, will decrease both radioactive waste volume and the potential for environmental risk. The collaboration between the Caruso group at the University of Melbourne and the Luca group at ANSTO will educate more scientists and students in the areas of nuclear science and engineering, and the environmental impact of nuclear power generators. Such expertise is currently in high demand around the world, thereby enhancing Australia's position in the global nuclear field.Read moreRead less
Polynuclear Metal Complexes as Molecular Nanomagnets. Computer hard drives and other devices use tiny particles of magnetic materials to store digital information. Technological advances require an increase in the density of information storage and therefore even smaller magnetic particles. This project has the potential to synthesise materials where a single molecule could act as the smallest possible unit of magnetic memory. The future application of these materials may provide an increase ....Polynuclear Metal Complexes as Molecular Nanomagnets. Computer hard drives and other devices use tiny particles of magnetic materials to store digital information. Technological advances require an increase in the density of information storage and therefore even smaller magnetic particles. This project has the potential to synthesise materials where a single molecule could act as the smallest possible unit of magnetic memory. The future application of these materials may provide an increase of three orders of magnitude in information storage density. In addition, they may find employment in quantum computers, which can perform calculations exponentially faster than conventional computers.Read moreRead less
Molecular Probes for Bio-Metals. The nutrient trace metals are essential to life. Problems with the metabolism of iron, copper and zinc are associated with neuro-degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease). This proposal will develop molecular probes for detection of iron, zinc, copper, manganese and nickel within biological cells. The work will allow examination of the molecular roles of these bio-metals in unprecedented detail and lead to a bette ....Molecular Probes for Bio-Metals. The nutrient trace metals are essential to life. Problems with the metabolism of iron, copper and zinc are associated with neuro-degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease). This proposal will develop molecular probes for detection of iron, zinc, copper, manganese and nickel within biological cells. The work will allow examination of the molecular roles of these bio-metals in unprecedented detail and lead to a better understanding of their roles in normal metabolism and in disease.Read moreRead less
Catalytic currency: the role of size-reactivity relationships of simple and mixed 'coinage' metal clusters in C-C bond forming reactions. Chemicals have a profound influence on our daily lives. For instance, the petrol we use in our cars, the plastics used for our shopping bags or the margarine we eat. A common theme of all these products is the use of catalysts in their industrial manufacture. Thus, this Australian Research Council funded project aims to shed light on the role of some catalysts ....Catalytic currency: the role of size-reactivity relationships of simple and mixed 'coinage' metal clusters in C-C bond forming reactions. Chemicals have a profound influence on our daily lives. For instance, the petrol we use in our cars, the plastics used for our shopping bags or the margarine we eat. A common theme of all these products is the use of catalysts in their industrial manufacture. Thus, this Australian Research Council funded project aims to shed light on the role of some catalysts in breaking and forming chemical bonds and attempts to set rules to develop new and improved ones. Improved catalysts will not only reduce the cost of goods manufacturing, but will also reduce waste products and energy consumption. This research will also train new scientists and contribute to the enhancement of Australia's research profile.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130100186
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Base stabilised dicarbon as a new building block for supramolecular organometallic chemistry. Diamond, coal and graphite are the forms of carbon ("allotropes") found in everyday life. The discovery of two further allotropes of carbon, the fullerenes and graphene both led to Nobel Prize awards. We have identified a method to stabilize another form of carbon, dicarbon, and will harness its properties for the formation of new materials.
Synthetic Molybdenum Enzymes. This project aims to produce synthetic molybdenum (Mo) enzymes, small molecules that share structural and functional attributes with the crucially important molybdopterin?Mo enzymes. These ubiquitous enzymes are essential for plant and animal health, natural cycles involving carbon, nitrogen and sulfur, and global climate control and atmospheric albedo (reflectance); consequently, they impact heavily on commerce, the environment and society. The study will provid ....Synthetic Molybdenum Enzymes. This project aims to produce synthetic molybdenum (Mo) enzymes, small molecules that share structural and functional attributes with the crucially important molybdopterin?Mo enzymes. These ubiquitous enzymes are essential for plant and animal health, natural cycles involving carbon, nitrogen and sulfur, and global climate control and atmospheric albedo (reflectance); consequently, they impact heavily on commerce, the environment and society. The study will provide urgently needed insights into the fundamental Mo?sulfur chemistry of the enzyme active sites and inform efforts to reduce the negative impacts of enzyme dysfunction and the design of new commercial catalysts.Read moreRead less
Bioinorganic Chemistry of Molybdenum. Enzymes containing the trace element molybdenum play crucial roles in plant, animal and human health, drug metabolism, environmental processes and climate. This international, multidisciplinary project will advance our understanding of the structure and function of these enzymes at the atomic level and inform strategies to reduce the impact of crop, livestock and human diseases and adverse environmental (e.g. algal blooms, leaching of toxic arsenic) and clim ....Bioinorganic Chemistry of Molybdenum. Enzymes containing the trace element molybdenum play crucial roles in plant, animal and human health, drug metabolism, environmental processes and climate. This international, multidisciplinary project will advance our understanding of the structure and function of these enzymes at the atomic level and inform strategies to reduce the impact of crop, livestock and human diseases and adverse environmental (e.g. algal blooms, leaching of toxic arsenic) and climatic events. Effective strategies would be of enormous social and economic benefit to Australia. The training of skilled scientists and access to major overseas facilities are additional benefits of the project.Read moreRead less
C-H to C-F using electrochemistry and gold catalysis. Gold offers great potential in chemical catalysis and this project will use a fascinating new class of gold compounds discovered by the CIs, to develop novel catalysts. Using this chemistry a series of gold(III) compounds with fluoride ligands will be prepared. The catalytic properties of these molecules will then be explored, with a particular focus on adding value to arene hydrocarbons. The ultimate goal of the project is development of new ....C-H to C-F using electrochemistry and gold catalysis. Gold offers great potential in chemical catalysis and this project will use a fascinating new class of gold compounds discovered by the CIs, to develop novel catalysts. Using this chemistry a series of gold(III) compounds with fluoride ligands will be prepared. The catalytic properties of these molecules will then be explored, with a particular focus on adding value to arene hydrocarbons. The ultimate goal of the project is development of new catalysts for the formation of carbon-fluorine bonds and the selective fluorination of organic
compounds. Fluorinated organic molecules are of critical importance in medicinal chemistry and new catalysts of this type offers the potential for better synthesis of medicines and diagnostic agents.Read moreRead less
Electrochemically-sensitized luminescence: A new bio-detection paradigm. This project aims to create new science which will enable the development of a superior new class of bio-detection technique, suitable for medical diagnostics and other sensing applications. A multi-disciplinary approach will be taken, combining expertise in a number of fields to explore the use of electrical rather than traditional optical means to control energy transfer and luminescence in novel molecular and nanoparticl ....Electrochemically-sensitized luminescence: A new bio-detection paradigm. This project aims to create new science which will enable the development of a superior new class of bio-detection technique, suitable for medical diagnostics and other sensing applications. A multi-disciplinary approach will be taken, combining expertise in a number of fields to explore the use of electrical rather than traditional optical means to control energy transfer and luminescence in novel molecular and nanoparticle-based systems. It is expected that these advances will transform bio-analytical science by giving rise to innovative detection techniques which are low-cost, rapid and highly sensitive.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE110100170
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$200,000.00
Summary
A tuneable femtosecond light source for materials and biological sciences. Researchers at The Australian National University, Monash University and The University of Technology, Sydney are involved in a range of projects where new molecules are synthesised or discovered in nature. Molecules like these have applications in new photonics or energy technologies. This integrated facility will afford intense light of varying pulse durations to investigate the behaviour and performance of such molecul ....A tuneable femtosecond light source for materials and biological sciences. Researchers at The Australian National University, Monash University and The University of Technology, Sydney are involved in a range of projects where new molecules are synthesised or discovered in nature. Molecules like these have applications in new photonics or energy technologies. This integrated facility will afford intense light of varying pulse durations to investigate the behaviour and performance of such molecules.Read moreRead less