All-solid-state: new hybrid materials for next-generation lithium batteries. The aim of the project is an economically viable design for “all-solid-state” rechargeable batteries. Eliminating organic liquid electrolytes from lithium-ion batteries will dramatically increase safety, range of operating conditions, lifetimes, and energy density. The key technical challenge is keeping solid-solid interfaces intact over thousands of charge/discharge cycles. We will address this by inserting inorganic i ....All-solid-state: new hybrid materials for next-generation lithium batteries. The aim of the project is an economically viable design for “all-solid-state” rechargeable batteries. Eliminating organic liquid electrolytes from lithium-ion batteries will dramatically increase safety, range of operating conditions, lifetimes, and energy density. The key technical challenge is keeping solid-solid interfaces intact over thousands of charge/discharge cycles. We will address this by inserting inorganic interfacial layers that change smoothly from hard ceramic to flexible glass and back again, through rigorous chemical design and synthetic control. This will reduce the stress that causes mechanical failure, while increasing chemical stability so that the latest generation of high-power electrodes can be brought into service.Read moreRead less
New laser and mass spectrometry methods for detecting protonation isomers. Mass spectrometry is a major tool for the detection of molecules for understanding disease, pollution control and chemical synthesis. However, intricate differences in molecular structure - vital to chemical function - can confuse detection methods leading to false negatives. This is especially problematic for complex biological samples. Recent breakthroughs in laser-based mass spectrometry methods, combined with ion mobi ....New laser and mass spectrometry methods for detecting protonation isomers. Mass spectrometry is a major tool for the detection of molecules for understanding disease, pollution control and chemical synthesis. However, intricate differences in molecular structure - vital to chemical function - can confuse detection methods leading to false negatives. This is especially problematic for complex biological samples. Recent breakthroughs in laser-based mass spectrometry methods, combined with ion mobility, now allow detection of subtle yet important structural features. This project aims to exploit these advances by developing new instrumentation and protocols with these enhanced capabilities thus accelerating advances in automated mass spectrometry, improved antibiotic detection and complex biomolecule screening.Read moreRead less
Unshackling solitons through ultimate dispersion control. The project aims to generate and investigate several novel families of self-stabilising optical pulses by using a unique fibre laser we recently devised. By developing the associated theoretical models, the team will transform conceptual and experimental knowledge of nonlinear physics, providing deep insights into fibre lasers and the pulses they can emit. The expected outcomes are a complete understanding of entirely novel families of op ....Unshackling solitons through ultimate dispersion control. The project aims to generate and investigate several novel families of self-stabilising optical pulses by using a unique fibre laser we recently devised. By developing the associated theoretical models, the team will transform conceptual and experimental knowledge of nonlinear physics, providing deep insights into fibre lasers and the pulses they can emit. The expected outcomes are a complete understanding of entirely novel families of optical pulses, and of the degree to which the energy required to generate these pulses can be reduced. Reducing this energy means that these pulses can perform the same function at lower power, which will enable the emergence of new applications that will play powerful roles in the 21st-century economy.Read moreRead less
Resolving the interstellar carbon crisis with multilaser spectroscopy. This project aims to provide astronomers of the future with firm diagnostic tools to identify and understand exotic carbon species in the interstellar medium. Life on Earth began after delivery of carbon-based pre-biotic material to the young planet by comets and meteorites. This material came from outside the solar system, but we do not yet know the chemical make-up of the interstellar matter. This is because we do not under ....Resolving the interstellar carbon crisis with multilaser spectroscopy. This project aims to provide astronomers of the future with firm diagnostic tools to identify and understand exotic carbon species in the interstellar medium. Life on Earth began after delivery of carbon-based pre-biotic material to the young planet by comets and meteorites. This material came from outside the solar system, but we do not yet know the chemical make-up of the interstellar matter. This is because we do not understand precisely how the interstellar molecules and dust interact with starlight. This project will create and study models of interstellar matter in the laboratory, and will determine the chemical form of carbon in the interstellar medium. This will have lasting impact on astrophysical models, as well as theories of the origin of life.Read moreRead less
Catching the fast waves: high speed RF sensing using Brillouin scattering. This project aims to develop a room temperature approach to fast sensing of microwave electromagnetic waves by harnessing stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS), simultaneously achieving high frequency range, high resolution and high-speed performance. This project expects to generate new knowledge in microwave photonics and SBS, specifically elucidating the transient temporal response of SBS. Expected outcomes of this pro ....Catching the fast waves: high speed RF sensing using Brillouin scattering. This project aims to develop a room temperature approach to fast sensing of microwave electromagnetic waves by harnessing stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS), simultaneously achieving high frequency range, high resolution and high-speed performance. This project expects to generate new knowledge in microwave photonics and SBS, specifically elucidating the transient temporal response of SBS. Expected outcomes of this project include a proof of concept RF sensor that has multi-Gigahertz real-rime instantaneous bandwidth with high-resolution that can be miniaturized on to a chip. This compact RF sensor, will play a vital role for situational awareness in space, defence and communications applications. Read moreRead less
Shear stimulated Brillouin microscopy for cell mechanobiology. This project aims to develop novel technology for non-contact imaging of micro-mechanical properties in cells and tissues to answer fundamental questions of cell mechnanobiology. Based on principles of Brillouin light scattering, the project takes advantage of a radio-frequency lock-in detection scheme. The project will result in a real-time, high-sensitivity, non-contact 3D imaging solution for spatial characterisation of cell's loc ....Shear stimulated Brillouin microscopy for cell mechanobiology. This project aims to develop novel technology for non-contact imaging of micro-mechanical properties in cells and tissues to answer fundamental questions of cell mechnanobiology. Based on principles of Brillouin light scattering, the project takes advantage of a radio-frequency lock-in detection scheme. The project will result in a real-time, high-sensitivity, non-contact 3D imaging solution for spatial characterisation of cell's local stiffness and compressibility. This will underpin the advancement of knowledge in the area of cell mechanobiology and the investigation of diseases, where microscale changes in cell mechanical properties lead to cell dysfunction and apoptosis.Read moreRead less
Harnessing opto-acoustic interactions for on-chip optical isolation. The project aims to develop practical on-chip photonic isolators – one-way optical circuits – by harnessing light–sound interactions in a nanoscale platform novel in its materials, design and mechanism. The project should develop new nanofabrication techniques and transform understanding of the physics of one-way photonic processes. Expected outcomes include enhanced design and fabrication capabilities for photonic circuits, ul ....Harnessing opto-acoustic interactions for on-chip optical isolation. The project aims to develop practical on-chip photonic isolators – one-way optical circuits – by harnessing light–sound interactions in a nanoscale platform novel in its materials, design and mechanism. The project should develop new nanofabrication techniques and transform understanding of the physics of one-way photonic processes. Expected outcomes include enhanced design and fabrication capabilities for photonic circuits, ultra-compact, high-performance optical isolators and circulators that shield sensitive optical components, and a suite of theoretical tools for describing propagation and noise in these devices. These new high performance photonic circuits should benefit telecommunications, radar, defence, and sensing applications. Read moreRead less
Anomalous Structural Response in Porous Framework Materials. This project targets a key missing link in understanding the host-guest properties of porous framework materials, namely, the dynamic response of host lattices to their external environment and to the inclusion of molecular guests. By combining advanced chemical, physical and structural measurements the project expects to provide the first concerted picture of materials behaviour across an array of scientific and technological settings ....Anomalous Structural Response in Porous Framework Materials. This project targets a key missing link in understanding the host-guest properties of porous framework materials, namely, the dynamic response of host lattices to their external environment and to the inclusion of molecular guests. By combining advanced chemical, physical and structural measurements the project expects to provide the first concerted picture of materials behaviour across an array of scientific and technological settings, with particular focus given to industrially relevant ‘real world’ conditions. This promises to greatly inform the on-going chemical design, formulation and process engineering of these materials, in turn accelerating their development in gas separation, energy storage and device componentry applications.Read moreRead less
Emergent Behaviours in Spin Crossover Materials. This project aims to develop new molecular materials in which the incorporation of electronic switching leads to the emergence of fundamentally new chemical and physical phenomena. Through an innovative interdisciplinary approach that targets interesting new forms of interplay at the nanoscale this project expects to generate step-change advances in the understanding of spin-switching materials. Significant anticipated outcomes and benefits includ ....Emergent Behaviours in Spin Crossover Materials. This project aims to develop new molecular materials in which the incorporation of electronic switching leads to the emergence of fundamentally new chemical and physical phenomena. Through an innovative interdisciplinary approach that targets interesting new forms of interplay at the nanoscale this project expects to generate step-change advances in the understanding of spin-switching materials. Significant anticipated outcomes and benefits include identification and development of several new classes of materials function, each of major fundamental interest, and to the generation of advanced new materials worthy of commercial development in electronic device, actuator, sensor and gas separations technologies.Read moreRead less
Molecular mechanisms of mechanosensation and shape regulation in cells. This project aims to explore how cells physically sense and respond to the surrounding environment on a molecular level. Physical distortion of erythrocytes doubles their glucose consumption and increases cation membrane flux five-fold. This mechanism involves opening of the mechanosenstive ion channel Piezo1. This project will include a kinetic description of these phenomena, with a goal to establish a predictive mathematic ....Molecular mechanisms of mechanosensation and shape regulation in cells. This project aims to explore how cells physically sense and respond to the surrounding environment on a molecular level. Physical distortion of erythrocytes doubles their glucose consumption and increases cation membrane flux five-fold. This mechanism involves opening of the mechanosenstive ion channel Piezo1. This project will include a kinetic description of these phenomena, with a goal to establish a predictive mathematical model of the regulation of cell-shape and volume. The project will provide an understanding of mechanisms operating when cells and tissues are succumbing to trauma and invasion, and how to control these processes on a molecular level.Read moreRead less