Processing - Structure Relationships in Thermal Spray Coatings. Researchers in New Zealand have developed novel thermal spray processing treatments which can be used to enahnce the wear, oxidation and corrosion resisitance of materials. However, characterization of the coatings using electron microscopy is essential to understand the relationship between processing conditions and properties. The aim of this project is to draw together specialist expertise and equipment that allows integration ....Processing - Structure Relationships in Thermal Spray Coatings. Researchers in New Zealand have developed novel thermal spray processing treatments which can be used to enahnce the wear, oxidation and corrosion resisitance of materials. However, characterization of the coatings using electron microscopy is essential to understand the relationship between processing conditions and properties. The aim of this project is to draw together specialist expertise and equipment that allows integration of microscopy into the development of these films. Australian researchers will gain access to specialized preparation and testing facilities in New Zealand, whilst researchers from New Zealand will perform structural analysis of these films in Australia.Read moreRead less
Interfacial Structures in Thermal Spray Coatings. The use of coatings on the surfaces of components provides high levels of resistance to mechanical damage, corrosion, oxidation or thermal degradation. As a result, coated components exhibit increased lifetimes and reliability. However, the durability of such components is still crucially limited by the quality of the coating. An improved understanding of the bonding mechanisms that occur during the deposition of such coatings, prepared through t ....Interfacial Structures in Thermal Spray Coatings. The use of coatings on the surfaces of components provides high levels of resistance to mechanical damage, corrosion, oxidation or thermal degradation. As a result, coated components exhibit increased lifetimes and reliability. However, the durability of such components is still crucially limited by the quality of the coating. An improved understanding of the bonding mechanisms that occur during the deposition of such coatings, prepared through thermal spray methods, will provide improvements in coating structure and thus, component performance and lifetime. This will benefit a wide range of manufacturing industries that use such coatings. Read moreRead less
Evolution of Contact Damage in Layer Structures. Brittle layer structures (eg brittle coating on ceramic substrate) can be much more damage tolerant than their constituent material components - cracks tend to remain contained within the coating. Very little is known about the factors that control this behaviour. This project will exploit unique local expertise in modelling damage evolution to fill a niche in a large study being carried out at the National Institute of Standards (NIST) in the U ....Evolution of Contact Damage in Layer Structures. Brittle layer structures (eg brittle coating on ceramic substrate) can be much more damage tolerant than their constituent material components - cracks tend to remain contained within the coating. Very little is known about the factors that control this behaviour. This project will exploit unique local expertise in modelling damage evolution to fill a niche in a large study being carried out at the National Institute of Standards (NIST) in the U.S.A. An understanding of the factors that maximise the containment of cracks is essential to the design and development of the next generation of advanced layer composites for many biomechanical and other engineering applications.Read moreRead less
Designs of Periodic Microstructure Materials with Prescribed Multiphysical Properties. The evolutionary structural optimization (ESO) is an Australian initiative, which has made a significant impact on modern structural optimization. In advanced materials areas, Australia has well-established infrastructure and world-class expertise. Exploitation of ESO to advanced materials design will be of "exclusive significance" to Australia. More importantly, the new material design technology will present ....Designs of Periodic Microstructure Materials with Prescribed Multiphysical Properties. The evolutionary structural optimization (ESO) is an Australian initiative, which has made a significant impact on modern structural optimization. In advanced materials areas, Australia has well-established infrastructure and world-class expertise. Exploitation of ESO to advanced materials design will be of "exclusive significance" to Australia. More importantly, the new material design technology will present to Australia an opportunity to lead in this rapidly-growing area, which will definitely underpin Australia's standing as a major contributor and developer in a global materials market. It is expected that fresh classes of futuristic materials can be developed in a cost-effective fashion and add great economic benefits to Australia.Read moreRead less
Advanced Intramedullary Nailing Systems. The proposed project is aimed at developing advanced orthopaedic implants (intramedullary nails and associated locking screws) commonly used for bone fracture repair. These new generation metallic implants will be developed using a comprehensive research approach centred on physico-chemical and mechanical properties investigations. A new generation of intramedullary nailing systems with superior design and mechanical properties (small diameter and high st ....Advanced Intramedullary Nailing Systems. The proposed project is aimed at developing advanced orthopaedic implants (intramedullary nails and associated locking screws) commonly used for bone fracture repair. These new generation metallic implants will be developed using a comprehensive research approach centred on physico-chemical and mechanical properties investigations. A new generation of intramedullary nailing systems with superior design and mechanical properties (small diameter and high strength) and improved bone fixation is the key expected outcome. The knowledge generated in the project is expected to lead to the growth of the Industry Partner (Austofix). Training of a world class researcher in the multidisciplinary field of biomaterials will be an additional outcome.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0561186
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$447,967.00
Summary
Surface Mechanical Property Analysis Facility. The aim of this proposal is to develop a facility for the mechanical properties analysis of material surfaces. The facility will enable an understanding of the performance of materials in a wide range of contact and abrasion situations and in very small volumes such as thin films and components of multiphase composites. The unique features of the proposed facility are that it is capable of analysis down to exceptionally low sub-micron length scale, ....Surface Mechanical Property Analysis Facility. The aim of this proposal is to develop a facility for the mechanical properties analysis of material surfaces. The facility will enable an understanding of the performance of materials in a wide range of contact and abrasion situations and in very small volumes such as thin films and components of multiphase composites. The unique features of the proposed facility are that it is capable of analysis down to exceptionally low sub-micron length scale, under multiple forms of loading and over a range of temperatures. It is applicable to the design of abrasion resistant materials, characterisation of very thin surface films for applications such as microelectronics and biomedical implants and design of advanced composites.Read moreRead less
Cellular control mechanisms of matrix mineralization in the teeth of marine molluscs. These studies are significant as a foundation for the country's current focus on advanced materials and nanotechnology. The production of new materials is critically dependant upon understanding the crystallochemical control organisms, such as chitons and limpets, have over the precipitation of simple compounds, such as the calcium and iron oxides, phosphates and silica, often formed as nanoscale deposits. This ....Cellular control mechanisms of matrix mineralization in the teeth of marine molluscs. These studies are significant as a foundation for the country's current focus on advanced materials and nanotechnology. The production of new materials is critically dependant upon understanding the crystallochemical control organisms, such as chitons and limpets, have over the precipitation of simple compounds, such as the calcium and iron oxides, phosphates and silica, often formed as nanoscale deposits. This study constitutes a systematic in situ exploration of the biomineralization processes that form these composite microstructures and as such will provide a new source of inspiration to the production of new biomaterials.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0346882
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$296,000.00
Summary
A Micro-CT facility for non-destructive 3D X-ray microscopy of opaque materials. This project will establish a Micro-CT facility for non-destructive 3D X-ray microscopy of the internal structure of materials. The facility will support research from a broad spectrum of disciplines and extend regional microscopy and microanalysis capabilities. With a resolution of 1.8µm this instrument will provide 3D images with virtually no sample preparation. The range of materials that this applies to includes ....A Micro-CT facility for non-destructive 3D X-ray microscopy of opaque materials. This project will establish a Micro-CT facility for non-destructive 3D X-ray microscopy of the internal structure of materials. The facility will support research from a broad spectrum of disciplines and extend regional microscopy and microanalysis capabilities. With a resolution of 1.8µm this instrument will provide 3D images with virtually no sample preparation. The range of materials that this applies to includes minerals, wood, biomaterials, polymers, composites, archaeological ceramics and mummified tissue, and biological materials such as bone, teeth and coral. This facilitates research which had been considered too difficult because of the sample preparation needed to examine internal structure.
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Plasma processes for optimising the performance of surfaces for biomedical applications. Australia faces a number of pressing problems in health care, including an aging population, environmental damage control and national security, which can be addressed, in part, by effectively interface synthetic materials surfaces with biological systems. Examples of technologies relying on such functional interfaces include implantable medical devices and prostheses, enzymatic conversion of chemicals and w ....Plasma processes for optimising the performance of surfaces for biomedical applications. Australia faces a number of pressing problems in health care, including an aging population, environmental damage control and national security, which can be addressed, in part, by effectively interface synthetic materials surfaces with biological systems. Examples of technologies relying on such functional interfaces include implantable medical devices and prostheses, enzymatic conversion of chemicals and waste, as well as diagnostic arrays and biosensors. The new understanding of fundamental surface properties driving these interactions, together with the new surface modification processes developed in this project, will drive new technologies in these important areas.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0775592
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$388,000.00
Summary
A High Resolution Analytical Scanning Electron Microscope for South-East Queensland. Scanning electron microscopy is the major visualization tool for a diverse range of research disciplines. This new generation of instrument will be able to image features close to atomic resolution and obtain quantitative analytical information from regions only a few atoms across. Because of the nature of the way the electron beam is produced, the new instrument will be able to examine particularly sensitive ma ....A High Resolution Analytical Scanning Electron Microscope for South-East Queensland. Scanning electron microscopy is the major visualization tool for a diverse range of research disciplines. This new generation of instrument will be able to image features close to atomic resolution and obtain quantitative analytical information from regions only a few atoms across. Because of the nature of the way the electron beam is produced, the new instrument will be able to examine particularly sensitive materials, such as soft bio-materials, without any loss in resolving power. This machine will be unique in Australia and be available to researchers from diverse fields of study working towards building and transforming Australian Industries and underpinning scientific discovery in nanotechnology, materials science and bioengineering.Read moreRead less