AU – Page 6 – TechConnect Briefs

Fuel Cells – Commercial Innovation Built on High Electrical Efficiency

Rowe T., Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited, AU

Ceramic Fuel Cells has developing an innovative solid oxide fuel cell technology that offers the world’s highest level of electrical conversion efficiency. CFCL’s fuel cells provide highly efficient and low-emission electricity from widely available natural [...]

RAFT: A smarter way to develop multi-functional polymers

Chiefari J., CSIRO, AU

The RAFT (Reverse Addition-Fragmentation chain Transfer) process is a ground breaking technology that offers unprecedented control over the composition, functionality and architecture of polymers. The versatility of the RAFT technology provides enormous potential for designing [...]

POSS–Substituted Hyperbranched Polyester Blends with Thermoplastic Polyurethanes

Spoljaric S., Shanks R.A., RMIT University, AU

The aim of this research is to prepare and disperse in an elastomer a multi-branched form of POSS. Hyperbranched polymers (HBP) can be formed by grafting from a central core. POSS may be joined with [...]

Silica–Polyacrylate Nanocomposite Pressure Sensitive Adhesives

Shanks R., RMIT University, AU

The aim of this research is to increase cohesion of a PSA by including silica nanoparticles. The silica nanoparticles form reversible agglomerates and bind polymer molecules by adsorption. The adhesive becomes a reversible gel. Under [...]

Odd-Even Effect in Self Assembly and Phase Transition of Alkanethiols Monolayers (SAMs) on Au (111) Surfaces

Ramin L., Jabbarzadeh A., The University of Sydney, AU

Molecular dynamic simulations were conducted to predict the structural properties of n-alkanethiols CH3(CH2)n-1SH (n=4-22) self assembled monolayers (SAMs) on Au (111) surfaces. We studied the effects of chain length on the structural properties, including orientation [...]

Magnetic Carbon-Nanotube Thermoplastic Polyurethane Composites

Kong I., Spoljaric S., Shanks R.A., RMIT University, AU

The aim was to prepare composites of PU and magnetite-functionalized CNTs, using physical blending techniques in melt and solution. Objectives included functionalizing the CNT with magnetite (Fe3O4), preparing PU-CNT-Fe3O4 composites using solvent dispersion and melt [...]

Graphite Layer Nano-composites with Polyurethane Matrix

Czajka M., Shanks R.A., RMIT University, AU

The aim was to prepare expanded graphite oxide (GO, Graftech Inc.) and disperse it in a polyol (poly(oxypropylene glyceride), Dow Chemicals) using ultrasonication. The dispersion was polymerized and crosslinked with methane 4,4’-diphenyldiisocyanate to form a [...]

Preparation of Novel Ferrocene-based Shell Cross-linked Thermoresponsive Hybrid Micelles with Anti-tumor Efficacy

Wei H., Dehghani F., The University of Sydney, AU

Shell cross-linked (SCL) thermoresponsive hybrid micelle consisting of a cross-linked thermoresponsive hybrid shell and a hydrophobic core domain was synthesized from poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-aminoethyl methacrylate)-b-polymethyl methacrylate (P(NIPAAm-co-AMA)-b-PMMA) amphiphilic block copolymers via a two-step process: micellization of P(NIPAAm-co-AMA)-b-PMMA [...]

Gold Nanoparticles as contrast media in dual-energy radiography: a monte carlo study

Jackson P.A., Geso M., RMIT University (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology), AU

There has been recent interest in the use of gold nanoparticles as contrast media in cancer diagnosis. This utilises either a high-concentration suspension to highlight all areas of vasculature or as an antibody-conjugated species with [...]

Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Flow over a Nano-cylinder in a Rectangular Nano-channel

Jabbarzadeh A., The University of Sydney, AU

This paper reports the molecular dynamics simulation results obtained for flow in a rectangular nano-channel of liquid alkanes around a nano-cylinder. The channel and cylinder have an explicit atomic structure and the liquid alkane (paraffin) [...]