New concepts with multidisciplinary approach: novel functionalised nanostructures for hydrogen storage. This project addresses National Research Priorities in the areas of breakthrough science, frontier technologies and advanced materials. Developing new methodologies to fabricate novel functionalised nanostructured materials with tailored properties has great potential in areas including energy storage, novel catalysts, novel sensors, micro/nano-electronics, etc. This project will enhance the i ....New concepts with multidisciplinary approach: novel functionalised nanostructures for hydrogen storage. This project addresses National Research Priorities in the areas of breakthrough science, frontier technologies and advanced materials. Developing new methodologies to fabricate novel functionalised nanostructured materials with tailored properties has great potential in areas including energy storage, novel catalysts, novel sensors, micro/nano-electronics, etc. This project will enhance the international reputation and impact of Australian research in the internationally focused fields of nanotechnology and hydrogen energy technology. Applying innovative nanotechnology to the area of hydrogen energy will add to Australia's export potential and reduce Australia's reliance on foreign fuel sources.
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Energy transforming polymers: from single molecules to devices. Climate control and the rapidly increasing demand for energy is driving the search for alternative sustainable energy sources. Flexible plastics will be a primary component of the new generation of solar harvesting and energy conversion materials. The objective of this project is to gain an understanding of the way polymers interact with light and can convert absorbed solar energy into electrical power and other useful forms of ene ....Energy transforming polymers: from single molecules to devices. Climate control and the rapidly increasing demand for energy is driving the search for alternative sustainable energy sources. Flexible plastics will be a primary component of the new generation of solar harvesting and energy conversion materials. The objective of this project is to gain an understanding of the way polymers interact with light and can convert absorbed solar energy into electrical power and other useful forms of energy. The outcomes of the project will allow the improved design of plastics for applications in solar energy conversion.Read moreRead less
An integrated system for high-efficiency hydrogen assisted electricity generation from solar energy. Energy security and climate change have intensified the search for renewable energy technologies that will reduce the carbon footprint of our economies. This project will lead to a technology platform, enabling hydrogen production and electricity generation by a clean way, which is high potential in solar-abundance Australia. Its success will definitely benefit Australia both economically and env ....An integrated system for high-efficiency hydrogen assisted electricity generation from solar energy. Energy security and climate change have intensified the search for renewable energy technologies that will reduce the carbon footprint of our economies. This project will lead to a technology platform, enabling hydrogen production and electricity generation by a clean way, which is high potential in solar-abundance Australia. Its success will definitely benefit Australia both economically and environmentally. It will speed up the utilisation of solar energy and help Australia reduce greenhouse emissions. It would also lead to advanced technologies that can be commercialised and exported overseas, thus positioning Australia at the forefront of renewable energy development.Read moreRead less
Designing New Visible-light Active Photocatalysts for Efficient CO2 Reduction. The increasing concern over Climate Change has triggered great efforts in developing new CO2 capture technologies. The outcomes of this program will lead to a new class of photocatalysts that underpin the development of economical CO2 reduction for clean fuel production using sunlight. Such technologies will speed up the transition of Australian environmental and energy industries from fossil fuel economy to renewable ....Designing New Visible-light Active Photocatalysts for Efficient CO2 Reduction. The increasing concern over Climate Change has triggered great efforts in developing new CO2 capture technologies. The outcomes of this program will lead to a new class of photocatalysts that underpin the development of economical CO2 reduction for clean fuel production using sunlight. Such technologies will speed up the transition of Australian environmental and energy industries from fossil fuel economy to renewable energy economy. The research program will contribute significantly to knowledge advancement in nanomaterials, surface chemistry, and photochemistry, and falls in the National Research Priority Area of 'Environmentally Sustainable Australia' addressing the key goals of Climate Change and low emission energy supply.Read moreRead less
Polyoxometalate Clusters: Catalytic Chemistry in Solution and Condensed States. Polyoxometalate cluster anions are soluble metal-oxygen clusters that are cheap, robust and non-toxic.
Conditions for systematic tuning of redox potentials over the range +2 to -3 V have become accessible via certain photo-active polyoxometalates. The same system can provide powerful oxidants (that rival chlorine) and powerful reductants (that rival potassium).
The program will take advantage of this unique ....Polyoxometalate Clusters: Catalytic Chemistry in Solution and Condensed States. Polyoxometalate cluster anions are soluble metal-oxygen clusters that are cheap, robust and non-toxic.
Conditions for systematic tuning of redox potentials over the range +2 to -3 V have become accessible via certain photo-active polyoxometalates. The same system can provide powerful oxidants (that rival chlorine) and powerful reductants (that rival potassium).
The program will take advantage of this unique range of properties to explore:-
(i) coupling of photo- and electro-chemical processes into effective catalytic cycles;
(ii) photo- and electro-chemical processes in ionic liquid solvents;
(iii) synthesis and redox reactivity of nanoparticles stabilised by polyoxometalates.
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Integration of Solar, Wind and Storage Systems into Distribution Grids for Network Support. This project will contribute to the development and utilisation of renewable energy technologies for a sustainable future and facilitate their integration into electricity grids for network support. Innovative methodologies and technologies will be developed to reduce network problems associated with the integration of a large number of small-scale renewable energy resources into distribution grids. This ....Integration of Solar, Wind and Storage Systems into Distribution Grids for Network Support. This project will contribute to the development and utilisation of renewable energy technologies for a sustainable future and facilitate their integration into electricity grids for network support. Innovative methodologies and technologies will be developed to reduce network problems associated with the integration of a large number of small-scale renewable energy resources into distribution grids. This project will also develop assessment tools to examine the impact of renewable energy penetration on power quality aspects, network stability and protection performance. This research will provide remedies for potential problems introduced by their integration and improve voltage support in the electricity networks. Read moreRead less
Computational approaches to selection and design of ionic materials. Advanced batteries, fuel cells and solar cell technologies are beginning to use ionic liquids/plastic crystals as electrolytes due to their superb stability and valuable properties. As a broad class these ionic materials have only been known for the last 10 years or so and there is much to learn about their structure and properties. The project will develop and advance quantum chemical techniques for selection and design of ion ....Computational approaches to selection and design of ionic materials. Advanced batteries, fuel cells and solar cell technologies are beginning to use ionic liquids/plastic crystals as electrolytes due to their superb stability and valuable properties. As a broad class these ionic materials have only been known for the last 10 years or so and there is much to learn about their structure and properties. The project will develop and advance quantum chemical techniques for selection and design of ionic materials with the goal of developing electrolytes for a range of applications from advanced metal batteries, solar cells to fuel cells. These applications will have impact on energy efficiency and energy conservation by enabling CO2 replacing technologies. Read moreRead less
Fully ab initio, large-scale calculations of thermodynamic and transport properties of ionic materials. Advanced batteries, fuel cells, and photonic device technologies are beginning to use ionic materials as electrolytes due to their superb stability and technologically valuable properties. As a broad class these materials have only been known for just over a decade and there is still more unknown than known about their structure and properties. The project will develop new advanced computation ....Fully ab initio, large-scale calculations of thermodynamic and transport properties of ionic materials. Advanced batteries, fuel cells, and photonic device technologies are beginning to use ionic materials as electrolytes due to their superb stability and technologically valuable properties. As a broad class these materials have only been known for just over a decade and there is still more unknown than known about their structure and properties. The project will develop new advanced computational methods as a basis for understanding their properties and thereby allowing us to design-in desired features. Ultimately these advances will have support the development of energy efficient CO2 replacement technologies.Read moreRead less
Development of Reliability Driven Rural Electricity Supply. Australia is sparsely populated with SWER systems covering a large part of the rural supply. It is expected that a portion of the population will move to some areas of semi-urban/rural areas as the cost of housing and land will be cheaper in these regions. This will result in the development of new townships. In addition the growth in air conditioners and other electrical goods is leading to a rise in consumption per customer which is o ....Development of Reliability Driven Rural Electricity Supply. Australia is sparsely populated with SWER systems covering a large part of the rural supply. It is expected that a portion of the population will move to some areas of semi-urban/rural areas as the cost of housing and land will be cheaper in these regions. This will result in the development of new townships. In addition the growth in air conditioners and other electrical goods is leading to a rise in consumption per customer which is occurring across all parts of the country not just in 'green change' areas. With this scenario in mind, the aim of this project is to plan for rural electricity supply that can have a defined reliability, with a potential for a performance that can be designed to approach that of urban centers.Read moreRead less
Increase in Photocatalytic Activity of TiO2 through Intervalence Charge Transfer. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has many proposed and realised applications in energy and the environment. The main problem that has hindered development and commercialisation of devices using TiO2 is its low photocatalytic activity, which results from its poor absorption of visible and infrared light. Most researchers modify the properties of TiO2 by conventional electrochemical methods to improve its performance but the ....Increase in Photocatalytic Activity of TiO2 through Intervalence Charge Transfer. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has many proposed and realised applications in energy and the environment. The main problem that has hindered development and commercialisation of devices using TiO2 is its low photocatalytic activity, which results from its poor absorption of visible and infrared light. Most researchers modify the properties of TiO2 by conventional electrochemical methods to improve its performance but these attempts have been of limited success. The present research involves a completely new approach to the problem, which is based on the method used in the heat treatment of sapphire to improve its colour. This approach uses a phenomenon involving the modification of the optical properties to improve its absorption of light.Read moreRead less