Design Of Practical Passive Cooling Radiators Utilising Spectrally Selective Covers And Surfaces. Radiative cooling offers a means to cool buildings sustainably without complex and costly heat pumps or air conditioners. Units similar to solar panels can be designed with surfaces which radiate mostly into the 8 - 12 micron atmospheric window, which has a radiance much less than for other wavelengths. Commercial development has been limited by problems associated with the degradation, performance ....Design Of Practical Passive Cooling Radiators Utilising Spectrally Selective Covers And Surfaces. Radiative cooling offers a means to cool buildings sustainably without complex and costly heat pumps or air conditioners. Units similar to solar panels can be designed with surfaces which radiate mostly into the 8 - 12 micron atmospheric window, which has a radiance much less than for other wavelengths. Commercial development has been limited by problems associated with the degradation, performance or cost of radiator surfaces. This project seeks to improve both performance and durability with innovative use of alternative materials and sputtered coatings suitable for mass manufacture, and to test the outdoor performance of laboratory produced radiative plates.Read moreRead less
Mechanical modulation of particle-cell interactions. Mechanical forces play critical roles in many biological processes, but how particle mechanical properties modulate particle-cell interactions remains elusive. This project aims to develop new design principles for engineering nano/micromaterials with tunable mechanical properties for improved cell activation and expansion, and to advance knowledge of the role of particle stiffness in modulating receptor-mediated particle-cell interactions. Ex ....Mechanical modulation of particle-cell interactions. Mechanical forces play critical roles in many biological processes, but how particle mechanical properties modulate particle-cell interactions remains elusive. This project aims to develop new design principles for engineering nano/micromaterials with tunable mechanical properties for improved cell activation and expansion, and to advance knowledge of the role of particle stiffness in modulating receptor-mediated particle-cell interactions. Expected outcomes and benefits include new fundamental understanding of the effect of particle mechanical properties on cell function, new insights into T cell activation and expansion, and new classes of stiffness-tunable fit-for-purpose materials for various applications in cell manufacturing.Read moreRead less
Short- and long-term corrosion of steels in highly calcareous seawaters . This project aims to quantify the development of the long-term (25-100 year) protective effect of calcareous deposits on the marine corrosion of mild steels. This is significant because such steels used extensively in major and very expensive coastal and offshore infrastructure. The project outcomes will improve scientific understanding, including the role of microbiological activity. It will develop and calibrate corrosio ....Short- and long-term corrosion of steels in highly calcareous seawaters . This project aims to quantify the development of the long-term (25-100 year) protective effect of calcareous deposits on the marine corrosion of mild steels. This is significant because such steels used extensively in major and very expensive coastal and offshore infrastructure. The project outcomes will improve scientific understanding, including the role of microbiological activity. It will develop and calibrate corrosion prediction models using classical and recently available 100 year data from Europe, the Pacific, Australia and also new project-specific experimental data. These models are expected to be of benefit for Australian engineering consultants in maintain their internationally competitive edge in offshore engineering.Read moreRead less
Understanding, Control, and Optimisation of Free Volume Mediated Transport in Technologically Important Materials. The understanding gained by this work will enable Australian scientists to outpace their competitors in rational materials design for transport of atoms and molecules in materials while reducing the costly trial and error stage of research. Specific examples studied and new materials investigated have important technological significance from use in flat panel TV screens, to solid ....Understanding, Control, and Optimisation of Free Volume Mediated Transport in Technologically Important Materials. The understanding gained by this work will enable Australian scientists to outpace their competitors in rational materials design for transport of atoms and molecules in materials while reducing the costly trial and error stage of research. Specific examples studied and new materials investigated have important technological significance from use in flat panel TV screens, to solid state electrolytes for application in a wide range of electrochemical devices. The understanding gained by this work can be applied to a wide range of important materials e.g. separation membranes, nanofilters and catalysts which help address a number of National Research Priorities.Read moreRead less
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL140100081
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,380,000.00
Summary
Engineering hybrid photocatalytic systems for sustainable fuel generation. Engineering hybrid photocatalytic systems for sustainable fuel generation. The project aims to develop next generation hybrid photo-(co)catalyst and gaseous photoelectrode systems that will effectively harness solar energy to transform carbon dioxide into sustainable fuels using a multi-scale approach: designing hetero-structured material systems; elucidating surface reaction mechanisms, and engineering coupled photo/ther ....Engineering hybrid photocatalytic systems for sustainable fuel generation. Engineering hybrid photocatalytic systems for sustainable fuel generation. The project aims to develop next generation hybrid photo-(co)catalyst and gaseous photoelectrode systems that will effectively harness solar energy to transform carbon dioxide into sustainable fuels using a multi-scale approach: designing hetero-structured material systems; elucidating surface reaction mechanisms, and engineering coupled photo/thermal-catalytic and unique gaseous photoelectrochemical systems. This project aims to yield fundamental new knowledge for the economical conversion and storage of solar energy as an environmentally benign chemical fuel, as well as create contemporary material systems and reactors for photo- and thermal-catalysis and photoelectrochemical reactions that utilise carbon dioxide as a feedstock.Read moreRead less
Electronic coupling and nanoscale engineering of two-dimensional nanojunctions. This project aims to improve the design of photovoltaic, energy storage, and nanocatalytic devices by using quantum-size tuning, orientation control, strain engineering, and surface modification to manipulate the electronic coupling and charge transfer of two-dimensional nanojunctions. The limitations of and potential environmental damage from fossil-fuel-based energy resources have increased interest in renewable en ....Electronic coupling and nanoscale engineering of two-dimensional nanojunctions. This project aims to improve the design of photovoltaic, energy storage, and nanocatalytic devices by using quantum-size tuning, orientation control, strain engineering, and surface modification to manipulate the electronic coupling and charge transfer of two-dimensional nanojunctions. The limitations of and potential environmental damage from fossil-fuel-based energy resources have increased interest in renewable energy research. The expected outcomes are electron-scale understanding of the tuneable functionalisation of two-dimensional nanojunctions and the design of low-cost and high-efficiency renewable energy devices.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100115
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$350,000.00
Summary
High-temperature probes for investigating phase transitions and reaction kinetics in thin films, nanostructured materials and biomaterials. This infrastructure for high temperature surface analysis and in-situ diagnostics as a function of temperature and gas environments will enhance Australia's capabilities in creating new materials for devices that will meet needs in medical, communications, environmental and security applications. The facility will enable researchers to understand and exploi ....High-temperature probes for investigating phase transitions and reaction kinetics in thin films, nanostructured materials and biomaterials. This infrastructure for high temperature surface analysis and in-situ diagnostics as a function of temperature and gas environments will enhance Australia's capabilities in creating new materials for devices that will meet needs in medical, communications, environmental and security applications. The facility will enable researchers to understand and exploit interfacial phenomena and to tailor processing-microstructure-composition correlations, so as to design new materials with the best performance possible. Probes with unique capabilities will measure surface morphology, optical properties, elemental composition and crystallographic phase.The facility will be the first in Australia to offer a comprehensive study of structure and properties at high temperature.Read moreRead less
Neuromorphic Sensing and Diagnostics with Carbon: Towards a Biomimetic Nose. Neuromorphic electronics emulates cognitive processes of the brain and like the brain, is capable of extracting features and recognising patterns within data with extremely low energy requirements. Carbon materials are naturally adapted to neuromorphic electronics and uniquely form a compatible interface for sensing molecules in liquid and gaseous media. This project aims to develop a carbon-based neuromorphic electroni ....Neuromorphic Sensing and Diagnostics with Carbon: Towards a Biomimetic Nose. Neuromorphic electronics emulates cognitive processes of the brain and like the brain, is capable of extracting features and recognising patterns within data with extremely low energy requirements. Carbon materials are naturally adapted to neuromorphic electronics and uniquely form a compatible interface for sensing molecules in liquid and gaseous media. This project aims to develop a carbon-based neuromorphic electronic sensing device and couple it with carbon based neuromorphic pattern recognition technology to build an ‘artificial nose’ for improved health and environmental monitoring. Intended outcomes will include a technology for low-cost and rapid diagnostic services.
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Synthesis of nanowires and application as nanosensors for chemical and biological detections. This project is expected to bring significant scientific, economic and social benefits. We will develop a number of techniques for the controlled growth of nanowires and making functional nanoscale systems such as nanosensors. The nanosensors will have important applications in chemistry and biology. Some chemical species can be detected by nanosensors on molecular scale. The nanosensors could be used f ....Synthesis of nanowires and application as nanosensors for chemical and biological detections. This project is expected to bring significant scientific, economic and social benefits. We will develop a number of techniques for the controlled growth of nanowires and making functional nanoscale systems such as nanosensors. The nanosensors will have important applications in chemistry and biology. Some chemical species can be detected by nanosensors on molecular scale. The nanosensors could be used for early diagnostics of cancer disease, detection of viruses, and genomic DNA screening. The nanosensors could also provide a molecular tool for probing living cells without destroying them, through which we can track life within cells in real time.Read moreRead less
Combining the soft with the hard: The assembly of artificial cell membranes on porous semiconductors. The platform technologies developed in this project will have a wide range of applications. They will reveal new insights into drug-membrane and drug-protein interactions underpinning development of a new generation of drugs acting on transmembrane proteins that are linked to a wide range of diseases. The development of membrane-based biosensing devices targeting ion channels, membrane active pe ....Combining the soft with the hard: The assembly of artificial cell membranes on porous semiconductors. The platform technologies developed in this project will have a wide range of applications. They will reveal new insights into drug-membrane and drug-protein interactions underpinning development of a new generation of drugs acting on transmembrane proteins that are linked to a wide range of diseases. The development of membrane-based biosensing devices targeting ion channels, membrane active peptides or toxins which can be applied to biomedical diagnostics, biotoxin detection, environmental and food control will be readily achievable. This international interdisciplinary nanobiotechnology programme and its outcomes will enhance Australia's abilities in frontier technologies and build research strength in nanobiotechnology.Read moreRead less