The School of Engineering has a number of established research strengths:
Light Metals
The light metals are aluminium, magnesium and titanium. They are used in engineering structures and components when weight is a critical design parameter. Light metals are a key instrument in the automotive industry's drive to lower weight to improve fuel efficiency and lower emissions in response to world environmental pressure. This is critical in the Australian context because the automotive and automotive component business is this country's largest value-added export industry. In addition, there is a well developed aluminium industry and a developing magnesium industry, particularly in Queensland. For these reasons, Light Metals is both a national and a state research priority. The light metal research at UQ concentrates on the net shape processing of aluminium, magnesium and titanium, particularly casting, solidification and powder processing. We have made particular contributions to solidification and sintering science, the control of grain size and impurities, aluminium and magnesium alloy design, rapid manufacturing, and alloys for hydrogen storage.
The activities combine strategic research published in the most important journals (including Science and Nature) and applied research with close industry interaction leading to multiple patents, commercialisation agreements and spin-off companies backed by venture capital. The research is supported by the CAST CRC and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Design in Light Metals.
Links to UQ research in Light Metals:
Nanomaterials
Nanotechnology aims to understand and exploit structures and phenomena at the nanoscale. Nanomaterials are materials constructed at the molecular level with nanoscale building blocks and possess much improved physical and chemical properties. These properties change with particle size, and can be controlled by manipulating the building blocks. Functional nanomaterials have essential functional properties that are useful in processes such as adsorption, ion-conduction, separation, catalysis, biomaterials and biosensing.
The ARC Centre for Functional Nanomaterials brings together expertise in the fields of nanostructured materials, thin films and membranes for gas separation and sensing, nanoporous materials for advanced separation and catalysis and polymeric nanocomposites.
Links to UQ research in Nanomaterials:
Mining and Minerals Technology
The strength of Mining and Minerals Technology at UQ is the diversity of research expertise and the ability to conduct industry relevant research. Research programs cover all aspects of the mining and minerals industry, from the detailed technical research that the Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre (JKMRC) has successfully undertaken for over 40 years, to the social and community research of the Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining (CSRM) which is quickly developing a significant reputation with industry. Added to this are research capabilities in mined land rehabilitation, health and safety, water, mining geology and smart machines and smart systems technology in the CRC Mining. Mining and Minerals has a global focus with strong international-based collaboration and engages with the mining industry on all continents. Funding for research projects typically comes directly from industry, though Cooperative Research Centres and from ARC Linkage Grants.
Links to UQ research in Mining and Minerals Technology:
Hypersonics
Hypersonic aerodynamics has been a major research activity at The University of Queensland for the last 20 years and is at the forefront of international research in rocket flight and aerodynamics. This research focuses on both the simulation of superorbital flows encountered by spacecraft during interplanetary travel and design and testing of scramjets – high-speed air-breathing engines set to replace rocket propulsion this century. UQ Hypersonics is recognised as a world leader in the development of high speed shock tunnels and scramjet propulsion. Key areas of investigation include scramjet propulsion, re-entry vehicle design, computational fluid dynamics, drag reduction techniques for hypervelocity vehicles, rarefied gas dynamics, hypervelocity aerodynamics in reacting gases, flight testing of hypervelocity payloads and development of transient high-speed force-measurement instrumentation. Link to UQ research in Hypersonics:
Chemical Engineering
Chemical Engineering at UQ includes a wide range of research areas in natural and designed systems across many time and length scales. These areas include applications in energy and water systems, human health through research and development in tissue engineering, stem cell biology, biomaterials and genetic engineering. As well, proteomics, and biomedical engineering are areas of significant activity. Other activities focus on the design and control of particle and complex processing systems, as well as food processing and technology. Research in materials, product design, adsorption and nano-engineering complement other work in high-performance polymers, Government, industry and university sources fund a range of projects in these key areas. UQ chemical engineers work in partnership with many international institutions and companies, and have a very strong track record of technology transfer through consulting and collaborative research projects. Links to UQ research in Chemical Engineering:
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