Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120102784
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Water-swellable rubber with nanoparticle-enabled super capacity as smart water-leakage sealant. A novel water-swellable rubber (WSR) sealant with continuous hydrophobic phase and isolated hydrophilic phase is developed for stopping water leakage from gaps and cracks. Nanoparticle-enabled blocks and network channels in rubber matrix effectively improve the integrity and capability of WSR as smart water-leakage sealants in various applications.
Determination Of Irradiation Dose Efficacy For Use In Impaction Grafting At Revision Joint Replacement
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$411,517.00
Summary
Primary hip replacement is a successful intervention for hip disease, but 10-15% of hip prostheses fail and require revision surgery within 10-15 years. At the time of revision, significant bone loss around the failed prosthesis is not uncommon. A bone reconstruction procedure, called impaction grafting, where donor bone is minced and placed in the areas of deficient bone before implanting the new prosthesis, has shown to give good results at more than ten years in some centres. A high incidence ....Primary hip replacement is a successful intervention for hip disease, but 10-15% of hip prostheses fail and require revision surgery within 10-15 years. At the time of revision, significant bone loss around the failed prosthesis is not uncommon. A bone reconstruction procedure, called impaction grafting, where donor bone is minced and placed in the areas of deficient bone before implanting the new prosthesis, has shown to give good results at more than ten years in some centres. A high incidence of early complications of this procedure have included loss of fixation within the bone. Fracture of the bone around prostheses has also reported in some centres. These events require more surgery, putting the patient at higher risk greater complications and longer rehabilitations. Recent improvements in surgical technique and donor bone preparation have improved results. A current debate questions whether the dose of irradiation can be reduced from 25 kGy, while maintaining sterility of allografts. The risk of bacterial contamination in allografts is low, and irradiation reduces the mechanical strength of the graft, contributing to complications when irradiated bone is used. The benefits of decontaminating the bone may be outweighed by the higher risk for failure due to poor bone quality and resulting prosthesis instability. We will use ISO standards to test the validity of radiation dose for sterilising bone ex vivo. In the absence of controlled human studies, our aim is also to compare the results of impaction grafting with non-irradiated bone versus bone irradiated at current doses used by Australian bone banks, and lower doses indicated by ex vivo testing. We will use a large animal model of revision hip replacement, with precise measures of prosthesis stability. The results of this study will guide clinical decisions regarding the efficacy of current bone graft preparation procedures and the use of irradiated bone in human hip replacement surgery.Read moreRead less
The development of super-toughened epoxies using a novel nanomaterial. Epoxy resins are widely used as structural adhesives and coatings in engineering structures. This project will address the problem of the intrinsic brittleness of epoxy by making it significantly tougher with superior performance and cost-effectiveness. Our technology for producing super-toughened epoxy will lead to a wide range of applications for new and existing products in the construction, automotive, aerospace, adhesive ....The development of super-toughened epoxies using a novel nanomaterial. Epoxy resins are widely used as structural adhesives and coatings in engineering structures. This project will address the problem of the intrinsic brittleness of epoxy by making it significantly tougher with superior performance and cost-effectiveness. Our technology for producing super-toughened epoxy will lead to a wide range of applications for new and existing products in the construction, automotive, aerospace, adhesive and microelectronics industries.Read moreRead less
Novel Waterborne Multifunctional Sealer for Asphalt Pavement. One of the long-term challenges and most serious problems faced by the asphalt surfacing and road construction industry is the rapid deterioration of asphaltic surfaces to the extent that they become unfit/unsafe for use in short time. The length of the Australian local government road system is approximately 810,000 kilometres and currently approximately $2,460 million/year is spent on road maintenance; the replacement value of ....Novel Waterborne Multifunctional Sealer for Asphalt Pavement. One of the long-term challenges and most serious problems faced by the asphalt surfacing and road construction industry is the rapid deterioration of asphaltic surfaces to the extent that they become unfit/unsafe for use in short time. The length of the Australian local government road system is approximately 810,000 kilometres and currently approximately $2,460 million/year is spent on road maintenance; the replacement value of the road asset exceeds $106,000 million. Thus providing satisfactory tough protective shield on asphalt pavements that locks out destructive elements and provide long-term protection is of enormous economic importance and national/community benefit.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354521
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,000.00
Summary
Network for Advanced Materials for Engineering Applications. Advances in modern technology and a competitive manufacturing industry depend critically on new and improved materials. The pace of change is rapid, and many countries are taking steps to improve and coordinate developments. Australia has a very successful record of materials research and innovation and is developing a substantial infrastructure in the area. However, the materials research community is scattered, and research effect ....Network for Advanced Materials for Engineering Applications. Advances in modern technology and a competitive manufacturing industry depend critically on new and improved materials. The pace of change is rapid, and many countries are taking steps to improve and coordinate developments. Australia has a very successful record of materials research and innovation and is developing a substantial infrastructure in the area. However, the materials research community is scattered, and research effectiveness is sometimes lessened by a lack of critical mass. This network will bring together university, government and industry researchers, and promote collaborative research, access to each other's facilities, staff and student exchanges, improved access to existing infrastructure and coordinated planning for new acquisitions.Read moreRead less
Advanced Nanoscale Materials Engineered from Diatomaceous Earth. Using natural materials of diatomaceous earth (DE) as a cheap and available resource by applying synthetic routes this project is directed towards the innovative development of new nanoscale materials with advanced properties. New mesoporous materials with intricate 3-D structures and nano sized features will be engineered from diatom silica for use in demanding applications such as separation and catalysis. These research outcomes ....Advanced Nanoscale Materials Engineered from Diatomaceous Earth. Using natural materials of diatomaceous earth (DE) as a cheap and available resource by applying synthetic routes this project is directed towards the innovative development of new nanoscale materials with advanced properties. New mesoporous materials with intricate 3-D structures and nano sized features will be engineered from diatom silica for use in demanding applications such as separation and catalysis. These research outcomes will enhance Australia's capacity in frontier technology and advanced materials, as well as bringing a competitive advantage to local industry through the development of such advanced materials.Read moreRead less
Fundamentals of Electrically Conductive Elastomer Composites. This project aims to address the performance instability of stretchable/flexible electronics and devices, by developing mechanically resilient, electrically conductive patterns of nanomaterials to be encased in elastomers. It expects to generate new knowledge in the field of composite processing, to provide fundamentals for composite industry to develop novel strain gauges and conductors. Expected outcomes include a methodology for st ....Fundamentals of Electrically Conductive Elastomer Composites. This project aims to address the performance instability of stretchable/flexible electronics and devices, by developing mechanically resilient, electrically conductive patterns of nanomaterials to be encased in elastomers. It expects to generate new knowledge in the field of composite processing, to provide fundamentals for composite industry to develop novel strain gauges and conductors. Expected outcomes include a methodology for stabilising the cyclic performance of electrically conductive elastomer composites. This project is anticipated to provide significant long-term benefits not only for underwater infrastructure condition monitoring but for remote and personalised health-monitoring.Read moreRead less
Flame-Retarding and Mechanically Resilient Elastomer Composites. This project will develop a new generation of flame-retarding and mechanically resilient elastomer composites by taking advantage of nanoscale effect and synergy. The outcomes will be two types of flame-retarding additive pellets and their elastomer composites; these pellets also suit other polymers such as thermoplastics. The elastomer composites are expected to have excellent flame retardancy, mechanical properties, and fatigue p ....Flame-Retarding and Mechanically Resilient Elastomer Composites. This project will develop a new generation of flame-retarding and mechanically resilient elastomer composites by taking advantage of nanoscale effect and synergy. The outcomes will be two types of flame-retarding additive pellets and their elastomer composites; these pellets also suit other polymers such as thermoplastics. The elastomer composites are expected to have excellent flame retardancy, mechanical properties, and fatigue performance, to meet the demands from industrial partners. The project will provide a platform for elastomer manufacturing industry to develop flame-retarding, high-performance products for domestic applications and for export. Read moreRead less