Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0221983
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$900,000.00
Summary
Interface, Particle and Complex Fluid Characterisation Laboratory. This laboratory will provide a state-of-the-art characterisation facility for complex fluids. This will service the needs of 27 research staff and 38 postgraduate students and involve collaboration between twelve major research groups based at the Universities of Melbourne, Newcastle, Monash, La Trobe and RMIT. The facility will enhance the research activities of the collaborating institutions in key strategic areas. The laborat ....Interface, Particle and Complex Fluid Characterisation Laboratory. This laboratory will provide a state-of-the-art characterisation facility for complex fluids. This will service the needs of 27 research staff and 38 postgraduate students and involve collaboration between twelve major research groups based at the Universities of Melbourne, Newcastle, Monash, La Trobe and RMIT. The facility will enhance the research activities of the collaborating institutions in key strategic areas. The laboratory will also act as a facility for undertaking consulting projects with industry groups by the applicants.Read moreRead less
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
Mobility of water in cartilage as a probe of molecular structure and function. Clinical diagnosis of early-stage osteoarthritis is difficult, and most patients are not diagnosed until a substantial degradation of cartilage has occurred as a result of the disease. This research will study the interaction between different components of articular cartilage and investigate, how this interaction can be exploited for the development of reliable and non-invasive techniques of cartilage imaging. Mobili ....Mobility of water in cartilage as a probe of molecular structure and function. Clinical diagnosis of early-stage osteoarthritis is difficult, and most patients are not diagnosed until a substantial degradation of cartilage has occurred as a result of the disease. This research will study the interaction between different components of articular cartilage and investigate, how this interaction can be exploited for the development of reliable and non-invasive techniques of cartilage imaging. Mobility of water molecules is a potent indicator of the microscopic structure of the cartilage scaffold. We will use this fundamental biophysical relationship to measure the internal architecture of collagen fibres; observe the changes effected by mechanical load; and distinguish between healthy and osteoarthritic cartilage.
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Integrated quantum photonics. Australia is a leader in quantum science and technology - from nanotechnology to quantum computers, amazing advances are being made possible as we harness the laws of quantum physics. This project will enhance the nation's profile in this discipline by developing a new technology that allows photons - single particles of light - to be added together to form powerful quantum machines; and using this to explore the phenomenon that makes quantum technology powerful. Th ....Integrated quantum photonics. Australia is a leader in quantum science and technology - from nanotechnology to quantum computers, amazing advances are being made possible as we harness the laws of quantum physics. This project will enhance the nation's profile in this discipline by developing a new technology that allows photons - single particles of light - to be added together to form powerful quantum machines; and using this to explore the phenomenon that makes quantum technology powerful. This work will put Australian researchers at the forefront of new quantum technologies. Young researchers and postgraduate students will play a substantial role in the project, maximising the training impact for new professionals in cutting-edge science and high technology.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0346515
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$507,000.00
Summary
Fluorescence Detector for the Australian National Beamline Facility. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) is an extremely important synchrotron radiation tool for determining the local structure around an X-ray absorbing atom. This has many applications in the study of materials, minerals, metal complexes, and metalloproteins and can often be used to obtain information that is not available by other techniques, because structural information can be obtained in the solid or solution state and in ....Fluorescence Detector for the Australian National Beamline Facility. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) is an extremely important synchrotron radiation tool for determining the local structure around an X-ray absorbing atom. This has many applications in the study of materials, minerals, metal complexes, and metalloproteins and can often be used to obtain information that is not available by other techniques, because structural information can be obtained in the solid or solution state and in mixtures. The current proposal is aimed at introducing new technology into the Australian National Beamline Facility that will greatly improve the quality and quantity of experiments that can be performed and extend studies into dilute solutions and protein samples.Read moreRead less
Biomolecular optoelectronic materials and devices. The melanins are the molecules in our skin, eyes and hair that provide colour and protection from the sun. In addition to being important bio-molecules, they have properties which make them useful for high tech applications especially in electronics and optoelectronics. Unfortunately, our current understanding of these fascinating materials is poor. In our project we aim to solve this limiting problem. We will develop new science to explain thei ....Biomolecular optoelectronic materials and devices. The melanins are the molecules in our skin, eyes and hair that provide colour and protection from the sun. In addition to being important bio-molecules, they have properties which make them useful for high tech applications especially in electronics and optoelectronics. Unfortunately, our current understanding of these fascinating materials is poor. In our project we aim to solve this limiting problem. We will develop new science to explain their behaviour, and use this knowledge to create bio-compatible hi-tech materials and devices. We anticipate significant benefits from the perspectives of basic science and utilisation of biomaterials for new green technologies.Read moreRead less
From structures to systems: A hierachical approach to understanding sub-cellular components. This program will dramatically extend the range of biomolecular systems that can be modelled with near atomistic precision. It will provide a better understanding of the structure and function of proteins involved in the regulation of membrane fusion and fission as well as shedding light on the assembly of large-scale protein-protein and protein-membrane complexes in general. The work will help place Au ....From structures to systems: A hierachical approach to understanding sub-cellular components. This program will dramatically extend the range of biomolecular systems that can be modelled with near atomistic precision. It will provide a better understanding of the structure and function of proteins involved in the regulation of membrane fusion and fission as well as shedding light on the assembly of large-scale protein-protein and protein-membrane complexes in general. The work will help place Australia at the forefront of developing simulation techniques in biomolecular systems, which are widely used within the chemical and pharmaceutical industries for modelling processes ranging from protein-drug interactions to the phase behaviour of lipids and surfactants. Read moreRead less
Synthesis of Unique Mesoporous Graphitic Carbons and their Application to Fundamental Problems in Adsorption Science. The development of synthesis techniques to create porous graphitic carbons with highly ordered pore structures, easily accessible pore volume and good electrical conductivity can underpin technological advancements in many industrial applications such as energy storage, removal of pollutants from exhaust streams, direct-methanol fuel cells and lithium ion batteries. Techniques de ....Synthesis of Unique Mesoporous Graphitic Carbons and their Application to Fundamental Problems in Adsorption Science. The development of synthesis techniques to create porous graphitic carbons with highly ordered pore structures, easily accessible pore volume and good electrical conductivity can underpin technological advancements in many industrial applications such as energy storage, removal of pollutants from exhaust streams, direct-methanol fuel cells and lithium ion batteries. Techniques developed in this project are also applicable to creating other materials important to advanced sensors and optoelectronics. The fundamental study of water adsorption and hysteresis using these carbons will help us create better models for adsorption. This will underpin theoretical studies, characterisation and optimisation of carbon materials into the future. Read moreRead less
Increasing the Efficiency of Biomolecular Simulations. This program will extend the range of biomolecular systems that can be modelled with near atomistic precision. It will provide a better understanding of the structure and function of proteins involved in the regulation of membrane fusion and fission as well as shedding light on the assembly of large-scale protein-protein and protein-membrane complexes in general. The work will help place Australia at the forefront of developing simulation t ....Increasing the Efficiency of Biomolecular Simulations. This program will extend the range of biomolecular systems that can be modelled with near atomistic precision. It will provide a better understanding of the structure and function of proteins involved in the regulation of membrane fusion and fission as well as shedding light on the assembly of large-scale protein-protein and protein-membrane complexes in general. The work will help place Australia at the forefront of developing simulation techniques in biomolecular systems, which are widely used within the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. It will also provide opportunities for the training and development of young Australian researchers with top European laboratories. Read moreRead less
Advanced optical tweezers technologies for biophysical measurements. While much is understood about the fundamental unit of life, the living cell, such as their behaviour and their biochemistry and genetics, the interface between these two is only poorly known. We will use optical tweezers, which can trap and move microscopic objects without physical contact, to measure forces on the molecular and cellular scale to study the mechanical properties of cells and biomolecules, including molecular mo ....Advanced optical tweezers technologies for biophysical measurements. While much is understood about the fundamental unit of life, the living cell, such as their behaviour and their biochemistry and genetics, the interface between these two is only poorly known. We will use optical tweezers, which can trap and move microscopic objects without physical contact, to measure forces on the molecular and cellular scale to study the mechanical properties of cells and biomolecules, including molecular motors, which are Nature's own nanomachines, advanced our knowledge of the fundamental machinery of life.Read moreRead less