Mechanisms and modelling of gels for protein separation. Gradipore approached Sydney University to collaborate on fundamental science needed to improve polymer gels for separation and characterization of proteins. These gels have many applications: e.g. proteomics and diagnostics. Presently, control of polymer microstructure in the synthesis of these gels is by trial and error. This project will create an accurate model of the process so pore size can be predicted. This involves novel work in ex ....Mechanisms and modelling of gels for protein separation. Gradipore approached Sydney University to collaborate on fundamental science needed to improve polymer gels for separation and characterization of proteins. These gels have many applications: e.g. proteomics and diagnostics. Presently, control of polymer microstructure in the synthesis of these gels is by trial and error. This project will create an accurate model of the process so pore size can be predicted. This involves novel work in experimental and theoretical methods developed by the Sydney University group. The result will be qualitative and quantitative understanding which can be subsequently used to tailor-make gels for new applications.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0347258
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$170,000.00
Summary
Polymer Analysis Facility. The aim of this application is to establish a facility for polymer analysis. The infra-red spectrometer will be used primarily for analysis of polymerisation reactions whilst the thermal analysis equipment is essential for the characterisation of polymers and thin polymer coatings. The facility will contribute an essential analysis capability for three strong research groups who work in different aspects of polymer science. The main outcomes will improved productivity ....Polymer Analysis Facility. The aim of this application is to establish a facility for polymer analysis. The infra-red spectrometer will be used primarily for analysis of polymerisation reactions whilst the thermal analysis equipment is essential for the characterisation of polymers and thin polymer coatings. The facility will contribute an essential analysis capability for three strong research groups who work in different aspects of polymer science. The main outcomes will improved productivity within the current projects together with new collaborations, particularly between the Steel Institute (ISPP) at Wollongong and the Centre of Advanced Molecular Design (CAMD) at UNSW.Read moreRead less
Manipulating the self-assembly properties of fungal hydrophobin proteins for the design of novel biological polymers. Hydrophobin-based products will be novel biocompatible and biodegradable products with applications in the fields of medical implants, biosensors, detergents, coatings and pharmaceutical and industrial emulsions. They have the potential to directly improve the lives of all Australians and to be of benefit to the Australian economy and environment. This collaborative research pro ....Manipulating the self-assembly properties of fungal hydrophobin proteins for the design of novel biological polymers. Hydrophobin-based products will be novel biocompatible and biodegradable products with applications in the fields of medical implants, biosensors, detergents, coatings and pharmaceutical and industrial emulsions. They have the potential to directly improve the lives of all Australians and to be of benefit to the Australian economy and environment. This collaborative research project will enable Australian scientists to gain from working with a multinational company and to acquire skills in the rapidly expanding fields of structural and molecular biology. The University of Sydney will own any intellectual property arising from this work and will benefit from the commercialisation of hydrophobin-based products.Read moreRead less
Mechanistic investigation of fluorinated coatings for stone preservation. We will investigate mechanisms governing the synthesis of a latex used for stone preservation. This latex is made from novel and unusual starting materials, and will be the most complex system for which mechanisms have been investigated. We will redesign the synthesis procedure to control particle size and composition of the functional species at the particle surface. This will enable both particle size and surface composi ....Mechanistic investigation of fluorinated coatings for stone preservation. We will investigate mechanisms governing the synthesis of a latex used for stone preservation. This latex is made from novel and unusual starting materials, and will be the most complex system for which mechanisms have been investigated. We will redesign the synthesis procedure to control particle size and composition of the functional species at the particle surface. This will enable both particle size and surface composition to be tailored as desired. The results will be used to investigate the influence of these quantities on interactions between particles and sandstone surfaces. The outcomes will be used by the industrial partner to devise improved protective coatings for stone surfaces in Australian conditions.Read moreRead less
Engineered Polymer Nanoparticles: A Potent Weapon Against Cancer. Cervical cancer is the commonest cause of cancer death in women under the age of 50 worldwide, the 8th most common cancer among women in Australia, and is the leading cause of cancer death in Aboriginal women. While a vaccine is available to prevent HPV-mediated disease, it would not impact upon death rates for at least 25 years. The systemic delivery of RNAi offers to best opportunity to solve this problem. The delivery devices w ....Engineered Polymer Nanoparticles: A Potent Weapon Against Cancer. Cervical cancer is the commonest cause of cancer death in women under the age of 50 worldwide, the 8th most common cancer among women in Australia, and is the leading cause of cancer death in Aboriginal women. While a vaccine is available to prevent HPV-mediated disease, it would not impact upon death rates for at least 25 years. The systemic delivery of RNAi offers to best opportunity to solve this problem. The delivery devices will be designed with precision and function to meet the delivery needs in vivo. These polymer structures will be suitable for use in drug and gene delivery providing Australian products with advanced features and capabilities, significantly improving product performance.Read moreRead less
Branching in acrylic polymers: analysis and mechanistic understanding. Some polymers can be branched. This branching has major effects on the end-product performance of a polymer, for example in adhesives and the flexibility of rubbery materials. Full quantification of this branching (the lengths of branches and the rates of the processes that create them) has been impossible hitherto. Two new complementary techniques, a new analytical method developed by the applicant Fellow in Paris, and a new ....Branching in acrylic polymers: analysis and mechanistic understanding. Some polymers can be branched. This branching has major effects on the end-product performance of a polymer, for example in adhesives and the flexibility of rubbery materials. Full quantification of this branching (the lengths of branches and the rates of the processes that create them) has been impossible hitherto. Two new complementary techniques, a new analytical method developed by the applicant Fellow in Paris, and a new synthesis technique developed in Sydney, will be used as the platforms to devise the first means of determining this information and thus understanding and quantifying branching.Read moreRead less
Graft copolymers from starch and synthetic monomers. Polymer dispersions, manufactured as latexes in large quantities in Australia and elsewhere, have myriad applications, such as in adhesives, bitumen modifiers, paints and paper coatings. This project will create the enabling science to replace by starch the current synthetic products used to stop these dispersions from coagulating. This will create new uses for renewable resources and will reduce environmental insult by avoiding the leaching o ....Graft copolymers from starch and synthetic monomers. Polymer dispersions, manufactured as latexes in large quantities in Australia and elsewhere, have myriad applications, such as in adhesives, bitumen modifiers, paints and paper coatings. This project will create the enabling science to replace by starch the current synthetic products used to stop these dispersions from coagulating. This will create new uses for renewable resources and will reduce environmental insult by avoiding the leaching of biologically incompatible chemicals. By using starch from crops suited for Australia's arid climate, the new technology will reduce both our dependence on imported products and our greenhouse gas emissions.Read moreRead less
Synthesis of nanocomposite polymers with targeted properties. This project aims to synthesise novel nanocomposite polymers by living radical polymerisation in water and to understand the way polymer microstructure and nanomorphology control material properties. This will provide the enabling science so that nanomaterials with targeted properties can be tailor-made for biomedical and speciality-coatings applications, and thus dispense with the current trial-and-error methodology. The innovations ....Synthesis of nanocomposite polymers with targeted properties. This project aims to synthesise novel nanocomposite polymers by living radical polymerisation in water and to understand the way polymer microstructure and nanomorphology control material properties. This will provide the enabling science so that nanomaterials with targeted properties can be tailor-made for biomedical and speciality-coatings applications, and thus dispense with the current trial-and-error methodology. The innovations in this project are the novel synthesis of complex polymer architectures in water, and the first quantitative and qualitative structure-property correlations for such materials. This will also result in a deepened understanding of the mechanisms governing the formation of these nanocomposites.Read moreRead less
New-generation starch-based paper coatings. This project is to make a new hybrid biomaterial which encapsulates starch in a synthetic polymer latex for use in paper manufacture. A novel process has been devised for this by the parties. This project is the fundamental research and development needed to turn successful preliminary experiments into commercial reality; it involves a unique combination of cereal and polymer scientists and paper technologists. The product has the potential to set up a ....New-generation starch-based paper coatings. This project is to make a new hybrid biomaterial which encapsulates starch in a synthetic polymer latex for use in paper manufacture. A novel process has been devised for this by the parties. This project is the fundamental research and development needed to turn successful preliminary experiments into commercial reality; it involves a unique combination of cereal and polymer scientists and paper technologists. The product has the potential to set up a new industry to use starch from Australian cereal grains to replace imports and create new markets, as well as reducing environmental problems from paper manufacture.Read moreRead less
Next generation polymer nanostructures. The project will significantly advance the knowledge base of polymer science and related fields through the preparation of previously unavailable novel and well-defined nanostructures. These structures will be suitable for use in drug and gene delivery and high strength coatings providing Australian products with advanced features and capabilities, significantly improving product performance. A direct application of this project will be to develop the stru ....Next generation polymer nanostructures. The project will significantly advance the knowledge base of polymer science and related fields through the preparation of previously unavailable novel and well-defined nanostructures. These structures will be suitable for use in drug and gene delivery and high strength coatings providing Australian products with advanced features and capabilities, significantly improving product performance. A direct application of this project will be to develop the structures for use within a synthetic GAS vaccine. The knowledge obtained through this application will advance the development of synthetic vaccines by providing an understanding of how these structures function in the body. Read moreRead less