Understanding the interaction between wool fibre surface and ionic liquids. This project will advance the knowledge on wool surface/ionic liquid interaction, which has the potential to revolutionize the traditional and environmentally unfriendly wool shrinkage-proof treatment technology. This will have significant industry wide benefit for the multi-billion dollar animal fibre industry.
Fibrous fabrics with differential transplanar transport properties for moisture and water. The project develops a framework for the development of fibrous fabrics with desired differential transplanar transport properties for moisture and water, integrating various transport mechanisms with hierarchical microstructures of the fabrics. The results will lead to the development of new fabrics for the local and overseas apparel industry.
Microstructure effect on energy harvesting ability of electrospun fibres. This project aims to provide new knowledge about how to manipulate the energy harvesting ability of electrospun fibrous mats by changing the fibre structure, components and mat configuration. Expected outcomes of the project are new fibrous materials capable of efficiently converting small mechanical forces and sounds into electricity. These high performance energy harvesting fibres will be useful for developing new power ....Microstructure effect on energy harvesting ability of electrospun fibres. This project aims to provide new knowledge about how to manipulate the energy harvesting ability of electrospun fibrous mats by changing the fibre structure, components and mat configuration. Expected outcomes of the project are new fibrous materials capable of efficiently converting small mechanical forces and sounds into electricity. These high performance energy harvesting fibres will be useful for developing new power supplies, self-powered electronics, self-sustainable sensor networks and electronic textiles.Read moreRead less
High Temperature, Piezoelectric Polymer Membranes. This project aims to acquire new knowledge about the preparation of flexible polymer membranes that can convert mechanical energy into electricity (“piezoelectric” conversion) stably at high temperature (e.g. 200-500 °C). This will solve the current problem where only inorganic ceramic materials can be used for high-temperature piezoelectric conversion. The expected outcomes include a new approach to prepare polymer membranes capable of high-tem ....High Temperature, Piezoelectric Polymer Membranes. This project aims to acquire new knowledge about the preparation of flexible polymer membranes that can convert mechanical energy into electricity (“piezoelectric” conversion) stably at high temperature (e.g. 200-500 °C). This will solve the current problem where only inorganic ceramic materials can be used for high-temperature piezoelectric conversion. The expected outcomes include a new approach to prepare polymer membranes capable of high-temperature piezoelectric conversion using an electrostatic spinning technology. The new breakthrough materials will not only enhance performance and reliability at high temperature, but also offer novel applications in diverse fields such as “smart” protective clothing for firefighters. Read moreRead less
The true potential and limitations of fibres. This project aims to understand the fibre spinning process of nanomaterials to identify their true potential and limitations in wearable applications. The project is expected to lead to multifunctional materials that allow design and production of smart functional fibres and textiles that store and convert energy and sense, monitor and respond to human activities and external environments. The project outcomes are expected to accelerate the transform ....The true potential and limitations of fibres. This project aims to understand the fibre spinning process of nanomaterials to identify their true potential and limitations in wearable applications. The project is expected to lead to multifunctional materials that allow design and production of smart functional fibres and textiles that store and convert energy and sense, monitor and respond to human activities and external environments. The project outcomes are expected to accelerate the transformation of the fibre industry, which will have far reaching implications across research disciplines and sectors critical to technology, health, social, and economic future.Read moreRead less
Water-phase Assembly of Durable, Superamphiphobic, Self-cleaning Surfaces. Self-cleaning surfaces offer an easy to maintain, environmentally friendly way of keeping surfaces clean - important for daily life, healthcare and industry. Using a water-phase process to prepare durable, self-cleaning (based on superamphiphobicity) surfaces is highly promising for practical uses, but remains challenging to perform. The present work aims to develop new knowledge on how to create superamphiphobic, self-cl ....Water-phase Assembly of Durable, Superamphiphobic, Self-cleaning Surfaces. Self-cleaning surfaces offer an easy to maintain, environmentally friendly way of keeping surfaces clean - important for daily life, healthcare and industry. Using a water-phase process to prepare durable, self-cleaning (based on superamphiphobicity) surfaces is highly promising for practical uses, but remains challenging to perform. The present work aims to develop new knowledge on how to create superamphiphobic, self-cleaning surfaces using a marine-mussel-inspired dopamine underwater assembly principle. The new technology developed is expected to be useful for wide production of durable self-cleaning coatings for diverse applications.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
Understanding the composite structures and properties of wild silk cocoons. This project will reveal the secret of wild silk cocoon structures, which are very thin and light in weight, yet they can protect wild silkworms in very harsh environments. This new knowledge will lead to the development of nature inspired materials and structures for personal protection.
Drawing out spider silk photonics and technology. We discovered certain spider webs are an optical device of amazing sophistication – the result of 136 million years of evolution. New photonic and electron microscopy techniques will measure the unique optical and materials properties of the webs, and the resulting knowledge will have high impact for advanced, self- assembled, photonic materials.
Segmental fibres having periodically-repeating multicomponent segments from T-junction microfluidic electrospinning. Segmental fibres, which have periodically-repeating multi-component segments along their length, represent a new fibre type offering enormous potential in creating new fibre functions. The present work aims to develop a technical platform to prepare segmental fibres and new knowledge on how the fibre segments contribute to the property, functionality and inter-fibrous interaction ....Segmental fibres having periodically-repeating multicomponent segments from T-junction microfluidic electrospinning. Segmental fibres, which have periodically-repeating multi-component segments along their length, represent a new fibre type offering enormous potential in creating new fibre functions. The present work aims to develop a technical platform to prepare segmental fibres and new knowledge on how the fibre segments contribute to the property, functionality and inter-fibrous interaction of fibres. This will be achieved using a special microfluidic electrospinning technique. The segmental fibres developed will be useful for development of various new functional fibres for diverse applications. Read moreRead less