Major Research Areas
ELECTROCHEMICAL ENGINEERING AND BATTERY RESEARCH
M Skyllas-Kazacos, B Welch
Aluminium electrolysis in molten cryolite, inert anodes and anode effect reduction studies. Vanadium redox cell development and demonstration in electric vehicles and solar houses. Novel vanadium bomide redox flow cell development. Membrane modification and electrode activation studies, novel materials for lithium battery applications (in conjunction with ANSTO researchers), conducting polymer electrodes, conducting plastic electrodes for battery applications, copper and zinc electrowinning, electrode kinetics and mechanistic studies.
ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY AND
POLLUTION CONTROL
P Crisp, T Tran, AG Fane
Environmental monitoring and the development of improved techniques for pollution control: air pollution; analysis of odours; measurement of individual PCB compounds; chlorinated aromatics in mineral oils; membrane introduction mass spectrometry; forensic chemistry.
FOOD CHEMISTRY
NA Lee, JD Craske
The principal goals are to quantify the chemical deterioration of foods, especially lipids, during processing and storage; to characterise the nature of flavours and off-flavours in foods and beverages; and to characterise the nature of natural food constituents. Some current projects include:
Lipid deterioration during deep fat frying
Flavour components of fragrant rice cultivars
Food aroma constituent research
Flavour components of fried foods
Flavour components of Australian bush foods
Flavour components of varietal honeys
Starch chemistry and technology
Properties of wheat and flour in relation to end product quality
FOOD, AGRICULTURAL and ENVIRONMNETAL CHEMISTRY
NA Lee
The principle goals are to identify and isolate biomarkers, design and develop affinity biomolecules and novel In-Vitro Diagnostic (IVD) technologies such as immunoassays, affinity sensors and antibody arrays for monitoring of food, agricultural and environmental contaminants and toxins or food nutrients and other bioactive compounds; applying these technologies in food safety research concerning modern issues such as mycotoxins, food allergies and endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs). Some current projects include:
Identification and isolation of specific biomarkers from fungal resistance cultivars for control of mycotoxins by enhancing cultivar selection capacity
Identification and isolation of novel biomarker(s) for food spoilage yeasts and development of food spoilage yeast screening immunoassay
Development of novel multiplex rapid tests
Mycotoxin surveillance surveys in developing countries using IVD technology
Development of magnetized polymers and molecularly imprinted polymers for applications in sensors and chromatography
Development of novel tests for EDCs based on IVD and imprinted polymer technologies
Study EDCs in rural and urban water recourses and their potential effects on human health
FOOD ENGINEERING
RH Driscoll, JL Paterson, G Srzednicki
The principal goals of food engineering research are to determine the thermo-physical and rheological properties of a range of food systems and food ingredients; to examine fundamental and applied aspects of grain, vegetable and crop storage and drying; process control of food processing operations; and develop computer models of food processing unit operations and of quality changes during processing. Some current projects include:
Rheological properties of foods and ingredients
Thermophysical properties of foods
Drying of grains using fluidised bed and in-store systems
Optimisation of quality of dried cherries
Simulation and control of evaporators
Bakery oven design, computer modelling and assessment
Processing aspects of folate for fortification of cereal foods
Viability of dried lactic acid bacteria
Rheology of lactic acid bacteria in milk
Extrusion of cereal foods
FOOD MICROBIOLOGY
GH Fleet, JM Cox
The principal goals of the food micro-biology research program are to develop fundamental knowledge and understanding about the ecology, growth and biochemical activities of microorganisms associated with foods and beverages, and to apply this information to the management of food safety and food spoilage, the production of fermented foods and beverages, the use of microorganisms as potential sources of food ingredients and processing aids, to quality evaluation and hazard analysis. Parallel to these goals are programs to evaluate and develop modern systems for the detection, enumeration and identification of microorganisms in foods. Current projects in food microbiology include:
Wine microbiology
Yeasts, lactic acid bacteria, acetic acid bacteria, bacteriophages, bioreactor technology
Microbiological safety of salad vegetables
Yeasts as spoilage organisms, sources of ingredients for food processing
Microbiology of dairy products
Investigation of properties of foodborne pathogens
Salmonella, Listeria, Bacillus cereus, Yersinia enterocolitica and enterohaemorraghic Escherichia coli
Rapid and molecular methods for detection, enumeration, identification, and differentiation of microorganisms associated with foods
Probiotic microorganisms for humans and poultry
FOOD PROCESSING
JL Paterson, RH Driscoll, KA Buckle
The principal goals of research in food processing are to examine the effects of processing variables on food quality and stability; to study food preservation by application of hurdle technologies; and to develop commodity technologies for application in the food industry.
Areas of interest include:
Cereal and legume processing, composition and functional properties
Vegetable, fruit and seafood dehydration
Fishery and cereal waste utilisation
Quality changes during processing
Microencapsulation of probiotic organisms
FOOD REFRIGERATION
T Pham, J Paterson
Projects in this area include: Chilling and Freezing of Foods. Mechanical Stresses and Structural Damage during Food Freezing. Heat and Mass Transfer during Refrigeration. Computational Fluid Dynamics modelling of Refrigeration Processes. Modelling and Optimization of Refrigeration Systems.
HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER
T Pham
Basic Heat and Mass Transfer - prediction and measurement of thermal properties and transfer coefficients, development of fast numerical methods in heat and mass transfer, mixed forced and free convection, combined heat and mass transfer; food industry applications - refrigeration and thermal processing of foods, microwave drying and treatment of foods, simulation and optimisation of food plants.
MEMBRANE PROCESSES (UNESCO CENTRE FOR MEMBRANE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY)
A Fane, D Wiley, V Chen, G Leslie
Fundamental and applied membrane research. Membrane fabrication; conducting membranes, dynamic membranes, hydrogel coatings; membrane system & module design and control; membrane characterisation, ultrafiltration, microfiltration, nanofiltration; desalination of brackish water; ion separation; pervaporation, membrane distillation; liquid membranes; membrane bioreactors; water treatment; environmental applications; waster water redemption.
MINERALS AND ENERGY
T Tran, J Stubington, F Lucien, M Skyllas-Kazacos, R Amal, G Bickert
Hydrometallurgical processing of minerals to produce value-added products, Fundamental aspects of leaching, electrowinning, cementation, precipitation and metal recovery by solvent extraction and ion exchange resins. Energy research is undertaken on fossil fuel utilisation, with particular emphasis on Australian coals and natural gas. Current work includes pressurised fluidised bed combustion, coal combustion, pyrolysis and gasification, optimisation of natural gas burners for high efficiency with low emissions and biomass utilisation. Vanadium Redox Batteries for renewable energy storage.
NUTRITION
J Arcot, H Greenfield
The principal goals are to increase knowledge and understanding of food nutrients and other bioactive compounds and properties of foods, to develop and test nutritionally modified foods in line with dietary guidelines, and to increase knowledge and understanding of the relationship of food nutrients to health and chronic disease. Some current projects include:
Food nutrients - vitamins, bioactive food components, micronutrient bioavailability from fortified foods (particularly folic acid), use of stable bioisotope techniques in assessing bioavailability of nutrients in humans, role of milk inhuman nutrition, especially peak bone mass formation
Nutritional epidemiology - role of food composition data, impact of nutrient composition data on national dietary references, calcium and vitamin D status of adolescents
Modern methods of nutrient analysis - ELISA, microbiological assay of vitamins
PARTICLE AND CATALYSIS
G Bushell, R Amal, MP Brungs, A Smith, T Tran, G Bickert
DL Trimm, MS Wainwright
Synthesis and application of nanoparticles and nanomaterials. Flame synthesis of nanoparticles with controlled characteristics. Synthesis and application of metal-doped photocatalysts. Functionalized nanoparticles for bioseparation. Nanostructured catalysts. Packing, flow, and processing properties of nanoparticles. Development of techniques for flocs characterisation. Coagulation and flocculation. Modelling and simulation of particulate processes. Development of catalytic converters for odour abatement. H2S removal with simultaneous recovery of hydrogen and sulphur. Methanol synthesis using Raney/Copper catalysts. Leaching of Raney/Copper catalysts. Car exhaust catalysts. Improving solid liquid separation through floc optimisation. Fundamentals of the high density sludge process for acid mine drainage. Solid waste classification and disposal. Biosensor development. Co-production of H2 in the photodegradation of organic pollutants in water.
POLYMER CHEMISTRY AND ADVANCED POLYMER ARCHITECTURES (CENTRE FOR ADVANCED MACROMOLECULAR DESIGN)
TP Davis, C Barner-Kowollik, M Stenzel
Advanced polymerization control with expertise in living free radical polymerization and condensation polymerization. Free radical polymerization kinetics and laser-induced polymerization. UV polymerizations and surface coatings. New polymers for membranes applications. Complex macromolecular architecture such as star and brush polymers. Surface modification of polymers - plasma polymerization. Modified polypeptides and biosensor applications. Biomaterials and biocompatibility - especially contact lens polymers (hydrogels). Development of solid phases for combinatorial chemistry applications. Computer modelling of polymerization reactions. The leading facility for molecular weight analysis in Australia with four gel permeation chromatographs with on-line viscometric and light scattering detectors together with MALDI mass spectrometry. Polymers for therapeutic applications - polymeric pharmaceuticals. Polymerization in supercritical media.
POLYMER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
RP Burford, RP Chaplin
Elastomer filler applications in rubber and plastics; thermal analysis of elastomer
and plastics; interpenetrating polymer networks, fracture toughness of polymer composites and thermoplastics; conducting polymers, conducting polymer membranes, structure property relationships of optical polymers; rigid-rigid polymer blends.
POSTHARVEST TECHNOLOGY OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
JE Paton, KJ Scott
The principal goals are to develop improved handling and storage technologies, through fundamental and applied research, into the mechanisms and metabolic processes responsible for ripening, senescence, physiological disorders, decay and quality changes.
Current projects include:
Modified atmosphere packaging systems
Edible coatings
Biological control
Application of UV radiation for ethylene removal
PROCESS MODELLING, CONTROL AND OPTIMIZATION
T Pham, J Bao, DE Wiley, A Adesina, DJ Clements
Modelling and optimization of chemical processes, advanced computer control, application of artificial intelligence. Current research projects include: applications of genetic algorithms and computational fluid dynamics in chemical engineering; integrated approach to process modelling and robust control; decentralized control; active time-varying control of membrane separation processes; modelling of food refrigeration systems and cryosurgery.
REACTOR ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
A Adesina, F Lucien
Activities are concentrated in 4 areas of reactor engineering: development of new process reactors to minimize energy consumption and waste products such as catalytic distillation, membrane reactors and photocatalytic processes; synthesis and evaluation of novel catalysts to accentuate reaction rates and/or provide alternative facile pathways in a variety of commercially-important chemistries viz; natural gas conversion to olefins, synthetic fuels, solar-aided waste reduction and recovery; mathematical analysis and optimization tools to decipher regions for improved process performance (this includes application of computational fluid dynamics, statistical techniques and functional analysis, to various chemicalreactive systems); and high-pressure reaction processes.
SENSORY ANALYSIS/PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
JE Paton
The principal goals are to develop trained panels for assessment of food quality and to aid in product development; and to develop innovative value-added food products.
Areas of interest include:
Consumer testing for monitoring product consistency and shelf life
Factors affecting sensory perception
Factors affecting food choice and consumption
New product development and assessment
SUPERCRITICAL FLUID TECHNOLOGY
N Foster
The application of supercritical fluid technology for novel processing methods, eg. extraction of pesticides, fragrances, and for the formation of novel drug delivery systems.
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Description of Laboratory Facilities
Adsorption
Test rig for evaluation of activated carbons
Analytical
Ion Chromatograph (Anion and Cation)
Varian UV and Visible Spectrophotometers
Varian Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometers
Radiometer automatic titrimeter
Olympus microscopes
Specific ion electrodes and meters
Water quality laboratory
XRD
Computing
45 P-based workstations, consist of Pentium II and Pentium III machines
Cobalt 60 Irradiation Facility
Gamma dose rate:
10cms from the source, 80 K rads/hr
20cms from the source, 30 K rads/hr
30cms from the source, 13 K rads/hr
Electrochemistry
Hewlett Packard Model 370 Electrochemical monitor
Vector MZ Microcomputer and plotter
Pine Instruments RDE3 Potentiostats
Pine Instruments Rotating Ring-Disc System
Exact 121A Function Generator
High temperature and ambient temperature electrochemical test cells
PAR potentiostat/galvanostat and pulse programmer system
Controlled Atmosphere Glove Box
Battery test equipment - Christie GASP1; 1 KW power supply and load etc.
Rickon-Denshi 2-pen X, Y - t recorders; chart recorders
Computer interfaced and electrochemistry software for chronopotentiometry, current reversal chrono and cyclic voltammetry
NEC and CGS computers and printers
TEKTRONIX digital storage oscilloscope
UTAH potentiostat and sweep generator
Wavetek 75 Arbitrary Waveform Generator
Elemental Analysis
Coking and caking power
Gieseler plasticity and Audibert-Arnu dilatometer
Specific energy adiabatic and isothermal calorimeter
Ash fusion
Gaseous fuels
Component identification by chromatographs, paramagnetic oxygen and infra-red analysers. Chemi luminescence NO analyser
Specific energy calorimeter
Food Science and Technology
A range of equipment is available for microbiological, chemical and physical analysis of foods or analytes associated with foods. These include:
Gas chromatography
Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry
High performance liquid chromatography
Protein analysis
Fat analysis
Impedance technology
Semi-automated microbial identification systems
Anaerobic culture workstation
Atomic absorption
Controlled atmospheres
Rheology; rotational viscometer, vibrational viscometer, texture analyser and Rapid Visco Analyser
Multidetection microplate reader with a dual-mode cuvette port
Microscopes with fluorescence (normal phase and inverted)
Image analysis station
Pilot plant
Fruit and legume drying facilities
Fuel Technology
Facilities are available for the character-isation of solid, liquid and gaseous fuels
Gas/Liquid and Gas/Solid Simulation
High volume air supply for simulation
(4 m s at 20 kPa)
High pressure air supply (1 m s at 200 kPa)
Gas Monitoring
Isokinetic stack gas sampling of odour concentrations by VEPA "Dynamic Olfactometry" technique
High Temperature Materials
Resistance heated furnaces
Pye induction heater
Shimadzu Microhardness tester
Metallurgy, petrography laboratory
High temperature stability test equipment
Controlled gas atmosphere furnaces
Membrane Fabrication and Technology
Bench and pilot scale membrane test equipment for VF, MF, NF, RO
On-Site membrane test rig for industrial evaluations
Constant flux and permeate test equipment
Coulter, Porometer for pore size analysis
Langmuir Blodgett trough for thin flim deposition
Pilot scale controlled membrane facility
GPC
HPLC
TOC
Surface charge analyses
Viscometers
Direct Observation through Membrane (DOTM)
Image analysis
Capilliary electrophoresis
Membrane distillation rig
Smart module test cells
CFD analysis
Particle and Catalysts
15 Gas solid reactors suitable for catalyst evaluation at temperatures to 1000 degrees celsius and pressures up to 1500 psi
3 Cahn electronic microbalances
25 Gas chromatographs
2 HPLC's
Research infra-red spectrometer
Quadruple mass spectrometer
Computer-controlled high pressure rigs
Particle size analysis from 1 nm to 1 cm
Surface area and porosity by gas adsorption-desorption
Automated mercury porosimetry
TGA/DTA/DSC facilities
Temperature programmed adsorption, desorption and reaction
Image analyser
Zeta potential analyser
Extensive computer facilities
Measurement of Electrostatic Charge in dry Powders
Fractal Dimension Analysis
Particle Charge Measurement
Zeta potential analysis
Faraday Gauge for measurement of total charge due to particles in a duct Electrostatic Charge Classifier for measurement of charge on particles travelling in a gas stream
Particle Size Analysis
Laser Diffraction Pattern Analysis
1 µm - 500 µm
Photon Correlation Spectroscopy
0.01 µm - 3 µm
Image Analysis
Sedigraph 0.1 µm - 100 µm
Horiba Centrifugal Particle Sizer
0.1 µm - 10 µm
Counter 1 µm - 50 µm
TSI Aerodynamic Particle Sizer
0.5 µm - 20 µm
Condensation Nuclei Counter
Galai Image Analysis System
Pilot Plant
General purpose, direct digitally controlled all-glass pilot plant comprising reactor, distillation column and liquid-liquid separation column. Programmable labview control interface allowing datalogging and process control. Suitable for process experimentation.
Polymer
2 Parr Batch Reactors
2 Stainless Steel Low Pressure 1 litre Reactors
Acrylamide Polymerization Reactor
Polymer Characterisation
Du Pont 983 Dynamic Mechanical Analyser
Waters 200 High Temperature GPC
Waters 300 Ambient Temperature GPC/Shimadzu R3A Chromatograph
Hitachi 270 Infra-red spectrometer
Gow-Mac Liquid Chromatograph
Waters Liquid Chromatograph
2 x Hewlett Packard Research Gas Chromatographs
Dupont Thermogravimetric Analyser
Dupont Differential Scanning Calorimeter/Thermal Analyser
Perkin Elmer 8410 Capillary Gas Chromatograph
Bruker IFS66/S FT-NIR/IR Spectrometer
Perkin Elmer DSC 7
NIMA DTS 9005 Dynamic Surface Tensiometer
Varian Saturn 2100 GC/MS Gas Chromatograph / Mass Spectrometer
Shimazu GPC Systems
Thermo Finnigan LCQDECA Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer HPLC System
Plasma Tech V-15-GL Plasma Reactor
Leica DM LB Polarising Optical Microscope
Pulsed Laser Polymerisation [PLP]
Perkin Elmer Pyris 1 TGA Thermogravimetric Analyzer
Cary 300 UV-VIS Spectrophotometer
Polymer Processing Properties
Instron 1111 Travel Tensile Tester
Instron 1115 Universal Tensile Tester
Instron 1026 Elastomer Tensile Tester
Boy 15S Injection Moulding Machine
Haake Processability Tester
Monsanto Cure Rheometer, MPV Model
2 x Mooney Viscometers
Compression Moulding Machine
2 x Roll Mills plus mixers etc. for rubber processing
Toyoseiki Melt Flow Indexer
Instron Sample Oven, 3111 Model
Process Control Pilot Plants and Control System
Fully instrumented and computer controlled pressure driven membrane separation process
Computer controlled heat transfer apparatus
ABB MOD 300 Distributed Control System
Reactor Engineering Facilities
A state-of-the art computer-controlled Shimadzu HPLC-GPC-ion chromatography system
Several gas chromatographs (FID, TCD)
A 2-litre high pressure mechanically-stirred Parr Reactor (computer-controlled) for multiphase catalytic reaction investigation
Shimadzu 5000 TOC analyzer
Lab-scale fluidised bed reactors
Catalytic membrane reactor
Pilot-scale bubble column reactors
(ca. 20L capacity)
1-litre high pressure stainless steel air-spared slurry reactor for waste detoxification
Temperature-programmable HT furnace
UV/Visible Spectrophotometer
(190-1100 nm)
Dedicated temperature-programmable capillary gas chromatograph
Automated catalyst characterization unit
Thermogravimetric analysis system
Combinatorial catalysis rig
Dedicated FTIR spectrophotometer
Reactors
Small fluidised bed reactors are available for the manufacture of char
Several reactors are available for studying the devolatilization of coal (or other organic material)
Surface area particle size analysis and mercury porosimetry facilities to characterise the physical properties of coals and chars are available in the School
A Cahn electronic balance and a fluidised bed combustor are available for research projects
Furnaces for spontaneous heating studies
Sedimentation
Data logged continuous sedimentation test unit
Temperature
Facilities are also available for high
temperature
Measurement: measurement
(optical, infra-red)
Suction pyrometer calibration
Surface temperature
Faculty Units
(free and unrestricted areas)
Faculty Workshop
Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopes
Image Analysis
Mehanical and Electronic Design
Photographic and Scientific Illustration
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Further Information
Postgraduate Research Coordinator
School of Chemical Sciences & Engineering
Associate Professor John Stubington
Tel: +61 2 9385 4338
Fax: +61 2 9385 5966
Email: pgrcoord.ceic@unsw.edu.au
Web site: http://www.ceic.unsw.edu.au
