Electrical arc machining of polycrystalline diamond with a wheel electrode. This project aims to discover new theories to overcome the core challenge in electrical discharge machining of polycrystalline diamond. Diamond materials provide the ultimate performance in cutting difficult-to-machine materials such as titanium alloys which are widely used in the aerospace and biomedical industries. However, the extremely slow erosion speed of electrical discharge machining severely impedes their applic ....Electrical arc machining of polycrystalline diamond with a wheel electrode. This project aims to discover new theories to overcome the core challenge in electrical discharge machining of polycrystalline diamond. Diamond materials provide the ultimate performance in cutting difficult-to-machine materials such as titanium alloys which are widely used in the aerospace and biomedical industries. However, the extremely slow erosion speed of electrical discharge machining severely impedes their applications. The project will use high energy electrical arcs for the fast machining of polycrystalline diamond. The expected outcome is a new approach and breakthroughs in fundamental knowledge that pave the way for developing new electrical machining methods and lead to significant reductions in manufacturing costs.Read moreRead less
Nanostructuring and nanocharacterisation of organic semiconductor devices. This research project will utilise new approaches to pattern organic solar cells on the nanoscale to realise improved efficiencies and improved understanding of device operation. It will also develop soft x-ray techniques to probe the nanostructure of organic semiconductor films with increased chemical and interfacial specificity.
Using anisotropic thermal expansion in organic semiconductor thin films. This project aims to capitalise upon the recent discovery of negative thermal expansion in high-performance organic semiconductor films. Certain molecules’ chemical structures have a planar conjugated core and flexible sidechains. When highly anisotropic thermal expansion occurs, the sidechains take up most of the thermal expansion. When a negative thermal expansion occurs, the pi-pi stacking distance decreases upon anneali ....Using anisotropic thermal expansion in organic semiconductor thin films. This project aims to capitalise upon the recent discovery of negative thermal expansion in high-performance organic semiconductor films. Certain molecules’ chemical structures have a planar conjugated core and flexible sidechains. When highly anisotropic thermal expansion occurs, the sidechains take up most of the thermal expansion. When a negative thermal expansion occurs, the pi-pi stacking distance decreases upon annealing. This effect has been linked with higher charge mobilities, and a tighter molecular packing is locked in upon cooling. The potential applications of these high performance organic semiconductors includes chemical/biosensors, electronic paper, and radio frequency identification cards.Read moreRead less
Towards room-temperature multiferroics by doping and ionic liquid gating . This project aims to develop new multiferroic materials for high performance computing and data storage technologies. Semiconductor industry leaders have identified the development of these materials, operating a room temperature, as a key challenge in enabling future high speed, high performance logic and memory devices. The intended outcomes of this work are (i) the delivery of new multiferroic materials by magnetic do ....Towards room-temperature multiferroics by doping and ionic liquid gating . This project aims to develop new multiferroic materials for high performance computing and data storage technologies. Semiconductor industry leaders have identified the development of these materials, operating a room temperature, as a key challenge in enabling future high speed, high performance logic and memory devices. The intended outcomes of this work are (i) the delivery of new multiferroic materials by magnetic doping of a semiconductor, strained to a ferroelectric state and (ii) the demonstration of a new paradigm in materials design to realise such materials. The key benefit of this work is the enabling of next generation computing and memory devices exhibiting higher speeds, reduced sizes and lower power consumption. Read moreRead less
Improving affordability of composite materials to meet sustainability challenges. The project will develop new technologies to improve the affordability of carbon fibre composites for non-aerospace applications. The outcome of this project will greatly accelerate the insertion of light-weight composites in clean-energy products, such as carbon fibre composite wheels, to drastically reduce CO2 emissions of road transport.
A Microstructure Based Approach to Steel Design for Improved Crash Performance. There is a continual need for the automotive industry to develop vehicles with increased fuel efficiency and safety. This research will establish how different types of new advanced steels can contribute to improved crash worthiness, while also helping to increase fuel efficiency through lighter weight. This will lead to the development of new steels that offer even better crash performance while also providing more ....A Microstructure Based Approach to Steel Design for Improved Crash Performance. There is a continual need for the automotive industry to develop vehicles with increased fuel efficiency and safety. This research will establish how different types of new advanced steels can contribute to improved crash worthiness, while also helping to increase fuel efficiency through lighter weight. This will lead to the development of new steels that offer even better crash performance while also providing more realistic computer models for car designers.Read moreRead less
Improving Tribological Performance Through The Control of Surface Microstructure Using Plasma Based Surface Engineering Technologies. This project aims to improve the tribological performance of a new type of rotary valving system required to operate under marginal boundary lubrication conditions. The intention is to develop innovative plasma based methods of generating inherently low friction modified surfaces through the control of microstructure. The latter will be analysed using focused ion ....Improving Tribological Performance Through The Control of Surface Microstructure Using Plasma Based Surface Engineering Technologies. This project aims to improve the tribological performance of a new type of rotary valving system required to operate under marginal boundary lubrication conditions. The intention is to develop innovative plasma based methods of generating inherently low friction modified surfaces through the control of microstructure. The latter will be analysed using focused ion beam milling. The performance of modified surfaces will be assessed in simulated friction and wear tests. Success could lead to more widespread adoption of the technology within the automotive industry with benefits for more efficient use of energy and cleaner exhaust emissions.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0238381
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$100,000.00
Summary
High Sensitivity Broad Range Digitised Electron Microscopy. To install in a central location at Monash University a digital image plate reader and appropriate recording hardware and software as a multi-user facility for high-resolution electron imaging and diffraction. Imaging plates are, in appearance, like photographic film and are used in the electron microscope in the same way. They are, however, nearly a hundred times more sensitive, have a range a hundred thousand times greater, and, when ....High Sensitivity Broad Range Digitised Electron Microscopy. To install in a central location at Monash University a digital image plate reader and appropriate recording hardware and software as a multi-user facility for high-resolution electron imaging and diffraction. Imaging plates are, in appearance, like photographic film and are used in the electron microscope in the same way. They are, however, nearly a hundred times more sensitive, have a range a hundred thousand times greater, and, when interrogated by a reader, generate a digitised output and can then be used again. We propose to exploit those characteristics in the study of advanced materials, in the investigation of phases changes, and in the characterisation of materials not sufficiently stable in the electron beam to observe by more conventional methods.Read moreRead less
Improvement in Stress Corrosion Cracking Resistance of Stainless Steels in Environments Conducive to Localized Pitting Damage. Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) represents a serious threat to infrastructure exposed to chloride and caustic environments. The proposed project will characterize the chloride-SCC crack propagation parameters for a super duplex stainless steel, which is the material of construction for vessels for stripping vinyl chloride monomer in a PVC processing plant. Alarmingly hig ....Improvement in Stress Corrosion Cracking Resistance of Stainless Steels in Environments Conducive to Localized Pitting Damage. Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) represents a serious threat to infrastructure exposed to chloride and caustic environments. The proposed project will characterize the chloride-SCC crack propagation parameters for a super duplex stainless steel, which is the material of construction for vessels for stripping vinyl chloride monomer in a PVC processing plant. Alarmingly high numbers the welds (nearly 50%) in the vessel had suffered extensive pitting (which is a well-known SCC initiator) and SCC cracking. For the mitigation measures, the project will also investigate pitting and SCC susceptibility of weldments of alternative varieties of stainless steels, such as Zeron 100.Read moreRead less
Interface Engineering of Multilayer Nanostructures. Nanostructured multilayers can outperform coatings of their constituent layers in both hardness and strength. It is believed that the nature of interfaces in these materials is critical since they mediate dislocation motion and crack propagation. This project will use advanced synthesis, microanalysis and theoretical methods to investigate multilayer coatings with sharp, diffuse and rough interfaces in order to reveal their failure mechanisms u ....Interface Engineering of Multilayer Nanostructures. Nanostructured multilayers can outperform coatings of their constituent layers in both hardness and strength. It is believed that the nature of interfaces in these materials is critical since they mediate dislocation motion and crack propagation. This project will use advanced synthesis, microanalysis and theoretical methods to investigate multilayer coatings with sharp, diffuse and rough interfaces in order to reveal their failure mechanisms under stress. This will enable us to understand the principles required to design the strongest structures and facilitate the selection of materials and deposition parameters in order to produce coatings optimised for a range of demanding applications.Read moreRead less