Nanotechnology in Australia

Book excerpt: This book reports current nanotechnology research from Australia, in addition to being the first trial of a new workshop program for the professional development of early career researchers (ECRs, including research students). It showcases the professional talents and high-quality writing of ECRs and also describes the workshop program, organized under the auspices of the Australian Research Council Nanotechnology Network, designed to facilitate this. The nanotechnology research topics include plasmonics, the building blocks of plasmonic circuits; the use of metal nanoparticles to improve infrared light trapping in solar cell applications; methods for the bulk synthesis of graphene; synthesis of nanorods of vanadium compounds for energy storage; nanodiamonds, superparamagnetic nanoparticles and synthesis of hollow nanostructured silica, along with a discussion of their applications; molecular dynamics modelling of self-cleaning coatings; metal nanostructure-enhanced fluorescence and its biological applications; luminescent nano-bioprobes for bioassays and bioimaging; biomimicry leading to olfactory nano-biosensors; and superparamagnetic nanoparticles as MRI contrast agents.