Flowable composite system with short S-glass fibre and halloysite nanotubes. Flowable composite system with short S-glass fibre and halloysite nanotubes. This project aims to design dental materials with reduced amalgams, using a strong but flowable composite with randomly distributed short S-glass fibres and a non-toxic natural nano-composite overlay. This alternative dental composite material is expected to meet international regulatory bodies’ intention to reduce amalgams. Using advanced phot ....Flowable composite system with short S-glass fibre and halloysite nanotubes. Flowable composite system with short S-glass fibre and halloysite nanotubes. This project aims to design dental materials with reduced amalgams, using a strong but flowable composite with randomly distributed short S-glass fibres and a non-toxic natural nano-composite overlay. This alternative dental composite material is expected to meet international regulatory bodies’ intention to reduce amalgams. Using advanced photonic and micro-mechanical techniques to make engineered material is also expected to enhance Australian manufacturing.Read moreRead less
Advanced shield materials for compact fusion energy. We aim to predict how materials used for shielding sensitive components in nuclear fusion reactors will degrade over time. We will use this knowledge to design advanced alloys for radiation shield, which are critical for the development of more compact fusion reactors design, with lower construction cost, and shorter assembly time. These advanced shield materials may also be used in other applications in radiation fields (e.g. space, nuclear m ....Advanced shield materials for compact fusion energy. We aim to predict how materials used for shielding sensitive components in nuclear fusion reactors will degrade over time. We will use this knowledge to design advanced alloys for radiation shield, which are critical for the development of more compact fusion reactors design, with lower construction cost, and shorter assembly time. These advanced shield materials may also be used in other applications in radiation fields (e.g. space, nuclear medicine). The project also seeks to extend the Australian nuclear research capability by developing an innovative technique to study radiation damage using the OPAL reactor at ANSTO.Read moreRead less
Lightweight Photovoltaic Modules for Low-Load Capacity Building Roofs. This project aims to develop lightweight and reliable high efficiency photovoltaic modules that expand solar energy installations onto low-load capacity building roofs. New lightweight materials will be developed for packaging with multi-functionalities such as fast heat dissipation. This project will produce economical prototypes and enable and
facilitate cost reduction of crystalline silicon photovoltaic module installation ....Lightweight Photovoltaic Modules for Low-Load Capacity Building Roofs. This project aims to develop lightweight and reliable high efficiency photovoltaic modules that expand solar energy installations onto low-load capacity building roofs. New lightweight materials will be developed for packaging with multi-functionalities such as fast heat dissipation. This project will produce economical prototypes and enable and
facilitate cost reduction of crystalline silicon photovoltaic module installations on lightweight buildings, overcoming current constraints of heavy glass modules and making more solar energy exploited in both Australia’s urban and rural areas. This will get steps closer to zero emission buildings, by providing renewable energy alternative to conventional fossil fuel-based power generation.Read moreRead less
Reducing the environmental impact of steel making through direct strip casting. This project will investigate direct strip casting of steel, a technology that reduces the environmental footprint of liquid steel processing by up to 90 per cent. With the industry partner Baosteel, the project hopes to expand the application of this process to more steel grades and to also assess possible new steel grades with improved properties.
Nanoscale heating towards high efficient nitrogen reduction reduction. This project aims to develop nanoscale heating technique using AC magnetic field for efficient synthesis of ammonia, widely used for fertiliser and having potential for hydrogen storage. This project is to introduce nanoscale heating concept by heating catalyst only but not solution in electrochemical catalysis to achieve high catalytic activity. Expected outcome is the creation of low cost catalysts having high selectivity a ....Nanoscale heating towards high efficient nitrogen reduction reduction. This project aims to develop nanoscale heating technique using AC magnetic field for efficient synthesis of ammonia, widely used for fertiliser and having potential for hydrogen storage. This project is to introduce nanoscale heating concept by heating catalyst only but not solution in electrochemical catalysis to achieve high catalytic activity. Expected outcome is the creation of low cost catalysts having high selectivity and formation rate for ammonia production. This unique technology has the potential to replace current ammonia production based on Haber-Bosch process, which consumes 2% of world energy and contributes 3% of overall CO2 emission. The project provides opportunities for new industries that will benefit Australian economy.Read moreRead less
Removal and degradation of microplastics using halloysite nanocomposite. The project aims to utilize halloysite clay combined with novel highly magnetized nanoparticles for the removal and degradation of microplastics in the contaminated water system. The project expects to fabricate cheap and environmentally-friendly materials using innovative chemical synthesis and surface modification for adsorption and decomposition of microplastics utilizing both high surface area of halloysite nanotubes a ....Removal and degradation of microplastics using halloysite nanocomposite. The project aims to utilize halloysite clay combined with novel highly magnetized nanoparticles for the removal and degradation of microplastics in the contaminated water system. The project expects to fabricate cheap and environmentally-friendly materials using innovative chemical synthesis and surface modification for adsorption and decomposition of microplastics utilizing both high surface area of halloysite nanotubes and catalytic activity of transition metals. This project will facilitate collaboration between multidisciplinary researchers and a vibrant group of industrial participants to advance next-generation composite materials for water treatment and ensure the supply of clean water for healthy living.Read moreRead less
Performance of safety critical anchors in early age concrete with SCM. This project aims to examine the performance of anchors in a range of cements, to contribute to new safety and building guidelines. Demands for faster construction cycles and increased productivity require anchors for lifting and joining concrete elements to be installed and loaded in early age concrete. Yet, best practice for evaluation of anchors is based on mature concrete. There is also increasing use of supplementary cem ....Performance of safety critical anchors in early age concrete with SCM. This project aims to examine the performance of anchors in a range of cements, to contribute to new safety and building guidelines. Demands for faster construction cycles and increased productivity require anchors for lifting and joining concrete elements to be installed and loaded in early age concrete. Yet, best practice for evaluation of anchors is based on mature concrete. There is also increasing use of supplementary cementitious materials with unknown effects on anchors. This project aims to address this construction industry challenge. The project plans to study experimentally and analytically the effect of early age creep on anchor installation and the factors affecting the slip behaviour and ultimate performance of cast-in and post-installed mechanical anchors in concretes. It is intended that these studies will then inform new design guidelines.Read moreRead less
Embrittlement-tolerant alloys for safe hydrogen transmission and storage. Hydrogen embrittlement in steels is a major impediment to a safe hydrogen economy. This project will determine how hydrogen affects the deformation behaviour of steel, providing the fundamental information that is required to develop alloys that can be safely used in infrastructure for a future Australian hydrogen industry. We will utilise new technologies that allow us, for the first time, to determine the position of hyd ....Embrittlement-tolerant alloys for safe hydrogen transmission and storage. Hydrogen embrittlement in steels is a major impediment to a safe hydrogen economy. This project will determine how hydrogen affects the deformation behaviour of steel, providing the fundamental information that is required to develop alloys that can be safely used in infrastructure for a future Australian hydrogen industry. We will utilise new technologies that allow us, for the first time, to determine the position of hydrogen atoms around micro-scale features and to compare it to local mechanical behaviour, determined by micro-mechanical tests. The systematic investigation of the effect of hydrogen on different micro-components within steel will allow the development of microstructure-guided alloy design principles.Read moreRead less
Design Strategy for Cold Roll Formed Products. Roll forming is a widely used metal forming technology in Australia. The demands for shorter lead times, more complex shapes, new high strength materials and more demanding markets such as the automotive industry, requires increased virtual engineering at the design stage. This project will develop the models and tools required to enable the industry to efficiently design robust roll configurations to meet current and future demands. The outcomes ....Design Strategy for Cold Roll Formed Products. Roll forming is a widely used metal forming technology in Australia. The demands for shorter lead times, more complex shapes, new high strength materials and more demanding markets such as the automotive industry, requires increased virtual engineering at the design stage. This project will develop the models and tools required to enable the industry to efficiently design robust roll configurations to meet current and future demands. The outcomes from this project will not only benefit the industry partners involved but the general Australian roll forming industry, opening up new markets and opportunities.Read moreRead less
Sustainable Hydrogen Production from Used Water. The project aims to address the pressing challenge of water scarcity in hydrogen production by developing an innovative approach of using used water as the feed for water electrolysis. The project will result in an in-depth understanding of the impacts of water impurities in used water on the performance and durability of water electrolysers, and develop guidelines for the design of highly durable water electrolysers and the operation and upgrade ....Sustainable Hydrogen Production from Used Water. The project aims to address the pressing challenge of water scarcity in hydrogen production by developing an innovative approach of using used water as the feed for water electrolysis. The project will result in an in-depth understanding of the impacts of water impurities in used water on the performance and durability of water electrolysers, and develop guidelines for the design of highly durable water electrolysers and the operation and upgrade of existing wastewater treatment plants. The project will advance the practical applications of water electrolysis for scalable and sustainable hydrogen production and help Australia secure a leading position in the global emerging hydrogen economy.Read moreRead less