Nanotechnology - Flinders Focus, Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia



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Flinders Focus on Nanotechnology

Our People

Nanotechnology at Flinders is driven by teams led by exceptional individuals. A few of their accomplishments and interests are detailed here.

Dr Martin Johnston (Molecular Design)
Generally we are interested in the construction and investigation of porphyrin containing supramolecular or nanotechnology systems. These range from host/guest complexes to electron transfer reactions, molecular switches and capsule formation. The utilisation of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) as a characterisation technique is also of interest.”

For more information visit my web page on the School of Chemistry, Physics and Earth Sciences (SoCPES) web site.

Prof Jani Matisons (Material)
Professor Janis Matisons is the Chair of Nanotechnology at Flinders University, and has been involved in applied chemical research since 1976 specialising in materials, polymer and silicon-based research over the last 8 years.

He is the Chief and Founding Editor of the new journal, Silicon Chemistry, and has published close to 400 scientific and conference articles.

He has participated in 12 industry-academic collaborative grants in the last 8 years as the principal investigator, resulting in over a dozen patents, the formation of two spin off companies, and the launch of 66 products into the marketplace. The first spin of company, Flexichem has now grown to be Australia’s largest silicon materials manufacturer.

As director of the Polymer Science Group, the group coordinated the successful implementation of over $9.4 million of research funding over the previous 8 years and grew to become Australia’s largest polymer research group in 2001. Funding has come from not only Australian companies, but multinationals based in the USA, Europe and Japan.

Last year he moved to Flinders University to pursue his main research interests in nanotechnology, where he now directs a new and steadily growing group of 14 staff/students.

His research interests have covered a broad spectrum of research disciplines; from the awarding of the William Culross prize for his early research in organometallic chemistry at Adelaide University, to the Royal Australian Chemical Institute’s recent Polymer Citation for excellence in silicon research and education.

He is a longstanding member of the American Chemical Society, the New York Academy of Sciences, the American Association of Science, a fellow of IUPAC (International Union for Pure and Applied Chemistry) and is the Australian Representative for the Macromolecular Division of IUPAC and also for ICTAC (International Conferation for Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry), as well as being a fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute.

For more information visit my web page on the School of Chemistry, Physics and Earth Sciences (SoCPES) web site.

Dr Joe Shapter (Surface Imaging)
“My main interest is in the area of surface science, in particular, the use of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to examine surfaces and surface processes on an atomic level. This is a relatively new technique that has the exciting feature of being able to resolve atomic-sized features. The general theme of the experiments in my lab is the examination, initially, and eventually the identification of matter on the molecular level. This identification will use rearrangements of adsorbed molecules through induced reactions (both intra- and inter molecular).”

For more information visit my web page on the School of Chemistry, Physics and Earth Sciences (SoCPES) web site.

Dr Nicholas Voelcker

Dr Nicolas Voelcker (Biodevices)
“I am interested in understanding the underlying principles of supramolecular interactions of proteins, DNA and RNA. I am also interested in understanding interactions of biomolecules on the interface of materials and fluids. Therefore, research in my lab is based on biomacromolecular synthesis, biophysical characterization of synthesized biomolecules and their solution dynamics upon engaging in supramolecular interactions. The marriage of biosupramolecular chemistry and advanced material science leads to application-driven projects on biosensors, protein/DNA chips, biomaterials and drug-delivery systems.”

For more information visit my web page on the School of Chemistry, Physics and Earth Sciences (SoCPES) web site.

Dr Amanda V. Ellis (Microfluidics and Nanofluidics)
"My interests are focussed on the use of polymeric materials impregnated with conductive species for the electrical control of fluid flow in microfluidic and nanofluidic channels. The devices fabricated will have a gamete of uses from analysis of Resveratrol in wine to single molecule transport."

For more information visit my web page on the School of Chemistry, Physics and Earth Sciences (SoCPES) web site.

Dr Jamie Quinton
"I am particularly interested in understanding the physics and chemistry of surfaces and interfaces. With an understanding of how atoms and molecules behave on them, surfaces can be altered to enhance their properties as desired. My research team is currently modifying the surfaces of carbon (graphite, pyrolised photoresist films, nanotubes), glasses and metals with plasmas of various gas species for high technological applications such as for example, sensors, molecular electronics, anticorrosion coatings and energy-saving light sources."

For more information visit my web page on the School of Chemistry, Physics and Earth Sciences (SoCPES) web site.

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