Seminar: Electrospinning at Deakin University

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]

Date:

11:00-12:00

26 July 2017

Location:

Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication,
151 Wellington Road,
Clayton, 3168, Victoria

[/perfectpullquote]

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

Delicious diversity on display at MCN

MCN hosted its third annual Diversity Lunch on 27 April 2017, celebrating the Centre’s international staff and user community with home cooked food from around the world.

Awards for best presented and tastiest dish were voted for on the day, resulting in a victory for Gediminas Gervinskas’ “1,000 layer” honey cake (pictured below) that took home both prizes.

With around 30 guests and dishes from more than 15 countries, competition was fierce but Gediminas’ perfect layers – which were apparently the result of years of training in thin film deposition techniques – not only tasted delicious, they looked amazing as well. 

Following the food was a hard-fought battle to crown the first MCN Table Tennis champion in the MCN courtyard. Blood, sweat and tears were spilt, resulting in a thumping win for Raj Minhas who left ANFF-VIC staff and fellow users weeping in his wake.

MCN thanks all those who came for a fantastic afternoon of food and fun. Stay tuned for next year’s event!

Call for content

With the recent appointment of our new Marketing and Communications Officer, one of the things we are keen to do is increase our coverage of user research.

We want you to tell us what you’re up to!

We want papers, project plans, photos and anything else that will help us bring your research to the masses.

Case studies are promoted across all of ANFF-VIC and ANFF’s communication channels. These include the widely distributed annual Casebook, the website, social media channels, newsletters, posters, and taken to trade shows around the world.

If you are an MCN or ANFF-VIC user and would like to highlight your research, we invite you to submit a case study to us at mcn-enquiries@nanomelbourne.com using the MCN case study template.

There is also a push to collect images of researchers work for use in ANFF-VIC material.

Images taken of work conducted at any of the ANFF-VIC hubs should be sent to mcn-images@nanomelbourne.com. You will be notified if any submissions are used, they will be credited to the sender (unless otherwise specified).

Frater Award winners begin their travels

Dr Hemayet Uddin, an MCN Process Engineer, has travelled to SwissLitho in Zurich, Switzerland to gain first-hand expert knowledge of MCN’s new NanoFrazor tool.

The Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF), is sponsoring the trip as part of the Frater Award platform – a professional development award given to ANFF staff for outstanding achievement. Named after ANFF’s first chairman, Dr Robert Frater AO (pictured far right), Frater Awards fund local or international travel aimed at fostering technical and professional growth.

Hemayet (pictured centre right) was one of two MCN staff to be awarded a Frater Award at last year’s ANFF Annual Research Showcase, held 15-17 November 2016. Dr Yang Lim (pictured centre left), a fellow process engineer at MCN, was also a recipient of the award.

Hemayet has used the opportunity to travel to Switzerland for on-site training at SwissLitho, IBM and ETH to strengthen his expertise in Thermal Scanning Probe Lithography (t-SPL) and related supporting processes. 

Yang will be setting off in the third quarter of 2017 to train with experts from Intlvac Thin Film Corp in Toronto, Canada at the company’s extensive training facility to add to her knowledge of advanced electron beam evaporation techniques and MCN’s Intlvac Nanochrome II instrument.

In total, five ANFF employees received a Frater Award – Yang and Hemayet, as well as Dr Li Li (ANFF-ACT), Dr Wael Al Abdulla (ANFF-Q), and Dr Donghoon Chang (ANFF-SA).

Publication acknowledgements and usage credits

MCN has seen strong growth in the number of publications that have correctly acknowledged the centre, doubling in 2016 to an average of 12 per month.

However, not all MCN-related publications are meeting the requirements of the user agreement. Being correctly acknowledged in publications is essential to the way MCN, ANFF-VIC and ANFF are funded.

This is a reminder that all users are required to correctly acknowledge ANFF facilities in any published research that was assisted by ANFF equipment or expertise.

MCN offers a $200 incentive for use of the correct acknowledgement, which can be applied to usage of MCN capabilities. MCN must be made aware of the acknowledgment within 30 days of the paper being published in order to qualify.

Please include acknowledgements in the following form and report any new publications to the MCN facility manager.

Papers: 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)”

Presentations: The MCN logo should be included on the acknowledgements slide of a presentation. Alternatively, contact Tom Eddershaw to request an MCN/ANFF-VIC presentation template.

Upcoming closure for Easter break

The MCN laboratories will be closed to users for the Easter shutdown from Friday 14 April – Tuesday 18 April (inclusive), and will re-open on Wednesday 19 April 2017

(Access will be granted by special application only)

Please note:

The General Induction & Dangerous Goods Waste Management Induction scheduled for Monday, 17th April have been cancelled, due to the Easter public holiday.

ANFF-VIC is going to National Manufacturing Week 2017

ANFF-VIC is heading to National Manufacturing Week 2017, being held 9-12 May at the Melbourne Conference and Exhibition Centre.

If you’re heading to the show come and visit us at booth #2426, directly next to the Industry 4.0 Theatre.

Trade shows like this are a fantastic place to see the direction in which industry is heading and to demonstrate the application of research conducted at facilities like those within the ANFF network.

We’re going to be showcasing both our services, and the capabilities available across the ANFF network so if you’re interested in finding out more be sure to pop by.

Registration is free, follow this link to skip the queues. There’s plenty of public transport available, as well as parking, head to the NMW website to find out more.

We hope to see you there!

New flagship tools and new capabilities across ANFF-VIC

^{SwissLitho’s NanoFrazor Explore is the latest addition to MCN’s capabilities list. Image credit: SwissLitho/IBM}

New tools and capabilities have recently been added across the ANFF-VIC Node, notably at MCN and La Trobe’s Centre for Materials and Surface Science.

Training and introductory seminars are being planned for the new equipment so stay tuned for further announcements.

MCN has added a new flagship nanolithography tool to its arsenal, with SwissLitho’s NanoFrazor Explore.

The system uses Thermal Scanning Probe Lithography to produce micro/nanoscale structures and patterns with nanometre accuracy.

The NanoFrazor uses a scanning probe, heated to around 1,000ºC to rapidly evaporate a specialised polymer material. By varying the force applied by the scanning the probe as it writes, intricate 3D structures can be created. This allows for the fabrication of optical devices, for example, including aspherical microlenses and tapered waveguides. The technology can be harnessed for a host of potential end applications including plasmonics, nanoelectronics and storage devices to name but a few.

By allowing the heated element to cool — a process that takes microseconds — this same probe can then be used to scan the material’s surface, providing real-time information about its topography.

MCN has also increased its capabilities list with a new wedge bonder, the F&S Bondtec 5832. Suited for medium-scale production packaging, the new system is capable of fully automated wire bonding operations, using integrated pattern recognition technology. The instrument is also suitable for packages with deep-access requirements and can handle a range of wire diameters and types (including ribbon). The 5832 has a broad stage footprint of 150mm x 150mm, 100mm vertical travel of the bond head and positioning accuracy of: 300nm (Z); 2μm (XY).

ANFF-VIC’s La Trobe Hub, the Centre for Materials and Surface Science (CMSS), has installed a new sample mounting system for its XPS and ToF-SIMS surface analysis instruments.

The new system allows for far more efficient and flexible analyses, batched submission of samples, and transfer of samples between XPS and ToF-SIMS without remounting.

At the beginning of 2017, MCN added NeaSPEC’s NeaSNOM. The NeaSNOM is an atomic force microscope which is capable of performing scattering-type Scanning Near-field Optical Microscopy (s-SNOM). The s-SNOM technique allows the user to overcome the diffraction limit of conventional light microscopy or spectroscopy. This enables optical measurements at a spatial resolution of 10nm, not only at visible frequencies but also a range of mid-infrared frequencies.