Current research projects

The GICAN team is currently working on the following research projects.

Design, development and delivery of low-cost adsorbent systems for the selective capture of CO2

Research team:

  • Professor Ajayan Vinu

Funding body: DEBEL India

Timeframe: 2021 -

Design and the development of advanced nanomaterials for the production of pharmaceuticals and their delivery

Research team:

  • Professor Ajayan Vinu

Funding body: Apex Lab

Timeframe: 2021 -

Conversion of refinery waste to graphitised porous carbon nanostructures and carbon nanofibres for energy storage

Research team:

  • Professor Ajayan Vinu
  • Dr Gurwinder Singh

Funding body: ARAMCO, Saudi Arabia

Timeframe: 2021 -

Removal and degradation of microplastics using halloysite nanocomposite

Research team:

  • Associate Professor Jiabao Yi (lead investigator)
  • Dr Thava Palanisami
  • Dr Kavitha Ramadass
  • Professor Shaobin Wang
  • Mr James Marsh
  • Dr Antonio Belperio

Funding body: Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Grant

Timeframe: 2021 - 2023

Halloysite-based materials for carbon capture and conversion

Research team:

  • Professor Ajayan Vinu (lead investigator)
  • Associate Professor Jiabao Yi
  • Associate Professor Ajay Karakoti
  • Dr Kavitha Ramadass
  • Dr Thava Palanisami
  • Associate Professor Ashish Malik

Funding bodies: Andromeda Metals Ltd and Minotaur Exploration Pty Ltd

Timeframe: 2021 - 2025

Novel bioplastic products from biomass: development, testing and validation

Research team:

  • Dr Thava Palanisami (lead investigator)
  • Professor Ajayan Vinu
  • Associate Professor Jiabao Yi
  • Associate Professor Ajay Karakoti
  • Associate Professor Ian Grainge

Funding body: Innovationclub Pty Ltd

Timeframe: 2021 - 2023

Halloysite-derived nanomaterials for environmental applications

Research team:

  • Professor Ajayan Vinu (lead investigator)
  • Associate Professor Jiabao Yi
  • Associate Professor Ajay Karakoti

Funding body: Natural Nanotech Pty Ltd

Timeframe: 2020 - 2022

A platform for probing nanoscale magnetic states under multiple actuations

Research team:

  • Associate Professor Jiabao Yi
  • Team from UNSW

Funding body: Australian Research Council (ARC) LIEF

Timeframe: 2021

The development of advanced nanocarbon materials from coconut shell for energy and environmental applications

Research team:

  • Professor Ajayan Vinu (lead investigator)
  • Associate Professor Jiabao Yi
  • Associate Professor Ajay Karakoti
  • Dr Gurwinder Singh
  • Dr Thava Palanisami
  • Associate Professor Ashish Malik

Funding body: Carbonova India Private Limited

Timeframe: 2020 - 2023

Synthesis of 3-dimensional mesoporous silica-based nanomaterial (SBA1) for carbon capture and conversion

Research team:

  • Professor Ajayan Vinu (lead investigator)
  • Mr Ahmad Ahmad Tabish

Funding body: The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy

Timeframe: 2021 - 2023

Janus nanosheets for the capture of CO2 and its conversion into clean fuels

Research team:

  • Professor Ajayan Vinu (lead investigator)
  • Ms Sujanya Jesus Maria Ruban

Funding body: Australian Research Council (ARC) DECRA

Timeframe: 2021 - 2022

Plastics and microplastics: source control and mitigation

Research team:

  • Dr Thava Palanisami

Funding body: Victoria EPA

Timeframe: 2021 - 2021

Engineered carbon-clay composite based novel fertilisers to overcome nutrient stratification in soil

Research team:

  • Professor Ajayan Vinu

Funding body: Soil CRC

Timeframe: 2021 -

Biophysical approaches to achieving long-term storage of soil carbon in sugarcane systems

Research team:

  • Associate Professor Ajay Karakoti
  • Professor Nanthi Bolan

Funding body: Soil CRC

Timeframe: 2021 - 2024

Reconciling carbon sequestration with fertiliser value of biowastes in farming systems through nanostabilisation of biowastes

Research team:

  • Associate Professor Jiabao Yi
  • Professor Ajayan Vinu
  • Dr Girish Choppala
  • Professor Ed Burton

Funding body: Soil CRC PhD scholarship grant

Timeframe: 2021 - 2023