Mathematical modelling of dye-sensitised titania solar cells: a route to improved efficiency in production. Dye-sensitised titania solar cells (DSCs) provide a technically and economically credible alternative to silicon photovotaic devices. Increasing the efficiency of commercially produced DSCs to 12% from the current production cell efficiency of 6%,will result in significantly lower delivered energy costs than the current alternative photovoltaic devices. This project will develop a mathemat ....Mathematical modelling of dye-sensitised titania solar cells: a route to improved efficiency in production. Dye-sensitised titania solar cells (DSCs) provide a technically and economically credible alternative to silicon photovotaic devices. Increasing the efficiency of commercially produced DSCs to 12% from the current production cell efficiency of 6%,will result in significantly lower delivered energy costs than the current alternative photovoltaic devices. This project will develop a mathematical model of a DSC as a first stage in the development of a decision support capability for the manufacture of more efficient DSC's. The model will extend existing models to incorporate full transport modelling and side-reactions in the electrolyte and will be validated by experimental work.Read moreRead less
Biomolecular optoelectronic materials and devices. The melanins are the molecules in our skin, eyes and hair that provide colour and protection from the sun. In addition to being important bio-molecules, they have properties which make them useful for high tech applications especially in electronics and optoelectronics. Unfortunately, our current understanding of these fascinating materials is poor. In our project we aim to solve this limiting problem. We will develop new science to explain thei ....Biomolecular optoelectronic materials and devices. The melanins are the molecules in our skin, eyes and hair that provide colour and protection from the sun. In addition to being important bio-molecules, they have properties which make them useful for high tech applications especially in electronics and optoelectronics. Unfortunately, our current understanding of these fascinating materials is poor. In our project we aim to solve this limiting problem. We will develop new science to explain their behaviour, and use this knowledge to create bio-compatible hi-tech materials and devices. We anticipate significant benefits from the perspectives of basic science and utilisation of biomaterials for new green technologies.Read moreRead less
Fundamental physics in distant galaxies. The fundamental constants of Nature are assumed to characterise physics in our entire Universe, but are they really the same everywhere and throughout its entire 14 billion year history? This project will answer this question with the first large-scale, purpose-built observational programme on one of the world's biggest and best telescopes.
Photoactive Semiconducting Biopolymers. The basic aims of this project are to elucidate, manipulate, and utilise the unique chemical and physical properties of a class of biopolymers called the melanins. These materials are the only known solid state semiconducting biopolymers, and are non-toxic, biocompatible, and biodegradable. Their use as active components in biomimetic soft electonic, optoelectronic or photovoltaic devices, has not hitherto been demonstrated. It is anticipated that the k ....Photoactive Semiconducting Biopolymers. The basic aims of this project are to elucidate, manipulate, and utilise the unique chemical and physical properties of a class of biopolymers called the melanins. These materials are the only known solid state semiconducting biopolymers, and are non-toxic, biocompatible, and biodegradable. Their use as active components in biomimetic soft electonic, optoelectronic or photovoltaic devices, has not hitherto been demonstrated. It is anticipated that the key outcomes from the project will be a demonstration of biopolymer-based photoelectrochemical and solid-state p-i-n solar cells, and an improved understanding of the physics and chemistry of these important biological macromolecules.Read moreRead less
Naturally Photoactive Biopolymers. The basic aim of this project is to assess the viability of using semiconducting biopolymers from the melanin family of macromolecules in photoactive device based applications. In order to do this, key optical, structural, electronic, and photochemical properties will be assessed on thin films in the solid state. The melanins are the only known semiconducting biopolymers, and are non-toxic, biocompatible and biodegradable. Their use as ?active? materials in ....Naturally Photoactive Biopolymers. The basic aim of this project is to assess the viability of using semiconducting biopolymers from the melanin family of macromolecules in photoactive device based applications. In order to do this, key optical, structural, electronic, and photochemical properties will be assessed on thin films in the solid state. The melanins are the only known semiconducting biopolymers, and are non-toxic, biocompatible and biodegradable. Their use as ?active? materials in solid state or photo-electrochemical devices has never before been suggested. Specifically, these materials could be used as the light harvesting components in dye sensitised Gratzel cells, or, as the donor material in soft solid photovoltaic junctions. The melanins are also a key class of biomolecules (their involvement in skin cancers is well documented), and hence, any advancement in our understanding of their functions and properties could have biological importance.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0228799
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,602,000.00
Summary
Australian Membership of the International Gemini Partnership. The International Gemini Partnership is an intergovernmental consortium formed to construct and operate two 8-metre optical/infrared telescopes, one in Chile, and the other in Hawaii. Australia joined the IGP in May 1998, taking approximately 5% of the partnership. The Gemini telescopes have been carefully engineered to exploit the superb atmospheric conditions at both sites, allowing users to address key astronomical problems in way ....Australian Membership of the International Gemini Partnership. The International Gemini Partnership is an intergovernmental consortium formed to construct and operate two 8-metre optical/infrared telescopes, one in Chile, and the other in Hawaii. Australia joined the IGP in May 1998, taking approximately 5% of the partnership. The Gemini telescopes have been carefully engineered to exploit the superb atmospheric conditions at both sites, allowing users to address key astronomical problems in ways not previously possible. Through membership of Gemini, Australian astronomers have access to the world-class facilities necessary to maintain their high international profile and great public visibility in Galactic and extragalactic astronomy, and also to enhance the national capacity to construct advanced scientific instrumentation. Australia has already won a contract to build one of the instruments.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0453817
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,849,438.00
Summary
Australian Membership of the International Gemini Partnership. The International Gemini Partnership is an intergovernmental consortium formed to build and operate two 8-metre optical/infrared telescopes, one in Chile and the other in Hawaii. Australia joined the IGP in May 1998, taking approximately 5% of the partnership. The Gemini telescopes have been carefully engineered to exploit the superb atmospheric conditions at both sites, allowing users to address key astronomical problems in ways not ....Australian Membership of the International Gemini Partnership. The International Gemini Partnership is an intergovernmental consortium formed to build and operate two 8-metre optical/infrared telescopes, one in Chile and the other in Hawaii. Australia joined the IGP in May 1998, taking approximately 5% of the partnership. The Gemini telescopes have been carefully engineered to exploit the superb atmospheric conditions at both sites, allowing users to address key astronomical problems in ways not previously possible. Through membership of Gemini, Australian astronomers have access to the world-class facilities necessary to maintain their high international profile and the great public visibility in Galactic and extragalactic astronomy, and also to enhance the national capacity to
construct advanced scientific instrumentation. Australia is currently building one of the instruments.
Note: in A7.1 GAMS incorrectly forces integer days/month. In full operation Australian astronomers will receive approximately 25 nights per year.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0560761
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,458,000.00
Summary
Australian Membership of the International Gemini Partnership. The International Gemini Partnership is an intergovernmental consortium that operates two 8-metre optical/infrared telescopes, in Chile and Hawaii. Australia joined the IGP in 1998, with 4.76% of the partnership. The Gemini telescopes have been carefully engineered to exploit the superb atmospheric conditions at both sites, allowing users to address key astronomical problems in ways not previously possible. Through membership of Gemi ....Australian Membership of the International Gemini Partnership. The International Gemini Partnership is an intergovernmental consortium that operates two 8-metre optical/infrared telescopes, in Chile and Hawaii. Australia joined the IGP in 1998, with 4.76% of the partnership. The Gemini telescopes have been carefully engineered to exploit the superb atmospheric conditions at both sites, allowing users to address key astronomical problems in ways not previously possible. Through membership of Gemini, Australian astronomers have access to the world-class facilities necessary to maintain their high international profile, and also to enhance the national capacity to construct advanced scientific instrumentation. Australian institutions are currently building two new instruments.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0347237
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,855,121.00
Summary
Australian Membership of the International Gemini Partnership. The International Gemini Partnership is an intergovernmental consortium formed to construct and operate two 8-metre optical/infrared telescopes, one in Chile and the other in Hawaii. Australia joined the IGP in May 1998, taking approximately 5% of the partnership. The Gemini telescopes have been carefully engineered to exploit the superb atmospheric conditions at both sites, allowing users to address key astronomical problems in ways ....Australian Membership of the International Gemini Partnership. The International Gemini Partnership is an intergovernmental consortium formed to construct and operate two 8-metre optical/infrared telescopes, one in Chile and the other in Hawaii. Australia joined the IGP in May 1998, taking approximately 5% of the partnership. The Gemini telescopes have been carefully engineered to exploit the superb atmospheric conditions at both sites, allowing users to address key astronomical problems in ways not previously possible. Through membership of Gemini, Australian astronomers have access to the world-class facilities necessary to maintain their high international profile and the great public visibility in Galactic and extragalactic astronomy, and also to enhance the national capacity to construct advanced scientific instrumentation. Australia is currently building one of the instruments.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0668351
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,983,525.00
Summary
Australian Membership of the International Gemini Partnership. No science better captures public attention than astronomy. Through its membership of the international Gemini consortium that operates the Gemini telescopes, Australia has assured its astronomers of access to two of the finest large ground-based telescopes. Located in Hawaii and Chile, the telescopes enable Australian astronomers to pursue major questions such as how the universe evolved, the nature of dark matter and dark energy, h ....Australian Membership of the International Gemini Partnership. No science better captures public attention than astronomy. Through its membership of the international Gemini consortium that operates the Gemini telescopes, Australia has assured its astronomers of access to two of the finest large ground-based telescopes. Located in Hawaii and Chile, the telescopes enable Australian astronomers to pursue major questions such as how the universe evolved, the nature of dark matter and dark energy, how galaxies formed, and how stars and their planets formed. Australia has long been known for 'punching above its weight' in astronomy, and membership of Gemini is a vital step in assuring that this prominence in the field is maintained.Read moreRead less