Internally decorated discrete Metallo-supramolecular Assemblies and infinite Metal-Organic Frameworks as molecular containers. In the macroscopic world, containers are used to hold, provide physical protection, or create a modified environment for their contents. This project will result in the synthesis of novel molecular container materials that provide decorated internal surfaces capable of selectively binding chemical species. In addition to the breakthrough scientific benefits of establish ....Internally decorated discrete Metallo-supramolecular Assemblies and infinite Metal-Organic Frameworks as molecular containers. In the macroscopic world, containers are used to hold, provide physical protection, or create a modified environment for their contents. This project will result in the synthesis of novel molecular container materials that provide decorated internal surfaces capable of selectively binding chemical species. In addition to the breakthrough scientific benefits of establishing the fundamentals of these systems, the binding of chemicals, which are environmental contaminants, will provide the grounding for applications that will contribute to the national priority of 'Frontier technologies'. Furthermore, this research will lead to the training of the next generation of Australian scientists by quality international researchers.Read moreRead less
Moving supramolecular assembly of functional systems into water. Smart materials that are pre-programmed to assemble in water have already been shown to have wide applicability from industry to medicine. This project will develop novel display and drug release materials and lead to novel means to control these programmable building blocks thus promoting Australia’s standing in the area of smart materials.
Quantum chemical methods: From wavefunction to density functional theory. This project aims to address a major challenge in quantum chemistry - how to extend the applicability of high-level quantum chemical methods to larger molecules. High-level quantum chemical methods can consistently obtain reliable thermochemical and kinetic data, but due to their steep computational cost, they are only applicable to relatively small molecules. The project expects to introduce new concepts and methodologies ....Quantum chemical methods: From wavefunction to density functional theory. This project aims to address a major challenge in quantum chemistry - how to extend the applicability of high-level quantum chemical methods to larger molecules. High-level quantum chemical methods can consistently obtain reliable thermochemical and kinetic data, but due to their steep computational cost, they are only applicable to relatively small molecules. The project expects to introduce new concepts and methodologies that build on recent breakthrough research in the field of ab initio computational chemistry. The new methods should be capable of energetic predictions of unprecedented accuracy for relatively large systems across the Periodic Table and will be used for the development of better density functional theory procedures.Read moreRead less
Electrochemically activated solid state chemistry: A new synthetic avenue. This project aims to validate a new solid state synthetic route discovered in our group by understanding the reaction mechanism and experimenting with the parameter space of reaction variables. The discovery of a new solid state synthetic route opens up a world of possibility for the generation of new materials with a diverse range of potential functions and applications. The fundamental understanding of the reaction mech ....Electrochemically activated solid state chemistry: A new synthetic avenue. This project aims to validate a new solid state synthetic route discovered in our group by understanding the reaction mechanism and experimenting with the parameter space of reaction variables. The discovery of a new solid state synthetic route opens up a world of possibility for the generation of new materials with a diverse range of potential functions and applications. The fundamental understanding of the reaction mechanism will enable the rapid and widespread use of this synthetic route.Read moreRead less
Sustainable Solar Hydrogen Production from Waste Water. The world energy demand, expected to triple by 2100, must be met from sustainable and non-polluting sources. Sunlight is the largest available carbon-neutral energy source, with enough energy striking the planet in one hour to satisfy our current requirements for about a year. With the novel catalysts designed in this project, we will use this energy to simultaneously generate hydrogen and destroy organic pollutants by oxidation. The hydr ....Sustainable Solar Hydrogen Production from Waste Water. The world energy demand, expected to triple by 2100, must be met from sustainable and non-polluting sources. Sunlight is the largest available carbon-neutral energy source, with enough energy striking the planet in one hour to satisfy our current requirements for about a year. With the novel catalysts designed in this project, we will use this energy to simultaneously generate hydrogen and destroy organic pollutants by oxidation. The hydrogen can then be used as a clean source of sustainable energy and the water recycled. Our climate, proximity to major economies of the future, and long commercial and research experience in solar energy make Australia an ideal location for a hydrogen production industry.Read moreRead less
Molecular switching nanomaterials for modern technology. This project aims to develop a new class of functional materials with integrated molecular switching capacity. Molecule-based switching materials are actively pursued in cutting-edge sensory, information storage and nanophotonic devices. This project expects to drive the advancement of modern memory-switching device and sensor technologies. An expected outcome of this project is to define a new sophisticated class of nanomaterials with in ....Molecular switching nanomaterials for modern technology. This project aims to develop a new class of functional materials with integrated molecular switching capacity. Molecule-based switching materials are actively pursued in cutting-edge sensory, information storage and nanophotonic devices. This project expects to drive the advancement of modern memory-switching device and sensor technologies. An expected outcome of this project is to define a new sophisticated class of nanomaterials with inbuilt molecular switching features in active pursuit of modern nanotechnologies and evolving key fundamental concepts which underpin nano-scale switching.Read moreRead less
Controlling chemistry with light-powered molecular machines. This project aims to develop easily prepared synthetic molecules capable of performing complex tasks, such as controlled molecular motion or signal amplification, using visible light both as a fuel and a reporting mechanism. The challenge of using non-destructive visible light to control molecular motion is one of the most fundamental in science. The development of small molecular 'swimmers' would represent a landmark advance in the fi ....Controlling chemistry with light-powered molecular machines. This project aims to develop easily prepared synthetic molecules capable of performing complex tasks, such as controlled molecular motion or signal amplification, using visible light both as a fuel and a reporting mechanism. The challenge of using non-destructive visible light to control molecular motion is one of the most fundamental in science. The development of small molecular 'swimmers' would represent a landmark advance in the field. An expected outcome of the project is the control and monitoring of synthetic small molecule motion and function using visible light. These fundamental studies should benefit society by reducing energy consumption and waste during processes from production to disposal.Read moreRead less
Harnessing electroactivity in nanoporous materials. The development of electroactive nanoporous solids is a highly sought after goal in the field of advanced materials as their properties underpin the next generation of technologically and industrially useful devices. Using a combined experimental, theoretical and computational approach for redox-active metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), this project expects to provide new insights into fundamental electron transfer mechanisms in three-dimensional ....Harnessing electroactivity in nanoporous materials. The development of electroactive nanoporous solids is a highly sought after goal in the field of advanced materials as their properties underpin the next generation of technologically and industrially useful devices. Using a combined experimental, theoretical and computational approach for redox-active metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), this project expects to provide new insights into fundamental electron transfer mechanisms in three-dimensional coordination space, of relevance to understanding biological photosynthetic systems and porous semiconductors. An expected benefit will be the development of devices for applications in energy storage and conversion, including electrochromic devices, electrocatalysts, and battery materials.Read moreRead less
Interactions, phase behavior and self-assembly of colloidal nanorods: Establishing design rules for creating new nano-structured materials. This project aims to apply new computational methods developed by the applicant to characterise the interactions between colloidal nanorods and their self-assembly in the presence of interfaces and directional interactions. While nanoparticles can currently be made in a staggering array of shapes, patterns and materials, organising such objects into extended ....Interactions, phase behavior and self-assembly of colloidal nanorods: Establishing design rules for creating new nano-structured materials. This project aims to apply new computational methods developed by the applicant to characterise the interactions between colloidal nanorods and their self-assembly in the presence of interfaces and directional interactions. While nanoparticles can currently be made in a staggering array of shapes, patterns and materials, organising such objects into extended structures that could revolutionise technology remains a challenge. The expected outcome is a robust strategy for making monolayer films of rods aligned perpendicular to a variety of interfaces for the fabrication of solar cells, microfiltration membranes and biosensors.Read moreRead less
A Generic Solution for Interfacing Electrodes with Biological Media. Electrodes are the critical element of stimulating implantable devices such as cardiac pacemakers, bionic eyes and cochlear implants, the most commercially successful biosensors, and are emerging as key to new technologies for testing new drug leads using cells. In all these applications of electrodes in biology there has never been a solution to stopping unwanted adsorption of biological material onto the electrode that does ....A Generic Solution for Interfacing Electrodes with Biological Media. Electrodes are the critical element of stimulating implantable devices such as cardiac pacemakers, bionic eyes and cochlear implants, the most commercially successful biosensors, and are emerging as key to new technologies for testing new drug leads using cells. In all these applications of electrodes in biology there has never been a solution to stopping unwanted adsorption of biological material onto the electrode that does not dramatically decrease electrode performance. The proposed research finally provides a solution via surface modification. This strategy will enhance the performance of all the devices above and will open doors to new applications of electrochemistry within biology.Read moreRead less