Flow process and visible-light driven reactions for polymer manufacturing. This project aims to develop rapid, scalable light-driven continuous flow processing techniques that allow the production of value-added synthetic polymers that cannot be achieved by existing technologies. The project will take advantage of the spatio-temporal control of the light mediated polymerisation with flow process to achieve control over the primary structure, the sequential arrangement of monomer units in a polym ....Flow process and visible-light driven reactions for polymer manufacturing. This project aims to develop rapid, scalable light-driven continuous flow processing techniques that allow the production of value-added synthetic polymers that cannot be achieved by existing technologies. The project will take advantage of the spatio-temporal control of the light mediated polymerisation with flow process to achieve control over the primary structure, the sequential arrangement of monomer units in a polymer chain and the molecular weight distribution. The project will result in the preparation of functional polymers containing a specific arrangement of monomers in the polymer chain and a precise distribution of polymer chains. The development of such process will result in the development of advanced materials.Read moreRead less
Nanoarchitectured multifunctional porous superparamagnetic nanoparticles. This project aims to develop a method for the direct detection of biomarkers based on a new class of highly porous superparamagnetic nanoparticles with peroxidase-like activity. The particles will be used as dispersible capture agents for isolating specific targets in biological samples, and electrocatalytic nanozymes for naked-eye evaluation and electrochemical detection. The project is expected to develop simple, low-cos ....Nanoarchitectured multifunctional porous superparamagnetic nanoparticles. This project aims to develop a method for the direct detection of biomarkers based on a new class of highly porous superparamagnetic nanoparticles with peroxidase-like activity. The particles will be used as dispersible capture agents for isolating specific targets in biological samples, and electrocatalytic nanozymes for naked-eye evaluation and electrochemical detection. The project is expected to develop simple, low-cost, portable devices for the analysis of exosomes and exosomal miRNA in biological samples. The future development of this technology into diagnostic devices will improve patient outcomes by enabling earlier disease diagnosis and improved monitoring of treatment.Read moreRead less
Engineering two dimensional polymers for membrane-based chemical separation. This project aims to develop novel two-dimensional polymers with precisely controlled pore-sizes for preparing membrane materials which can efficiently separate these gaseous chemicals at ambient temperatures. Key industrial chemical mixtures with similar size and boiling points are difficult to separate by conventional distillation methods. Currently, purification of olefins alone accounts for 0.3% of global energy use ....Engineering two dimensional polymers for membrane-based chemical separation. This project aims to develop novel two-dimensional polymers with precisely controlled pore-sizes for preparing membrane materials which can efficiently separate these gaseous chemicals at ambient temperatures. Key industrial chemical mixtures with similar size and boiling points are difficult to separate by conventional distillation methods. Currently, purification of olefins alone accounts for 0.3% of global energy use. The expected outcomes of the project will have a huge impact on industrial purification processing by providing a disruptive membrane technology, and will significantly reduce energy consumption and open up new routes for resources.Read moreRead less
Bioelectronics: addressing the biointerface challenge. This project aims to develop bioelectronic materials with long operational stability in physiological conditions and enhanced electronic performance that will effectively interface with electroresponsive tissue. These new materials will be integrated into bioadhesives from which simple bioelectronics devices will be fabricated and assessed for their capability to modulate biosignals and to interact with tissue. Disruption in biosignals cause ....Bioelectronics: addressing the biointerface challenge. This project aims to develop bioelectronic materials with long operational stability in physiological conditions and enhanced electronic performance that will effectively interface with electroresponsive tissue. These new materials will be integrated into bioadhesives from which simple bioelectronics devices will be fabricated and assessed for their capability to modulate biosignals and to interact with tissue. Disruption in biosignals causes numerous medical conditions such as epilepsy and heart failure and the development of flexible and biocompatible medical electronics devices that interface with tissue is essential for regaining and modulating these signals.Read moreRead less
Highly ordered and tuneable mesostructured perfluorosulfonic acid polymers as novel proton exchange membranes for fuel cells. The purpose of the project is to develop an innovative perfluorofonic acid based proton exchange membranes (PEM) with ordered and tuneable mesopores and it is expected that PEM fuel cell power systems based on such new PEMs will have significant impact on the advancement of fuel cell technologies and the reduction in greenhouse gas emission.
Multifunctional 2D materials for sustainable energy applications. This project seeks to explore the great potential of novel graphene-like two dimensional (2-D) materials for energy applications. 2-D materials, which possess atomic or molecular thickness and infinite planar lengths, are regarded as a building block for many applications due to their unique nanostructures, electronic and mechanical properties. This project is focused on the design and exploration of layered two-dimensional artifi ....Multifunctional 2D materials for sustainable energy applications. This project seeks to explore the great potential of novel graphene-like two dimensional (2-D) materials for energy applications. 2-D materials, which possess atomic or molecular thickness and infinite planar lengths, are regarded as a building block for many applications due to their unique nanostructures, electronic and mechanical properties. This project is focused on the design and exploration of layered two-dimensional artificial graphene and graphene analogues with ‘on-demand’ properties to exploit advanced energy applications. There is now a pressing need to integrate graphene sheets into multidimensional and multifunctional systems with spatially well-defined configurations, and integrated systems with a controllable structure and predictable performance. Project outcomes may lead to next-generation devices in energy storage and other applications.Read moreRead less
Structurally Nanoengineered Antimicrobial Polypeptide Particles (SNAPPs). This project aims to develop a new platform technology for the development of antimicrobial agents by combining expertise in polymer science and antimicrobial studies. It aims to develop new nanoengineered particles for combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria, investigate the influence of particle architecture on antibacterial properties, and determine the mechanism of action. This may support the development of antibiotic ....Structurally Nanoengineered Antimicrobial Polypeptide Particles (SNAPPs). This project aims to develop a new platform technology for the development of antimicrobial agents by combining expertise in polymer science and antimicrobial studies. It aims to develop new nanoengineered particles for combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria, investigate the influence of particle architecture on antibacterial properties, and determine the mechanism of action. This may support the development of antibiotic treatments using new polypeptide particles as antibacterial drugs, resulting in advances in nanobiotechnology, polymer therapeutics and advanced materials. The outcomes may revolutionise the synthetic approach to antimicrobial peptides and contribute significantly towards current antibiotic treatments and approaches for advanced antibacterial formulations.Read moreRead less
Engineering drug transportation behaviour in polymeric gel systems. In collaboration with Seagull Technologies, this project aims to engineer, study and mathematically model ultrasound-assisted biomacromolecule transport behaviour within polymeric gel systems, which may be useful in new drug delivery methods. The intended outcome is a novel set of polymeric gel systems, which can reversibly bind a wide variety of drugs (small molecules, nucleic acid based drugs, proteins), in which drug release ....Engineering drug transportation behaviour in polymeric gel systems. In collaboration with Seagull Technologies, this project aims to engineer, study and mathematically model ultrasound-assisted biomacromolecule transport behaviour within polymeric gel systems, which may be useful in new drug delivery methods. The intended outcome is a novel set of polymeric gel systems, which can reversibly bind a wide variety of drugs (small molecules, nucleic acid based drugs, proteins), in which drug release is triggered by an electric potential and drug transport is controlled by means of sonophoresis. The main advantage of drug delivery via sonophoresis is elimination of risks associated with injections such as infection and damage to local tissue, and elimination of patient discomfort, pain and fear.Read moreRead less
Cell facilitated controlled radical polymerisation. This project aims to develop a controlled polymerisation method by combining reversible addition fragmentation chain (RAFT) polymerisation technology and the redox processes within bacterial cells. This polymerisation method will copy biological information in the bacterial cell surface into a growing polymer structure. Variations in the monomer structures and functionality will be used to control the incorporation of cell surface chemistry int ....Cell facilitated controlled radical polymerisation. This project aims to develop a controlled polymerisation method by combining reversible addition fragmentation chain (RAFT) polymerisation technology and the redox processes within bacterial cells. This polymerisation method will copy biological information in the bacterial cell surface into a growing polymer structure. Variations in the monomer structures and functionality will be used to control the incorporation of cell surface chemistry into the new polymer structure. Such cell-enabled controlled polymerisation could advance polymer synthesis resulting in biologically instructed polymer-mimics and new antibacterial agents.Read moreRead less
Smart materials from semi-soft particles. This project will combine precision polymer chemistry to material science to develop structured nanoparticles for applications in photonics and shape memory materials.