Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0453973
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$696,093.00
Summary
Surface Spectroscopic and Microstructure Analysis. Funding is requested for an X-ray Photoelectron Spectrometer (XPS) and an Image Plate Guinier Camera (IPGC), to update and expand capabilities in surface spectroscopic and microstructural analysis of a wide range of materials. The XPS unit, to be located at the University of SA, will replace two 18-year old XPS units at UniSA and Flinders University. The IPGC is a new and unique instrument which will be located at the University of Adelaide. The ....Surface Spectroscopic and Microstructure Analysis. Funding is requested for an X-ray Photoelectron Spectrometer (XPS) and an Image Plate Guinier Camera (IPGC), to update and expand capabilities in surface spectroscopic and microstructural analysis of a wide range of materials. The XPS unit, to be located at the University of SA, will replace two 18-year old XPS units at UniSA and Flinders University. The IPGC is a new and unique instrument which will be located at the University of Adelaide. These items will be incorporated into the SA Regional Facility, which provides seamless access to instrumentation across nodes. Applications include materials science, geological and biological research projects.Read moreRead less
Unravelling mechanisms in plasma growth of polymers. Surface engineering broadens the breadth of applications for many materials, and enhances the performance and value of current and emerging technologies. Surface engineering is particularly important to maintaining the competitiveness of manufacturing in developed economies such as Australia, that can not compete on a cost basis with emerging economies. Plasma coating replaces (alternative) environmentally-questionable surface treatments. This ....Unravelling mechanisms in plasma growth of polymers. Surface engineering broadens the breadth of applications for many materials, and enhances the performance and value of current and emerging technologies. Surface engineering is particularly important to maintaining the competitiveness of manufacturing in developed economies such as Australia, that can not compete on a cost basis with emerging economies. Plasma coating replaces (alternative) environmentally-questionable surface treatments. This project enhances Australian competitiveness; it cuts across industrial sectors and will deliver the new knowledge required to enhance material/technology functionality/performance. A PhD student will receive a multi-disciplinary training in a frontier technology and advanced analytical tools.Read moreRead less
Vapour phase detection of chemical warfare agents. This project aims to create luminescent plastic optoelectronic materials that can detect airborne chemical warfare agents, particularly nerve agents. Such agents are often odourless and invisible at lethal concentrations, so technology must detect and identify them before exposure. The intended outcomes are design rules for sensitive and selective materials that can be used in a handheld infield detector to sense chemical warfare agents based on ....Vapour phase detection of chemical warfare agents. This project aims to create luminescent plastic optoelectronic materials that can detect airborne chemical warfare agents, particularly nerve agents. Such agents are often odourless and invisible at lethal concentrations, so technology must detect and identify them before exposure. The intended outcomes are design rules for sensitive and selective materials that can be used in a handheld infield detector to sense chemical warfare agents based on the materials’ photophysical properties, and new analytical methods and sensing protocols. This research will be of interest to security agencies in Australia and internationally, and will better protect our military.Read moreRead less
Taming light and electrons in optical fibres. This project aims to add electrical conduction functionality to optical fibres to manipulate light with electrons and vice versa in a photonics platform, which could bridge the gap between photonics and electronics. It will achieve electrical conduction in optical fibres by creating conductive phases within and onto glass using fibre drawing and polymerisation. The project is expected to lead to breakthroughs in fundamental science at the interfaces ....Taming light and electrons in optical fibres. This project aims to add electrical conduction functionality to optical fibres to manipulate light with electrons and vice versa in a photonics platform, which could bridge the gap between photonics and electronics. It will achieve electrical conduction in optical fibres by creating conductive phases within and onto glass using fibre drawing and polymerisation. The project is expected to lead to breakthroughs in fundamental science at the interfaces between photonics, electronics and materials engineering, and develop optical fibres that change functionalities and applications of optical fibre devices.Read moreRead less
Nanocrystals in glass: a new nanophotonic material. The new nanophotonic materials will enable breakthroughs in exploitation of the outstanding properties of nanocrystals in photonic devices. This will open up progress in telecommunication, medicine and solar cell technology.
Deciphering interactions of conducting polymers in agricultural soils. The project aims to improve agricultural efficiency, productivity and yield by advancing the understanding of polymer materials interacting with fertiliser. This project will test the key assumptions behind a new sensor for real-time in-ground monitoring of fertiliser. The expected outcome from this is the rapid synthesis of conducting polymers for stable sensing of fertiliser in a range of soil types and conditions. This sho ....Deciphering interactions of conducting polymers in agricultural soils. The project aims to improve agricultural efficiency, productivity and yield by advancing the understanding of polymer materials interacting with fertiliser. This project will test the key assumptions behind a new sensor for real-time in-ground monitoring of fertiliser. The expected outcome from this is the rapid synthesis of conducting polymers for stable sensing of fertiliser in a range of soil types and conditions. This should provide the pathway to a world first real-time in-ground fertiliser sensor, providing benefit for the sensor manufacturers, farmers, consumers and the environment.Read moreRead less
Ytterbium fibre laser with diamond: new laser threshold magnetometry method. This project aims to create a novel class of hybrid optical fibres that open new vistas for magnetic field detection at ambient temperatures in noisy environments. The multidisciplinary project will develop the first fibre laser threshold magnetometry platform that breaks through diamond magnetometry sensitivity limits by cross-cutting established fibre laser technology with the new diamond-glass fibres and magnetometry ....Ytterbium fibre laser with diamond: new laser threshold magnetometry method. This project aims to create a novel class of hybrid optical fibres that open new vistas for magnetic field detection at ambient temperatures in noisy environments. The multidisciplinary project will develop the first fibre laser threshold magnetometry platform that breaks through diamond magnetometry sensitivity limits by cross-cutting established fibre laser technology with the new diamond-glass fibres and magnetometry concepts recently invented by the investigators. Envisaged significant benefits include non-invasive detection of magnetic fields in hard-to-access regions, an area of key interest for remote detection of submarines, early sensing of aircraft corrosion, deep brain imaging of neuronal activities and mineral exploration.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200101244
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$417,276.00
Summary
Advanced zinc-ion batteries with high voltage and high energy density. Zinc-ion battery is not only cheaper than current lithium-ion battery (LIB), but it is safer due to a neutral aqueous electrolyte. However, its grid-scale development is plagued by limited output voltage and inadequate energy density compared with more mainstream LIB. This project aims to solve the discharge-voltage problem by fabricating atomic-level structure engineered manganese (Mn)-based cathode and a new stable solid-st ....Advanced zinc-ion batteries with high voltage and high energy density. Zinc-ion battery is not only cheaper than current lithium-ion battery (LIB), but it is safer due to a neutral aqueous electrolyte. However, its grid-scale development is plagued by limited output voltage and inadequate energy density compared with more mainstream LIB. This project aims to solve the discharge-voltage problem by fabricating atomic-level structure engineered manganese (Mn)-based cathode and a new stable solid-state electrolyte, and improve the device energy density by zinc (Zn) anode interface nanotechnology. The success of this project will benefit Australia’s access to new markets and introduce a new low-cost and safe energy storage technology for the long-term viability of Australia’s abundant Zn and Mn resources.Read moreRead less
The development of flexible, graded plasma surface engineered coatings for superior interfacial performance. The next generation of intraocular lenses, medical devices to treat patients with cataracts, will be developed through application of advanced surface engineering technologies. These superior coated lenses will improve biocompatibility and function, leading to additional benefit for the forecasted 2.7 million Australians with cataracts by 2021.
Improving anti-salt crystallisation for solar-steam desalination. This project aims to solve a critical issue of solar-steam desalination by fundamental research. The solar-steam desalination technology offers an ideal strategy to utilize solar light as the energy source for desalination and water purification to produce affordable clean water. Photothermal materials play a key role in the desalination system to convert sunlight to heat and subsequently evaporate the saline water to generate ste ....Improving anti-salt crystallisation for solar-steam desalination. This project aims to solve a critical issue of solar-steam desalination by fundamental research. The solar-steam desalination technology offers an ideal strategy to utilize solar light as the energy source for desalination and water purification to produce affordable clean water. Photothermal materials play a key role in the desalination system to convert sunlight to heat and subsequently evaporate the saline water to generate steam as clean water. However, salt crystallization on the photothermal material surfaces severely limits the performance of the materials and clean water production. Solving this problem could accelerate the commercialisation and application of this technology, which will benefit millions of people worldwide.Read moreRead less