Student research opportunities

Bio-inspired nanocomposites

Project Code: CECS_926

This project is available at the following levels:
Masters, PhD
Please note that this project is only for higher degree (postgraduate) applicants.

Keywords:

Nanocomposites, nanomaterials

Supervisor:

Assoc Professor Takuya Tsuzuki

Outline:

Natural materials such as bones and nacre have a unique ability to be highly strong and at the same time highly flexible to deformation. They consist of plate-shape bio-ceramic nanoparticles that are connected with soft protein molecules in the form of equally spaced layered structures [1]. This unique nanocomposite structure gives rise to the remarkable mechanical properties (toughness of several orders of magnitudes larger than the ceramic tablets themselves) while being extremely light weight. Such bio-inspired nanocomposites find many applications as a novel class of structural materials for automobiles and airplanes to increase energy efficiency. They also have wide ranging applications as biomedical materials and implants.

Conventional methods to synthesise nanomaterials (precipitation, sol-gel synthesis, or hydrothermal methods) have difficulty in producing agglomeration-free platey nanoparticles. A novel method, salt-assisted dry mechanochemical processing, is a unique technique that has been developed in Australia for the production of shaped nanoparticles [2].

This project aims to develop novel types of bio-inspired nanocomposite made with plate-shaped nanoparticles for structural and biomedical applications.

[1] M. J. Buehler, Nanotechnology 2007, 18, 295102 (9pp).
[2] P.G. McCormick, T. Tsuzuki, J.S. Robinson, J. Ding, Advanced Materials 2001, 13, 1008-1010.

Goals of this project

- Development of self-assembly techniques for nano-laminar composites
- Understanding of nanoparticle / binder-molecule interface
- Insight into stricture / property correlation in nano-laminar composites
- Gaining new knowledge on the failure mechanism of nano-laminar structures