Stereolithographic Additive Manufacturing of Semicrystalline Thermoplastics. This project aims to advance the development of high-throughput stereolithographic additive manufacturing of thermoplastic polymers and composites by employing a multi-colour irradiation schemes in conjunction with photopolymerisable, ring-opening monomer resin formulations. The fundamental scientific understanding, engineering expertise, and concomitant technology advances generated by this project are anticipated to e ....Stereolithographic Additive Manufacturing of Semicrystalline Thermoplastics. This project aims to advance the development of high-throughput stereolithographic additive manufacturing of thermoplastic polymers and composites by employing a multi-colour irradiation schemes in conjunction with photopolymerisable, ring-opening monomer resin formulations. The fundamental scientific understanding, engineering expertise, and concomitant technology advances generated by this project are anticipated to enable additive manufacturing to transition from the rapid prototyping of individual, unique items to the high volume production of robust, reprocessable plastic parts. By obviating the large capital expense of conventional fabrication, this developed technology should provide a path to reinvigorate Australian manufacturing.Read moreRead less
A high speed, high fidelity 3D printer for fabricating microfluidic devices. This project aims to develop a novel 3D printer offering the highest resolution available and fastest printing speed for the single-step manufacturing of complex microfluidic devices. New resins developed to exploit the inert liquid interface layer printing approach will provide unprecedented capability to create micron sized channels interconnected in 3D space and fabricate Lab-on-a-Chip systems that cannot be generate ....A high speed, high fidelity 3D printer for fabricating microfluidic devices. This project aims to develop a novel 3D printer offering the highest resolution available and fastest printing speed for the single-step manufacturing of complex microfluidic devices. New resins developed to exploit the inert liquid interface layer printing approach will provide unprecedented capability to create micron sized channels interconnected in 3D space and fabricate Lab-on-a-Chip systems that cannot be generated by any current fabrication approach. This novel high speed, high fidelity 3D printer and the new resins to be developed are expected to lead to more effective manufacturing approaches for portable chemical devices and to promote complex chemical analysis into the knowledge immediacy culture of today.Read moreRead less
Formation and characterisation of continuous electrospun nanofibre yarns. Australia historically has a strong fibre and textile industry that can be augmented by embracing emerging nanotechnology. The proposed research will develop a technology that can greatly improve the productivity of nanofibres. These fibres can then be spun into continuous yarns and other form of textile products. The nanostructured products offer exceptional functions for biomedical and environmental applications. This ne ....Formation and characterisation of continuous electrospun nanofibre yarns. Australia historically has a strong fibre and textile industry that can be augmented by embracing emerging nanotechnology. The proposed research will develop a technology that can greatly improve the productivity of nanofibres. These fibres can then be spun into continuous yarns and other form of textile products. The nanostructured products offer exceptional functions for biomedical and environmental applications. This new technology has the potential to transform the Australian textile technology and fibre processing industry. Read moreRead less
A Novel Approach to Polymer/Nanosheet Composites and Their Fundamentals. Multifunctional Polymer/nanosheet composites have not yet been widely scaled up in polymer processing and composite industries mainly due to cost and inhaling hazard. This project proposes a novel methodology which embeds nanosheet preparation within polymer melt to both remove the inhaling hazard and lower the cost; the key is to develop two groups of nanosheet intercalation compounds which can expand at the polymer proces ....A Novel Approach to Polymer/Nanosheet Composites and Their Fundamentals. Multifunctional Polymer/nanosheet composites have not yet been widely scaled up in polymer processing and composite industries mainly due to cost and inhaling hazard. This project proposes a novel methodology which embeds nanosheet preparation within polymer melt to both remove the inhaling hazard and lower the cost; the key is to develop two groups of nanosheet intercalation compounds which can expand at the polymer processing temperature, to exfoliate and disperse nanosheets in polymers. It is expected to generate new knowledge of the structure-property relationships and fracture mechanisms of these composites, for industry to scale up this technology and to develop new product.Read moreRead less
Hybrid Construction using Seawater, Sea Sand and Fibre Reinforced Polymer. Conventional concrete is made using fresh water and river sand. This project aims to develop a novel hybrid construction system using seawater, sea sand and industrial waste, together with fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) and stainless steel (SS), for use in civil engineering infrastructure in marine environments. To date there has been little work to understand the degradation kinetics and mechanisms of FRP and SS in such ....Hybrid Construction using Seawater, Sea Sand and Fibre Reinforced Polymer. Conventional concrete is made using fresh water and river sand. This project aims to develop a novel hybrid construction system using seawater, sea sand and industrial waste, together with fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) and stainless steel (SS), for use in civil engineering infrastructure in marine environments. To date there has been little work to understand the degradation kinetics and mechanisms of FRP and SS in such complicated corrosive environments. The project plans to provide a design methodology to ensure confidence in the safety of critical infrastructure such as bridges, highways, dams, airports, offshore piles and artificial islands. The proposed system would save fresh water and reduce damage to river ecosystems, carbon dioxide emissions and construction costs.Read moreRead less
Smart Polymer Hydrogels for Simultaneous Waste Heat Utilisation and Wastewater Treatment for Sustainable Manufacturing. This project aims to develop dual-functionality, temperature-responsive polymer hydrogels as draw agents for continuous, forward osmosis wastewater treatment processes. It intends to use low–and-medium temperature waste heat as a green input into the process and thus significantly reduce the costs of wastewater treatment, and fresh water consumption, whilst effectively utilisin ....Smart Polymer Hydrogels for Simultaneous Waste Heat Utilisation and Wastewater Treatment for Sustainable Manufacturing. This project aims to develop dual-functionality, temperature-responsive polymer hydrogels as draw agents for continuous, forward osmosis wastewater treatment processes. It intends to use low–and-medium temperature waste heat as a green input into the process and thus significantly reduce the costs of wastewater treatment, and fresh water consumption, whilst effectively utilising waste heat generated in the manufacturing industry. The outcomes of this research aim to provide a unique opportunity for Australian researchers to become world leaders in the rapidly-emerging, energy-efficient forward osmosis technology which is very relevant not only to wastewater treatment, but also to desalination.Read moreRead less
Tailoring the nanoporous structure of polymer membranes for fast water permeation. A novel strategy of using a hydrophobic, charged polymer as an additive is proposed to tailor the wettability and charge density gradients in nanoporous polymer membranes for enhancing water permeation. The experimental results obtained in this project will advance our fundamental understanding of the roles of the pore surface charge and wettability gradients in water transport through nanopores. The proposed rese ....Tailoring the nanoporous structure of polymer membranes for fast water permeation. A novel strategy of using a hydrophobic, charged polymer as an additive is proposed to tailor the wettability and charge density gradients in nanoporous polymer membranes for enhancing water permeation. The experimental results obtained in this project will advance our fundamental understanding of the roles of the pore surface charge and wettability gradients in water transport through nanopores. The proposed research is expected to result in a major breakthrough in designing nanoporous membranes with ultrahigh high flux and superior separation properties for a variety of applications including water treatment and food processing. Read moreRead less
Novel fuel-cell structures based on electroactive polymers. This project will tackle some of the challenges currently hindering progression of our society into a post-petroleum era via materials developments that will lead to in-expensive, more efficient fuel cell technologies. Specifically, a new class of organic catalysts and novel ion conducting membranes will be integrated into functional fuel-cells.
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC210100023
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,943,949.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre in Bioplastics and Biocomposites. There is unprecedented growth in demand for bioderived and biodegradable materials. This Training Centre in Bioplastics and Biocomposites will capitalise on Australia’s abundance of the requisite natural bioresources to drive advances in technology for the development of bioplastic and biocomposite products for the new bioeconomy. The aim is to deliver leading edge research with a holistic focus on technical, social, policy and end of life so ....ARC Training Centre in Bioplastics and Biocomposites. There is unprecedented growth in demand for bioderived and biodegradable materials. This Training Centre in Bioplastics and Biocomposites will capitalise on Australia’s abundance of the requisite natural bioresources to drive advances in technology for the development of bioplastic and biocomposite products for the new bioeconomy. The aim is to deliver leading edge research with a holistic focus on technical, social, policy and end of life solutions, training a cohort of industry ready research specialists to underpin Australia’s transition to a globally significant bioplastics and biocomposites industry, while at the same time laying the foundations for accelerated growth in this space.Read moreRead less
High performance sustainable carbon fibres from Australian spinifex grass. Spinifex grasses cover approximately 30 per cent of our Australian continent, in the driest regions. It has been found that, presumably because of this harsh environment, they are uniquely easy to break down into ultra-long, thin cellulose nanofibrils. Through the use of novel catalysts and advanced processing techniques, this project aims to take advantage of this trait to deliver the cost-effective production of high st ....High performance sustainable carbon fibres from Australian spinifex grass. Spinifex grasses cover approximately 30 per cent of our Australian continent, in the driest regions. It has been found that, presumably because of this harsh environment, they are uniquely easy to break down into ultra-long, thin cellulose nanofibrils. Through the use of novel catalysts and advanced processing techniques, this project aims to take advantage of this trait to deliver the cost-effective production of high strength, sustainable carbon fibres from nanocellulose. It is expected that the use of the world's first university based research facility capable of producing high quality carbon fibre (CarbonNexus) will ensure the product is industrially relevant, with real potential to capture a share of the $14 billion carbon-fibre-composite market.Read moreRead less