Zirconium alloying and grain refinement of magnesium alloys with ZirCAST. Zirconium alloying and grain refinement is a key issue restricting the commercial production of value-added zirconium-containing magnesium alloys for use in the automotive industry. This 3-year linkage program builds on the applicants' invention of a proprietary grain refiner ZirCAST, and is undertaken to investigate the major fundamental aspects of zirconium alloying and grain refinement with ZirCAST. In addition to an ex ....Zirconium alloying and grain refinement of magnesium alloys with ZirCAST. Zirconium alloying and grain refinement is a key issue restricting the commercial production of value-added zirconium-containing magnesium alloys for use in the automotive industry. This 3-year linkage program builds on the applicants' invention of a proprietary grain refiner ZirCAST, and is undertaken to investigate the major fundamental aspects of zirconium alloying and grain refinement with ZirCAST. In addition to an excellent postgraduate training environment, it aims to provide and develop, in partnership with industry, optimum zirconium alloying and grain refinement technology with ZirCAST and enhance Australia's leading global position in this strategically and commercially important area.Read moreRead less
Development of room temperature diluted magnetic semiconductors for spintronics devices application. Semiconductor spintronics is very likely to have a significant impact on future generations of devices. Until recently, Australian research groups have played a minor role in the field. The proposed program will lead to new discoveries or fundamental advances within semiconductor spintronics or have substantial impact on the progress in this field. The accomplishments of this project can great ....Development of room temperature diluted magnetic semiconductors for spintronics devices application. Semiconductor spintronics is very likely to have a significant impact on future generations of devices. Until recently, Australian research groups have played a minor role in the field. The proposed program will lead to new discoveries or fundamental advances within semiconductor spintronics or have substantial impact on the progress in this field. The accomplishments of this project can greatly increase the scientific understanding of diluted magnetic semiconductors and expand Australia's knowledge base in research in these materials. This program can also be an education platform to provide a number of scientific talents for Australia by intensively training high quality postgraduates at the international level.Read moreRead less
Smart Materials Between Two and Three Dimensions. Shape-memory alloys involving martensitic transformations, are important as smart materials. Both the transformation nucleation and the sample morphology are unsolved issues relevant for these applications. Of particular note are the softening of certain lattice-vibrational frequencies, the development of a tweed-like microstructure on cooling the material and the role of defects, particularly the sample surface, in the transformation process. ....Smart Materials Between Two and Three Dimensions. Shape-memory alloys involving martensitic transformations, are important as smart materials. Both the transformation nucleation and the sample morphology are unsolved issues relevant for these applications. Of particular note are the softening of certain lattice-vibrational frequencies, the development of a tweed-like microstructure on cooling the material and the role of defects, particularly the sample surface, in the transformation process. This project addresses these issues using model materials in thin-film and bulk-crystal forms. Capacitance dilatometry, optical, electron and scanning-probe microscopies, and x-ray techniques, will unlock an understanding of the physical and metallurgical conditions controlling these transformations.Read moreRead less
Increasing solid electrolyte conductivity through defect design. This project aims to engineer electrolyte materials, based on organic ionic plastic crystals, and use isomeric doping to improve the ionic conductivity. The development of safer batteries relies on eliminating the volatile and flammable solvents commonly used as the electrolyte. Improving the safety and performance of batteries is important as electricity costs increase. Solid state ionic electrolytes can address leakage and volati ....Increasing solid electrolyte conductivity through defect design. This project aims to engineer electrolyte materials, based on organic ionic plastic crystals, and use isomeric doping to improve the ionic conductivity. The development of safer batteries relies on eliminating the volatile and flammable solvents commonly used as the electrolyte. Improving the safety and performance of batteries is important as electricity costs increase. Solid state ionic electrolytes can address leakage and volatility problems, but the conductivity must be improved if these materials are to support high battery power. The project’s electrolyte materials can be used in lithium metal batteries, which have higher theoretical energy densities than traditional lithium ion batteries. This project will develop new solid state electrolytes, with improved conductivity, and use these materials in emerging lithium battery technologies.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0239650
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$500,000.00
Summary
Advanced instrumentation for nano-scale imaging and analysis. It is widely accepted that the emerging fields of Nanotechnology and Nanoengineering will dominate research activity in a wide range of disciplines over the next decade. Progress in nanoscience and technology requires parallel development in nanocharacterisation and nanofabrication techniques. This proposal seeks to enhance the level of research infrastructure support for nano-scale microscopy and microanalysis at UTS and the Univer ....Advanced instrumentation for nano-scale imaging and analysis. It is widely accepted that the emerging fields of Nanotechnology and Nanoengineering will dominate research activity in a wide range of disciplines over the next decade. Progress in nanoscience and technology requires parallel development in nanocharacterisation and nanofabrication techniques. This proposal seeks to enhance the level of research infrastructure support for nano-scale microscopy and microanalysis at UTS and the University of Sydney by providing the following advanced instrumentation for nano-scale imaging, analysis and manipulation of materials:
- A Schottky field emission gun environmental scanning electron microscope
- Equipment kit for the rapid preparation of high quality transmission electron microscope specimens.Read moreRead less
High-resolution in situ annealing studies of sub-micron grain structures. The proposed research is an extension of considerable ongoing collaboration between the applicants and will utilise advanced characterisation techniques to provide a more fundamental understanding than that presently available of the thermal stability of particle-containing nanocrystalline alloys. The project will reinforce the strong collaboration between our research groups and will expose Australian researchers to cutti ....High-resolution in situ annealing studies of sub-micron grain structures. The proposed research is an extension of considerable ongoing collaboration between the applicants and will utilise advanced characterisation techniques to provide a more fundamental understanding than that presently available of the thermal stability of particle-containing nanocrystalline alloys. The project will reinforce the strong collaboration between our research groups and will expose Australian researchers to cutting-edge research techniques, with particular emphasis on broadening the training experience of early career researchers. Several joint journal papers are expected from this work.
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The thermal stability of nanocrystalline alloys produced by severe plastic straining. An exciting class of materials has emerged with grain sizes two orders of magnitude finer than that produced by conventional processing. These nanocrystalline alloys are produced by intense plastic straining termed equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE). The aim of the project is to incorporate novel experimental techniques, using single crystals, in situ annealing and 3-D computer simulation to develop a fun ....The thermal stability of nanocrystalline alloys produced by severe plastic straining. An exciting class of materials has emerged with grain sizes two orders of magnitude finer than that produced by conventional processing. These nanocrystalline alloys are produced by intense plastic straining termed equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE). The aim of the project is to incorporate novel experimental techniques, using single crystals, in situ annealing and 3-D computer simulation to develop a fundamental understanding of microstructural stability during ECAE and subsequent thermal treatment. Such advances in our understanding of boundary mobility in fine-scale microstructures is important for evaluating their stability and, hence, the possible commercial exploitation of these materials.Read moreRead less
Mechanisms for Improved Ductility of Magnesium Alloys. The work will lead to more ductile magnesium alloys. These alloys will be more readily formed into automotive components. The lighter cars that will result will be cheaper to run and more environmentally friendly. The exchange of key researchers that will occur under this proposal will provide an exciting injection of expertise into the partner organisations from which students will greatly benefit. The work will also open up access to state ....Mechanisms for Improved Ductility of Magnesium Alloys. The work will lead to more ductile magnesium alloys. These alloys will be more readily formed into automotive components. The lighter cars that will result will be cheaper to run and more environmentally friendly. The exchange of key researchers that will occur under this proposal will provide an exciting injection of expertise into the partner organisations from which students will greatly benefit. The work will also open up access to state-of-the-art equipment in the collaborating laboratories.Read moreRead less
A 3D crystallographic framework for understanding the structure of deformed and annealed metals. A new 3D analysis technology will be developed into a powerful computational platform and used to explain several unresolved issues concerning the deformed and annealed state of metals. This technique is first of its kind in Australia and generates high resolution 3D images from most solid materials. There is enormous potential for its use in materials science and other research fields which is ben ....A 3D crystallographic framework for understanding the structure of deformed and annealed metals. A new 3D analysis technology will be developed into a powerful computational platform and used to explain several unresolved issues concerning the deformed and annealed state of metals. This technique is first of its kind in Australia and generates high resolution 3D images from most solid materials. There is enormous potential for its use in materials science and other research fields which is beneficial to Australia's standing in basic science. The project will provide an excellent research training environment for early career researchers who will develop an expertise that is expected to make a major contribution to future fundamental and applied research.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180101454
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$359,446.00
Summary
High performance lead-free piezoelectrics based on polar nanoregions. This project aims to enhance the electro-mechanical couplings of lead free piezoelectrics via introducing polar nanoregions for medical transducers applications. This is expected to impact on the design and development of high-performance lead free piezoelectrics, and have environmental benefits through replacing lead based counterparts.