Extremely lightweight and superelastic cellular materials. This project aims to synthesise a new generation of extremely lightweight, superelastic yet mechanically robust graphene-based cellular materials, develop new strategies to strengthen and functionalise them with other functional polymers or nanoparticles, and explore new techniques to characterise their unique mechanical, electrical and thermal properties for a range of potential applications. The new knowledge obtained would significant ....Extremely lightweight and superelastic cellular materials. This project aims to synthesise a new generation of extremely lightweight, superelastic yet mechanically robust graphene-based cellular materials, develop new strategies to strengthen and functionalise them with other functional polymers or nanoparticles, and explore new techniques to characterise their unique mechanical, electrical and thermal properties for a range of potential applications. The new knowledge obtained would significantly advance our understanding of extremely lightweight and multifunctional cellular materials as well as graphene-based bulk materials. Project outcomes are expected to help generate high value-added technological applications from natural graphite.Read moreRead less
A study of the effects of severe plastic deformation by ECAP on the crystallographic anisotropy and the resulting microstructure-property relationships. The project will assist in improving the technology of manufacture of aluminium can body-stock, a large industry world-wide and help to keep Australian manufacture competitive with the overseas product. Because the Industry Partner has manufacturing activities in regional centres, it will also assist in strengthening regional industry.
Design of tuneable microstructures for additive manufacturing. The project intends to develop methods to tune the microstructure of materials in additive manufacturing so that components can be manufactured with maximum productivity and properties. Additive manufacturing is leading the mass customisation of manufacturing. Designed tunable microstructures enable structure and properties to be tailored for specific applications. One of the greatest challenges, however, is how to control the scale ....Design of tuneable microstructures for additive manufacturing. The project intends to develop methods to tune the microstructure of materials in additive manufacturing so that components can be manufactured with maximum productivity and properties. Additive manufacturing is leading the mass customisation of manufacturing. Designed tunable microstructures enable structure and properties to be tailored for specific applications. One of the greatest challenges, however, is how to control the scale and morphology of the microstructure. This project aims to use the interdependence model of grain refinement to control and design grain sizes. The project first plans to investigate the near-rapid solidification conditions in aluminium alloys. It then plans to re-design the harder-to-manufacture titanium alloys to improve grain size control.Read moreRead less
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL210100147
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,982,000.00
Summary
Alloy alchemy: New paradigms in alloy science to promote a circular economy. Although metals are readily remelted and reused, Australia exports most of its alloy scrap. These exports represent an opportunity for Australia to create value on-shore via a supply source that is secure against disruption. The Laureate will promote new ways to tap into this resource. It will provide the science needed to disrupt the current advanced alloy recycling paradigm and open up new avenues to create high value ....Alloy alchemy: New paradigms in alloy science to promote a circular economy. Although metals are readily remelted and reused, Australia exports most of its alloy scrap. These exports represent an opportunity for Australia to create value on-shore via a supply source that is secure against disruption. The Laureate will promote new ways to tap into this resource. It will provide the science needed to disrupt the current advanced alloy recycling paradigm and open up new avenues to create high value alloys from intermingled metal stocks that are currently ‘down-cycled’ because they are too costly to separate. The Laureate will also pioneer a new additive manufacturing technology to convert metal scrap into high value components, saving up to 95% of the production energy used to create the virgin metal.Read moreRead less
Development of new steel products by thin strip casting and direct thermomechanical processing. The development of strip casting is now being driven by the opportunity to produce steel products with much lower utilization of energy, land and water and lower greenhouse gas emissions. However, this process represents a radical departure from conventional steel processes and therefore the factors that determine the final properties of the strip need to be understood and controlled under high rates ....Development of new steel products by thin strip casting and direct thermomechanical processing. The development of strip casting is now being driven by the opportunity to produce steel products with much lower utilization of energy, land and water and lower greenhouse gas emissions. However, this process represents a radical departure from conventional steel processes and therefore the factors that determine the final properties of the strip need to be understood and controlled under high rates of change. We believe that these challenges actually represent an opportunity to develop new high performance steel products that exploit the unique processing conditions of strip casting and that can use much more recycled material as a feed.Read moreRead less
Advanced products through multiscale microstructure engineering. The metals manufacturing industry is one of the most important in Australia. Future growth and sustainability of the sector is critically dependent on the development of innovative metal products and materials.. In this program Australia's leading research group in metal manufacturing will develop new products and processes through the controlled manipulation of the microstructure at a number of levels: from nano scale to macro s ....Advanced products through multiscale microstructure engineering. The metals manufacturing industry is one of the most important in Australia. Future growth and sustainability of the sector is critically dependent on the development of innovative metal products and materials.. In this program Australia's leading research group in metal manufacturing will develop new products and processes through the controlled manipulation of the microstructure at a number of levels: from nano scale to macro scale. The areas of application include the automotive industry, biomaterials, surface engineering and the emerging area of microforming technologiesRead moreRead less
Development of Advanced Polymers from Recycled Industrial Plastics for Replacement of Virgin Resins. The main objective of this research program is to develop strategies and techniques to develop advanced polymeric materials obtained from recycled industrial plastics for replacement of virgin resins in industrial packaging. Studies show that only a very small amount of such plastic is reclaimed after industrial use. The research will include a comprehensive study of the life cycle of the indus ....Development of Advanced Polymers from Recycled Industrial Plastics for Replacement of Virgin Resins. The main objective of this research program is to develop strategies and techniques to develop advanced polymeric materials obtained from recycled industrial plastics for replacement of virgin resins in industrial packaging. Studies show that only a very small amount of such plastic is reclaimed after industrial use. The research will include a comprehensive study of the life cycle of the industrial packaging products, development of new blends of the recycled resins, and the application of these blends to manufacture good quality injection moulded and blow moulded products including new plastic pails and containers for industrial use.Read moreRead less
A new class of titanium alloys developed for additive manufacturing. This project aims to develop a new class of (Ti-Cu)-based alloys featuring high strength, high toughness, and high hydrogen-embrittlement resistance specifically for additive manufacturing (AM). This project expects to generate new knowledge of grain refinement and phase transformations in dynamic temperature field of metal AM process and to solve the common weakness – strong mechanical anisotropy and poor fatigue life – of AM ....A new class of titanium alloys developed for additive manufacturing. This project aims to develop a new class of (Ti-Cu)-based alloys featuring high strength, high toughness, and high hydrogen-embrittlement resistance specifically for additive manufacturing (AM). This project expects to generate new knowledge of grain refinement and phase transformations in dynamic temperature field of metal AM process and to solve the common weakness – strong mechanical anisotropy and poor fatigue life – of AM Ti components. The expected outcomes include a whole set of processing maps of AM (Ti-Cu)-based alloys tailored to demanding applications. This should provide significant benefits to aerospace, marine and biomedical industries by delivering better durability, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210101503
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$420,590.00
Summary
Developing new, high-performance titanium alloys by metal 3D printing. This project aims to develop a new class of titanium alloys by 3D metal printing that have excellent mechanical properties. The project expects to develop the knowledge to overcome the problems of conventional titanium alloys that have undesirably coarse columnar-grained microstructures. The expected outcome is a new design strategy for the use of 3D printing to make metal alloys This should lead to the widespread adoption of ....Developing new, high-performance titanium alloys by metal 3D printing. This project aims to develop a new class of titanium alloys by 3D metal printing that have excellent mechanical properties. The project expects to develop the knowledge to overcome the problems of conventional titanium alloys that have undesirably coarse columnar-grained microstructures. The expected outcome is a new design strategy for the use of 3D printing to make metal alloys This should lead to the widespread adoption of 3D metal printing for the production of structural parts for which reliably high-quality mechanical properties are of the utmost importance, and could transform the use of titanium in the biomedical and aerospace industries.Read moreRead less
Protein Fibre Powders: Production, Characterisation and Applications. Australia leads the world in the production of protein fibres such as wool. Traditionally, these fibres are used primarily for textile related applications, which have been increasingly relying on the much cheaper synthetic fibres. The outcome from this research will be very significant in that it will underpin the future development of a sustainable protein fibre industry, through value-added and high-end applications. It wil ....Protein Fibre Powders: Production, Characterisation and Applications. Australia leads the world in the production of protein fibres such as wool. Traditionally, these fibres are used primarily for textile related applications, which have been increasingly relying on the much cheaper synthetic fibres. The outcome from this research will be very significant in that it will underpin the future development of a sustainable protein fibre industry, through value-added and high-end applications. It will further strengthen our world leading position in the production, characterisation and application of protein powder materials.Read moreRead less