Industrial Transformation Research Hubs - Grant ID: IH230100011
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,955,854.00
Summary
ARC Research Hub for Value-Added Processing of Underutilised Carbon Waste. This Hub aims to advance upcycling technologies and associated regulatory and social engagement for processing underutilised carbon waste within Australia. Its anticipated goal is to deliver value-added products, and improved technology readiness levels for full exploitation of carbon wastes from agriculture, tyres and plastics. It will also train a large talent pool providing interdisciplinary knowledge and entrepreneuri ....ARC Research Hub for Value-Added Processing of Underutilised Carbon Waste. This Hub aims to advance upcycling technologies and associated regulatory and social engagement for processing underutilised carbon waste within Australia. Its anticipated goal is to deliver value-added products, and improved technology readiness levels for full exploitation of carbon wastes from agriculture, tyres and plastics. It will also train a large talent pool providing interdisciplinary knowledge and entrepreneurial skills for post-hub commercialisation. The Hub will benefit rural Australia by transforming local job markets and manufacturing capability. Ultimately, this Hub will make a significant contribution towards achieving Australia’s National Waste Action Plan goal by 2030, and a circular economy for a sustainable future. Read moreRead less
Carbon-Supported Iron Catalysts for Selective Catalytic Reduction of NO. Nitric oxide (NO) is a major pollutant from combustion systems. This project aims to develop cost-effective and environmentally benign zerovalent iron catalysts supported on carbon material for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO using CO and unburned hydrocarbons as in-situ reductants. By applying differential reactor experimentation, kinetic modelling and advanced material characterisation techniques, the research w ....Carbon-Supported Iron Catalysts for Selective Catalytic Reduction of NO. Nitric oxide (NO) is a major pollutant from combustion systems. This project aims to develop cost-effective and environmentally benign zerovalent iron catalysts supported on carbon material for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO using CO and unburned hydrocarbons as in-situ reductants. By applying differential reactor experimentation, kinetic modelling and advanced material characterisation techniques, the research will unravel complex relationships among catalyst structural features and activity, NO reduction mechanisms, and catalyst performance under practically relevant combustion conditions that underpin the development of an effective yet affordable SCR technology to control NO emission from industrial utilities and automobiles.Read moreRead less
Evaluating potential static liquefaction of tailings to prevent failures. This project aims to reduce risk in the mining industry from failing mine tailings by producing a methodology for predicting the susceptibility of these tailings to static liquefaction. The impact of a mine tailing failure is catastrophic to the downstream community. The project brings together a number of industry partners committed to assisting with verification and adoption of characterisation and designed tools develop ....Evaluating potential static liquefaction of tailings to prevent failures. This project aims to reduce risk in the mining industry from failing mine tailings by producing a methodology for predicting the susceptibility of these tailings to static liquefaction. The impact of a mine tailing failure is catastrophic to the downstream community. The project brings together a number of industry partners committed to assisting with verification and adoption of characterisation and designed tools development in this project. This proposal will integrate results from laboratory element, centrifuge and calibration chamber tests with numerical modelling and in-situ tests to produce a methodology for predicting the susceptibility to static liquefaction.Read moreRead less
Unlocking mine waste potential: carbon sequestration and metals extraction. This project aims to systematically investigate a proof-of-concept engineering process for transforming mine waste into value. The research will develop and employ state-of-the-art tools to advance our knowledge of efficiently sequestering carbon dioxide using ultramafic nickel mine tailings, while also enabling the extraction of critical metals—particularly nickel—and the production of value-added products, such as high ....Unlocking mine waste potential: carbon sequestration and metals extraction. This project aims to systematically investigate a proof-of-concept engineering process for transforming mine waste into value. The research will develop and employ state-of-the-art tools to advance our knowledge of efficiently sequestering carbon dioxide using ultramafic nickel mine tailings, while also enabling the extraction of critical metals—particularly nickel—and the production of value-added products, such as high-purity magnesium carbonate hydrate and silica. Successful outcomes from this research will provide benefits for mitigating global warming, supplying critical metals for renewable energy technologies, and facilitating the transition of Australia's mining industry towards sustainability.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC190100033
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,852,568.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre for Transformation of Australia's Biosolids Resource. This Centre aims to bring together Australia’s leading biosolids researchers and key industry and government stakeholders to advance the management, transformation and reuse of biosolids in agriculture. The focus is: 1) capability and knowledge building, 2) research development, extension and training, 3) sustainable strategic partnerships. The expected outcomes of the Centre are to develop a group of new, highly-trained i ....ARC Training Centre for Transformation of Australia's Biosolids Resource. This Centre aims to bring together Australia’s leading biosolids researchers and key industry and government stakeholders to advance the management, transformation and reuse of biosolids in agriculture. The focus is: 1) capability and knowledge building, 2) research development, extension and training, 3) sustainable strategic partnerships. The expected outcomes of the Centre are to develop a group of new, highly-trained industry-ready researchers as well as advanced solutions in three major themes: improved technologies, enhanced products and sustainability. This will provide significant benefits in the economic value of new applications and market opportunities as well as deliver cost-savings – all in an environmentally friendly manner.Read moreRead less
Accelerating Consolidation and Closure of Mine Tailings Storage Facilities. All mining operations involve the production of waste. Many regard such waste (tailings) and their environmentally acceptable storage as constituting the largest waste problem on Earth because of the enormous damage and loss-of-life that have resulted from failures of tailings storage facilities. This project focuses on a dewatering technology, electro-osmosis (EO), which has yet to be fully operationalised, for improvin ....Accelerating Consolidation and Closure of Mine Tailings Storage Facilities. All mining operations involve the production of waste. Many regard such waste (tailings) and their environmentally acceptable storage as constituting the largest waste problem on Earth because of the enormous damage and loss-of-life that have resulted from failures of tailings storage facilities. This project focuses on a dewatering technology, electro-osmosis (EO), which has yet to be fully operationalised, for improving the strength, stability and settlement characteristics of the tailings. Sophisticated testing will be undertaken at three scales (lab, meso and, most importantly, field), as well as the development of generic numerical models, to create practical guidelines to facilitate the implementation of EO in mines around the world.Read moreRead less
Mid-Career Industry Fellowships - Grant ID: IM230100079
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,019,275.00
Summary
Bio-inspired Sustainable Materials for Self-powered Environmental Sensing . This project aims to address the industry need for self-powered, light-weight and durable Internet of Things (IoT) devices for environmental sensing applications. The goal will be achieved by designing high power moisture-driven electric generators with a bi-layer interfacial architecture, developing non-flammable energy storage devices with cost-effective electrodes, and printing low power environmental sensors with he ....Bio-inspired Sustainable Materials for Self-powered Environmental Sensing . This project aims to address the industry need for self-powered, light-weight and durable Internet of Things (IoT) devices for environmental sensing applications. The goal will be achieved by designing high power moisture-driven electric generators with a bi-layer interfacial architecture, developing non-flammable energy storage devices with cost-effective electrodes, and printing low power environmental sensors with hetero-structured materials. The key outcome will be a new class of IoT devices with high power density, sustainable output, and real time environmental monitoring capabilities, that will directly benefit Australian industry by providing cost-effective, yet efficient ways to monitor and support safe working environments.Read moreRead less
Accelerated tailings remediation with plant and microbial biotechnologies. The Australian alumina industry produces 32 million tonnes of bauxite residue (alumina refining tailings) each year, most of which is stored in perpetuity in landfill-type tailings storage facilities. The high pH, high salinity, lack of plant nutrients, and poor physical properties of bauxite residue are major barriers to safe storage and successful closure of tailings storage facilities. Existing remediation approaches a ....Accelerated tailings remediation with plant and microbial biotechnologies. The Australian alumina industry produces 32 million tonnes of bauxite residue (alumina refining tailings) each year, most of which is stored in perpetuity in landfill-type tailings storage facilities. The high pH, high salinity, lack of plant nutrients, and poor physical properties of bauxite residue are major barriers to safe storage and successful closure of tailings storage facilities. Existing remediation approaches are expensive, slow, and often ineffective. We will deliver new microbial- and plant-driven biotechnologies for rapid, cost-effective remediation of bauxite residue. This will enable safe, sustainable closure of storage facilities, and safeguard the strong contribution of this $15 billion industry to Australia's economy. Read moreRead less
Hydrogen carbon waste into concrete: AI assisted nanoscience approach. The carbon waste from hydrogen production will be converted into carbon nanosheets on abundant construction materials for the creation of stronger and more durable concrete. Cutting-edge nanoscience-based experiments, as well as sophisticated modelling techniques including machine learning and finite element modelling, will be employed. The findings will drive advances in clean hydrogen production, carbon waste utilisation, c ....Hydrogen carbon waste into concrete: AI assisted nanoscience approach. The carbon waste from hydrogen production will be converted into carbon nanosheets on abundant construction materials for the creation of stronger and more durable concrete. Cutting-edge nanoscience-based experiments, as well as sophisticated modelling techniques including machine learning and finite element modelling, will be employed. The findings will drive advances in clean hydrogen production, carbon waste utilisation, cement hydration, nanotechnology and concrete technology for the next generation of an upskilled workforce and the promotion of a circular economy. This project will be carried out in collaboration with Australian and international renowned experts in computational modelling, nanomaterials and concrete materials.Read moreRead less
Differential solidification of steel slag to create a fertiliser co-product. The project aims to develop a process to separate phosphorus from steelmaking slag while the slag is still molten. Changing iron ore grades in Australia, especially increasing phosphorus content, places Australian iron ore products at a competitive disadvantage and attracts a significant financial penalty. The separation process is intended to facilitate recycling of an iron rich stream within the steelworks and product ....Differential solidification of steel slag to create a fertiliser co-product. The project aims to develop a process to separate phosphorus from steelmaking slag while the slag is still molten. Changing iron ore grades in Australia, especially increasing phosphorus content, places Australian iron ore products at a competitive disadvantage and attracts a significant financial penalty. The separation process is intended to facilitate recycling of an iron rich stream within the steelworks and production of a phosphorus rich co-product for agriculture. Benefits are anticipated to include increased utilisation of steel slag, creation of a valuable fertiliser co-product, decreased greenhouse gas emissions, and a reduction in the penalty applied to Australian iron ores.Read moreRead less