An account of wetting phenomena on nano-engineered surfaces. This project aims to provide researchers and industry with a toolbox to predict wetting behaviour on surfaces with nanoscale topography. A combined experimental and numerical study will lead to the discovery of the mechanisms by which topographical and chemical properties of the surface trigger the formation of nanostructure-induced air pockets and how these phenomena determine surface wettability. This will provide significant benefi ....An account of wetting phenomena on nano-engineered surfaces. This project aims to provide researchers and industry with a toolbox to predict wetting behaviour on surfaces with nanoscale topography. A combined experimental and numerical study will lead to the discovery of the mechanisms by which topographical and chemical properties of the surface trigger the formation of nanostructure-induced air pockets and how these phenomena determine surface wettability. This will provide significant benefits, as the predictive surface-wettability model will enhance controllability and productivity of diverse manufacturing processes and lead to new applications, high-value products and economic benefits in mining, energy, electronics, biomedicine and other fields.Read moreRead less
Programming anisotropy into responsive soft materials. The project aims to generate viscoelastic soft materials with programmable anisotropy using aqueous suspensions of colloidal rods that have tunable surface coatings. The project expects to generate new knowledge in the rheology and structural characteristics of this unique class of materials. A key innovation is the use of charge-directed polymer self-assembly to control colloidal interactions, suspension rheology and phase behaviour. The in ....Programming anisotropy into responsive soft materials. The project aims to generate viscoelastic soft materials with programmable anisotropy using aqueous suspensions of colloidal rods that have tunable surface coatings. The project expects to generate new knowledge in the rheology and structural characteristics of this unique class of materials. A key innovation is the use of charge-directed polymer self-assembly to control colloidal interactions, suspension rheology and phase behaviour. The intended outcome is spatial control over the orientation of nanostructures, potentially mimicking the structural hierarchy found in nature. This should provide significant benefits to the creation of viscoelastic materials with complex rheology as well as structural, mechanical and optical heterogeneity.Read moreRead less
Poly(dendrimer) organic light-emitting diodes. This project aims to develop ultrathin efficient emissive technologies based on low embedded energy organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). It will develop transformative OLEDs that can be used in displays and lighting, by creating semiconductor materials and diode architectures that optimise each step in light generation, from charge injection, transport and capture to light emission. The efficiency improvements made possible by OLED technology can ....Poly(dendrimer) organic light-emitting diodes. This project aims to develop ultrathin efficient emissive technologies based on low embedded energy organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). It will develop transformative OLEDs that can be used in displays and lighting, by creating semiconductor materials and diode architectures that optimise each step in light generation, from charge injection, transport and capture to light emission. The efficiency improvements made possible by OLED technology can reduce electricity consumption, carbon dioxide emissions, and the cost of living.Read moreRead less
Next generation lasers for short-reach optical fibre communication. This project aims to develop next-generation laser systems for multimode fibre-optic communication systems, by leveraging recently developed techniques for measuring and controlling the spatial properties of light. These techniques will provide new insights into the physics of the lasers themselves, as well as overcoming fundamental limitations which have traditionally hindered their operation at high speed. The expected outcome ....Next generation lasers for short-reach optical fibre communication. This project aims to develop next-generation laser systems for multimode fibre-optic communication systems, by leveraging recently developed techniques for measuring and controlling the spatial properties of light. These techniques will provide new insights into the physics of the lasers themselves, as well as overcoming fundamental limitations which have traditionally hindered their operation at high speed. The expected outcome of this project is the inclusion of these techniques in the development and operation of future generations of fibre communication systems. Creating new classes of laser systems, which can scale to large bit rates, will enable the growth in this area to be sustained into the future.Read moreRead less
Encoding Interactions and Printability into Hairy Colloidal Biomaterials. Printing mixtures of live cells and biomaterials (or 'BioInks') to make bespoke engineered tissues has the potential to enable personalised platforms for therapeutic discovery and organ replacement. Using a novel high throughput approach to materials synthesis, BioInk design and process optimisation, this project aims to discover new biomaterials and printing nozzles to help realise this potential. It will produce new insi ....Encoding Interactions and Printability into Hairy Colloidal Biomaterials. Printing mixtures of live cells and biomaterials (or 'BioInks') to make bespoke engineered tissues has the potential to enable personalised platforms for therapeutic discovery and organ replacement. Using a novel high throughput approach to materials synthesis, BioInk design and process optimisation, this project aims to discover new biomaterials and printing nozzles to help realise this potential. It will produce new insights in colloid science, cell-laden biomaterials design, and BioInk processing. Structure-property-function guides for colloid-based BioInks and quality-assured bioprinting as outcomes represent significant benefits for researchers and industries alike engaged in biofabrication, cell therapy and biotherapeutics.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200100119
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$424,607.00
Summary
Manipulation of non-wetting droplets for cell culture. We have recently discovered an innovative and interdisciplinary approach for manipulating non-wetting droplets called “liquid marbles” as a platform for three-dimensional cell culture. This project aims to elucidate the fundamental physics underpinning the electrostatic handling concept of this platform technology. The project is expected to deliver an inexpensive but sophisticated cell culture platform that is well-suited for high-throughpu ....Manipulation of non-wetting droplets for cell culture. We have recently discovered an innovative and interdisciplinary approach for manipulating non-wetting droplets called “liquid marbles” as a platform for three-dimensional cell culture. This project aims to elucidate the fundamental physics underpinning the electrostatic handling concept of this platform technology. The project is expected to deliver an inexpensive but sophisticated cell culture platform that is well-suited for high-throughput drug screening and preparing cells for implantation therapy. Significant benefits for end users in pharmaceutical industry, life sciences research and hospitals are expected from the project and the application of the developed technology.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100934
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$439,082.00
Summary
Taming the light: full control in polarisation, space, and time. This project aims to develop two prototype optical beam shaping systems, culminating in the demonstration of new high-power optical fibre amplifiers. This novel ability to control all the properties of light enables the generation of optical beams that were only theoretical ideas but never previously implemented experimentally. This advanced technology can potentially open new ways in which objects can be probed using light. Expect ....Taming the light: full control in polarisation, space, and time. This project aims to develop two prototype optical beam shaping systems, culminating in the demonstration of new high-power optical fibre amplifiers. This novel ability to control all the properties of light enables the generation of optical beams that were only theoretical ideas but never previously implemented experimentally. This advanced technology can potentially open new ways in which objects can be probed using light. Expected outcomes include the creation of an optical platform that the optical community at large may utilise for their specific applications. Besides the intellectual property benefits of such optical devices directly, this project should bridge the gap between the developed knowledge and commercial opportunities.Read moreRead less
Control of light in space and time in multimode optical fibres. This project aims to create devices to measure and manipulate the spatial and temporal properties of light. The ability to control or measure the spatial and/or temporal properties of light is a fundamental feature of many applications, including biomedical imaging, astronomy, telecommunications, high-power lasers and quantum computing. This project will develop five prototype systems to control the spatiotemporal properties of ligh ....Control of light in space and time in multimode optical fibres. This project aims to create devices to measure and manipulate the spatial and temporal properties of light. The ability to control or measure the spatial and/or temporal properties of light is a fundamental feature of many applications, including biomedical imaging, astronomy, telecommunications, high-power lasers and quantum computing. This project will develop five prototype systems to control the spatiotemporal properties of light in ways that were previously not possible. This would affect fundamental and applied applications where the inability to sufficiently control light’s spatial and/or temporal properties is an impediment. Examples include imaging deep into ‘opaque’ objects such as human skin or brain, high-power lasers for material processing and manufacturing, optical telecommunications and quantum computation.Read moreRead less
Understanding the properties of layered nanostructures using in-situ TEM. This project aims to support the practical applications of layered nanostructure-based devices and systems. The development of layered chalcogenide nanostructures is a global research focus due to their potential applications in the energy sector. However, their structure–property link is unclear due to the lack of direct correlation between their structure and properties. This project aims to establish the intrinsic struc ....Understanding the properties of layered nanostructures using in-situ TEM. This project aims to support the practical applications of layered nanostructure-based devices and systems. The development of layered chalcogenide nanostructures is a global research focus due to their potential applications in the energy sector. However, their structure–property link is unclear due to the lack of direct correlation between their structure and properties. This project aims to establish the intrinsic structure–property link by closely correlating the structure (and structural variations) and properties (and varied properties) simultaneously determined from individual nanostructures inside a transmission electron microscope. Expected project outcomes may advance the knowledge base, and provide guidelines for the development of nanostructure-based devices for their high-performance applications, especially in the energy sector.Read moreRead less
Nanoscale control of energy and matter for future energy-efficient technologies. Unprecedented control of energy and matter in nanoscale fabrication will be achieved using non-equilibrium self-organised plasma-solid systems. The outcomes will lead to energy-efficient, environment- and human-health-friendly production of nanomaterials for future energy, health, information, food, water, environmental and security technologies.