Nanocrystalline Processing of Polycrystalline Ceramics Exhibiting the Giant Piezoelectric Effect. Piezoelectric materials interconvert electric and mechanical energy. They have been incorporated into a wide range of industrial, medical and domestic applications. The newest, known as PZN-PTs, are only available as single crystals. They have ten times the response of conventional piezoelectric materials, however they are expensive, mechanically fragile and have shape limitations. This project will ....Nanocrystalline Processing of Polycrystalline Ceramics Exhibiting the Giant Piezoelectric Effect. Piezoelectric materials interconvert electric and mechanical energy. They have been incorporated into a wide range of industrial, medical and domestic applications. The newest, known as PZN-PTs, are only available as single crystals. They have ten times the response of conventional piezoelectric materials, however they are expensive, mechanically fragile and have shape limitations. This project will tailor nanostructured intermediate states that will allow the production of stronger, more versatile polycrystalline PZN-PT ceramics. It will develop scientific results on nanocrystalline processing applicable to many materials and allow deeper insight into the mechanism of the anomalous piezoelectric response of these materials.Read moreRead less
Structural Origins of the Giant Piezoelectric Effect in Relaxor Ferroelectrics. This project addresses fundamental questions about the origins of the Giant Piezoelectric Effect. The solution of these questions will be will raise the profile of Australian science in this area as well as allowing new directions to be explored both in modifying existing materials and seeking new ones. It will expand the pool of personnel with experience in the synthesis and diffraction based study of these material ....Structural Origins of the Giant Piezoelectric Effect in Relaxor Ferroelectrics. This project addresses fundamental questions about the origins of the Giant Piezoelectric Effect. The solution of these questions will be will raise the profile of Australian science in this area as well as allowing new directions to be explored both in modifying existing materials and seeking new ones. It will expand the pool of personnel with experience in the synthesis and diffraction based study of these materials which are slated for inclusion in large numbers of 'Smart' technologies. The training of personnel in advanced diffraction methods is important in the lead up to the new Australian research reactor OPAL in 2006 and the new Australian synchrotron in 2007.Read moreRead less
Combustion Synthesis of Ternary Carbides. Ti3SiC2 belongs to a group of ternary carbides that exhibit an exciting combination of the high temperature properties of ceramics, with the electrical and thermal conductivity of metals. A great number of potential applications have been identified, however a cost effective large scale synthesis method has been lacking. Combustion synthesis, which uses the heat of reaction as the primary energy source, has great potential for this purpose. This program ....Combustion Synthesis of Ternary Carbides. Ti3SiC2 belongs to a group of ternary carbides that exhibit an exciting combination of the high temperature properties of ceramics, with the electrical and thermal conductivity of metals. A great number of potential applications have been identified, however a cost effective large scale synthesis method has been lacking. Combustion synthesis, which uses the heat of reaction as the primary energy source, has great potential for this purpose. This program will use advanced in-situ neutron diffraction experiments to map and quantify combustion synthesis reactions in the Ti-Si-C system and related systems. The results of these studies will be used to design methods of production for Ti3SiC2 and related materials.Read moreRead less
First-Principles Engineering of Advanced Multicomponent Materials for Clean, Energy Efficient Thermoelectric and Catalytic Technologies. The quantum mechanical, first-principles calculations for studying advanced multicomponent materials and surfaces of high current technological interest will produce significant results as well as fundamental knowledge of key mechanisms that will aid in the design and tailoring of new catalytic and thermoelectric materials. The project is directly relevant to ....First-Principles Engineering of Advanced Multicomponent Materials for Clean, Energy Efficient Thermoelectric and Catalytic Technologies. The quantum mechanical, first-principles calculations for studying advanced multicomponent materials and surfaces of high current technological interest will produce significant results as well as fundamental knowledge of key mechanisms that will aid in the design and tailoring of new catalytic and thermoelectric materials. The project is directly relevant to the designated priority area - Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries. It will involve collaboration with leading international experts, thus enhancing Australia's knowledge base and research capacity. This clearly has immediate benefits through the transfer and propagation of cutting-edge knowledge and skills to students and post-docs.Read moreRead less
Novel Carbon Coatings for Exceptional Performance. Carbon coatings are technologically important and have many applications in automotive and biomedical industries worldwide. An example automotive application is as a coating for high performance fuel injectors. Carbon coatings have significant unrealised potential for applications in hostile environments such as those encountered in high performance engineering components and in the human body. This project will develop new types of carbon coat ....Novel Carbon Coatings for Exceptional Performance. Carbon coatings are technologically important and have many applications in automotive and biomedical industries worldwide. An example automotive application is as a coating for high performance fuel injectors. Carbon coatings have significant unrealised potential for applications in hostile environments such as those encountered in high performance engineering components and in the human body. This project will develop new types of carbon coatings with properties and performance tailored to applications in biomedical engineering, energy conversion, automotive engineering, manufacturing and microelectronics. The result will be a range of new carbon coatings with exceptional properties and cost-effective synthesis methods.Read moreRead less
Nanostructured Hydrogel-Carbon Nanotube Composites for Artificial Muscles. This collaboration links the expertise of the two groups in advanced functional materials for the development of improved mechanical actuators for artificial muscles. The Korean group provides key know-how in synthetic and natural hydrogels. The Wollongong team has developed expertise in carbon nanotube actuators. The hydrogel-nanotube hybrids resulting from this collaboration are likely to show improved performance co ....Nanostructured Hydrogel-Carbon Nanotube Composites for Artificial Muscles. This collaboration links the expertise of the two groups in advanced functional materials for the development of improved mechanical actuators for artificial muscles. The Korean group provides key know-how in synthetic and natural hydrogels. The Wollongong team has developed expertise in carbon nanotube actuators. The hydrogel-nanotube hybrids resulting from this collaboration are likely to show improved performance compared with existing materials. The improved actuators will be utilised in on-going projects in both countries.Read moreRead less
Tailoring superconducting hybrid multilayered film systems for electric and electronic applications. This project focuses on the development of new scientific and technological aspects of the fabrication, properties and operation of novel hybrid systems for revolutionizing electricity handling and electronics. It will also solve some existing problems of film structures with promising multilayer technology. Hybrid systems, often make the headlines in science and are gaining an increasingly promi ....Tailoring superconducting hybrid multilayered film systems for electric and electronic applications. This project focuses on the development of new scientific and technological aspects of the fabrication, properties and operation of novel hybrid systems for revolutionizing electricity handling and electronics. It will also solve some existing problems of film structures with promising multilayer technology. Hybrid systems, often make the headlines in science and are gaining an increasingly promising outlook in materials engineering, nanotechnology and electronics, promising eventual application in a broad range of industries. This project will establish Australia's capability at the forefront in this area. The outcomes predicted will benefit existing Australian companies and may establish new companies dealing with these hybrid systems.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0668257
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,200,000.00
Summary
Combinatorial Deposition and Characterisation Facility for New Alloy Thin Film Materials. Australia's competitive edge in materials research is key to maintaining our economic prosperity. Infrastructure that enables our researchers to synthesize novel materials with precise control over composition and structure is crucial to maintaining our strengths in this field. The proposed infrastructure will accelerate progress on the preparation and characterisation of new alloy and nanostructured materi ....Combinatorial Deposition and Characterisation Facility for New Alloy Thin Film Materials. Australia's competitive edge in materials research is key to maintaining our economic prosperity. Infrastructure that enables our researchers to synthesize novel materials with precise control over composition and structure is crucial to maintaining our strengths in this field. The proposed infrastructure will accelerate progress on the preparation and characterisation of new alloy and nanostructured materials and will pay dividends by providing early access to the best materials. This will give our energy technology, biomedical engineering, tooling, electronics and mining industries a competitive edge. Access to this new generation equipment will enhance our pool of highly skilled materials technologists.Read moreRead less
Development of high-temperature superconducting coated conductors by pulsed-laser deposition technique for future long-length applications. The aim of the project is to develop a novel technology for manufacturing flexible coated conductors with the help of a pulsed laser deposition technique, in order to enhance the current-carrying ability of high-temperature superconducting coatings (including multi-layered coatings) for future long-length high power applications. To achieve desirable electr ....Development of high-temperature superconducting coated conductors by pulsed-laser deposition technique for future long-length applications. The aim of the project is to develop a novel technology for manufacturing flexible coated conductors with the help of a pulsed laser deposition technique, in order to enhance the current-carrying ability of high-temperature superconducting coatings (including multi-layered coatings) for future long-length high power applications. To achieve desirable electromagnetic properties governed by the nano-structures of the coatings, a well-balanced combination of world-class "global" and "local" electromagnetic property measurements with advanced structural characterisations is suggested. It is expected that a controlled network of nano-scale pinning centres will allow the development of high performance coated conductors.Read moreRead less
Enhancement and elucidation of flux pinning in doped Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O high temperature superconducting single crystals. The proposed project aims to study the effects of elevated doping on the intrinsic electromagnetic properties of Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O high temperature superconducting (HTS) single crystals grown by two-dimensional and spiral-growth mechanisms with a particular focus on structure, conductivity and thermal neutron irradiation. Studies of the relationship between microstructures, anisotrop ....Enhancement and elucidation of flux pinning in doped Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O high temperature superconducting single crystals. The proposed project aims to study the effects of elevated doping on the intrinsic electromagnetic properties of Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O high temperature superconducting (HTS) single crystals grown by two-dimensional and spiral-growth mechanisms with a particular focus on structure, conductivity and thermal neutron irradiation. Studies of the relationship between microstructures, anisotropy and flux pinning will lead to a better understanding of the pinning behaviour of Bi-based HTSC. The outcome will be better methods for introducing suitable pinning centres into Bi-based high temperature superconductors.Read moreRead less