Chemical and Materials Engineering

Project 

Two students

The detection of protein and nucleic acid biomarkers in biological fluids (saliva, blood, urine) typically requires a series of lab based procedures and can include: centrifugation, extraction, mixing, incubation, aliquoting.

Role

This project will contribute to the development of a series of individual microfluidic and fluidic chips that perform various procedures. The longer term target is the development of an instrument that can be used within R&D labs.

The project will have 2 parts, and require 2 summer students to:
1. Develop the CAD models for
a. A generic reader device
b. Microfluidic chips
2. Fabrication of:
a. A generic reader using 3D printers
b. Microfluidic chips using the DSL mini-mill

Both tasks will be carried out under the guidance of design and production engineers at Digital Sensing Ltd.

Ideal students

The students should ideally have experience in design using CAD or SolidWorks, and the use of 3D printers. The students should also be apt to learn how to use SEM and optical microscopes.

Project 

Two students

The detection of protein and nucleic acid biomarkers in biological fluids (saliva, blood, urine) typically requires a series of lab based procedures and can include: centrifugation, extraction, mixing, incubation, aliquoting.

Role

This project will contribute to the development of a series of individual microfluidic and fluidic chips that perform various procedures. The longer term target is the development of an instrument that can be used within R&D labs.

The project will have 2 parts, and require 2 summer students to:
1. Develop the CAD models for
a. A generic reader device
b. Microfluidic chips
2. Fabrication of:
a. A generic reader using 3D printers
b. Microfluidic chips using the DSL mini-mill

Both tasks will be carried out under the guidance of design and production engineers at Digital Sensing Ltd.

Ideal students

The students should ideally have experience in design using CAD or SolidWorks, and the use of 3D printers. The students should also be apt to learn how to use SEM and optical microscopes.

Project 

The use of hydrogen as a clean energy carrier has grown fast in recent years as a potential solution to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors, such as long-haul transportation, metal making industry, and chemical stock etc. Water electrolysis is the key technology for industrial production of green hydrogen utilising renewable energy generated electricity.

This process takes place in water electrolysers such as alkaline water electrolysers, PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) electrolysers, and AEM (Anion Exchange membrane) electrolysers at an industrial scale, which will expand quickly in the coming decades to meet the neutral carbon emission goal by 2050.

Role and requirements

With expected fast scaling and deployment of water electrolysers domestically in NZ and globally, it is important to assess their environmental impacts and end of life analysis. To work on this project, the student must understand the basics of an electrolysis process, have knowledge of materials science, be competent in communicating with and collecting data from stakeholders (collaborating researchers from other institutions and industries). The student must have good sense of teamwork and is expected to work closely with a team from Civil engineering, to supply data for the LCA model.

Project 

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a widely used plastic, especially in packaging, with significant environmental challenges due to its persistence.

Role

This research addresses the challenges associated with PET waste by investigating dissolution-precipitation recycling, a method that efficiently generates high-quality recycled PET. Traditional organic solvents in this process are toxic and volatile, posing health and environmental risks.

To address these concerns, the study focuses on using green solvents called deep eutectic solvents (DESs) for PET dissolution. The approach involves using computational tools like COSMO-RS to predict and screen various DESs' thermodynamic properties to identify those with the most effective solubilizing power, followed by experimental validation.

Aim

The goal is to develop a cost-effective and eco-friendly PET recycling method, supporting a circular economy and promoting environmental sustainability.

Project 

This project aims to investigate the effect of the SLM processing parameters on the microstructure and mechanical properties of shape memory alloy Nitinol. The Nitinol alloy obtained the excellent superelasticity and shape memory properties due to the austenite and martensite transformation.

Role

We aim to understand the effect of the SLM processing parameters (such as laser power and laser scan speed) on the microstructure and the austenite/martensite transformation conditions, which leads to different superelasticity and shape memory properties.

Timing: 10 weeks

Required skills are:

• Microstructure analysis, including metal sample grinding and polishing. OM and SEM analysis
• Heat treatment, including using a vacuum oven and tube furnace
• Understanding basic mechanical testing such as microhardness and tensile tests.

Project 

A surgeon is working with the supervisors of this project to understand how best to manage a relatively frequent lumbar vertebra stress injury in professional cricketers.

Role

The surgeon has developed a novel method of treatment, and in this project we will establish if this method is biomechanically sound. To do this, a model of the lumbar spine will be utilised and the injury and treatment method will be simulated.

Project 

Growth deficiencies in the early developmental phase of an animal is a topic of great interest. While there continues to be a lot done studying the biology and chemistry involved in early developmental growth, much less is so for the possible biomechanical factors that may be involved. The growth plate in animals is a region where new bone formation takes place.

Role

In this study we aim to determine the mechanical properties of the growth plates in the long bones of lambs of different ages. The goal is to obtain these data and apply them (in future studies) to develop new biomechanical models that can simulate the effects of loading on new bone formation.

Project 

Rechargeable batteries are very efficient and reliable electrical energy storage devices. They play a critical role in transmitting and distributing electrical energy, especially with the introduction of electric vehicles in the last few decades.

Compared to lithium-ion batteries, aqueous batteries have been considered safer alternatives. However, aqueous batteries, including Mg-air, Zn-ion, and Ni-based batteries, exhibit low dissolution/deposition coulombic efficiency due to side reactions, where water contributes to self-corrosion and the formation of irreversible by-products.

Aims

This exploratory research project aims to creatively redesign the battery cell structure to mitigate these side reactions.

Requirements
Knowledge and experience with electrochemistry and 3D printing.

Project 

Cultivated meat, also known as lab-grown meat, primarily consists of skeletal muscle fibres derived from muscle satellite cells (MuSCs) taken from a live animal. It has the potential to address issues associated with traditional livestock farming, including environmental impact, animal welfare, food security, and human health.

The production of cultivated meat generally involves two steps: first, the expansion of MuSCs in a growth medium (GM), followed by their myogenic differentiation into muscle fibres in a differentiation medium (DM). However, a GM that can fully support the long-term growth of MuSCs while retaining their ability to differentiate into muscle fibres has not yet been developed, and this represents a significant technological hurdle to scaling up cultivated meat production.

Recently, we discovered several internal structural changes in MuSCs that occur during long-term expansion, and these changes were accompanied by a significant decrease in their ability to differentiate into muscle fibres. Based on these observations, we hypothesise that minimising these structural changes during long-term expansion will extend the growth period of MuSCs without compromising their differentiation ability.

Role

In this project, we aim to identify various chemical factors with the potential to mitigate these internal structural changes. We will select these factors through a comprehensive review of existing literature and analysis of publicly available RNA-sequencing data. These selected chemical factors will then be incorporated into our existing GM in different combinations and concentrations. We will then evaluate whether these additions can mitigate the structural changes, thereby prolonging the growth of functional MuSCs. This evaluation will involve assessing the gene expression profiles of tested cells, along with performing flow cytometry and transmission electron microscopy analyses.

Project 

Green hydrogen has been a promising solution to decarbonising transportation, electricity generation and industries. Among the existing methods of producing hydrogen, water electrolysis is considered to be the most eco-friendly method. Due to its high demand for deployment, the studies have been focused on scaling up, reducing the costs, and improving performance.

Role

Limited studies have been done on the life cycle of water electrolysers which could be valuable in estimating and identifying the environmental impacts and hotspots of producing hydrogen. Hence, this study aims to estimate and compare the environmental performance of three water electrolysers namely anion exhange membrane (AEM), proton exchange membrane (PEM) and alkaline electrolyser (AE).

In this research project, the student will conduct literature review and collaborate with external industry partners on collecting the life cycle inventory of AEM, PEM and AE. The research includes both desktop and lab activities.

Requirement

The student has to work on-campus (City and Newmarket) during the summer scholarship.