A novel modelling approach for understanding wildlife disease dynamics. This project aims to develop a novel framework for field wildlife disease systems, applied to chytrid fungal infection of an endangered frog species as a case study. The project expects to develop models able to be applied to many disease systems, improve understanding of host resistance and tolerance to infection, and improve capacity for mitigation of emerging infectious diseases. This work should have international impac ....A novel modelling approach for understanding wildlife disease dynamics. This project aims to develop a novel framework for field wildlife disease systems, applied to chytrid fungal infection of an endangered frog species as a case study. The project expects to develop models able to be applied to many disease systems, improve understanding of host resistance and tolerance to infection, and improve capacity for mitigation of emerging infectious diseases. This work should have international impact and provide significant national benefits in ensuring the conservation of Australia’s biodiversity.Read moreRead less
Cause and effect: new mechanisms of particles formation in thunderstorms. This project aims to identify meaningful and specific indicators for predicting particle formation and alteration during thunderstorms. How thunderstorms develop is well-understood. However, identifying meaningful and specific indicators for predicting particle alteration during a thunderstorm is still not clear. This project will practically contribute to the evidence of the impact of air particulates, thereby having dire ....Cause and effect: new mechanisms of particles formation in thunderstorms. This project aims to identify meaningful and specific indicators for predicting particle formation and alteration during thunderstorms. How thunderstorms develop is well-understood. However, identifying meaningful and specific indicators for predicting particle alteration during a thunderstorm is still not clear. This project will practically contribute to the evidence of the impact of air particulates, thereby having direct implications for meteorological, and air pollution policy in Australia and worldwide. This project will allow researchers to understand the impact of these factors on the escalation of the causative effects, and to find a way to prevent unnecessary fatal outcomes.Read moreRead less
Composite Mesoporous Solids of TiO2 Nano-Crystals and Silicate as Photo-catalysts for Degradation of Organic Contaminants in Water. TiO2 photo-catalysis is a promising advanced technique for breaking down organic contaminants and bacteria in water and air. This project will develop a novel class of photo-catalysts, the composite meosporous compounds of anatase and layered clay, by combining templated synthesis and pillaring techniques. They will exhibit a high photo-catalytic efficiency with sup ....Composite Mesoporous Solids of TiO2 Nano-Crystals and Silicate as Photo-catalysts for Degradation of Organic Contaminants in Water. TiO2 photo-catalysis is a promising advanced technique for breaking down organic contaminants and bacteria in water and air. This project will develop a novel class of photo-catalysts, the composite meosporous compounds of anatase and layered clay, by combining templated synthesis and pillaring techniques. They will exhibit a high photo-catalytic efficiency with superior properties for practical operations because of the framework of large porosity arising from the arrangement of discrete anatase nano-particles within the silicate layers. The project involves mostly fundamental research into material synthesis, colloid and surface chemistry and photo-catalysis, and aims to develop advanced techniques for water treatment.Read moreRead less
Reactions of Nanoparticles of Metal Oxides and Hydrous Oxides and their Applications in Photocatalysts and Electrode Materials. Australia is a world-leading producer of raw materials of many metallic elements, most of which are exported at low-values. This project will yield important knowledge in new synthetic techniques for making nanostructures of metal oxides. These tiny particles already have a large worldwide market, but the discovery of particles with superior properties or new applicatio ....Reactions of Nanoparticles of Metal Oxides and Hydrous Oxides and their Applications in Photocatalysts and Electrode Materials. Australia is a world-leading producer of raw materials of many metallic elements, most of which are exported at low-values. This project will yield important knowledge in new synthetic techniques for making nanostructures of metal oxides. These tiny particles already have a large worldwide market, but the discovery of particles with superior properties or new applications could lead to new industries and high-value exports. This project aims to devise novel photocatalysts for solar energy conversion and environmental protection, and electrode materials for lithium batteries. It will contribute to the overall competitiveness and productivity of Australian R&D by advancing scientific knowledge and training young researchers.Read moreRead less
Formation and stability of polymerically stabilized colloids. This project will bring economic, medical and environmental benefits, with improved product performance and manufacturing processes for everyday industrial items relevant to a large industrial sector with significant employment in Australia: inks and paints (for example, surface coatings that can be applied more rapidly without clogging the jets); better means of preventing the fouling of industrial membranes; and improved materials f ....Formation and stability of polymerically stabilized colloids. This project will bring economic, medical and environmental benefits, with improved product performance and manufacturing processes for everyday industrial items relevant to a large industrial sector with significant employment in Australia: inks and paints (for example, surface coatings that can be applied more rapidly without clogging the jets); better means of preventing the fouling of industrial membranes; and improved materials for biomedical applications, with more desirable interactions between living cells and body fluids. These advances will also speed the replacement of solvent-based lacquer paints - detrimental to both environment and user - with water-based products of high quality.Read moreRead less
Meshes of Oxide Nanofibres for Next-Generation Ceramic Membranes. Our next-generation ceramic membranes will increase the speed and efficiency of present industrial separations as well as expanding into a variety of new separations, thereby transforming many Australian industries. Exports of this new technology also will generate significant national benefits. Application of these new membranes to removing pollutants and pathogens from water and/or air will bring significant community benefits g ....Meshes of Oxide Nanofibres for Next-Generation Ceramic Membranes. Our next-generation ceramic membranes will increase the speed and efficiency of present industrial separations as well as expanding into a variety of new separations, thereby transforming many Australian industries. Exports of this new technology also will generate significant national benefits. Application of these new membranes to removing pollutants and pathogens from water and/or air will bring significant community benefits globally, addressing such crucial issues as low-cost provision of clean drinking water. Additionally, understanding the cutting-edge science associated with the mechanisms of nanofibre growth and the assembly of nanofibre meshes is highly valuable, making an important contribution to Australia's knowledge-economy.Read moreRead less
Programming anisotropy into responsive soft materials. The project aims to generate viscoelastic soft materials with programmable anisotropy using aqueous suspensions of colloidal rods that have tunable surface coatings. The project expects to generate new knowledge in the rheology and structural characteristics of this unique class of materials. A key innovation is the use of charge-directed polymer self-assembly to control colloidal interactions, suspension rheology and phase behaviour. The in ....Programming anisotropy into responsive soft materials. The project aims to generate viscoelastic soft materials with programmable anisotropy using aqueous suspensions of colloidal rods that have tunable surface coatings. The project expects to generate new knowledge in the rheology and structural characteristics of this unique class of materials. A key innovation is the use of charge-directed polymer self-assembly to control colloidal interactions, suspension rheology and phase behaviour. The intended outcome is spatial control over the orientation of nanostructures, potentially mimicking the structural hierarchy found in nature. This should provide significant benefits to the creation of viscoelastic materials with complex rheology as well as structural, mechanical and optical heterogeneity.Read moreRead less