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
Mid-Career Industry Fellowships - Grant ID: IM230100527
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,051,456.00
Summary
Transforming harvest surplus into nutritious meals for food relief. The project aims to transform currently wasted harvest surplus into nutritious shelf-stable plant-based products for the food-relief sector. It integrates novel social-enterprise models with advanced food manufacturing and bespoke training and volunteering opportunities for food insecure individuals, to facilitate their pathway out of food insecurity. In close collaboration with food relief supply-chain provider Foodbank SA and ....Transforming harvest surplus into nutritious meals for food relief. The project aims to transform currently wasted harvest surplus into nutritious shelf-stable plant-based products for the food-relief sector. It integrates novel social-enterprise models with advanced food manufacturing and bespoke training and volunteering opportunities for food insecure individuals, to facilitate their pathway out of food insecurity. In close collaboration with food relief supply-chain provider Foodbank SA and policymaker Green Industries SA, the project will tackle two major problems for Australia – food insecurity and food waste – through systems thinking and leveraging underused resources, while building collaborations across academia and multiple industry sectors.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE240101261
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$429,347.00
Summary
Carbon-negative concrete produced with innovative artificial aggregates. To achieve net-zero carbon emissions in Australia by 2050, this project proposes to develop carbon-negative concrete using two typical industrial wastes, recycled powder from construction and demolition waste and drinking water treatment sludge from the water industry. This project first aims to develop innovative artificial aggregates containing sludge-derived biochar and recycled powder under carbonation curing. The devel ....Carbon-negative concrete produced with innovative artificial aggregates. To achieve net-zero carbon emissions in Australia by 2050, this project proposes to develop carbon-negative concrete using two typical industrial wastes, recycled powder from construction and demolition waste and drinking water treatment sludge from the water industry. This project first aims to develop innovative artificial aggregates containing sludge-derived biochar and recycled powder under carbonation curing. The developed artificial aggregates with superior carbon absorption capacity are then used to produce carbon-negative concrete. The properties of artificial aggregates and carbon-negative concrete will be comprehensively investigated. This project creates a green engineering solution to stockpiled industrial wastes.
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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
Microfluidics with core-shell beads: handling liquids like solids. Reducing waste of consumables in chemical reactions promises to solve environmental problems as well as enable novel applications in space. This project aims to establish a revolutionary fluid handling technology that lowers waste in the labs and in satellites. The project deciphers the fundamental physics behind our recent discovery of encapsulating a tiny liquid content in a solid shell, allowing for handling liquid samples lik ....Microfluidics with core-shell beads: handling liquids like solids. Reducing waste of consumables in chemical reactions promises to solve environmental problems as well as enable novel applications in space. This project aims to establish a revolutionary fluid handling technology that lowers waste in the labs and in satellites. The project deciphers the fundamental physics behind our recent discovery of encapsulating a tiny liquid content in a solid shell, allowing for handling liquid samples like solid particles. Examples of the benefit of this project are more precise detection of bacteria on earth and compact reactors in space. The research outcomes are instrumental for promoting a clean environment, good health, and creating new business opportunities, particularly in space industry, for Australians.Read moreRead less
How to make antibiotics in pig feed redundant, naturally. Antimicrobial resistance has become a major issue in human and veterinary medicine being partially caused by the use of in-feed antimicrobials in farm animals. This project aims to completely eliminate antimicrobials from piglet feeds. The key differential approach is based on helping the physiology of the animal rather than testing interventions against bacteria. The project will consist of developing a novel nutritional strategy of natu ....How to make antibiotics in pig feed redundant, naturally. Antimicrobial resistance has become a major issue in human and veterinary medicine being partially caused by the use of in-feed antimicrobials in farm animals. This project aims to completely eliminate antimicrobials from piglet feeds. The key differential approach is based on helping the physiology of the animal rather than testing interventions against bacteria. The project will consist of developing a novel nutritional strategy of naturally (through maternal conditioning) boosting the natural appetite and the capacity to digest in piglets early in life. The anticipated outcome is that the new peri-natal program will result in minimal bacterial proliferation and diarrhoea thus, negating the need for in-feed antimicrobials in piglets. Read moreRead less
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL230100178
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,343,741.00
Summary
Nonmetals for green catalysis. This proposal aims to develop nonmetal materials and technologies for frontier green catalysis that is targeted to contaminant degradation and chemical synthesis by catalytic oxidation processes. The project will systematically unveil the intrinsic nature of nonmetal elements in heterogeneous catalysis, develop rational design principles, and achieve scaling-up of intelligent nanomaterials and integrated green catalytic systems for high reactivity and selectivity. ....Nonmetals for green catalysis. This proposal aims to develop nonmetal materials and technologies for frontier green catalysis that is targeted to contaminant degradation and chemical synthesis by catalytic oxidation processes. The project will systematically unveil the intrinsic nature of nonmetal elements in heterogeneous catalysis, develop rational design principles, and achieve scaling-up of intelligent nanomaterials and integrated green catalytic systems for high reactivity and selectivity. This cross-disciplinary research will deliver benefits to Australian industry in water treatment and fine chemical synthesis, foster Australian R&D in green technologies, synthesise catalysts from natural resources and industrial waste, and promote strong sustainability outcomes.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
Helium recovery from liquefied natural gas waste stream using nanoporous mxene materials. The waste streams from many liquefied natural gas (LNG) industries still contains valuable helium, a possible next mineral to sustain our economic growth. This project aims to efficiently separate helium from methane and nitrogen via the layered two dimensional materials. This project will seek to understand the assembling behaviour of these nano-sized Mxene flakes and their molecular sieving properties. Au ....Helium recovery from liquefied natural gas waste stream using nanoporous mxene materials. The waste streams from many liquefied natural gas (LNG) industries still contains valuable helium, a possible next mineral to sustain our economic growth. This project aims to efficiently separate helium from methane and nitrogen via the layered two dimensional materials. This project will seek to understand the assembling behaviour of these nano-sized Mxene flakes and their molecular sieving properties. Australia is playing a leading role in the global liquefied natural gas (LNG) production and trade. This project expects to further position Australia at the forefront of intellectual leadership in the field of gas processing and material development. This will have significant benefits, such as further improving these LNG projects economics by cost-effectively producing helium as a valuable by-product via advanced porous nano-materials.Read moreRead less