Mechanical modulation of particle-cell interactions. Mechanical forces play critical roles in many biological processes, but how particle mechanical properties modulate particle-cell interactions remains elusive. This project aims to develop new design principles for engineering nano/micromaterials with tunable mechanical properties for improved cell activation and expansion, and to advance knowledge of the role of particle stiffness in modulating receptor-mediated particle-cell interactions. Ex ....Mechanical modulation of particle-cell interactions. Mechanical forces play critical roles in many biological processes, but how particle mechanical properties modulate particle-cell interactions remains elusive. This project aims to develop new design principles for engineering nano/micromaterials with tunable mechanical properties for improved cell activation and expansion, and to advance knowledge of the role of particle stiffness in modulating receptor-mediated particle-cell interactions. Expected outcomes and benefits include new fundamental understanding of the effect of particle mechanical properties on cell function, new insights into T cell activation and expansion, and new classes of stiffness-tunable fit-for-purpose materials for various applications in cell manufacturing.Read moreRead less
Develop Catalyst Materials for Future Fuels by Operando Computation. This project aims to design catalyst materials for the production of future fuels (green ammonia, hydrocarbon and alcohol). Using carbon and nitrogen as energy carriers, these fuels are generated from renewable sources such as wind or solar; they are safe, reliable, and possess high energy density. The outcomes include advance in computational electrochemistry to the Opeando level, electrocatalysts design principles with clearl ....Develop Catalyst Materials for Future Fuels by Operando Computation. This project aims to design catalyst materials for the production of future fuels (green ammonia, hydrocarbon and alcohol). Using carbon and nitrogen as energy carriers, these fuels are generated from renewable sources such as wind or solar; they are safe, reliable, and possess high energy density. The outcomes include advance in computational electrochemistry to the Opeando level, electrocatalysts design principles with clearly articulated reaction mechanisms, and candidate materials for experimental validation. Facilitated by advanced computation techniques and reliable catalyst materials design procedure, this project will address the biggest challenge in future fuel generation, which is the lack of efficient catalyst 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