On-demand visible light degradable dental materials. This project aims to break new ground in the field of advanced adhesives by pioneering a unique system that can be cleaved with a defined visible light trigger, enabling the removal of previously bonded material without mechanical force. This would allow two materials to be strongly bonded, including dental crowns, braces and implants. The project will advance on-demand degradable materials design, introducing an advanced class of responsive n ....On-demand visible light degradable dental materials. This project aims to break new ground in the field of advanced adhesives by pioneering a unique system that can be cleaved with a defined visible light trigger, enabling the removal of previously bonded material without mechanical force. This would allow two materials to be strongly bonded, including dental crowns, braces and implants. The project will advance on-demand degradable materials design, introducing an advanced class of responsive networks for applications where reversible bonding is critical. It will have flow on benefits in future dental material applications and also have applications where simple-to-remove, temporary adhesives are required.Read moreRead less
Permanent Concentration Gradients Captured in Molecular and Framework Co-Crystals. This project aims to design, synthesise and characterise molecular and framework co-crystals in which the molecular components are arranged in permanent concentration gradients. Synthetic crystals of this type are unprecedented. The concentration gradient has significant implications for the physical properties of the crystals (for example, optical, magnetic and electronic) as these must also vary in concert with ....Permanent Concentration Gradients Captured in Molecular and Framework Co-Crystals. This project aims to design, synthesise and characterise molecular and framework co-crystals in which the molecular components are arranged in permanent concentration gradients. Synthetic crystals of this type are unprecedented. The concentration gradient has significant implications for the physical properties of the crystals (for example, optical, magnetic and electronic) as these must also vary in concert with the changing local molecular composition. These co-crystals promise unique magnetic and optical properties that will influence design of new smart solid-state materials with potential for use in future high-technology applications.Read moreRead less
Advanced Fibre Interfaces in Active Water Management Systems. Flooding is a critical issue in Australia, generating considerable economic losses, including by stormwater contamination. The current project will pioneer an integrated solution for stormwater retention, while removing chemical pollutants. In collaboration with the company ROCKWOOL-Lapinus - based on a stonewool fibre platform - we will (i) design fibre coatings based on a versatile and chemically simple deposition process, (ii) inco ....Advanced Fibre Interfaces in Active Water Management Systems. Flooding is a critical issue in Australia, generating considerable economic losses, including by stormwater contamination. The current project will pioneer an integrated solution for stormwater retention, while removing chemical pollutants. In collaboration with the company ROCKWOOL-Lapinus - based on a stonewool fibre platform - we will (i) design fibre coatings based on a versatile and chemically simple deposition process, (ii) incorporate functionalities onto the fibres allowing active stormwater treatment to e.g. retain pollutants or target heavy metals and (iii) investigate these interfaces in-depth by advanced surface and interface characterisation methods to understand the fibre interface properties from nano- to macroscale.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120101890
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Purification of contaminated wastewaters by modified Bayer layered double hydroxides. This project intends to develop enhanced adsorbent materials, prepared from industrial wastewater and seawater, for the decontamination of environments affected by Australian industries. This inexpensive novel material will be applicable to a wide range of purification applications and will reduce the environmental impact of Australian industries.
Soft materials containing hierarchy via 3D sacrificial micro-moulding. The project seeks to develop sophisticated new polymeric materials and devices not possible using current manufacturing techniques. Biomaterials based on hydrogels are ideal substrates for synthetic extra-cellular matrices due to their high water content. However, one of the challenges hindering the use of hydrogels is reproducing the transport properties found in natural tissue with hierarchical features such as vascularisat ....Soft materials containing hierarchy via 3D sacrificial micro-moulding. The project seeks to develop sophisticated new polymeric materials and devices not possible using current manufacturing techniques. Biomaterials based on hydrogels are ideal substrates for synthetic extra-cellular matrices due to their high water content. However, one of the challenges hindering the use of hydrogels is reproducing the transport properties found in natural tissue with hierarchical features such as vascularisation. To address this, the project plans to develop a 3D moulding process for generating soft materials containing precise channels decorated with defined molecules. Intended outcomes include a fundamental understanding of the 3D moulding process, and new polymers and advanced tools for bioengineers for future applications such as tissue transplants, cell guides for treating spinal cord injuries, soft robotics and microfluidic devices to study cancer metastasis. Read moreRead less
Nanoparticle driven templating of microspheres as chromatographic materials. This project aims to pioneer a novel, high-performing class of nano-patterned core-shell particles as chromatographic materials. It will use advanced polymerization and particle preparation techniques in combination with degradable nanoparticles design, to enable the plug-and-play assembly of chromatographic columns. Size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) is one of the most important analytical techniques for polymer chem ....Nanoparticle driven templating of microspheres as chromatographic materials. This project aims to pioneer a novel, high-performing class of nano-patterned core-shell particles as chromatographic materials. It will use advanced polymerization and particle preparation techniques in combination with degradable nanoparticles design, to enable the plug-and-play assembly of chromatographic columns. Size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) is one of the most important analytical techniques for polymer chemistry. The expected outcomes of this project are faster measurement times and the possibility of imaging molecular weight distributions at a new level of detail. This project could place Australia at the cutting edge of size-exclusion chromatography phase design in partnership with a leading manufacturer of stationary phases.Read moreRead less
Design of novel nanoporous semiconductor materials for clean environment and energy. This project will develop a low cost nanoporous semiconductor device for the capture and conversion of CO2 into fuels by using water and sunlight. This novel approach will deliver a low cost technology that offers clean energy and will help to mitigate global warming.
Dyes and Pigments as Building Blocks for Novel High Performance Organic Semiconductors. Natural dyes and pigments are well known for their bright colours, photochemical and thermal stability, and cheap cost. Recently, the necessity of high performing materials in the organic electronics has stimulated a renaissance of these historical molecules and their subsequent derivatives into new families of ?-conjugated building blocks used to construct new donor-acceptor semiconductors. The aim of this p ....Dyes and Pigments as Building Blocks for Novel High Performance Organic Semiconductors. Natural dyes and pigments are well known for their bright colours, photochemical and thermal stability, and cheap cost. Recently, the necessity of high performing materials in the organic electronics has stimulated a renaissance of these historical molecules and their subsequent derivatives into new families of ?-conjugated building blocks used to construct new donor-acceptor semiconductors. The aim of this project is to explore various novel dyes, pigments and their derivatives for constructing outstanding materials for future organic electronics.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200101788
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$415,498.00
Summary
Advanced Macromolecular Architecture via Selenium. The overarching aim of this project is to drastically expand the scale and scope of selenium-based macromolecular chemistry via safe, odor-free multicomponent reactions utilising elemental selenium. This project will develop new methods and techniques in drastically reducing the cost while increasing worker and environmental safety of industrial elastomers such as Spandex. Next the project will exploit selenium's sensitivity to ozonolysis to des ....Advanced Macromolecular Architecture via Selenium. The overarching aim of this project is to drastically expand the scale and scope of selenium-based macromolecular chemistry via safe, odor-free multicomponent reactions utilising elemental selenium. This project will develop new methods and techniques in drastically reducing the cost while increasing worker and environmental safety of industrial elastomers such as Spandex. Next the project will exploit selenium's sensitivity to ozonolysis to design a new instrument capable of extreme precision in monitoring oxidative damage in polymeric materials. Finally, selenium's unique reactivity will lend itself towards the next generation of smart materials which will be capable of completely reorganizing their structure down to the molecular level.Read moreRead less