Hybrid photocatalytic nanomaterials for water purification. This project aims to synthesise and characterise a range of porous photocatalytic materials (materials that absorb light to catalyse a reaction), and to establish high-throughput processes to simultaneously test the effectiveness of multiple photocatalytic materials. This interdisciplinary project expects to develop two new techniques that will lead to faster materials optimisation of materials that breakdown organic pollutants in water ....Hybrid photocatalytic nanomaterials for water purification. This project aims to synthesise and characterise a range of porous photocatalytic materials (materials that absorb light to catalyse a reaction), and to establish high-throughput processes to simultaneously test the effectiveness of multiple photocatalytic materials. This interdisciplinary project expects to develop two new techniques that will lead to faster materials optimisation of materials that breakdown organic pollutants in water under light irradiation. The intended outcomes include the production of industrially relevant photocatalysts and building capability in Australia to decrease photocatalytic testing time and cost. This should provide significant benefits to industry and the environment, and have an impact on human health.Read moreRead less
Impact of Biological Coatings on Nanoparticle–Immune Cell Interactions. Nanomaterials exposed to biological environments such as blood or lymph fluids rapidly adsorb a layer of biomolecules on their surface, forming a biomolecular corona, and profoundly altering their properties. This project aims to resolve the influence of biomolecular coronas on nanoparticle–immune cell interactions by combining particle engineering, immunology, proteomics and bioinformatic analysis. The project expected outc ....Impact of Biological Coatings on Nanoparticle–Immune Cell Interactions. Nanomaterials exposed to biological environments such as blood or lymph fluids rapidly adsorb a layer of biomolecules on their surface, forming a biomolecular corona, and profoundly altering their properties. This project aims to resolve the influence of biomolecular coronas on nanoparticle–immune cell interactions by combining particle engineering, immunology, proteomics and bioinformatic analysis. The project expected outcomes are to generate new knowledge in nanomaterial–immune cell behaviour and design principles for nanoparticles with prospective applications in the agricultural, veterinary and biomedical sectors.Read moreRead less
Macromolecular Engineering of Functional Metal–Ligand Materials. Materials self-assembled from metal ions and ligands have a range of important applications, including as advanced coatings, adhesives and catalysts. However, these materials have been largely limited to those assembled from naturally occurring ligands such as phenolics, restricting their properties and function. This project aims to greatly expand the range of accessible properties of metal–phenolic materials by combining self-ass ....Macromolecular Engineering of Functional Metal–Ligand Materials. Materials self-assembled from metal ions and ligands have a range of important applications, including as advanced coatings, adhesives and catalysts. However, these materials have been largely limited to those assembled from naturally occurring ligands such as phenolics, restricting their properties and function. This project aims to greatly expand the range of accessible properties of metal–phenolic materials by combining self-assembly with advanced polymer synthesis techniques. The expected outcome of the project is a new class of functional materials applicable as self-healing coatings, nanoadhesives and antimicrobial surfaces, thus underpinning next-generation technologies in materials science and nanotechnology.Read moreRead less
Bioinspired Ion Transporters for Efficient Energy Conversion and Storage. This project aims to fabricate bioinspired light-driven ion transporters with biological-level active ion transport efficiency for efficient energy conversion and storage. Engineering of artificial membranes with ion-pump-like pore structures, specific ion binding sites and photo-excited molecular gates by an innovative bioinspired approach is expected to generate new knowledge in the field of biomimetic design of artifici ....Bioinspired Ion Transporters for Efficient Energy Conversion and Storage. This project aims to fabricate bioinspired light-driven ion transporters with biological-level active ion transport efficiency for efficient energy conversion and storage. Engineering of artificial membranes with ion-pump-like pore structures, specific ion binding sites and photo-excited molecular gates by an innovative bioinspired approach is expected to generate new knowledge in the field of biomimetic design of artificial ion-transporter membranes and bring new technologies to applications such as in solar energy harvesting, osmotic power generation, ionic batteries, and ionic circuits. The proposed research should provide significant benefits such as new energy conversion and storage technologies for Australian manufacturing industry.Read moreRead less