UQ Research centre for the 21st century

A new research centre to be launched at The University of Queensland today will develop a new generation of smart materials for technology revolutions in the 21st century.

The NanoMaterials Centre at the University's St Lucia campus in Brisbane conducts a wide range of basic and applied research on new materials made of building blocks of the size of a 'nanometer' - that is one billionth of a meter.

Nanomaterials are used to develop super sorbents and catalysts, sensors and high-efficient fuel cells, facilitating potential revolutions in computing and communications technology, medicine, renewable energy and environmental technologies.

UQ Vice-Chancellor Professor John Hay says the NanoMaterials Centre brings together research expertise from a range of University schools and units, with 35 academic and research staff and PhD students.

'The Centre is a world leader in nanotechnology with significant research outcomes such as patents already,' Professor Hay said. 'The Centre aims to promote research and development of nanomaterials in Australia and internationally, and importantly to raise government and industry awareness about the potential of this 21st century technology.'

UQ Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Paul Greenfield, says nanotechnology is really about a thorough and inexpensive control of the structure of matter.

'Nanostructuring techniques are similar to those used by nature - presenting tremendous opportunities for creating new synthesis and processing methods,' Professor Greenfield said.

The Centre's Director, Professor Max Lu says there are three broad research programs being conducted in the centre:

1. Low dimensional nanomaterials for quantum-computing, smart sensors and energy storage applications
2. Thin films and membranes for gas-separation and sensing and fuel-cell applications; and
3. Nanoporous materials for advanced separation and catalysis, with applications in air-pollution control and wastewater treatment and water purification.

The NanoMaterials Centre was established in 2000 under a $450,000 per annum grant over three years from the Vice-Chancellor's Strategic Initiatives Fund and matching funds from other sources. The Centre was officially launched by the Queensland Minister for Innovation and Information Economy, Paul Lucas, today, Friday April 27 at the University's St Lucia campus.

For more information contact Max Lu on telephone (07) 3365 3735 or Peter McCutcheon at UQ Communications on telephone (07) 3365 1088, 0413 380012 or email: p.mccutcheon@mailbox.uq.edu.au