Some Outstanding Mechanics Problems in Layered Ferroelectromagnetic Composites with Enhanced Magnetoelectric Effect. The proposed research has high impact on both science and technology of ferroelectromagnetic materials. The outcomes will expand Australia's knowledge base and research capability in this emerging field. Relevant industries, such as smart materials and devices, can benefit from the results of this project. The theoretical, experimental and numerical results can be directly transfo ....Some Outstanding Mechanics Problems in Layered Ferroelectromagnetic Composites with Enhanced Magnetoelectric Effect. The proposed research has high impact on both science and technology of ferroelectromagnetic materials. The outcomes will expand Australia's knowledge base and research capability in this emerging field. Relevant industries, such as smart materials and devices, can benefit from the results of this project. The theoretical, experimental and numerical results can be directly transformed to design and application guidelines for the materials engineers and scientists to develop innovative and structurally/functionally reliable ferroelectromagnetic composites and their various devices and products.Read moreRead less
Cyclic Fatigue Mechanisms in New Lead-Free Piezoelectric Ceramics. Piezoceramics are an important component in many items in modern day Australian life. However, they present a growing environmental concern, particularly for disposal, because they contain lead oxide and must often be disposed of prematurely due to component failure. Furthermore, many key Australian industries manufacture and use piezoceramics in fields ranging from mineral exploration, to imaging to biomedical devices. This proj ....Cyclic Fatigue Mechanisms in New Lead-Free Piezoelectric Ceramics. Piezoceramics are an important component in many items in modern day Australian life. However, they present a growing environmental concern, particularly for disposal, because they contain lead oxide and must often be disposed of prematurely due to component failure. Furthermore, many key Australian industries manufacture and use piezoceramics in fields ranging from mineral exploration, to imaging to biomedical devices. This project will enable the development of lead-free alternatives to current materials and more reliable materials which will reduce the need for waste disposal.Read moreRead less
Development of Cyclic Fatigue Degradation Criteria for Piezoelectric Ceramic Components. Piezoelectric ceramics are widely used in advanced engineering applications such as actuators in the automotive industry, sonars for submarine mineral exploration and defence, and a broad range of medical devices, e.g. ultrasound probes. The reliable operational lifetime of these devices is, however, severely limited because they suffer cyclic fatigue leading to both degradation in performance and device fai ....Development of Cyclic Fatigue Degradation Criteria for Piezoelectric Ceramic Components. Piezoelectric ceramics are widely used in advanced engineering applications such as actuators in the automotive industry, sonars for submarine mineral exploration and defence, and a broad range of medical devices, e.g. ultrasound probes. The reliable operational lifetime of these devices is, however, severely limited because they suffer cyclic fatigue leading to both degradation in performance and device failure. The proposed project seeks to develop an understanding of the mechanisms of fatigue and develop a design model for engineers such that piezoelectric ceramic devices can be operated for longer periods with higher levels of reliability.Read moreRead less
Surface Polymorphism of Hard Brittle Materials. The knowledge gained from this project will be of great value in creating components of hard brittle materials with enhanced properties and expanded margins of application. The outcome will have impact on the ultra-precision manufacturing giving a competitive edge to the Australian fabrication industry. The fundamental knowledge gained from this project has the potential to facilitate the development of new devices and techniques such as those requ ....Surface Polymorphism of Hard Brittle Materials. The knowledge gained from this project will be of great value in creating components of hard brittle materials with enhanced properties and expanded margins of application. The outcome will have impact on the ultra-precision manufacturing giving a competitive edge to the Australian fabrication industry. The fundamental knowledge gained from this project has the potential to facilitate the development of new devices and techniques such as those required for bio-medical, photonic and electronic technologies.Read moreRead less
Engineering of Crystalline Ternary Ceramic Precursors. Ti3SiC2 belongs to a large group of ternary carbides that exhibit an unique combination of high temperature ceramic properties, with the electrical and thermal conductivity of metals. A great number of potential applications have been identified, but are currently limited by residual intermediate compounds, that degrade the properties. This project will use crystal structure similarities between TiCx and Ti3SiC2 to engineer a crystalline pre ....Engineering of Crystalline Ternary Ceramic Precursors. Ti3SiC2 belongs to a large group of ternary carbides that exhibit an unique combination of high temperature ceramic properties, with the electrical and thermal conductivity of metals. A great number of potential applications have been identified, but are currently limited by residual intermediate compounds, that degrade the properties. This project will use crystal structure similarities between TiCx and Ti3SiC2 to engineer a crystalline precursor, Ti3C2, which circumvents intermediate compound formation. This innovative methodology will also reduce the cost and time of fabrication. Advanced in-situ neutron diffraction techniques will be used to quantify the synthesis kinetics and optimize the method.Read moreRead less
CO2 Utilisation for Energy Storage. This project aims to develop a novel technology that can convert carbon dioxide into useful products while storing intermittent renewable energy as green stable chemical energy. The project plans to focus on the development of a robust cathode for the conversion of carbon dioxide with optimum physical and chemical structure to achieve long-term stable performance. This technology would make a significant contribution to increasing the proportion of renewable e ....CO2 Utilisation for Energy Storage. This project aims to develop a novel technology that can convert carbon dioxide into useful products while storing intermittent renewable energy as green stable chemical energy. The project plans to focus on the development of a robust cathode for the conversion of carbon dioxide with optimum physical and chemical structure to achieve long-term stable performance. This technology would make a significant contribution to increasing the proportion of renewable energy in our energy supply and reducing our carbon dioxide emissions.Read moreRead less
A new paradigm in near-net-shape advanced ceramic component processing. The raw materials for high performance ceramics (such as alumina and zirconia) are readily available and produced in Australia. Nearly all of these raw materials are exported. The development of processing to make high value added ceramic components from these raw materials will result in greater profit and more jobs for Australians. The proposed research is to develop a novel innovative process to drive a value adding ce ....A new paradigm in near-net-shape advanced ceramic component processing. The raw materials for high performance ceramics (such as alumina and zirconia) are readily available and produced in Australia. Nearly all of these raw materials are exported. The development of processing to make high value added ceramic components from these raw materials will result in greater profit and more jobs for Australians. The proposed research is to develop a novel innovative process to drive a value adding ceramic processing industry in Australia.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
Engineering quantum-size bioceramics: Photocatalytic / sonocatalytic ceria. This project aims to design and engineer photocatalytic ceria of systematically controlled grain sizes and morphologies, using doping methods to achieve pure and mixed quantum confinement (which enhances performance). The intended outcomes of the computation, fabrication, and validation approach are a fundamental knowledge of the processing-performance matrix and reproducible photocatalysts of optimised performance. Whil ....Engineering quantum-size bioceramics: Photocatalytic / sonocatalytic ceria. This project aims to design and engineer photocatalytic ceria of systematically controlled grain sizes and morphologies, using doping methods to achieve pure and mixed quantum confinement (which enhances performance). The intended outcomes of the computation, fabrication, and validation approach are a fundamental knowledge of the processing-performance matrix and reproducible photocatalysts of optimised performance. While these ceramics will be applied as bioceramics, which can be activated by ultraviolet light, X-rays and ultrasound, the benefits will be applicable in energy (solar cells, photoelectrodes) and the environment (air and water purification).Read moreRead less
Atomistic mechanisms of the mechanical behaviour of nanostructured silicon carbide films. Advanced silicon carbide (SiC) ceramics are leading candidates for applications in high-power, high-speed machining and high-temperature structural components. Superhardness and high ductility (or high fracture toughness), which have been realized in some nanostructured (ns) SiC films and nanowires, respectively, are desirable properties for many applications. This project aims to understand the mechanisms ....Atomistic mechanisms of the mechanical behaviour of nanostructured silicon carbide films. Advanced silicon carbide (SiC) ceramics are leading candidates for applications in high-power, high-speed machining and high-temperature structural components. Superhardness and high ductility (or high fracture toughness), which have been realized in some nanostructured (ns) SiC films and nanowires, respectively, are desirable properties for many applications. This project aims to understand the mechanisms behind the exceptional properties in ns SiC and to explore the possibility of realizing the two properties in the same ns SiC. The results obtained from this research will be very important for guiding the structural design of SiC with exceptional mechanical properties which will have a wide range of structural applications.Read moreRead less