University Spotlight - Edith Cowan University

Edith Cowan University: West Is Best When It Comes to Results in Materials Science

Source: Sally Wood

Edith Cowan University (ECU) is Australia’s leading public university for student experience. Edith Cowan University (ECU) is Australia’s leading public university for student experience. Pupils highly endorse ECU for its teaching quality, academic resources, skills development, and the overall undergraduate experience. Professor Steve Chapman is ECU’s Vice-Chancellor, who said the university seeks to lead the educational experience across both physical and virtual learning environments.

“I am heartened to see these results—the fact that in the midst of the pandemic our international undergraduate students rated their ECU study experience so highly— reflects the extremely hard work and collaboration that all our staff put in to prioritising the student experience,” he explained. The university boasts three stateof-the-art campuses across Western Australia—each offering a vibrant place for studying and learning. It also offers a vast array of courses and research opportunities.

Materials Science Leading ECU’s Point of Difference

Researchers are committed to uncovering the next generation of Australia’s sharpest, smartest, lightest, strongest, and greenest materials. At the Materials Research Group, interdisciplinary research teams design, synthesise, and characterise a range of new materials. Researchers work across lightweight alloys, and their composites; functional nanomaterials; corrosion behaviour materials; and biomaterials. The university offers four key themes under the Materials Research Group: 1. 3D printed metallic materials 2. Biomedical titanium alloys and composites 3. Nanocrystalline lightweight alloys 4. Nanomaterials for water treatment

Across these four areas, researchers are partnered with end-users who need solutions to their complex problems. The Group uses many advanced techniques for its research. These include atom probe tomography; x-ray diffraction; thermal analysis; and transmission electron microscopy.

Together, this research offering seeks to bridge the gap between knowledge and practice; discover new and efficient materials; avoid fatigue and corrosion; and position Australia as greener and smarter materials powerhouse. For example, the university recently scored a state government grant to design technology that teaches defence force robots to read hand gestures. Working alongside leading artificial Intelligence companies, ECU researchers want to replace remote controls, which are currently used by defence personnel, with unmanned machines and hand gestures. The team will be led ECU’s Dr Syed Zulqarnain Gilani, and will incorporate the latest materials science thinking to work with robotics companies, and technologies manufacturers. “Optimising the present-day utility of robotics technology in the Australian Defence Force requires integrating robots into the human operating environment where they can be at least partially controlled by a human operator,” Dr Gilani said. ECU encourages support from students and industry who are seeking solutions in the materials science space.

From The Laboratory to The Real World

Konica Minolta Australia delivers 3D printing, software, services, and robotics based on demand from the local market. The company uses its position in the supply chain to connect people and businesses with high-end outputs. In 2018, Konica Minolta was awarded the Human Rights Award in Business by the Australian Human Rights Commission. ECU directly benefits from its partnership with Konica Minolta. Researchers have access to three advanced 3D printers worth more than $400,000. The technology can produce stronger and lighter parts that are fully functional from design to production within 72 hours. Dr Ana Vafadar is using one of the devices, the Markforged Metal X, for the design and manufacture of innovative heat exchangers. She said the collaboration is part of ECU’s commitment to an advanced additive manufacturing hub for local industry. "This advanced manufacturing method has significant potential to facilitate the development of highefficiency heat exchangers due to the complex, geometric freedom this manufacturing technique offers,” Dr Vafadar said. There no one-size-fits-all approach to 3D printing. As such, ECU researchers are seeking to be at the forefront of technology with multiple machines to ensure the best experience. Matthew Hunter works in the innovation of products at Konica Minolta, where he said the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for manufacturing processes to be brought back onshore. "Helping ECU build its advanced manufacturing hub by providing 3D printing equipment, as well as collaborating on training and engagement days, will assist Konica Minolta in demonstrating the value that additive manufacturing has in the local market," he said. Microplastics are one of the most significant and serious pollutants in Australian waters. These tiny particles travel from kitchen and bathroom sinks, showers, and other drainage systems, and enter the ocean. They are often confused as seaweed or algae among sea life. Dr Masoumeh Zargar from ECU’s School of Engineering is investigating new ways to remove dangerous microplastics from water supplies thanks to a prestigious Australian Research Council (ARC) grant. Her research will support ongoing work on developing new types of membrane filters for use in water treatment plants to remove microplastics from water supplies. “Microplastics have multiple known and potentially numerous unknown environmental and health risks. Around 10% of all plastics we produce pollute the marine environment and can cause enormous damage to the ecosystem of oceans” she said. “Unfortunately, our existing wastewater treatment plants aren’t properly designed to remove these tiny particles from water so they either end up in our oceans, rivers and lakes or even in our drinking water.” As a recipient of the Discovery Early Career Researcher Award, Dr Zargar’s research will attract over $410,000 across the next three years. The research will combine advanced structural and surface modification techniques including the use of nanotechnology, together with innovative analysis of prototypes. This will provide fresh insights into the development of large-scale integrated membrane systems in industry. Professor Caroline Finch is ECU’s Deputy ViceChancellor (Research), who welcomed the ARC’s round of funding. “This research tackles an important issue affecting our environment and the health and wellbeing of Australians and potentially people around the world.” “The combination of innovative engineering solutions to a complex environmental problem is an outstanding example of the world class research happening at ECU,” Professor Finch explained. The research project will also fund the scholarship for one PhD student, and bring a suite of international partners from the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Qatar to the table.

Dr-Masoumeh-Zargar