Nanoparticles with structures that mimic enzymes for electrocatalysis. This project aims to create a new class of electrocatalysts with architectures inspired by enzymes. Electrocatalysts are the backbone of the modern energy economy. In the new electrocatalysts developed by the project, the intention is the active sites will be spatially separated from the bulk solution by nanopores, as enzymes do. This architecture allows the reaction environment to be altered from the bulk solution, active tr ....Nanoparticles with structures that mimic enzymes for electrocatalysis. This project aims to create a new class of electrocatalysts with architectures inspired by enzymes. Electrocatalysts are the backbone of the modern energy economy. In the new electrocatalysts developed by the project, the intention is the active sites will be spatially separated from the bulk solution by nanopores, as enzymes do. This architecture allows the reaction environment to be altered from the bulk solution, active transport of species to the active site and cascade reactions to be performed. This should give advantages in activity, selectivity and the ability to perform multistep reactions. The intended outcomes are better performing hydrogen fuel cells and more effective conversion of carbon dioxide into useful organic compounds.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230101346
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$418,893.00
Summary
Cave microbial metabolism as a missing biogeochemical sink. The aim of this project is to unveil the microbial biodiversity, novel metabolic capabilities and chemosynthetic primary production of subsurface ecosystems, such as those found in caves. Leveraging a powerful blend of geospatial, molecular and biogeochemical approaches this project expects to identify the microbial basis of subsurface biogeochemical processes driving the earth’s major elementary cycles. Expected outcomes include a pred ....Cave microbial metabolism as a missing biogeochemical sink. The aim of this project is to unveil the microbial biodiversity, novel metabolic capabilities and chemosynthetic primary production of subsurface ecosystems, such as those found in caves. Leveraging a powerful blend of geospatial, molecular and biogeochemical approaches this project expects to identify the microbial basis of subsurface biogeochemical processes driving the earth’s major elementary cycles. Expected outcomes include a predictive framework to assess and upscale the impact of these microbial communities on the environment. Benefits include predicting and responding to climate risks, such as the desertification of agricultural soils, by uncovering how microorganisms respond to nutrient and carbon depletion.Read moreRead less
Novel techniques for interpreting atmospheric variability and its drivers. This project aims to improve the understanding of the causes of variability in atmospheric greenhouse gases, leading to better knowledge of how such processes will evolve in a changing climate. The project expects to use new measurement techniques to gain information about the spatial and temporal variability of atmospheric greenhouse gases. With the use of regional and global scale models, the measurements will be used t ....Novel techniques for interpreting atmospheric variability and its drivers. This project aims to improve the understanding of the causes of variability in atmospheric greenhouse gases, leading to better knowledge of how such processes will evolve in a changing climate. The project expects to use new measurement techniques to gain information about the spatial and temporal variability of atmospheric greenhouse gases. With the use of regional and global scale models, the measurements will be used to understand greenhouse gas fluxes and provide independent verification of current estimates. Expected outcomes include improved methods for verifying greenhouse gas emissions, which will contribute to improved emissions inventories and accounting promised under international agreements.Read moreRead less
Southern Ocean aerosols: sources, sinks and impact on cloud properties. This project aims to provide fundamental process-level understanding of atmospheric aerosol processes over the Southern Ocean, a region that has a profound influence on the Australian and global climate and where climate models perform poorly. Comprehensive observations during 3 Southern Ocean voyages and land-based measurements will enhance our knowledge of aerosols and cloud formation in that region and provide much-needed ....Southern Ocean aerosols: sources, sinks and impact on cloud properties. This project aims to provide fundamental process-level understanding of atmospheric aerosol processes over the Southern Ocean, a region that has a profound influence on the Australian and global climate and where climate models perform poorly. Comprehensive observations during 3 Southern Ocean voyages and land-based measurements will enhance our knowledge of aerosols and cloud formation in that region and provide much-needed data for improving global climate models. Expected outcomes include more accurate seasonal and latitudinal representations of Southern Ocean aerosol populations, properties and sources. The main benefit includes improvements in weather forecasting and future climate projection for Australia and the Southern Hemisphere.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230101105
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$422,318.00
Summary
Developing Polymer Electrolytes for Operational All-Solid-State Batteries. This project aims to advance the development of safe rechargeable all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) by innovating fluorinated block copolymers as solid-state electrolytes. ASSBs are the most promising power source for emerging energy storage goals, however, low ionic conductivity and poor long-term cycling stability are critical bottlenecks to their successful application. This project seeks to tackle these challenges by ....Developing Polymer Electrolytes for Operational All-Solid-State Batteries. This project aims to advance the development of safe rechargeable all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) by innovating fluorinated block copolymers as solid-state electrolytes. ASSBs are the most promising power source for emerging energy storage goals, however, low ionic conductivity and poor long-term cycling stability are critical bottlenecks to their successful application. This project seeks to tackle these challenges by fabricating unique ionic conduction channels and stabilising electrode-electrolyte interfaces using fluorinated block copolymer electrolytes. The expected outcomes are new knowledge in polymer electrolytes and advancement in the commercialisation of ASSBs toward more efficient, safe and reliable energy storage technologies.Read moreRead less
A balancing act: Resolving coastal wetland water, carbon and solute fluxes. Coastal wetlands offer an impressive capacity to regulate the Earth’s climate by altering the way carbon dioxide is extracted from the atmosphere and stored while simultaneously influencing the water cycle, thus providing ecosystem services such as carbon storage, abating flood waters, improving water quality and protecting the coastline from sea level rise. This project aims to address the current gaps in understanding .... A balancing act: Resolving coastal wetland water, carbon and solute fluxes. Coastal wetlands offer an impressive capacity to regulate the Earth’s climate by altering the way carbon dioxide is extracted from the atmosphere and stored while simultaneously influencing the water cycle, thus providing ecosystem services such as carbon storage, abating flood waters, improving water quality and protecting the coastline from sea level rise. This project aims to address the current gaps in understanding the critical exchanges of water and greenhouse gases (GHGs) combining field methodologies and hydrological models, under different climatic conditions. The intended outcomes will benefit management of GHG emissions, coastal flooding and vulnerable groundwater dependent habitats.Read moreRead less
Engineering cyanobacteria for high-value flavours and fragrances production. Engineering the metabolism of cyanobacteria for industrial production of flavours and fragrances has great commercial potential. Cyanobacteria capture more than 25% of the planet’s carbon. Due to their native metabolism and capacity to express complex plant proteins, they represent an attractive Synthetic Biology platform for the biosynthesis of flavours and fragrances. Combining physiological strain characterisation an ....Engineering cyanobacteria for high-value flavours and fragrances production. Engineering the metabolism of cyanobacteria for industrial production of flavours and fragrances has great commercial potential. Cyanobacteria capture more than 25% of the planet’s carbon. Due to their native metabolism and capacity to express complex plant proteins, they represent an attractive Synthetic Biology platform for the biosynthesis of flavours and fragrances. Combining physiological strain characterisation and ‘omics studies, new Synthetic Biology strategies and models will be developed. The project aims at engineering a suite of modified freshwater and marine cyanobacteria for flavours and fragrances biosynthesis. The project aims at enabling solar biomanufacturing to underpin the emergence of an advanced Australian bioeconomy.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220101190
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$418,292.00
Summary
Designing low-toxicity and stable perovskites for solar energy conversion. Efficient solar energy conversion systems can significantly promote sustainable and low carbon-emission economy. This project aims to rationally design low-toxic and stable metal halide perovskites for efficient solar hydrogen conversion. The key concept is to design stable lead-free metal halide perovskite semiconductors with superior photophysical properties for solar-driven valuable chemical production. Expected outcom ....Designing low-toxicity and stable perovskites for solar energy conversion. Efficient solar energy conversion systems can significantly promote sustainable and low carbon-emission economy. This project aims to rationally design low-toxic and stable metal halide perovskites for efficient solar hydrogen conversion. The key concept is to design stable lead-free metal halide perovskite semiconductors with superior photophysical properties for solar-driven valuable chemical production. Expected outcomes include new generation advanced materials and proof-of-concept technologies for efficient solar hydrogen generation. The successful completion of this project will benefit Australia by positioning the nation at the frontier of advanced functional materials and renewable energy supply technologies.Read moreRead less
Oxide-semiconductor epitaxy: towards next generation nanoelectronics. This project aims to integrate high quality functional oxide heterostructures with semiconductor platforms and address the fundamental obstacles in oxides for highly efficient and high-speed transistor applications by engineering their electronic band structures. The project aims to establish a bridge between the diverse electronic properties of oxides and the established semiconductor platform, and generate new devices and fu ....Oxide-semiconductor epitaxy: towards next generation nanoelectronics. This project aims to integrate high quality functional oxide heterostructures with semiconductor platforms and address the fundamental obstacles in oxides for highly efficient and high-speed transistor applications by engineering their electronic band structures. The project aims to establish a bridge between the diverse electronic properties of oxides and the established semiconductor platform, and generate new devices and functionalities. Expected outcomes include epitaxial functional oxides on Gallium arsenide with ultrahigh, room-temperature sheet electron mobility and a comprehensive understanding of its microscopic origin. This will fundamentally change the route toward novel transistors based on high speed and low energy oxide electronics.Read moreRead less