Exploration of lead free ferroelectric crystals for transducer applications. This project aims to investigate lead free crystals, which are expected to possess high piezoelectric properties for medical imaging and underwater acoustics, as an alternative to toxic lead-based ferroelectrics which have been dominantly used in ultrasound transducers. The project will have significant impact on development of new lead-free ferroelectric crystals with desirable properties. This will benefit Australian ....Exploration of lead free ferroelectric crystals for transducer applications. This project aims to investigate lead free crystals, which are expected to possess high piezoelectric properties for medical imaging and underwater acoustics, as an alternative to toxic lead-based ferroelectrics which have been dominantly used in ultrasound transducers. The project will have significant impact on development of new lead-free ferroelectric crystals with desirable properties. This will benefit Australian industry by providing knowledge and technology of crystal growth, enabling advanced ultrasound transducers for medical imaging and underwater acoustic applications.Read moreRead less
New Ceramic: Fully Stabilised Monoclinic ZrO2 by Al2O3 + SiO2 Additions. Aim: To use conventional manufacturing and advanced manufacturing to produce an unprecedented form of zirconia: Fully stabilised monoclinic zirconia. Significance: The product utilises waste and inexpensive raw materials and it avoids the universal nanoscale transformation from the tetragonal and cubic forms of zirconia, which are commercialised. Outcomes: The product can have widespread uses in the chemical, refractory and ....New Ceramic: Fully Stabilised Monoclinic ZrO2 by Al2O3 + SiO2 Additions. Aim: To use conventional manufacturing and advanced manufacturing to produce an unprecedented form of zirconia: Fully stabilised monoclinic zirconia. Significance: The product utilises waste and inexpensive raw materials and it avoids the universal nanoscale transformation from the tetragonal and cubic forms of zirconia, which are commercialised. Outcomes: The product can have widespread uses in the chemical, refractory and mining industries and the technology aims to expand the industrial partner's commodity base from structural ceramics to high-tech ceramics. Benefits: Greater utilisation of waste and Australian raw materials, new commercialisation opportunities, new training and employment opportunities and breakthrough research.Read moreRead less
AM of MAX Phase parts for applications in extreme environments. This project aims to develop techniques to synthesize MAX Phase compound materials in-situ using laser additive manufacturing. The project expects to increase jet engine fuel efficiency and thrust, and to fabricate longer-lasting parts for supersonic speed applications. The expected outcomes include well-developed additive manufacturing processes to make high performance engineering components with shape complexity for extreme envir ....AM of MAX Phase parts for applications in extreme environments. This project aims to develop techniques to synthesize MAX Phase compound materials in-situ using laser additive manufacturing. The project expects to increase jet engine fuel efficiency and thrust, and to fabricate longer-lasting parts for supersonic speed applications. The expected outcomes include well-developed additive manufacturing processes to make high performance engineering components with shape complexity for extreme environment applications, and new methods to increase the 3D printability of brittle materials. This should provide significant benefits to aerospace and defense industries through solving their long standing bottleneck material and processing problems. The outcomes also enhance Australia’s manufacturing capacity.Read moreRead less
Improvement of Additive Manufacturing Processability of Alloys and Ceramics. As the current materials that can be additively processed are still very limited, this project aims to increase the additive manufacturing processability of commercial engineering materials through developing effective and practical grain refinement technology so that more engineering parts can be additively fabricated. The project expects to widen the applications of this advanced manufacturing technology in industry p ....Improvement of Additive Manufacturing Processability of Alloys and Ceramics. As the current materials that can be additively processed are still very limited, this project aims to increase the additive manufacturing processability of commercial engineering materials through developing effective and practical grain refinement technology so that more engineering parts can be additively fabricated. The project expects to widen the applications of this advanced manufacturing technology in industry productions. Expected outcomes include commercialisation ready grain refinement technologies and breakthrough fundamental understanding of the physical metallurgy of melt pools. This should enhance Australia’s capability to establish world-leading additive manufacturing activities serving to various other industry sectors. Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150101687
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$340,000.00
Summary
Nanostructure Tailoring of Inorganic Membranes by Rapid Thermal Processing. This project aims to produce inorganic membranes with desired nanostructures using a Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) technique for gas separation applications. The key concept of the research is that the RTP will be able to achieve thin-film membrane layer with a finer microstructure and pore size control without heat stress-induced cracking. RTP aims to deliver superior membrane performance with less than 10 per cent of ....Nanostructure Tailoring of Inorganic Membranes by Rapid Thermal Processing. This project aims to produce inorganic membranes with desired nanostructures using a Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) technique for gas separation applications. The key concept of the research is that the RTP will be able to achieve thin-film membrane layer with a finer microstructure and pore size control without heat stress-induced cracking. RTP aims to deliver superior membrane performance with less than 10 per cent of the fabrication time compared to normal slow calcination. The outcomes of this new technology aims to make inorganic membranes a commercial reality and maximize the membrane manufacturing capability and productivity of petrochemcial, chemical and clean coal/energy industries.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180101454
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$359,446.00
Summary
High performance lead-free piezoelectrics based on polar nanoregions. This project aims to enhance the electro-mechanical couplings of lead free piezoelectrics via introducing polar nanoregions for medical transducers applications. This is expected to impact on the design and development of high-performance lead free piezoelectrics, and have environmental benefits through replacing lead based counterparts.
Low-cost, Lightweight and Liquid Helium-free Superconducting MRI Magnet. This project aims to develop a liquid-helium-free superconducting technology to address the need for more affordable MRI magnets that currently rely on expensive, limited supplies of liquid helium. This project expects to generate a world-first, much needed MRI systems to be operated in persistent mode without a power supply, to obtain high-resolution images and low-cost operation. The expected outcomes include a novel, lig ....Low-cost, Lightweight and Liquid Helium-free Superconducting MRI Magnet. This project aims to develop a liquid-helium-free superconducting technology to address the need for more affordable MRI magnets that currently rely on expensive, limited supplies of liquid helium. This project expects to generate a world-first, much needed MRI systems to be operated in persistent mode without a power supply, to obtain high-resolution images and low-cost operation. The expected outcomes include a novel, lightweight, easy-to-operate magnesium diboride superconducting MRI magnet prototype under persistent mode operation. This should provide significant benefits, including reducing the cost associated with conventional liquid helium-dependent technologies and ensuring Australia at the forefront of MRI development worldwide.Read moreRead less
A next generation 'smart' superconducting magnet system in persistent mode. Superconducting magnet devices use splicing, a process required to maintain the persistence of operation. Currently, the formation mechanism of splicing using magnesium diboride superconductor is complex and not technologically robust for industrial magnet manufacturing. This project aims to develop novel, reliable and economical superconducting splicing technologies that can produce an ultra-stable and uniform magnetic ....A next generation 'smart' superconducting magnet system in persistent mode. Superconducting magnet devices use splicing, a process required to maintain the persistence of operation. Currently, the formation mechanism of splicing using magnesium diboride superconductor is complex and not technologically robust for industrial magnet manufacturing. This project aims to develop novel, reliable and economical superconducting splicing technologies that can produce an ultra-stable and uniform magnetic field against unexpected power outages. Expected outcomes include the development of advanced green and cryogen free superconducting technologies, which would boost the Australian manufacturing industry through access to multi-billion-dollar global markets for power grids, medical imaging and energy generation and storage.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100975
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$415,775.00
Summary
Architectured ceramics to combine strength, toughness, and complex shapes. This project aims to develop ceramics that are simultaneously strong and tough, and to form them into complex shapes without compromising their mechanical properties – major challenges in science and engineering. Inspired by the internal architectures that confer these advantages on natural hard materials, it will produce novel ceramics with rationally-designed, highly-controlled dense architectures by developing a fast, ....Architectured ceramics to combine strength, toughness, and complex shapes. This project aims to develop ceramics that are simultaneously strong and tough, and to form them into complex shapes without compromising their mechanical properties – major challenges in science and engineering. Inspired by the internal architectures that confer these advantages on natural hard materials, it will produce novel ceramics with rationally-designed, highly-controlled dense architectures by developing a fast, scalable and versatile light-based 3D–4D printing technique combined with discrete element modelling. Outcomes will be toughened ceramics and new knowledge on processing-architecture-performance relationships, with significant benefits for biomaterials, defence, transport, high-temperature and aerospace applications.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE160100155
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$648,000.00
Summary
NanoMin; Quantitative Mineral Mapping of Nanoscale Processes. NanoMin: quantitative mineral mapping of nanoscale processes:
The project seeks to establish an electron microscope-based mineral mapping and analysis facility to provide rapid, quantitative and statistically reliable mineralogical, petrographic and metallurgical data unobtainable by other means in fine-grained materials. The proposed equipment can identify minerals in complex mixtures of sub-µm-grain size materials by virtue of an i ....NanoMin; Quantitative Mineral Mapping of Nanoscale Processes. NanoMin: quantitative mineral mapping of nanoscale processes:
The project seeks to establish an electron microscope-based mineral mapping and analysis facility to provide rapid, quantitative and statistically reliable mineralogical, petrographic and metallurgical data unobtainable by other means in fine-grained materials. The proposed equipment can identify minerals in complex mixtures of sub-µm-grain size materials by virtue of an integrated software and hardware system called NanoMin which incorporates a spectral deconvolution engine combined with a mineral spectra database. A key limitation in understanding complex materials is sub-micron to nanometer scale spatial variability of mineralogical phases. Imaging and quantifying these phases is now possible with the NanoMin system. This promises to open up petrological, geobiological, and materials science research in complex fine-grained materials.Read moreRead less