Novel Lanthanide Complexes and Polymeric Luminescent Chelates for Biomedical Imaging and Bioassay. The development of advanced materials and frontier technologies such as the luminescent chelates proposed here is essential for Australia's evolution as a competitive nation in fields such as biomedical imaging and clinical diagnostics. For example, the total expenditure on fluorescent reagents in 2004 exceeded US$1.5 billion, with an estimated 25% annual growth. With proven applications in diagnos ....Novel Lanthanide Complexes and Polymeric Luminescent Chelates for Biomedical Imaging and Bioassay. The development of advanced materials and frontier technologies such as the luminescent chelates proposed here is essential for Australia's evolution as a competitive nation in fields such as biomedical imaging and clinical diagnostics. For example, the total expenditure on fluorescent reagents in 2004 exceeded US$1.5 billion, with an estimated 25% annual growth. With proven applications in diagnostic immunoassay and high throughput screening, the use of luminescent lanthanide complexes allows significant improvements over traditional fluorophores, facilitating miniaturisation and ultimately leading to reduced costs for the consumer.Read moreRead less
Nanogels: Next Generation Polymeric Particles. The existing knowledge in the formation of polymeric networks limits the technological development of polymer materials. This project will introduce new polymeric particles, called nanogels to open a new area in new polymeric architecture research. A number of new structures based on the nanogels will be developed. These new macromolecules will not only bring the polymer science into a new field, it will provide a great opportunity to discover the ....Nanogels: Next Generation Polymeric Particles. The existing knowledge in the formation of polymeric networks limits the technological development of polymer materials. This project will introduce new polymeric particles, called nanogels to open a new area in new polymeric architecture research. A number of new structures based on the nanogels will be developed. These new macromolecules will not only bring the polymer science into a new field, it will provide a great opportunity to discover the next generation of the polymeric products, particularly for application in automotive paint, drug delivery and bio-molecular separations.Read moreRead less
Composite nanomaterials for environmental remediation and fuel cell applications. Australia, in response to a mounting global awareness, needs to find cost effective energy storage sources to replace fossil fuels. The program will significantly add to research that provides fundamental advances in energy storage, in the form of fuel cells, and in the remediation of organic pollutants. It will also contribute to the future development of technologies in these areas that will have substantial ben ....Composite nanomaterials for environmental remediation and fuel cell applications. Australia, in response to a mounting global awareness, needs to find cost effective energy storage sources to replace fossil fuels. The program will significantly add to research that provides fundamental advances in energy storage, in the form of fuel cells, and in the remediation of organic pollutants. It will also contribute to the future development of technologies in these areas that will have substantial benefits to the broader community. The program will provide expert training for future chemists and connect them into leading international research groups led by our PIs.Read moreRead less
Novel Coatings For Steel. The aim of this project is to design coatings for steel that have high flexibility and high resistance to scatching and hardness. This will be achieved by the introduction of liquid crystalline phases in the coatings. The outcome will be a new generation of steel coatings with novel properties
Dynamics of Photon-Induced Processes in Engineered Polymer Systems. This project will investigate photo-induced energy and electron transport in innovative polymer systems of well defined structure. New functionalised, aromatic and conjugated polymers will be synthesised and studied by ultrafast laser spectroscopic techniques. Information on the dynamics of light energy dissipation processes in these polymers on time-scales down to the femtosecond regime and at a single molecule level will be ....Dynamics of Photon-Induced Processes in Engineered Polymer Systems. This project will investigate photo-induced energy and electron transport in innovative polymer systems of well defined structure. New functionalised, aromatic and conjugated polymers will be synthesised and studied by ultrafast laser spectroscopic techniques. Information on the dynamics of light energy dissipation processes in these polymers on time-scales down to the femtosecond regime and at a single molecule level will be obtained. The results will provide the basic information required to develop novel photon-active materials and devices.Read moreRead less
The development of unique cyclic polymers. The project will yield cyclic polymers with a large range of commercial and industrial applications (e.g. drug delivery, contamination clean-up, nano-wires, sensors) that will result in positive economic and social benefits for Australia. The research will lead to increased employment opportunities within the manufacturing industry and R&D, and also underpin and extend Australia's leading position in the development of innovative polymeric and advanced ....The development of unique cyclic polymers. The project will yield cyclic polymers with a large range of commercial and industrial applications (e.g. drug delivery, contamination clean-up, nano-wires, sensors) that will result in positive economic and social benefits for Australia. The research will lead to increased employment opportunities within the manufacturing industry and R&D, and also underpin and extend Australia's leading position in the development of innovative polymeric and advanced materials. The resulting materials will provide new and improved technological innovations for commercial products, delivering benefits direct to the public. Furthermore, there is potential development of spin-off companies - leading to further investment in Australian science and industry.Read moreRead less
New Surface Coatings Derived from Renewable Resources. In this project we will develop a novel, efficient cross-linking methodology to generate surface coating and adhesive products from inexpensive, renewable, local, natural feedstocks. Potential economic benefits to Australia include the replacement of imported petrochemical feedstocks with Australian agricultural products, the development of high performance products with the potential for export, and the establishment of an intellectual prop ....New Surface Coatings Derived from Renewable Resources. In this project we will develop a novel, efficient cross-linking methodology to generate surface coating and adhesive products from inexpensive, renewable, local, natural feedstocks. Potential economic benefits to Australia include the replacement of imported petrochemical feedstocks with Australian agricultural products, the development of high performance products with the potential for export, and the establishment of an intellectual property portfolio that will lead to opportunities for licensing internationally.Read moreRead less
Building advanced polymeric nanotubes for targeted drug delivery. Advanced drug delivery devices have major commercial applications in fighting diseases like cancer and infectious viruses. The success of this project will provide fundamental knowledge for the design of new drug delivery devices based on polymeric nanotubes. The project will also further advance Australia's nano- and bio-technological research and industries. This project will also provide additional benefit for developing contro ....Building advanced polymeric nanotubes for targeted drug delivery. Advanced drug delivery devices have major commercial applications in fighting diseases like cancer and infectious viruses. The success of this project will provide fundamental knowledge for the design of new drug delivery devices based on polymeric nanotubes. The project will also further advance Australia's nano- and bio-technological research and industries. This project will also provide additional benefit for developing controlled release systems in drug delivery and artificial vessels, and improve sensitivity in molecular sensors. The pioneering work proposed will ensure that Australia remains at the forefront of innovative scientific research within the rapidly advancing disciplines of nanotechnology and novel macromolecular design.Read moreRead less
Probing the Interface Between Polymeric Photonic Materials and Biology. This application provides a basis for Professor A. B. Holmes to develop a collaboration between the University of Melbourne (within the Bio21 Institute initiative) and CSIRO Division of Molecular Science to prepare novel plastics for electronics applications (lap top displays, transistors and solar cells) and to make specialised macromolecules for studying the way in which biological molecules may be made to recognise other ....Probing the Interface Between Polymeric Photonic Materials and Biology. This application provides a basis for Professor A. B. Holmes to develop a collaboration between the University of Melbourne (within the Bio21 Institute initiative) and CSIRO Division of Molecular Science to prepare novel plastics for electronics applications (lap top displays, transistors and solar cells) and to make specialised macromolecules for studying the way in which biological molecules may be made to recognise other molecules and thus change their function. It is envisaged that the multidisciplinary research collaboration will lead to commercial opportunities in "plastic electronics" and in human health such as the control of cancer and infectious diseases.Read moreRead less
Organotin based hybrid materials as selective catalysts. Hybrid organic-inorganic materials offer potential applications in a variety of fields ranging from photonics to selective catalysts. This pilot project brings together the expertise in four international research laboratories to focus on elaboration of new nanocomposites as highly selective Lewis acid catalysts for fine chemicals synthesis.