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Next generation easy-clean lenses by robust liquid-repellent nanotextures. This project aims to produce better performing self-cleaning lenses, which are less likely to get dirty and are easy to clean. It will develop water and oil repellent coatings with superior optical transparency and mechanical, solvent and UV stability for both hard coated and anti-reflection coated optical lenses. Engineering of stable, ultra-liquid repellent nanomaterials on transparent surfaces will create a foundation ....Next generation easy-clean lenses by robust liquid-repellent nanotextures. This project aims to produce better performing self-cleaning lenses, which are less likely to get dirty and are easy to clean. It will develop water and oil repellent coatings with superior optical transparency and mechanical, solvent and UV stability for both hard coated and anti-reflection coated optical lenses. Engineering of stable, ultra-liquid repellent nanomaterials on transparent surfaces will create a foundation of knowledge for the industrial development of the future generation of easy care coatings, with vast application potential.Read moreRead less
Tailoring metal-organic framework catalysts for carbon dioxide conversion. Reducing the greenhouse gas, CO2, into valuable fuels would be beneficial for relieving energy shortage and improving global sustainability. This project aims to synthesise high-performance heterogeneous catalysts for CO2 conversion by periodic ordering photo-redox metalloligand and thermal-catalytically active metal oxide clusters in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). This approach is expected to deliver a unique single-si ....Tailoring metal-organic framework catalysts for carbon dioxide conversion. Reducing the greenhouse gas, CO2, into valuable fuels would be beneficial for relieving energy shortage and improving global sustainability. This project aims to synthesise high-performance heterogeneous catalysts for CO2 conversion by periodic ordering photo-redox metalloligand and thermal-catalytically active metal oxide clusters in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). This approach is expected to deliver a unique single-site metal-organic framework catalyst with high reaction-activity and chemo-selectivity in converting CO2 into valuable chemicals. This advancement will provide significant benefits for Australia’s emerging chemical manufacturing industry, and ultimately leading to a carbon-neutral energy economy and environment.Read moreRead less
Transmission electron microscopy investigation of the deformation mechanisms of nanostructured materials. Structural materials with high strength and high ductility are desirable because high strength allows structural components to carry high load and high ductility is essential to prevent catastrophic failure. The combination of high strength and high ductility has never been achieved in coarse-grained materials but has been realized in some nanostructured materials. This project aims to unde ....Transmission electron microscopy investigation of the deformation mechanisms of nanostructured materials. Structural materials with high strength and high ductility are desirable because high strength allows structural components to carry high load and high ductility is essential to prevent catastrophic failure. The combination of high strength and high ductility has never been achieved in coarse-grained materials but has been realized in some nanostructured materials. This project aims to understand the mechanisms responsible for the combined high strength and high ductility in nanostructured materials. The results obtained from this research will be very important for guiding the structural design of materials with high strength and high ductility which will find a wide range of civil and defence applications.Read moreRead less
Heterogeneous hydrophilic catalysts for green oxidation in bio-refining. The project aims to address one significant global challenge of developing green processes for producing high value chemicals from biomass, to enhance the environmental performance and cost-efficiency of bio-refining. This project aims to develop a new class of heterogeneous nanocatalysts with hydrophilic Co (salen) complexes for biomass oxidation in water rather than toxic solvent. This project will use this to devise prac ....Heterogeneous hydrophilic catalysts for green oxidation in bio-refining. The project aims to address one significant global challenge of developing green processes for producing high value chemicals from biomass, to enhance the environmental performance and cost-efficiency of bio-refining. This project aims to develop a new class of heterogeneous nanocatalysts with hydrophilic Co (salen) complexes for biomass oxidation in water rather than toxic solvent. This project will use this to devise practical routes for the production of targeted industrial components for flavours, fragrances, fine chemicals, and petrochemicals. The development of heterogeneous hydrophilic catalysts by which they will oxidise hydrophilic biomasses in a continuous flow system will dramatically improve the sustainability of the chemical industry.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0882926
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$100,000.00
Summary
Transmission Electron Microscope-Nanoindenter for Nano-Mechanical Testing. A transmission electron microscope (TEM)-nanoindenter enables us to record simultaneously the mechanical behaviour of materials under force and their structures and structural evolutions at sub-nanometre resolution. The acquisition of a TEM-nanoindenter will significantly enhance the capability of investigating the structural effect on the behaviour of materials under applied force, which is a key issue in materials scien ....Transmission Electron Microscope-Nanoindenter for Nano-Mechanical Testing. A transmission electron microscope (TEM)-nanoindenter enables us to record simultaneously the mechanical behaviour of materials under force and their structures and structural evolutions at sub-nanometre resolution. The acquisition of a TEM-nanoindenter will significantly enhance the capability of investigating the structural effect on the behaviour of materials under applied force, which is a key issue in materials science and engineering. The results obtained using the TEM-nanoindenter will reveal the fundamental origins of materials mechanical properties and will be used to improve materials processing procedures and to guide the design of stronger and lighter materials for structural applications.Read moreRead less
Developing a new nano-surfacing and micro-fabrication technology for complex part features using micro-abrasive jet. Ultra-precision fabrication such as nano-surfacing, micro-channelling and micro-texturing is crucial for the development of high-integrity, high-density systems for engineering, communication, computing, photovoltaic, electric and optical devices and systems. This project will gain a fundamental understanding of the physics in nano-surface formation using a micro-abrasive jet, and ....Developing a new nano-surfacing and micro-fabrication technology for complex part features using micro-abrasive jet. Ultra-precision fabrication such as nano-surfacing, micro-channelling and micro-texturing is crucial for the development of high-integrity, high-density systems for engineering, communication, computing, photovoltaic, electric and optical devices and systems. This project will gain a fundamental understanding of the physics in nano-surface formation using a micro-abrasive jet, and make a significant impact to the ultra-precision engineering discipline. It will also develop a frontier technology that will increase the competitiveness of the Australian fabrication industry in developing leading edge technologies and products.Read moreRead less
From Nanostructured Catalysts to Process Innovation. The results of this research will help to advance the fundamental scientific understanding of industrially important chemical reactions and give clear leads as to how to improve them. In particular, new catalysts (i.e. agents that increase the speed and selectivity of chemical reactions) will be generated and the first steps towards process innovation will be taken, using high-throughput equipment unique in the Southern Hemisphere. These new c ....From Nanostructured Catalysts to Process Innovation. The results of this research will help to advance the fundamental scientific understanding of industrially important chemical reactions and give clear leads as to how to improve them. In particular, new catalysts (i.e. agents that increase the speed and selectivity of chemical reactions) will be generated and the first steps towards process innovation will be taken, using high-throughput equipment unique in the Southern Hemisphere. These new catalysts will be the basis for the design of new and/or improved industrial processes that will be ?greener?, safer, use fewer resources, produce less waste and are generally more efficient and effective. As a result the Australian chemicals industry will be more competitive.Read moreRead less
Molecular Recognition in Chiral Ionic Liquids as Basis for the Design and Synthesis of New Enantioselective Heterogeneous Catalysts and Membranes. Molecules that can exist as mirror images, each with different, e.g., beneficial vs. toxic properties, underpin the pharmaceutical industry and increasingly new highly selective pesticides, and flavours/fragrances.
Current commercial pathways often make mixtures of the mirror images that then need to be separated laboriously. These routes are ineffic ....Molecular Recognition in Chiral Ionic Liquids as Basis for the Design and Synthesis of New Enantioselective Heterogeneous Catalysts and Membranes. Molecules that can exist as mirror images, each with different, e.g., beneficial vs. toxic properties, underpin the pharmaceutical industry and increasingly new highly selective pesticides, and flavours/fragrances.
Current commercial pathways often make mixtures of the mirror images that then need to be separated laboriously. These routes are inefficient, creating waste and use resources poorly.
We aim to create solutions for these problems, using supported thin films of special, new types of salts that are liquid at room temperature, and which have other unusual chemical properties that make them ideally suited to enable efficient conversions.Read moreRead less
Development of a Cost-Effective Organic-Inorganic Nanocomposite for High Quality Gravure Printing. Gravure printing is the printing process of choice for long runs and high quality. The conventional process involves the manufacture of copper-plated, chrome-coated cylinders into which the desired image is engraved. The cylinders have high manufacturing and operating costs. The chemicals used in the process are highly toxic and therefore pose major threats to humans and environment. This proposa ....Development of a Cost-Effective Organic-Inorganic Nanocomposite for High Quality Gravure Printing. Gravure printing is the printing process of choice for long runs and high quality. The conventional process involves the manufacture of copper-plated, chrome-coated cylinders into which the desired image is engraved. The cylinders have high manufacturing and operating costs. The chemicals used in the process are highly toxic and therefore pose major threats to humans and environment. This proposal outlines the first attempts to develop a new and innovative hybrid organic-inorganic nanocomposite material to replace the copper plating and chrome coating. The success of the project will offer high quality, affordable and environmentally friendly printing service to both local and international clientele.
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Novel Nanostructures of Metal Oxides and Sulfides Intercalated Laponite for Catalytic Applications. The project aims to develop a novel synthesis approach for making nanocomposites of transition metal oxides and sulfides intercalated laponite clay. Such nanomaterials made by integrating template synthesis and intercalation have superior pore and surface properties promising for advanced catalytic applications. The project will provide insights into mechanisms of nanostructure formation and inter ....Novel Nanostructures of Metal Oxides and Sulfides Intercalated Laponite for Catalytic Applications. The project aims to develop a novel synthesis approach for making nanocomposites of transition metal oxides and sulfides intercalated laponite clay. Such nanomaterials made by integrating template synthesis and intercalation have superior pore and surface properties promising for advanced catalytic applications. The project will provide insights into mechanisms of nanostructure formation and interactions of molecular species during synthesis. The best catalysts screened will be tested for two important reactions to establish the relationships between processing parameters, nanostructural properties and catalytic performance. Optimised synthesis parameters for high catalytic performance will be obtained. The project contributes to significant knowledge creation in nanomaterials science and catalysis.Read moreRead less