Single walled carbon nanotubes of one stereochemistry - material for the oncoming carbon age. Carbon nanotubes are finding application in nanotechnology. However currently they are prepared as a mixture of zig-zag, chiral and armchair isomers. Their properties could be improved if they could be prepared with one stereochemistry. The approach here is to use a nanocrystallisation and thermal maturation process involving stereo controlling additives. The new carbons are expected to have outstandin ....Single walled carbon nanotubes of one stereochemistry - material for the oncoming carbon age. Carbon nanotubes are finding application in nanotechnology. However currently they are prepared as a mixture of zig-zag, chiral and armchair isomers. Their properties could be improved if they could be prepared with one stereochemistry. The approach here is to use a nanocrystallisation and thermal maturation process involving stereo controlling additives. The new carbons are expected to have outstanding flexibility and strength and novel thermal and electrical properties. The new products could give Australia a lead in new battery, hydrogen storage, flat screen technology and nanoelectronics.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0239647
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$290,000.00
Summary
Infrared chemical imaging and high temperature emission spectroscopy facility. Infrared spectroscopic imaging uses infrared radiation to analyse the chemical properties of microscopic samples in a fast and powerful manner. The images produced provide information about the different molecular chemistry at each pixel in the image. This is one of the latest and perhaps most important developments in vibrational spectroscopy, with wide applications in materials science, forensic science and the biol ....Infrared chemical imaging and high temperature emission spectroscopy facility. Infrared spectroscopic imaging uses infrared radiation to analyse the chemical properties of microscopic samples in a fast and powerful manner. The images produced provide information about the different molecular chemistry at each pixel in the image. This is one of the latest and perhaps most important developments in vibrational spectroscopy, with wide applications in materials science, forensic science and the biological sciences. It is an exceptional tool for the analysis of heterogeneous solids, whether these be seized drug samples, cancer cells, fibres left at a crime scene, layers of paint from a car or a Monet painting, or polymer blends.Read moreRead less
Development and Use of Ionic Liquids in Metal Recovery from Ores, Concentrates and Mattes. Ionic liquids, which are liquid over a wide temperature range and can dissolve a wide range of solutes to high concentrations, promise new and yet unexplored approaches in processing ores. We aim to prepare ionic liquids and apply these to increase the intensity of copper and gold sulfide processing, and to explore more efficient separation of platinum group metals from mattes. New oxidative leaching techn ....Development and Use of Ionic Liquids in Metal Recovery from Ores, Concentrates and Mattes. Ionic liquids, which are liquid over a wide temperature range and can dissolve a wide range of solutes to high concentrations, promise new and yet unexplored approaches in processing ores. We aim to prepare ionic liquids and apply these to increase the intensity of copper and gold sulfide processing, and to explore more efficient separation of platinum group metals from mattes. New oxidative leaching techniques will be developed to diminish ore passivation and enhance recovery; high current electrowinning of copper in ionic liquids will be probed. Evolving technology should yield economic and environmental benefits for a nationally important industry.Read moreRead less
Reactions of Coordinated Dinitrogen. The program will develop novel metal-based catalysts and reagents that will transform nitrogen gas into ammonia and other nitrogen-containing compounds (nitrogen fixation). This fundamental chemical transformation underpins major chemical industries and this new approach using organometallic catalysts will significantly improve the efficiency of ammonia production and reduce the energy and harsh reaction conditions currently required. This program will desi ....Reactions of Coordinated Dinitrogen. The program will develop novel metal-based catalysts and reagents that will transform nitrogen gas into ammonia and other nitrogen-containing compounds (nitrogen fixation). This fundamental chemical transformation underpins major chemical industries and this new approach using organometallic catalysts will significantly improve the efficiency of ammonia production and reduce the energy and harsh reaction conditions currently required. This program will design catalysts with multiple complementary metal centres tailored to bind and activate nitrogen gas to facilitate its reaction with hydrogen or other reagents.Read moreRead less
The role of bush fires in the formation and fate of dioxin like chemicals in Australia. A global (POPs) treaty signed by more than 100 nations targets the reduction and elimination of dioxins, which are persistent, bioaccumlative and highly toxic to humans. Bushfires have been suggested as the major source of dioxins in Australia. Experimental data indicate bushfires may not represent the actual sources of dioxin. Our aim is to experimentally establish the levels of dioxins formed and re-emi ....The role of bush fires in the formation and fate of dioxin like chemicals in Australia. A global (POPs) treaty signed by more than 100 nations targets the reduction and elimination of dioxins, which are persistent, bioaccumlative and highly toxic to humans. Bushfires have been suggested as the major source of dioxins in Australia. Experimental data indicate bushfires may not represent the actual sources of dioxin. Our aim is to experimentally establish the levels of dioxins formed and re-emitted from bushfires in Australia. The results will assist to make informed decisions that lead to effective action for reducing dioxin contamination in Australia, fulfilling the treaty requirements and protecting the population and environment.
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Synthetic and theoretical studies of metal complexes containing carbon-rich ligands. Previous studies in my group, in conjunction with synthetic and theoretical chemistry groups at the Université de Rennes 1, France, have delineated the properties of a series of complexes containing carbon chains linking two metal centres. Having achieved a partial understanding of the features which result in good electronic communication between the metal centres via the carbon chain, the present proposal see ....Synthetic and theoretical studies of metal complexes containing carbon-rich ligands. Previous studies in my group, in conjunction with synthetic and theoretical chemistry groups at the Université de Rennes 1, France, have delineated the properties of a series of complexes containing carbon chains linking two metal centres. Having achieved a partial understanding of the features which result in good electronic communication between the metal centres via the carbon chain, the present proposal seeks to extend this collaboration to further studies which will generate related compounds in which actual eletron exchange can occur, i.e. leading to oxidation/reduction, by using compounds in which two or more different metal centres are present. This may lead to development of nano devices, e.g. molecular-scale switches. If one of the centres is activated by light, a photo-active sensor may result.Read moreRead less
Generation of Ultra-Clean Fuel from Victorian Brown Coal and Its Oxygen-Enriched Combustion Characteristics. Completion of this project can significantly contribute to the national priority of developing alternative energy technologies and ecologically sustainable power generation systems, as well as provide solutions to reduce and capture greenhouse gas emissions during Victorian brown coal firing. Improvements in the quality of Victorian brown coal and its value in national/international trad ....Generation of Ultra-Clean Fuel from Victorian Brown Coal and Its Oxygen-Enriched Combustion Characteristics. Completion of this project can significantly contribute to the national priority of developing alternative energy technologies and ecologically sustainable power generation systems, as well as provide solutions to reduce and capture greenhouse gas emissions during Victorian brown coal firing. Improvements in the quality of Victorian brown coal and its value in national/international trade markets can be achieved through the generation of ultra-clean fuel from coal. Substitution of ultra-clean fuel for Victorian brown coal in energy industries would greatly improve the competitiveness of the Victorian economy in a carbon-constrained future, and ensure power generation near-zero emissions.Read moreRead less
Organometallic materials for photonics. New high performance materials are required for applications in photonics, an area of increasing importance for Australia's high technology industries. This project addresses two critically important requirements in photonics: materials with enhanced nonlinear optical merit (both quadratic and cubic), needed for applications in optical communications, data storage and computer systems, and materials with significant optical limiting properties, required fo ....Organometallic materials for photonics. New high performance materials are required for applications in photonics, an area of increasing importance for Australia's high technology industries. This project addresses two critically important requirements in photonics: materials with enhanced nonlinear optical merit (both quadratic and cubic), needed for applications in optical communications, data storage and computer systems, and materials with significant optical limiting properties, required for laboratory optical device protection and military applications. Concomitant with these studies, the fundamental organometallic chemistry of alkynylmetal complexes and clusters will be developed, leading into oligomeric, dendritic and polymeric species which are of intrinsic, as well as applied, interest.Read moreRead less
Syntheses and non-linear optical properties of B- and N-cored metal alkynyl dendrimers. This project will (i) advance fundamental science, (ii) establish and consolidate links between groups in the UK and Australia with interests in electronic and optical properties of metal alkynyl compounds, (iii) improve technology transfer between the two groups by the mobility of the ARC International Fellow, and (iv) may identify new materials with sufficient non-linear optical and materials processing per ....Syntheses and non-linear optical properties of B- and N-cored metal alkynyl dendrimers. This project will (i) advance fundamental science, (ii) establish and consolidate links between groups in the UK and Australia with interests in electronic and optical properties of metal alkynyl compounds, (iii) improve technology transfer between the two groups by the mobility of the ARC International Fellow, and (iv) may identify new materials with sufficient non-linear optical and materials processing performance for commercial development.Read moreRead less
Towards Oligoclusters: Chemistry, Properties and Applications. Transition metal clusters are closed polyhedral molecules that have been studied intensively for many years, initially for intrinsic interest, and subsequently as models of / precursors for catalysts effecting industrially important chemical transformations. More recently, clusters have been identified as promising optical limiters, required for many technological applications including optical device and eye protection from high pow ....Towards Oligoclusters: Chemistry, Properties and Applications. Transition metal clusters are closed polyhedral molecules that have been studied intensively for many years, initially for intrinsic interest, and subsequently as models of / precursors for catalysts effecting industrially important chemical transformations. More recently, clusters have been identified as promising optical limiters, required for many technological applications including optical device and eye protection from high power lasers. By focussing on the syntheses, electronic and optical properties of specific monomeric, oligomeric (including macrocyclic), dendritic and polymeric cluster-containing systems, we will develop fundamental cluster chemistry, prepare processable functional polymetallic materials, and probe the possible utility of cluster-based materials as optical limiters.Read moreRead less