Dr Amanda V. Ellis

Phone:	+61-8-8201-3104
Fax:	+61-8-8201-2905
E-mail:	amanda.ellis@flinders.edu.au
Postal:	School of Chemistry, Physics and Earth Sciences Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide 5001, Australia

See Publication List

 

Research Interests

My current research interests are in the areas of synthesis, assembly, and characterization of 2D and 3D nano-hybrid structures, with emphasis on exploring new materials and architectures for fabricating future micro- and nano-devices. Through this we aim to understand the relationships between atomic-level structure and chemistry, and properties.

Creating and characterising nano-hybrid structures

Creating nano-hybrid structures involves functionalising carbon nanotubes, nanoparticles and nanowires, through self-assembly, deposition, impregnation and surface/interface chemical/physical modification. These nanostructured materials afford novel properties for applications in technologies such as biosensors, magnetic storage, polymer composites and catalysis.

Microfluidics

Research in this area focuses on polymer based microfluidic devices for the analysis of individual components in complex systems using capillary electrophoresis. Such devices reduce analysis times, allow for high through-put screening, increase selectivity, lower cost, and decrease reagent consumption. A fundamental component of work in this area is developing a tunable surface for controlling the electro-osmotic flow within these device to further improved device performance. Some of the techniques used in these areas include, chemical vapour deposition, UV and thermal polymerisation, wet-chemical self-assembly, soft lithography, X-ray diffraction, capillary electrophoresis, various spectroscopies (e.g., NMR, XPS, UV-Vis, Fluorescence, IR, Raman), and various microscopies AFM, MFM, STM and electron microscopy (conventional and high resolution TEM). As well as, current monitoring, thermal analysis, in situ electrical measurements and mass-spectrometry.

 

Current Projects

Research projects that we are actively engaged include the following research areas:

Microfluidic based capillary electrophoretic devices – fabrication and control of electro-osmotic flow

Functionalisation of carbon nanotubes and metal oxide nanoparticles with chain transfer agents for Reversible Addition Fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerisations

Metal phosphide/carbon nanotubes studies of their magnetic and catalytic behaviour

Thioacylation reactions between functionalised carbon nanotubes and proteins

Raman spectroscopy in the identification of defect sites in carbon nanotubes

In situ synchrotron XRD, SAXs and EXAFs

Other interests include:

Solar cells and OLEDs

Commercialisation and application driven research

 

Professional Societies

ARC Australian Research Network for Advanced Materials (ARNAM) ECR/Student Management committee

ARC Australian Research Network for Advanced Materials (ARNAM) ECR/Student Working committee

Member of the Nanostructures and Molecular Interactions (NMI) ASRI Flinders University

Member of the Royal Society New Zealand (MRSNZ)

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