2017 ANFF-VIC Image of the Year Competition

2016 Winner: "Rebel"
Description: "ZnO micro/nano structures synthesized on silicon substrates using thermal evaporation method. Each of the ZnO structures resemble naturally occuring flora and fauna."
Credit: Dr Tridib Saha

The 2017 ANFF-VIC Image of the Year Competition is now open for submissions.

The deadline is 12 January 2018, the winner will be announced in February 2018.

The winner will receive a $200 cash prize as well as recognition through our media channels and featured placement on Nanomelbourne.com.

Submissions are now open – send your high-resolution images of work conducted within ANFF-VIC in jpg, png or tif format to mcn-images@nanomelbourne.com with a short description of the image, where it was taken and any relevant publications.

These images will be printed in a large poster format, so unfortunately only print-quality images will be considered.

This year’s competition will again be decided by the public. Following an internal shortlisting process we will upload the images to our twitter page, @Nanomelb, and the image with the most likes and shares will win.

All users are eligible and there is no limit to the number of times that you can enter, so dust off that right hemisphere and get submitting!

ANFF-VIC’s first “Publication of the Year” has also just been announced – make sure you’re acknowledging the node correctly in all papers in order to be considered. Please use the following in the acknowledgement section of any papers:

“This work was performed in part at the Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication (MCN) in the Victorian Node of the Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF).”

Publication of the Year 2017

ANFF-VIC is launching its Publication of the Year award, the winner will receive a $200 cash prize.

The winner will be announced in February 2018.

Any peer-reviewed paper that was published in 2017 with the correct ANFF-VIC acknowledgement is automatically entered. Judging will be conducted by an internal team, led by ANFF-VIC Director, Prof Nico Voelcker. The team will assess publications based upon presentation, clarity and impact.

Papers must have the correct ANFF-VIC acknowledgement to be considered – use of this acknowledgement also entitles you to $200 user credit off a future MCN quote.

There’s still time! Make sure any published work that was conducted within ANFF-VIC contains the acknowledgement and let us hear about it! Please use the following in the acknowledgement section of any papers:

“This work was performed in part at the Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication (MCN) in the Victorian Node of the Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF).”

Submissions are now also open for ANFF-VIC’s Image of the Year award. Click here for details.

Publication Covers Incentive Announced

ANFF-VIC is launching a $500 user credit reward for users who have their research featured as the front cover of a peer-reviewed journal. This incentive is in addition to the $200 user credit for correct acknowledgement of ANFF-VIC equipment.

It’s a big achievement to have one’s work featured on the cover of a scientific journal, and it’s something that ANFF-VIC would like to celebrate. Any cover art published in 2017 is valid, as well as any that are published for the rest of the year.

To qualify for the user credit, papers must be featured as the front cover art of a peer-reviewed journal and contain the correct ANFF-VIC acknowledgement. Please use the following in the acknowledgement section of any papers:

“This work was performed in part at the Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication (MCN) in the Victorian Node of the Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF).”

ANFF-VIC is also asking all users who have had their work featured as the front cover of a journal to get in touch – we want to help you promote your work! Email mcn-images@nanomelbourne.com with a pdf version of the cover and a link.

ANN announce ANFF Short Term Visits program

The Australian Nanotechnology Network (ANN) has just announced a new grants system that will enable members to travel to the centres within the Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF).

The grant covers up to $1,000 in travel and accommodation for successful applicants. To qualify for the grant, the applicant must: be a postgraduate student or early career researcher currently studying/working in Australia in the area of nanotechnology; be a member of ANN; and have documented support from Supervisor and ANFF Node Director/Manager.

The Australian Nanotechnology Network is open to all Australian researchers interested in nanotechnology (physical sciences based) including Ph.D. students and early career researchers.

There are currently eight ANFF Nodes across 19 universities in Australia, housing open-access tools and expertise for researchers. The Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication is home to ANFF’s National Heaquarters.

Head to the ANN Website for more information.

Publications highlights

Here’s a selection of ANFF-VIC’s most recent publications:

An Enzyme-Coated Metal–Organic Framework Shell for Synthetically Adaptive Cell Survival

Journal: Angewandte Chemie

Authors: K. Liang, J. Richardson, C. Doonan, X. Mulet, Y. Ju, J. Cui, F. Caruso, and P. Falcaro

Controlled Growth of Monocrystalline Organo-Lead Halide Perovskite and Its Application in Photonic Devices

Journal: Angewandte Chemie

Authors: W. Mao, J. Zheng, Y. Zhang, A. Chesman, Q. Ou, J. Hicks, F. Li, Z. Wang, B. Graystone, T. Bell, M. Rothmann, N. Duffy, Y. Cheng, L. Spiccia, Q. Bao, and U. Bach

Porous PDMS structures for the storage and release of aqueous solutions into fluidic environments

Journal: Lab on a Chip

Authors: P. Thurgood, S. Baratchi, C. Szydzik, A. Mitchell and K. Khoshmanesh

Luminescence of a Transition Metal Complex Inside a Metamaterial Nanocavity

Journal: Small

Authors: T. Connell, S. Earl, C. Ng, A. Roberts, T. Davis, J. White, A. Polyzos, and D. Gómez

Environmentally Mediated Coherent Control of a Spin Qubit in Diamond

Journal: Physical Review Letters

Authors: S. Lillie, D. Broadway, J. Wood, D. Simpson, A. Stacey, J. Tetienne and L. Hollenberg

Online database provides chemical spectra to the masses  

La Trobe University’s Centre for Materials and Surface Science (CMSS) has unveiled a new open-access online database of XPS spectra, providing a global reference point of in-depth materials analysis to researchers from around the world.

After little more than a month of being available, XPSSurfA already comprises more than 100 datasets, translating to 1,500 individual spectra resulting from more than 1,000 hours of instrument time.

The reference data collection held by the CMSS has applications across fields ranging from advanced manufacturing to medicine, and from engineering to biosensing. The ultimate objective of the project is to share well-described, discoverable, and reusable sets of surface science data.

Using a Kratos Analytical AXIS Nova instrument, part of CMSS’ suite of capabilities available to ANFF users, the database creates a standard set of results for researchers from around the world to compare their own findings with.

Users select the relevant materials, and view, rescale and analyse the spectra, all within the  browser window.

In addition to the datasets, the full measurement procedure is described through ANFFHub, a recipe database platform available to all.

All XPSSurfA records and data files in the database are available via Open Access under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial (CC BY-NC) 4.0 International License. This means any data file in the database can be downloaded to view, reuse, compare and publish alongside the user’s own research with appropriate attribution.

The XPSSurfA database is an initiative led by CMSS with the support of the NCRIS-funded organisations, the Australian National Data Service (ANDS) and the Nectar Cloud.

Find the database here: https://cmsshub.latrobe.edu.au/xpsdatabase

General Induction date changes for August

The General Induction & Dangerous Goods Waste Management Induction scheduled for Monday, 7th August have been rescheduled.

Please check our Inductions and Training page for more information on upcoming training.

Seminar: Electrospinning at Deakin University

ANFF-VIC presents a series of talks at the Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication on the electrospinning capabilities available at Deakin University’s Institute for Frontier Materials (IFM).

Register here via Eventbrite.

Electrospinning is a technique that uses electrostatic forces to draw out nanometre-wide fibres which can then be transformed into versatile materials. Applications for these nanofibres include filtration, smart fabrics, and battery technology.

The ANFF equipment available at the IFM includes two electrospinning machines – a lab-scale batch production system and a nine-metre-long, industrial-scale system capable of continuously producing two-metre-wide sheets at a rate of approximately 2kg/hour.

Speaker 1: Dr Hao Shao

Instrument Specialist – IFM

Introduction of coil-based needleless electrospinning machines

Dr Hao Shao is currently working as an Instrument Specialist in charge of needleless electrospinning machine maintenance, training and promotion work. He received his PhD the IFM, specialising in the development of mechanical-to-electrical energy harvesters, electrospinning technique and electrospinning machines.

Speaker 2: Dr Jian Fang

Research Fellow – IFM & ACES

Electrospun Nanofibres and Their Application in Mechanical-to-Electrical Energy Conversion

Dr Jian Fang is an expert on fibrous materials, electrospinning and electrospun nanofibres. His current research mainly focuses on electro-active fibrous materials for energy, environment protection and biosensing applications.

Speaker 3: Dr Haitao Niu

Research Fellow – IFM

Applications of electrospun nanofibres in supercapacitor and air filtration

Dr Haitao Niu’s research is in the area of advanced electrospinning, nanofibre industrialisation, nanofibre functionalisation and application.

ANFF-VIC introduces new Director

Professor Nicolas Voelcker has been introduced as the Director for the Victorian Node of the Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF-VIC) and the Scientific Director for the network’s flagship facility, the Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication (MCN).

Professor Voelcker has said he intends to use his new positions to help blend Victoria’s businesses and research into a leading centre for research, innovation and commercialisation.

Professor Voelcker is also currently a Professor at the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS) at Monash University and Science Leader at the CSIRO.

With more than 300 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters to his name, Professor Voelcker is a leader in his field of biomaterials engineering. He brings with him a team of around 30 researchers and advanced bioengineering equipment.

Nico's key research interest lies in the fabrication and surface modification of porous semiconductor materials for applications in biosensors, biochips, biomaterials and drug delivery.

A core research activity in his laboratory is the study of porous silicon based nanostructures and their surface chemistry. A current focus is the development of new nanostructured materials for biosensors, biochips, biomaterials and drug delivery.

The ANFF-VIC node houses the tools and expertise required to devise, develop and deliver the next generation of technological advances. The group is part of the wider NCRIS-funded ANFF network which offers open-access nano- and micro-fabrication capabilities to academic and industry users from around the globe.

“ANFF-VIC and MCN are key elements in a thriving manufacturing and materials science and innovation precinct,” Professor Voelcker said.

ANFF-VIC and, in particular, the MCN are surrounded by Australia’s leading technology companies, the Australian synchrotron, various flagship facilities, such as the Biomedical Materials Translational Facility, and is in the vicinity of The Victorian Heart Hospital (currently under construction).

The node provides access to equipment and expertise located at CSIRO Manufacturing, Deakin University, La Trobe University, RMIT, Swinburne University of Technology, the University of Melbourne, Monash University, and at MCN.

“I aim to drive the exploitation of partnerships across this outstanding research landscape as well as nurture start-up activities in the medical technologies sector,” Professor Voelcker said.

“My ambition is for ANFF-VIC and the MCN to operate as one of the top nanofoundries in the world,” he concluded.

ANFF-VIC General Manager appointed