The AMDTR Group is involved in a diverse list of research projects. By establishing strong relationships with local and international research partners and garnering solid funding from various sources, our group endeavors to lead new ground breaking projects with a focus on improving overall sustainability, whether it is in the energy sector, resources or industrial processes.
Current projects
Concentrated solar thermal power – With collaborators all over the world, the AMDTR group investigates new potential candidate alloys to be used in the next generation of high temperature Concentrated Solar thermal Power (CSP) plants in Australia.
Liquid metal embrittlement – The AMDTR group has initiated an investigation of the potential for liquid sodium to embrittle certain alloys in a phenomenon known as ‘Liquid Metal Embrittlement’ (LME). In collaboration with a Concentrated Solar Thermal Power (CSP) industry stakeholder, Vast Solar, our research involves the characterisation of this failure mechanism to assess the viability of a project in Mt. Isa.
High temperature mechanical properties – This research project is focused on characterising the mechanical properties and behavior of existing candidate materials to be used in the construction of the ASTRI CSP plant.
Sodium exposure of select materials – Liquid sodium is a promising candidate as a heat transfer fluid for use in CSP plants. To investigate the compatibility of liquid sodium with structural materials, the AMDTR group has developed and demonstrated a novel static sodium exposure ‘capsule’ system.
Properties of welded alloys – The AMDTR group investigates the properties of welded dissimilar alloys, before and after being exposed to high temperature environments typical of a CSP plant.
Halide salts as phase change materials – This project aims to develop halide based eutectic salt mixtures for use as Phase Change Materials (PCMs) in CSP thermal energy storage systems.
Past projects
List of previous projects undertaken by the AMDTR group:
- Testing of corrosion inhibiting coatings applied to the surface of alloys.
- Analysis of car panels in salt spray environment and outdoor exposure
- In situ characterisation of microstructural evolution during thermal cycling of materials
- Graphene-based Thin Film supercapacitors
- Corrosion prognostics health monitoring
- Rapid chloride testing and chloride profile test of concrete cores
Graduate thesis projects
List of projects currently undertaken by graduate students within the AMDTR group:
- Condition monitoring of polymer coatings in corrosive environments
- Compatibility of supercritical CO2 with structural alloys for concentrated solar power applications
- Graphene layers as a corrosion protection of steel
- Molten salts corrosion fatigue for concentrated solar thermal power
- Integration of concentrated solar thermal technologies in selected high temperature-based process industries
- Concentrated solar power system integration, operation, material compatibility and efficiency
- Ignition of non-metallic materials by rapid compression of oxygen
- The implications of imperfect cleaning on optimised cleaning operations in solar power applications
- High temperature corrosion testing of metal alloys for solar thermal energy applications
- Renewable energy water treatment systems for remote and indigenous communities