High performance drying of plantation grown eucalypt timber. Forest industries generate $14 billion annually in Australia and employs 86,000 staff. Hardwood sawn timber is a value added product and microwave technology will increase returns due to more improved timber utilization and better profit margins due to more efficient processing and reduced drying degrade. At the forefront the development of clean, high-tech microwave drying technology and equipment, that is invented in Australia, will ....High performance drying of plantation grown eucalypt timber. Forest industries generate $14 billion annually in Australia and employs 86,000 staff. Hardwood sawn timber is a value added product and microwave technology will increase returns due to more improved timber utilization and better profit margins due to more efficient processing and reduced drying degrade. At the forefront the development of clean, high-tech microwave drying technology and equipment, that is invented in Australia, will allow Australian companies to be forefront in this industrial area, to sell licences, designs, project management and equipment on international markets. This initiative will value-add plantation forests, reduce oil consumption and sequester CO2 in high value products.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Research Hubs - Grant ID: IH130100016
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,633,554.00
Summary
ARC Research Hub for BioProcessing Advanced Manufacturing. ARC Research Hub for BioProcessing Advanced Manufacturing. The aim of the Research Hub is to develop functional materials to maximize the value of forest resources; and green chemistry and energy solutions for bioprocessing industries. Lignocellulosic streams will be converted into a complement of marketable materials, chemicals and energy products. Examples include new polymers and composites, smart packaging, chemical intermediates, fu ....ARC Research Hub for BioProcessing Advanced Manufacturing. ARC Research Hub for BioProcessing Advanced Manufacturing. The aim of the Research Hub is to develop functional materials to maximize the value of forest resources; and green chemistry and energy solutions for bioprocessing industries. Lignocellulosic streams will be converted into a complement of marketable materials, chemicals and energy products. Examples include new polymers and composites, smart packaging, chemical intermediates, fuel, green energy and nanocellulose and cellulosic fibre applications. These will drive advances in chemical engineering, materials and green chemistry for the full conversion of lignocellulosics. The Hub will complement research developments with short courses and a problem-based Masters in BioProcess Engineering to keep industry workers up to date with evolving science and technology.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Research Hubs - Grant ID: IH170100020
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,641,142.00
Summary
ARC Research Hub for Processing Lignocellulosics into High Value Products. The ARC Research Hub for Processing Lignocellulosics into High Value Products aims to convert renewable and readily-available biomass material and waste streams from the Australian Pulp, Paper and Forest Industry into new, high-value products that are in high demand in existing and developing markets. The Research Hub will translate leading scientific discoveries in biomass conversion into the manufacture of advanced mate ....ARC Research Hub for Processing Lignocellulosics into High Value Products. The ARC Research Hub for Processing Lignocellulosics into High Value Products aims to convert renewable and readily-available biomass material and waste streams from the Australian Pulp, Paper and Forest Industry into new, high-value products that are in high demand in existing and developing markets. The Research Hub will translate leading scientific discoveries in biomass conversion into the manufacture of advanced materials that can be used in the industries of the future. Research aims to identify new applications and products. They will be derived from lignocellulose through the advent of new smart paper packaging, green chemical and materials with unique properties. Benefits will flow to the pharmaceutical, chemicals, plastics and food packaging industries.Read moreRead less
Grown not extracted: high performance plant-based polymer packaging. This project aims to develop high performance, thermoformed paper-like materials to replace petroleum-derived plastic packaging. The materials are made using mechanically broken down waste cellulose fibres, which are then formed into shapes with added barrier layers. The grant aims to control the mechanical treatment for optimum performance, engineer the shape forming process and design laminate structures to produce packaging ....Grown not extracted: high performance plant-based polymer packaging. This project aims to develop high performance, thermoformed paper-like materials to replace petroleum-derived plastic packaging. The materials are made using mechanically broken down waste cellulose fibres, which are then formed into shapes with added barrier layers. The grant aims to control the mechanical treatment for optimum performance, engineer the shape forming process and design laminate structures to produce packaging materials, which have all the advantages of plastic packaging with none of the environmental drawbacks. The grant also aims to develop new methods to characterise these composites. The intended outcome is a new industry manufacturing renewable, biodegradable packaging in Australia.
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Cellulosic and paper-based biosensors for blood analysis. Testing the blood compatibility of an Australian evacuated for surgery; measuring the iron content from India for anemia treatment; identifying the outbreak of malaria in Pakistan; measuring prostate specific antigen/blood screening in your home. These are novel applications for paper biosensors, which will improve health and create new jobs in Australia.
Optimising paint adhesion to polymers. The Australian automotive export market (vehicles, parts, engines) is worth approximately $4,500 million p.a. and is a major employer in many areas. A reliable, cheap and efficient method for preparing polymer surfaces for painting will significantly benefit that market. The ability to manufacture quality, cheaper, lightweight parts improves the competitiveness of the local automotive industry. More importantly, a technology for production of cheap, high qu ....Optimising paint adhesion to polymers. The Australian automotive export market (vehicles, parts, engines) is worth approximately $4,500 million p.a. and is a major employer in many areas. A reliable, cheap and efficient method for preparing polymer surfaces for painting will significantly benefit that market. The ability to manufacture quality, cheaper, lightweight parts improves the competitiveness of the local automotive industry. More importantly, a technology for production of cheap, high quality painted polymer surfaces vastly improves the competitiveness of local component manufacturers who supply to international vehicle manufacturers. This project falls under the National Research Priority Area 'Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries'.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0453480
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$236,899.00
Summary
Nanostructured Polymer Processing Network. The Nanostructured Polymer Processing Network will promote the understanding and manipulation of the processing of novel nanostructured plastic materials. High technology, online polymer processing equipment will be sought that will enable the design of nanostructured polymers via a range of techniques including insitu polymerisation, nanocomposites and polymer blending which are ideal for designing high value nanostructured polymers that are tailored f ....Nanostructured Polymer Processing Network. The Nanostructured Polymer Processing Network will promote the understanding and manipulation of the processing of novel nanostructured plastic materials. High technology, online polymer processing equipment will be sought that will enable the design of nanostructured polymers via a range of techniques including insitu polymerisation, nanocomposites and polymer blending which are ideal for designing high value nanostructured polymers that are tailored for high performance applications. The equipment in this proposal, when combined with existing leading edge polymer characterisation and analysis equipment, will provide a Network with international state-of-the-art equipment that will fast track the success of integrated research projects across the sites.Read moreRead less
Design and synthesis of transparent conducting metal oxides. With advances in solar cell and flexible display technologies the demand and performance requirements for transparent conductors used as electrodes in these devices will increase dramatically. This research program is focused on developing new materials to meet the demand and the challenges of new, more advanced technologies. The project has the potential to generate valuable intellectual property in the form of new generation transpar ....Design and synthesis of transparent conducting metal oxides. With advances in solar cell and flexible display technologies the demand and performance requirements for transparent conductors used as electrodes in these devices will increase dramatically. This research program is focused on developing new materials to meet the demand and the challenges of new, more advanced technologies. The project has the potential to generate valuable intellectual property in the form of new generation transparent conducting oxide materials for a rapidly growing set of applications. The new devices will directly improve our standard of living and additional economic benefits will come from commercialisation of the technology both here and overseas.Read moreRead less