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Flinders Focus on Nanotechnology

Material research themes - creating and collaborating

Making better steel
Rolling oil used when making steel sheets can leave a nanolayer residue leading to potential surface imperfections. In this project, researchers are examining what interactions take place on the steel surface, with a view to enhancing the performance of high-tech coatings such as Zincalume® and Colorbond®.

Our partners: BHP Steel, Quaker Chemicals (Australasia), University of Wollongong.

Durable sealants
In the mid 1990s, Flinders was asked to experiment with the properties of existing silicone materials to see if a new range of even more flexible and durable materials could be created, initially for use as sealants but with an open-ended charter beyond that. Nine international patents have been granted and five others are pending.

Our partner: Dow Corning Corporation R&D Laboratories, Wales.

Transparent coatings
Researchers are examining how the use of silicon-based compounds can create polymer coatings that are completely transparent and have significantly improved physical and thermal qualities, including reduced flammability and the ability to resist abrasion or withstand a wide range of temperature.

Our partners: Vienna University of Technology, Monash University.

Taint-free wine
A new coating technology could prevent wine taint by reducing the migration of the natural compound trichloroanisole (TCA) from cork to bottle (importantly, without diminishing the cork’s effectiveness or appearance). Two international patents have been granted on the technology and a new product is awaiting release.

Our partners: Carlton & United Breweries, Vinpac International.

Innovations in plastic
Flinders is part of the national Polymer Composites Technology Diffusion Program, under which collaboration partner the University of Southern Queensland has set up a $10 million research facility. One of its most exciting initiatives is the building of Australia’s – and possibly the world’s – first completely plastic bridge in Toowomba.

Our partners: Composites Institute of Australia, University of Southern Queensland.

Growing calcium
Medical research has shown that natural proteins in the human body control the intracrystalline growth of calcium and scientific researcher shows that complex silicates can be created in a similar fashion. A new project is combining the two discoveries to investigate whether inorganic materials can be created from solution.

Our partner: Flinders Medical Centre.

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