University of Adelaide

Source: Sally Wood

The University of Adelaide stands tall as one of the world’s leading organisations for education and innovation. Founded in 1874, the University became the first in Australia to grant science degrees. In addition, it offered degrees in arts, law, medicine and music before the 1900s. Today, it is a member of The Group of Eight, which includes Australia’s top research-intensive universities.

It consistently features as a high ranking institution, with many international bodies placing the University in the top one per cent worldwide. Over 100 countries are represented in the student population, who total 7,868 of the 21,142 overall students.

The University also has an impressive list of alumni, including five Nobel Laureates; Australia’s first Indigenous Rhodes Scholars recipient; and Australia’s first female Prime Minister – Julia Gillard.

Quantum Materials Foci

Quantum Materials is an exciting field at the boundary of condensed matter and quantum physics, material sciences, and a variety of engineering disciplines around optoelectronics and photonics. Researchers in quantum materials harness quantum mechanics to develop new or improved states of material leading to innovative devices and systems, with the goal of furthering our understanding of nature and creating new or improved technologies.

The University of Adelaide is delivering revolutionary technologies for next-generation communications, navigation, computing, cybersecurity and biomedicine. Quantum materials research at the University of Adelaide is focused on:

• Accelerated Material Discovery, including semiconductors, superconductors and aterials, nanoparticle doped optical glasses

• Ultrawide bandgap UV Photonics – Emitters, Detectors, and Modulators

• Ultrawide bandgap power electronics – Power Amplifiers, Transistors, Power Diodes

• Integrated quantum photonics, single photon sources, nanoscale solid-state spin qubit, modulators and detectors

• High-power, high-temperature, mechanical wear resistant, and ultra lightweight devices and sensors

• Integrated technologies for biological processes, food sciences, and agriculture

Pushing Advanced Materials Boundaries

Advanced materials research and design is taking a step forward at two facilities at the University of Adelaide.

“The University of Adelaide’s Advanced Materials Facility and Silanna’s QuFab facility are set to push the boundaries of advanced materials research, design and fabrication,” said the University of Adelaide’s Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor John Williams.

“By having industry and businesses such as Silanna on our campuses we are changing the very culture and nature of our campuses. Silanna’s expertise links into many different cutting-edge areas across the University including advanced materials research and teaching in our new facility.”

Advanced materials are made by modifying existing materials or creating new ones so that they have superior performance. They can be structural and functional, inorganic, organic or a hybrid of these, and can be soft or hard depending on their characteristics. These materials will make homes, vehicles and gadgets more energy efficient and environmentally friendly.

QuFab and the Advanced Materials Facility are both located on North Terrace campus in the University’s Faculty of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences.

“Today’s undergraduates and postgraduates will undertake their studies in the Advanced Materials Facility at the same time as having the unparalleled opportunity to tap into the minds of the experts working at QuFab,” said the University of Adelaide’s Professor David Lewis who is the Head of the School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials.

“Our students will have access to a diverse range of facilities in which they will discover the world of advanced materials through engineering research, educational teaching and training activities, with a strong focus on new materials for energy, catalysis and semi-conductors.”

“These labs are where the future minds of the advanced materials industry will be trained.

“In the same way that the brightest minds will be attracted to study here, some of the world’s top research talent in this area is also being attracted to work here.”

Silanna Chief Scientist Dr Petar Atanackovic is focusing on designing and making prototypes of the next generation of semi-conductors at QuFab.

“At QuFab here in Adelaide, we are designing and manufacturing atomically engineered crystalline

University Spotlight

semiconductors using applied quantum mechanics and proprietary atomic layer deposition technologies. These new compositions of matter are then fabricated into electronic and optoelectronic devices for applications including power conversion and extreme ultraviolet light detectors and emitters – we are unlocking new technology areas of fundamental physics, chemistry, electronics and photonics,” Dr Atanackovic said.

“Silanna’s UV-C light emitting diode (LED) technology is already commercialised and the work here at QuFAB is building the next generation of improved materials and technology. To achieve these goals we need talented and highly skilled people and it is one of the main reasons we have embedded ourselves into the University of Adelaide.”

Dr Atanackovic studied at the University of Adelaide and pursued a career in Silicon Valley before returning to Adelaide.

“I wanted to try and create some of the unique opportunities given to me while at Stanford University and Silicon Valley and bring them here to Adelaide. A whole ecosystem is beginning to appear, not only with large infrastructure investment like QuFAB, but also having the support of the University in building an environment for knowledge creation in this new area of quantum engineering,” he said.

In 2018 global semiconductor sales were worth $490 billion in total of which the diode, laser and LED segment of the market was worth $38 billion.

“The QuFab facility and the Advanced Materials facility, located here at the University of Adelaide, demonstrate how South Australia is investing in the future,” said Trade and Investment Minister Stephen Patterson.

“Innovation, global connectivity, hi-tech research and design into this cutting-edge technology, will have a snowball effect. South Australia’s hi-tech sector is gaining a worldwide reputation and partnerships like this enable our state to have the rare ability to rapidly scale to meet the skilled workforce needs of global technology companies.”

“The investment in research, design and education here and now, will have far reaching and long-term benefits for our economy and society.”

Silanna’s UV-C light emitting diode (LED) technology is already commercialised and the work here at QuFAB is building the next generation of improved materials and technology.

Credit: University of Adelaide.

Other Research Institutes

There are several research facilities and institutes at the University of Adelaide focused on solving the next generation of advanced materials problems. Just some of these are outlined below.

ARC Research Hub for Graphene Enabled Industry Transformation

The ARC Research Hub for Graphene Enabled Industry Transformation is a collaborative research team across six Australian universities—including the University of South Australia—and five industry partners who are committed to developing a sustainable graphenebased industry in Australia.

Graphene is an exceptional two-dimensional material with superior conductivity, flexibility and strength. It can be used to enhance existing products as well as producing entirely new products. Researchers in the Hub are developing graphene-based technologies and products for application in many sectors including mining, oil, gas and energy, biomedical, transport, construction, environmental, defence and space industries, with a view to developing an advanced materials manufacturing industry in Australia.

The Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing

The Braggs Building is home to IPAS researchers and students from a broad range of scientific disciplines.

Credit: University of Adelaide.

The Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS) fosters excellence in research in materials science, chemistry, biology and physics and develops disruptive new tools for measurement.

Many of the challenges we face as a society can only be solved by pursuing a transdisciplinary approach to science. IPAS has been created to bring together experimental physicists, chemists, material scientists, biologists, experimentally driven theoretical scientists and medical researchers to create new sensing and measurement technologies. IPAS is built on a strong ongoing partnership with DSTG and their support of numerous research projects and positions.

A Chemical Reaction As Good As Gold

Gold may hold the key to unlocking an elusive but highly desirable reaction pathway. In fact, a new Australian-led study recently found gold atoms could be key to unlocking organic reactions.

Organic molecules are the building blocks for materials used every day—from clothes and coffee cups to the screen displays of mobile phones. Controlling reactions of these organic molecules is the key to designing materials with functional properties. However, reactions targeting carbon-hydrogen (C-H) bonds have long been of scientific interest given that almost all organic molecules contain these bonds.

FLEET researchers at Monash University recently found individual gold atoms may provide a low energy route for reactions, which can target specific C-H bonds.

“We used atomic-scale experimental techniques – scanning tunnelling microscopy and atomic force microscopy—to image and characterise the samples,” said lead author Benjamin Lowe, who is a FLEET PhD student at Monash. “These techniques revealed unusual covalent bonds between the carbon atoms of the DCA molecules and the gold atoms.”

The research team used state-of-the-art nanomaterial synthesis and scanning probe microscopy techniques to work on the synthesis of novel materials, which could be used in ultra-low energy electronic devices.

Researchers believe the broad interest in reactions of organic molecules could lead to a promising reaction. It could hold the answer for many applications like polymer fabrication and modification of pharmaceutical products. The study was led by the School of Physics and Astronomy at Monash University, with co-authors from the Institute of Physics, and Palacký University in the Czech Republic.

Organic (DCA) molecules combine with gold atoms (Au) on a silver surface, (Ag)

Nanoparticles Could One Day Help ‘Cure the Incurable’

Scanning tunnelling microscopy (a) and non-contact atomic force microscopy (b) at Monash University of bonded DCA molecules and Au atoms allow direct observation of the chemical structure with covalent C-Au bonds. Scale bars: 0.5 nm.

Gold atoms provide a low-energy reaction route, allowing breaking of C-H bonds at room temperature, and formation of covalently bonded DCAAu-DCA structures. Grey: C, white: H, blue: N, black: Ag (surface), yellow: Au.

Scientists at RMIT University believe their latest research could advance the potential of nanomedicine to cure conditions that are currently incurable. This research could be a gamechanger for dementia and motor neurone disease. The work explores how nanoparticles would interact with cells in humans and provides fundamental knowledge to help improve nanomedicine and develop the next generation of personalised biomedical technologies.

Dr Aaron Elbourne is one of the lead researchers on the project, who said nanoparticle technologies could ultimately improve drug delivery, cancer treatments, disease diagnostics and antimicrobials.

“Nanoparticles have been investigated as advanced nanomedicines, but they often miss the mark or fail to deliver their treatment to a specific location within the body. The main challenge is to control how nanoparticles engage with cells to accurately deliver the medicine. This has been poorly understood until now, but our latest work offers a clearer picture of what is happening at that nano level.”

The latest study, in collaboration with the University of Durham, was published in the ACS Nano journal.

One of the main barriers to finding a cure for diseases such as dementia and motor neurone disease is the current inability to deliver treatments that can cross the blood-brain barrier.

Dr Andrew Christofferson, who was another researcher on the project, said the work was unique.

"What makes this work unique is that we combine experiments and modelling to show a level of detail not seen before, and this will serve as a platform for future studies of nanoparticles and biological materials."

New Tech's Potential to Significantly Reduce Energy Storage Costs

A new low-cost battery, which holds four times the energy capacity of lithium-ion batteries and is far cheaper to produce, could significantly reduce the cost of transitioning to a decarbonised economy.

Dr Shenlong Zhao from the University of Sydney developed the battery using sodium-sulphur, which is a type of molten salt that can be processed from sea water.

Researchers used a simple pyrolysis process and carbonbased electrodes to improve the reactivity of sulphur and the reversibility of reactions between sulphur and sodium. The battery then shook off its formerly sluggish reputation, and exhibited super-high capacity and ultra-long life at room temperature.

It is also a more energy dense and less toxic alternative to lithium-ion batteries, which, while used extensively in electronic devices and for energy storage, are expensive to manufacture and recycle.

According to the Clean Energy Council, 32.5 per cent of Australia’s electricity came from clean energy sources and the industry is accelerating in 2021.

“Our sodium battery has the potential to dramatically reduce costs while providing four times as much storage capacity. This is a significant breakthrough for renewable energy development which, although reduces costs in the long term, has had several financial barriers to entry,” said Dr Zhao.

The lab-scale batteries have been successfully fabricated and tested in the University of Sydney’s chemical engineering facility.

The researchers hope to improve and commercialise the fabricated Ah-level pouch cells.

“We hope that by providing a technology that reduces costs we can sooner reach a clean energy horizon,” Dr Zhao said.

To keep pace with these solar capacity forecasts, annual global production of silicon and its purified form - polysilicon - will have to materially increase.

Australian Silicon Action Plan: A Blueprint for Jobs and Prosperity in Australia’s Solar Future

Australia can become a global superpower in solar PV energy generation and export, but it must develop its own fully integrated domestic solar supply chains, according to a landmark new report.

The Australian Silicon Action Plan sets out the actions needed to participate in a fully-fledged supply chain for silicon and solar cells. The report was commissioned by Australia’s national science agency CSIRO, and found that while Australia has immense potential, its reliance on overseas supply chains holds us back.

“Australia already has the highest per capita deployment of rooftop solar in the world, and there are several megaprojects in the solar development pipeline,” said CSIRO Senior Principal Research Scientist Dr Chris Vernon. “But one of the greatest risks to Australia’s solar ambitions and energy future is our reliance on overseas supply chains for solar cell technology.”

The Australian Silicon Action Plan sets out recommendations and actions to take across three horizons:

1. actions that can commence immediately to develop an integrated silicon and solar cell supply chain

2. actions focused on expanding Australia’s supply chain activity

3. actions that will lead to an integrated, low-carbon and circular solar cell supply chain in Australia.

“Australia has enormous potential when it comes to supplying solar power for its own and also the region’s energy needs, but our current reliance on concentrated silicon and solar cell supply chains poses risks to Australia’s energy independence,” Dr Vernon said.

Scientists Develop Long-Life Electrode Material for Solid-State Batteries Ideal for EVs

Scientists recently developed a positive electrode material that does not diminish after repeated charging cycles, for the manufacture of durable solid-state batteries.

Electric cars are widely regarded as the best bet to replace conventional cars with a more environment-friendly alternative. However, electric cars and other electric vehicles will most likely run on lithium-ion batteries, which do not deliver the necessary performance and durability at a reasonable price.

A team of scientists led by Professor Naoaki Yabuuchi of Yokohama National University in Japan, recently investigated a new type of positive electrode material with unprecedented stability in solid-state batteries.

When ball-milled down to an appropriate particle size in the order of nanometers, this material offers high capacity thanks to its large quantity of lithium ions, which can be reversibly inserted and extracted during the charge and discharge process.

The researchers analysed the origin of this property and concluded that it is the result of a fine balance between two independent phenomena that occur when lithium ions are inserted or extracted from the crystal.

“We anticipate that a truly dimensionally invariable material – one that retains its volume upon electrochemical cycling— could be developed by further optimising the chemical composition of the electrolyte,” Professor Yabuuchi said.

The development of long-life and high-performance solidstate batteries could be the answer to some of the problems faced by electric vehicles

“In the future, for instance, it may be possible to fully charge an electric vehicle in as little as five minutes,” Professor Yabuuchi said.

Synchrotron Scientist in Team that Makes Historic Meteorite Find

ANSTO’s own meteorite hunter—planetary and instrument scientist Dr Helen Brand—recently took part in an expedition that found the largest meteorite strewn field in Australia since the famous Murchison meteorite event in 1969.

The team worked in collaboration with Monash University and Curtin University’s Space Science and Technology Centre, and the support of the Bureau of Meteorology.

“It is quite exciting to be involved in this find, which took place in September. In the future, as part of the research plan, we will look at this meteorite on several of the synchrotron instruments to unlock the secrets of its journey through space as well as its history on the surface of our own planet.” said Dr Brand.

“As a meteorite, it is quite dark which reflects that it is fresh, fell to earth not that long ago,” she explained.

Freshly fallen meteorites have a distinctive black fusion crust formed when the object enters the atmosphere at extremely high temperatures.

However, the scientists were able to define a search area on the ground in an area north of Port Augusta. Over a period of several days 44 meteorites were recovered, totalling a little over 4kg in mass. The team estimated it weighed six tonnes when it entered the atmosphere in 2013.

“It is not a rare type of meteorite, but the quantity of meteorites could be substantial. After a very short search, we located about four kilograms but there could several more out there,” said Dr Brand.

Magnetism or No Magnetism? The Influence of Substrates on Electronic Interactions

Monash University researchers recently found how substrates affect strong electronic interactions in twodimensional metal-organic frameworks. Materials with strong electronic interactions can have applications in energy-efficient electronics. When these materials are placed on a substrate, their electronic properties are changed by charge transfer, strain, and hybridisation.

The study found that electric fields and applied strain could be used to ‘switch’ interacting phases such as magnetism on and off, allowing potential applications in future energyefficient electronics.These effects have uses in magnetic memory, spintronics, and quantum computing, and makes them appealing for emerging technologies.

“We observed this effect when the material was grown on silver, but not when it was grown on copper, despite them being very similar,” said Bernard Field, who is a co-author of the study.

“So that begged the question: why did the material behave so differently on different substrates?”

The researchers simulated the metal-organic framework, which allowed the team to quickly and easily explore a wider range of systems with fine control over the important parameters. The study also showed that applied strain could turn magnetism on and off. This could be achieved using piezoelectric materials. It is also an important consideration for flexible electronics.

“The team is continuing to investigate strong interactions in 2D metal-organic frameworks, which provide a rich platform to explore novel quantum physics applied for energy-efficient electronic devices,” said Professor Nikhil Medhekar, who is a corresponding author on the study.

Substrates can change the magnetic properties of 2D MOFs via three key variables: charge transfer (which can be controlled by electric fields), strain, or hybridisation.

Magnetic Material Mops up Microplastics in Water

A 2D metal-organic framework (MOF) on a substrate. Strong electronic interactions in the MOF allow local magnetic moments (arrows) to form in the molecules.

Researchers at RMIT University have found an innovative way to rapidly remove hazardous microplastics from water using magnets.

Lead researcher Professor Nicky Eshtiaghi said existing methods could take days to remove microplastics from water, while their cheap and sustainable invention achieves better results in just one hour.

The team have developed adsorbents, in the form of a powder, that remove microplastics 1,000 times smaller than those currently detectable by existing wastewater treatment plants.

The researchers have successfully tested the adsorbents in the lab, and they plan to engage with industry to further develop the innovation to remove microplastics from waterways.

“The nano-pillar structure we’ve engineered to remove this pollution, which is impossible to see but very harmful to the environment, is recycled from waste and can be used multiple times,” said Professor Eshtiaghi from the School of Engineering.

“This is a big win for the environment and the circular economy.”

Developing a cost-effective way to overcome the challenges posed by microplastics remains a critical task for researchers.

“Our powder additive can remove microplastics that are 1,000 times smaller than those that are currently detectable by existing wastewater treatment plants.”

“We are looking for industrial collaborators to take our invention to the next steps, where we will be looking at its application in wastewater treatment plants.” Professor Eshtiaghi said.

The research team worked with various water utilities across Australia, including Melbourne Water and Water Corporation in Perth on a recent Australian Research Council Linkage project to optimise sludge pumping systems.

Ali Abbas Announced as Australia's First Chief Circular Engineer

Professor Ali Abbas has become Australia’s first Chief Circular Engineer, after taking a new role at Circular Australia to accelerate the nation’s transition to a circular economy.

Professor Abbas, who is from the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Sydney, said he was honoured to be appointed into the role.

“I’m delighted to be joining Circular Australia as the first Chief Circular Engineer to support the critical work of removing barriers to an Australian circular economy by 2030.”

“The circular economy is a systems framework based on three principles—the elimination or ‘design out’ of waste and pollution, the circulation of products and materials at their highest value, and the regeneration of nature,” he said.

The Chief Executive at Circular Australia, Lisa McLean said the transition to a net zero circular economy is one of the biggest challenges of this generation.

“With science and innovation leading, Australia can deliver new industries and hundreds and thousands of jobs— positioning itself as a global circular economy powerhouse.”

“Circular Australia is excited to be working with Professor Abbas who is bringing fresh ideas and new approaches to traditional engineering practices and driving innovative design thinking for the new circular economy,” she said.

Decoupling economic activity from the consumption of finite resources, and designing waste out of the system is based on three principles: designing out waste and pollution; keeping products and materials in use; and regenerating natural systems. The value of the Australia circular economy is around $1.9 trillion.

Adventures in Nanotech: Growing a Metallic Snowflake

Scientists in New Zealand and Australia, who are working at the level of atoms recently created something unexpected: tiny metallic snowflakes.

Nanoscale structures (a nanometre is one billionth of a metre) can aid electronic manufacturing, make materials stronger yet lighter, or aid environmental clean-ups by binding to toxins.

To create metallic nanocrystals, scientists have been experimenting with gallium; a soft, silvery metal, which is used in semiconductors and, unusually, liquifies at just above room temperature.

The Australian team worked in the lab with nickel, copper, zinc, tin, platinum, bismuth, silver and aluminium. Metals were dissolved in gallium at high temperatures. Once cooled, the metallic crystals emerged while the gallium remained liquid.

Meanwhile, the New Zealand team carried out simulations of molecular dynamics to explain why differently shaped crystals emerge from different metals.

“What we are learning is that the structure of the liquid gallium is very important,” said Professor Nicola Gaston, who is from the University of Auckland.

“That’s novel because we usually think of liquids as lacking structure or being only randomly structured,” she explained. Interactions between the atomistic structures of the different metals and the liquid gallium cause differently shaped crystals to emerge, the scientists showed. The crystals included cubes, rods, hexagonal plates and the zinc snowflake shapes.

Professor Gaston believes the research has opened a new, unexplored pathway for metallic nanostructures. “There’s also something very cool in creating a metallic snowflake!”

This metallic snowflake is about 100 microns across, roughly the thickness of a human hair.

Protecting Coral Reefs and Extreme Weather on Earth and in Space: $4.8m in ARC Funding

Light-Based Tech Could Inspire Moon Navigation and Next-Gen Farming

Super-thin chips made from lithium niobate are set to overtake silicon chips in light-based technologies, according to world-leading scientists in the field, with potential applications ranging from remote ripening-fruit detection on Earth to navigation on the Moon.

They say the artificial crystal offers the platform of choice for these technologies due to its superior performance and recent advances in manufacturing capabilities.

RMIT University’s Distinguished Professor Arnan Mitchell and University of Adelaide’s Dr Andy Boes led this team of global experts to review lithium niobate’s capabilities and potential applications in the journal Science.

The international team, including scientists from Peking University in China and Harvard University in the United States, is working with industry to make navigation systems that are planned to help rovers drive on the Moon later this decade.

More than $4.8 million will be allocated to 10 research projects aiming to innovate and expand the University of Newcastle’s knowledge of the universe.

The researchers will tackle some key challenges, including managing the recovery of coral reefs from bleaching events, and improving the prediction of extreme space weather events, which pose an increasing threat to our technologically-dependent society.

In one project, $364,430 will be allocated for research for a new single-layer diamond, which is a new frontier of material research.

Preparation is still in infancy with many structures predicted possible even though they have not been made experimentally. The project will address a research gap towards synthesising new diamante-like nanostructures and developing an in-depth understanding of the chemically induced phase transformation.

Preliminary data points to both feasibility and impact for discovering new materials and technologies, which will bring foreseeable scholarly, economic, and social benefits.

In another project, $268,080 has been allocated to analyse Australian clays as raw materials of slow-release phosphate fertiliser.

It will then develop activated clays using Australian raw clay minerals to formulate effective slow-release phosphate fertilisers. The project will be led by Professor Ravi Naidu; Dr Bhabananda Biswas; and Dr Tom Cresswell.

Discovery Projects is the scheme for fundamental research and the largest scheme, which provides funding of between $30,000 and $500,000 each year for up to five consecutive years.

The 2022 ARC Discovery Projects scheme forms part of the University of Newcastle’s commitment to learning about the environment, and how to protect it.

As it is impossible to use global positioning system (GPS) technology on the Moon, navigation systems in lunar rovers will need to use an alternative system, which is where the team’s innovation comes in.

By detecting tiny changes in laser light, the lithiumniobate chip can be used to measure movement without needing external signals, according to Mitchell.

“This is not science fiction – this artificial crystal is being used to develop a range of exciting applications. And competition to harness the potential of this versatile technology is heating up,” said Mitchell, Director of the Integrated Photonics and Applications Centre.