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Polymer technologies for oil spill remediation and slow-release fertilisers. This project aims to evaluate a patented sulfur polymer in commercial oil spill remediation and slow-release fertilisers. Key objectives are to determine how the polymer degrades, assess the effectiveness of the polymer in oil spill sorption in different contexts, and investigate the polymer as a matrix for slow-release fertilisers. The project expects to generate new approaches to sustainable remediation and crop produ ....Polymer technologies for oil spill remediation and slow-release fertilisers. This project aims to evaluate a patented sulfur polymer in commercial oil spill remediation and slow-release fertilisers. Key objectives are to determine how the polymer degrades, assess the effectiveness of the polymer in oil spill sorption in different contexts, and investigate the polymer as a matrix for slow-release fertilisers. The project expects to generate new approaches to sustainable remediation and crop production. Expected outcomes include new knowledge about the biodegradation of the polymer, new methods for deploying the polymer in oil spill cleanup, and new fertilisers that prevent nutrient waste and runoff. Significant benefits are expected for the environment, as well as economic benefits to the manufacturer and end-users.Read moreRead less
Study the Utility of Novel Drug Polymer Conjugates. The products likely to arise from the technology described in this proposal could have application in medical, veterinary and agricultural industries. It offers the potential to treat diseases that are at present poorly treated by enabling delivery direct to the diseased organ (e.g. eye - bacterial endophthalmitis). Completion of the project will also assist a fledgling biotech company transition to a development company with a multiple produ ....Study the Utility of Novel Drug Polymer Conjugates. The products likely to arise from the technology described in this proposal could have application in medical, veterinary and agricultural industries. It offers the potential to treat diseases that are at present poorly treated by enabling delivery direct to the diseased organ (e.g. eye - bacterial endophthalmitis). Completion of the project will also assist a fledgling biotech company transition to a development company with a multiple product portfolio, which will have a direct economic benefit to Australia both in terms of potential export earnings and as an employer highly skilled staff. The project will also provide research training and career opportunities for developing Australian based researchers.Read moreRead less
Integrated approach to self assembled molecular capsules. Process intensification technologies in the form of spinning disc and rotating tube processing are new to Australia and present many opportunities for both carrying out the synthesis of organic compounds and in fabricating nanomaterials. The ensuing nanotechnological applications are more benign in approach then other fabrication techniques, minimising the generation of waste at the same time under continuous flow which is likely to be mo ....Integrated approach to self assembled molecular capsules. Process intensification technologies in the form of spinning disc and rotating tube processing are new to Australia and present many opportunities for both carrying out the synthesis of organic compounds and in fabricating nanomaterials. The ensuing nanotechnological applications are more benign in approach then other fabrication techniques, minimising the generation of waste at the same time under continuous flow which is likely to be more attractive to industry. Proposed applications such as drug delivery, catalysis, smart materials and device technology are expected to foster industrial collaborations. The project will provide first-rate research training and promote Australian science through the development of these new technologies.Read moreRead less
Controlled nutrient release for more efficient agricultural water use and reduced environmental insult. We will create a completely new type of coating for fertilizer granules. Clays that adsorb and slowly release phosphates and/or other nutrients will be exfoliated with cationic organic reagents to produce organoclay nanoparticles of greatly increased surface area. These will be polymerized with current and novel monomers to form nanocomposites, encasing the clay in a water-swellable matrix by ....Controlled nutrient release for more efficient agricultural water use and reduced environmental insult. We will create a completely new type of coating for fertilizer granules. Clays that adsorb and slowly release phosphates and/or other nutrients will be exfoliated with cationic organic reagents to produce organoclay nanoparticles of greatly increased surface area. These will be polymerized with current and novel monomers to form nanocomposites, encasing the clay in a water-swellable matrix by polymerization; this will enable both slow water perfusion and strong binding to the granules. The polymer and nanoclay properties will be tuneable to release targeted nutrients at an optimal rate for uptake by crops, reducing nutrient seepage into the environment.Read moreRead less
Integrated self assembly processes and spinning disc reactor technology. Spinning Disc Reactor technology is new to Australia and will have wide ranging applications in nano-technology and in developing benign industrial chemical processes with smaller footprint and significantly reduced capital outlay. The cutting edge research will foster collaboration with industry, and lead to establishing new industries in device technology, smart materials, health care products, catalysis and energy storag ....Integrated self assembly processes and spinning disc reactor technology. Spinning Disc Reactor technology is new to Australia and will have wide ranging applications in nano-technology and in developing benign industrial chemical processes with smaller footprint and significantly reduced capital outlay. The cutting edge research will foster collaboration with industry, and lead to establishing new industries in device technology, smart materials, health care products, catalysis and energy storage, through exploiting commercial opportunities. The project will provide excellent research training in a range of scientific skills and in professional development, and will involve overseas PhD exchange programs. The exciting research incorporating benign metrics will enhance public opinion towards science. Read moreRead less
Probing the Interface Between Polymeric Photonic Materials and Biology. This application provides a basis for Professor A. B. Holmes to develop a collaboration between the University of Melbourne (within the Bio21 Institute initiative) and CSIRO Division of Molecular Science to prepare novel plastics for electronics applications (lap top displays, transistors and solar cells) and to make specialised macromolecules for studying the way in which biological molecules may be made to recognise other ....Probing the Interface Between Polymeric Photonic Materials and Biology. This application provides a basis for Professor A. B. Holmes to develop a collaboration between the University of Melbourne (within the Bio21 Institute initiative) and CSIRO Division of Molecular Science to prepare novel plastics for electronics applications (lap top displays, transistors and solar cells) and to make specialised macromolecules for studying the way in which biological molecules may be made to recognise other molecules and thus change their function. It is envisaged that the multidisciplinary research collaboration will lead to commercial opportunities in "plastic electronics" and in human health such as the control of cancer and infectious diseases.Read moreRead less
Novel Synthetic Receptors For Selective Recognition of Phosphate Oxoanions. Anions are critical to the maintenance of life, playing roles in almost every biochemical process. Artificial anion receptors that bind strongly to specific anions have considerable potential applications in biomedicine, but current receptors do not possess the required selectivity for applications. We will undertake the design and construction of a number of molecular receptors tailored to complement the size, shape and ....Novel Synthetic Receptors For Selective Recognition of Phosphate Oxoanions. Anions are critical to the maintenance of life, playing roles in almost every biochemical process. Artificial anion receptors that bind strongly to specific anions have considerable potential applications in biomedicine, but current receptors do not possess the required selectivity for applications. We will undertake the design and construction of a number of molecular receptors tailored to complement the size, shape and charge of specific biologically important anions and will assess their ability to bind selectively to their target guests. This will lead to the development of small molecule receptors for use in biomedical applications.Read moreRead less
Backbone Modified Cyclic Peptides: Scaffolds for Supramolecular Chemistry. The synthesis of compounds that mimic Nature's catalysts - enzymes - will provide us with a better understanding of how these intriguing molecules function and may lead to the development of new catalysts for industrial processes. Modified cyclic peptides could be used as platforms to arrange catalytic groups in a spatially well-defined manner to mimic enzymes. As cyclic peptides are often difficult to prepare, I aim to d ....Backbone Modified Cyclic Peptides: Scaffolds for Supramolecular Chemistry. The synthesis of compounds that mimic Nature's catalysts - enzymes - will provide us with a better understanding of how these intriguing molecules function and may lead to the development of new catalysts for industrial processes. Modified cyclic peptides could be used as platforms to arrange catalytic groups in a spatially well-defined manner to mimic enzymes. As cyclic peptides are often difficult to prepare, I aim to develop a powerful general method for their synthesis. This methodology will then be applied to the synthesis of cyclic peptide-based enzyme mimics.Read moreRead less
Nanomaterials: Probing supramolecular self-assembly at the solution/solid interface. Australia's competitiveness in nanotechnology must be underpinned by fundamental innovation and research. In a "bottom-up" approach to nanomaterials, it is important to understand, for the smallest possible machines that can be produced, how singular molecular components interact with one another, both during the assembly of any device and afterwards as it performs its function. For working devices the molecule ....Nanomaterials: Probing supramolecular self-assembly at the solution/solid interface. Australia's competitiveness in nanotechnology must be underpinned by fundamental innovation and research. In a "bottom-up" approach to nanomaterials, it is important to understand, for the smallest possible machines that can be produced, how singular molecular components interact with one another, both during the assembly of any device and afterwards as it performs its function. For working devices the molecules need to be assembled on a solid surface so that they can work in unison. In this project, in conjunction with researchers at the University of Cambridge, we use the new technique of gel-phase NMR spectroscopy to understand the factors involved as molecular components assemble on the surface of polystyrene beads.Read moreRead less
Sulfur Polymers: A New Class of Dynamic, Responsive & Recyclable Materials. This project aims to establish design principles for the manufacture of polymers made from sulfur, an abundant yet underused building block. These novel materials will be tested as next-generation rubber and plastic. This project expects to generate new knowledge in how these materials can be assembled and recycled, and also how they can be used to extract valuable gold from ore and e-waste. Anticipated outcomes of the p ....Sulfur Polymers: A New Class of Dynamic, Responsive & Recyclable Materials. This project aims to establish design principles for the manufacture of polymers made from sulfur, an abundant yet underused building block. These novel materials will be tested as next-generation rubber and plastic. This project expects to generate new knowledge in how these materials can be assembled and recycled, and also how they can be used to extract valuable gold from ore and e-waste. Anticipated outcomes of the project include access to entirely new materials useful in sustainable plastic manufacturing and sustainable gold extraction. These outcomes should provide significant benefits including functional replacements for non-recyclable plastics and elimination of toxic mercury and cyanide in gold mining and e-waste processing.Read moreRead less