Journal of the Australian Ceramics Society Volume 50[1], 2014, 49 68

49

Ceramics Research, Development and Manufacture in

Australia
Dan Perera
School of Materials Science & Engineering, University of New South Wales Sydney NSW 2052
Email: pereradan@gmail.com
Available Online at: www.austceram.com/ACS-Journal
Abstract
The report is based on the information supplied by various people listed here. The aim was to collate in one
document research, development and manufacture of ceramics in Australia. I have contacted many people based on
internet searches, but did not get a response from some. This Report was first issued in November 2011 and this
version was updated since then.

CURTIN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

1.1
Centre for Materials Research
Professor Jim Low (j.low@curtin.edu.au)
1.1.1
Microstructure
Design
and
Characterisation of MAX Phases
The development of Mn+1AXn phases such as
Ti3AlC2, Cr2AlC and Ti4AlN3 (Figure 1) with
remarkable physical and mechanical properties is an
ongoing research program at Curtin University for the
past ten years. Research projects and collaborative
work with colleagues from Japan, China, USA and
Sweden have attracted research funds from ARC,

AINSE, ASRP and ISIS to support the work on the

characterization of decomposition kinetics and
oxidation behaviour of MAX phases by neutron
diffraction, synchrotron radiation diffraction, nuclear
magnetic resonance, electron microscopy and
secondary ion mass spectroscopy. Advances in the
understanding of the structure-property relationships
and the factors controlling the thermal stability will
enable the unique multi-functional properties of
MAX phases to be fully utilised in a wide range of
industrial applications, including automobile engine
components, heating elements, rocket engine nozzles,
aircraft brakes, racing car brake pads and low-density
armour.

Fig.1: a) Ti4AlN3 before and b) after decomposition in vacuum at 1600C for 7 h, c) Oxidized Ti3SiC2 and d) Ti2AlC
at 1450C for 1 h.

Perera
1.1.2
Microstructural Design of FunctionallyGraded Alumina/Aluminium-Titanate Composites
A study has been conducted on the depth-profiling of
composition,
residual
strains,
mechanical
characteristics and the evaluation of indentation
responses in a layer-graded material (LGM) of
alumina/aluminium-titanate. An infiltration route
fabricates LGM samples with a homogeneous layer of
alumina and a graded layer of heterogeneous
alumina/aluminium-titanate. Depth profiling of
Vickers hardness shows that the hardness of the LGM
is depth dependent with a relatively soft graded layer
but a hard homogeneous layer. The micro-hardness of
the graded layer is load dependent with 5.6 GPa as
the asymptotic value at high loads. Similarly, the
elastic modulus and residual strains are depthdependent. The graded layer exhibits a distinctive
softening in the stress-strain curve, indicating a
micro-scale quasi-plasticity which can be associated
with grain debonding, grain sliding, diffuse microcracking, grain push-out, and grain bridging. No
contact-induced cracks are observed in the graded
layer and the micro-damage is widely distributed
within the shear-compression zone around and below
the contacts. The capability of the LGM to absorb
energy from the loading system and to distribute
damage is strongly influenced by the existence of
residual strains, which is somewhat akin to that of
ceramics with heterogeneous microstructures. These
materials are suitable for high temperature
applications where thermal shock resistance and
thermal insulation is required, such as components of
internal combustion engines, exhaust port liners,
metallurgy, and thermal barriers. This work was
funded by an ARC Discovery and an ARC LinkageInternational grant.

50
1.1.3
Characterisation
of
Nanostructured
TiO2 for Photocatalysis Applications
The primary focus of this project is to characterize
TiO2 nanotubes and nanofibres for use as
photocatalysts for various applications such as
sensors, hydrogen production and treatment of wastewater. The functional properties of nanostructured
TiO2 as potential photocatalysts have been
investigated. A variety of analytical techniques such
as scanning electron microscopy, transmission
electron microscopy, ion-beam analysis and x-ray
diffraction have been used in the project (Figure 2).
1.1.4
Geopolymer Research
Prof. Arie van Riessen (a.vanriessen@curtin.edu.au)
Geopolymer research has been undertaken at Curtin
for many years, starting in Civil Engineering under
Vijay Rangans leadership and expanding to Applied
Physics some years later. Arie van Riessen leads the
current Geopolymer research activities in Physics
with a strong emphasis on development of
geopolymers for fire resistant applications. Alkali
activation of a various Australian fly ashes has
revealed that the composition of the glass phase and
the presence of iron oxides greatly influence the
thermal properties of the subsequent geopolymers.
Fivefold increase in strength after exposure to 1000
o
C (Figure 3) has been achieved in samples made
from fly ashes with a desirable composition. The
research team concentrates on characterisation of the
precursor fly ashes as well as the geopolymer to gain
an improved understanding of the geopolymerisation
process to facilitate further optimisation of fire
resistant products. Collaboration with industry and
researchers from Italy and Korea has created a strong
interest in utilisation of industrial residue for
manufacture of alkali activated binders.

Fig. 2: TiO2 nanotube

Journal of the Australian Ceramics Society Volume 50[1], 2014, 49 68

51

Fig. 3: a) Geopolymer being exposed to high temperature, b) Foamed geopolymer before (left) and after (right)
exposure to 1000oC. Courtesy William Rickard.
MONASH UNIVERSITY
2.1
Department of Materials Engineering
2.1.1
Structural and Functional Ceramics
http://www.eng.monash.edu.au/materials/research/ca
pability/ceramics.html
Professor Yi-Bing Cheng(yibing.cheng@monash.edu)
Dr Jeffrey Sellar (jeff.sellar@monash.edu)
Research projects have been carried out in processing
and characterisation of advanced structural ceramics,
including silicon nitride, sialons, silicon carbide,
boron carbide, titanium boride and their composites.
Through controlled processing, Ca alpha-sialon
ceramics with elongated grain morphology were first
developed by the team at Monash. The materials have
enhanced fracture toughness combining with their
intrinsic high hardness. Collaboration with
researchers in Shanghai Institute of Ceramics,
Chinese Academy of Sciences has led to the
development of a novel SHS (self-propagating hightemperature synthesis) technique for producing
advanced alpha-sialon ceramics using blast furnace
slag as a starting material (Figure 4). Ceramic wear
parts made of the slag derived sialon have showed
excellent anti erosion and wear performance in onsite
tests.
Ceramic-polymer composites have shown many
interesting properties. The Ceramic Group is involved
in the development of novel ceramifiable polymerceramic composites for fire-performance cables
(Figure 5), supported by the Polymer CRC. Unlike

conventional polymers that typically breakdown in a

fire emergency, the ceramifiable polymer transforms
into a protective ceramic barrier, providing
continuous insulation for the cables to work in a fire
situation and thus saving lives. Mixtures of ceramic
fillers were tailored and incorporated into polymer
matrices, allowing the formation of coherent, strong
and dimensionally stable ceramic residuals after
polymer pyrolysis. The materials were successfully
applied in the manufacturing of the worlds first
ceramifiable cables by an Australian company, Olex
Cables, in 2003. Research is continuing to explore the
potential of ceramifiable polymers for broader
passive fire protection applications.

Fig. 4: Ceramic bearing balls made from the slag

derived alpha-sialon

Perera

Fig. 5: Fire performance ceramifiable cables before

(left) and after (right) firing at 1050C.
Development of renewable energy has been a major
driving force for research in recent years. Among
many alternatives, solar energy stands as one of the
most attractive renewable energy sources. Dye
sensitized solar cell (DSSC) employs advanced
nanotechnology and represents the most promising
low-cost alternative to silicon solar cells at the
present time (Figure 4). A major component of DSSC
consists of a nanoporous ceramic (TiO2) film as a
semiconductor electrode. The interest of the Ceramic
Group is to develop the nanoporous semiconductor
films with controlled microstructure and chemistry to
improve solar energy to electricity conversion
efficiency. Projects supported by the ARC, the
Australian Centre of Excellence in Electromaterials
Science and the Victorian organic solar cell
consortium are working on the development of
various dye sensitized solar cells, including
monolithic devices, tandem devices, solid state
devices and flexible solar cells using polymer as
substrates.

52

the main candidateelectrolyte material for the new

generation of high-temperature large-format fuel
cells, whose installed capacities range from the power
requirements of a single house to those of a small
town. These devices, providing a highly efficient
flameless burn of a wide variety of fuels, operate
by the conduction of oxygen ions through the solid
zirconia electrolyte, rather than by the conduction of
electrons. Compared with electrons, however, the
mechanism of ionic conduction through oxide
ceramics is poorly understood, and delays the
development of more efficient and flexible fuel cells.
Two aspects comprise the research undertaken into
zirconia ceramics at Monash University. The first has
involved structural studies of the ceramics, chiefly
using electron microscopy and diffraction: the second
aspect is an attempt to connect the structure of the
ceramics with their ionic conduction performance.
More recently, this has included the deployment of
probe techniques such as Nuclear Magnetic
Resonance (NMR), Electron Spin Resonance (ESR)
and Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy
(PALS).
2.1.2
Civil Engineering
(http://www.eng.monash.edu.au/civil/about/people/pr
ofile/wgates)
2.1.2.1 SmecTech Research Consulting
(http://www.smectech.com.au)
Dr W. P. Gates (gateswp@smectech.com.au)
2.1.2.3 Clay barrier performance against highly
saline leachates.
ARC funded project, Monash University Department
of
Civil
Engineering
(http://www.eng.monash.edu.au/civil/research/centres
/geomechanics/) and School of Chemistry
(http://www.chem.monash.edu.au/green-chem/)
to
develop bentonite-based materials with improved
hydraulic performance to highly saline leachates,
such as saline ground waters and industrial processing
leachates.
Dr. Frank Collins (Frank.Collins@monash.edu)
(http://eng.monash.edu.au/civil/about/people/profile/f
collin;
http://www.eng.monash.edu.au/civil/research/centres/
structures/)

Fig. 6: Flexible dye sensitized solarcell on plastic

substrate.
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) materials are another
departmental ceramics initiative undertaken in the
energy conversion field. Cubic zirconia is at present

Fire Resistance of Concrete. The study

microstructure of concretes exposed to fires at
temperatures of up to 800oC made from either
ordinary Portland cement (OPC) or blends of OPC
and Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag has been
preformed. These studies were correlated with the
performance of concrete exposed to temperature and

Journal of the Australian Ceramics Society Volume 50[1], 2014, 49 68

53

used to predict the damage fire can cause to concrete

infrastructure.

developing new properties and hence

functionalities for advanced applications.

2.1.2.4 Tensile
Enhancement
of
Cements
Utilising Carbon Nanotubes OPC is brittle & prone
to cracking. Embellishment with carbon nanotubes
enhances tensile properties, creating. slender concrete
structures. This work has overcome one key
difficulty, the uniformity of carbon nanotubes
dispersion during mixing within OPC.

University of Melbourne
4.1
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
(http://www.chemeng.unimelb.edu.au/ceramics/)

2.1.2.5 Chloride Ingress into Concretes Exposed

to Sea Water. An ARC grant with Will Gates,
(Monash) in collaboration with Laurie Aldridge &
Kapila Fernando (ANSTO) and Daniel Pickard
(National University of Singapore) has been awarded
to study this topic. The newly awarded grant is
entitled Cementitious Gel: The Missing Link in
Understanding the Ageing of Built Infrastructure
and a summary of the proposed grant follows.

4.1.1
Ceramic Powder Processing Shape
forming
The research in our group uses the fundamental
understanding of the interactions between particles,
which can be controlled by polymers, ions and
surfactants, to develop novel methods of producing
complex shaped ceramic components. The most
significant of these innovations developed within
Australia include, a novel GelCasting process (Figure
7) and an aqueous based tape casting process. These
technologies enable reduced cost and improved
reliability manufacturing of advanced ceramic
materials. Current activities include the work of Dr.
Carolina Tallon and students Silvia Leo and Stephen
Tanurdjaja supported by the Australian Research
Council (http://www.arc.gov.au/) and Defence
Materials
Technology
Centre
(DMTC)
(http://dmtc.com.au/). The DMTC sponsors our work
on Ultra High Temperature Ceramics for Hypersonic
rocket applications and Ceramic Protective Systems
for protection of our soldiers.

Corrosive coastal exposure prematurely ages built

reinforced concrete infrastructure, causing unplanned
remediation and safety concerns. Traditional
durability forecasting models, based on convective
and ionic transport of chloride, overlook the influence
of the cement gel. The mechanisms of chloride and
water adsorption/binding/release to/from the gel will
be scrutinized by a number of advanced techniques,
including Helium Ion Microscopy, which will provide
the first visual characterization of the pore structure
of cement gel to 0.25 nm. Analytical modeling of
chloride/water/gel interaction will be integrated with
macro-transport predictive models and calibrated with
diffusion experiments: culminating in superior
durability forecasts.

new

A/Prof. George Franks (gvfranks@unimelb.edu.au)

http://www.chemeng.unimelb.edu.au/people/staff/fra
nks.html

Swinburne University of Technology

3.1
Faculty of Engineering and Industrial
Sciences
Industrial Research Institute Swinburne (IRIS),
Hawthorn, VIC
Prof Christopher C. Berndt
(cberndt@groupwise.swin.edu.au)
Director, IRIS
(http://www.swinburne.edu.au/engineering/iris/staff/c
berndt.html)
The overarching theme of all IRIS activities relates to
the science of surfaces and interfaces, based on a
knowledge-intensive facility that is internationally
competitive in surface engineering. The innovation
lies in the creation of novel surfaces that can be
modified at an atomic level, with the objective of

Fig. 7: Alumina pseudo rotors produced by

Gelcasting
4.1.2
Ceramic Particle Stabilised Foams
Ceramic particle stabilized foams produced by
gelcasting the green bodies have been developed. The
microstructure (such as the amount and average size
of porosity of alumina) of the ceramic foams is
influenced by the surfactant concentration and type
which is added to the ceramic suspension to cause the

Perera
particles to become hydrophobic so that they stabilise
air bubbles introduced by beating. It was found that
the microstructure transforms from a closed pore
(bubble) morphology, at low surfactant concentration
to opened pore (granular) morphology at high
surfactant concentration. The change in morphology
is related to the surface hydrophobicity and
aggregation of the particles which controls the
stability of the bubbles. The fired ceramic foams
contain between about 50 and 80% porosity with
average pore size ranging from about 100 to 400
microns depending on the formulation (Figure 8).
The use of polyvinyl alcohol and a temperature
activated crosslinking agent as a gelcasting system
minimized drying related cracking so that large and
complex shaped components may be fabricated. The
ceramic foams have compressive strength in the range
of about 15 to 40 MPa depending on the formulation.
Dr. Chayuda Chuanuwatanakul recently completed
her PhD on this topic.

Fig. 8: Alumina foams with approximately 80%

porosity, 100 to 300 micron diameter pores and 20
MPa compressive strength

54
4.1.3
Metal Oxide Surface Structure and
Charging
More than 10 years has been dedicated to
investigating the difference in charging behaviour of
alpha alumina powders and single crystals. The
difference is due to the different types of surface
hydroxyl groups on the two surfaces. Work in
collaboration with Prof Yang Gan (Harbin Institute of
Technology) has also produced some of the best high
resolution images ever published of the sapphire basal
plane in water and air (Figure 9). A few years ago we
were invited to submit a Feature Review article
published in the Journal of the American Ceramic
Society, in 2007. The recent PhD work of Nathan
Nicholas supported by the Australian Research
Council has focused on the Zinc Oxide surface. His
work details the role of small shape controlling
molecules (such as citrate) in the growth of ZnO by
hydrothermal processing at atmospheric pressure and
temperature below the boiling point of water.
4.1.4
Materials Modelling
Multi-scale modelling of material and component
behaviour ranging from the sub atomic to the
macroscopic scale is emerging as a useful tool in
improving understanding and prediction of material
performance in different applications particularly in
extreme environments. Three PhD students have
joined the group to help develop capability in
materials modelling. Catherine Sutton is using
Density Functional Theory to study molecular scale
interactions at the Zinc Oxide aqueous solution
interface. Mike Wang is using discrete particle
mechanics
to
investigate
particle
packing
microstructures and random walk modelling to
investigate composite material thermal properties.
Paul Mignone is applying Finite Element Analysis to
two phase and functionally graded materials to
predict component performance. These projects are
supported by the Australian Research Council and
Defence Materials Technology Centre.

Fig. 9: High resolution atomic force microscopy has been used to characterize the surface of alumina in aqueous
solutions.

Journal of the Australian Ceramics Society Volume 50[1], 2014, 49 68

4.2
Geopolymer and Minerals Processing
Group
(http://www.chemeng.unimelb.edu.au/people/staff/pr
ovis.html)
Dr John Provis (jprovis@unimelb.edu.au)
Geopolymers are a class of aluminosilicate materials
with potential applications as a cement replacement
for Greenhouse gas emission minimisation and niche
applications, and also as an advanced material for use
in fire-proof composites and refractories. Utilisation
of industrial wastes, particularly geothermal wastes,
fly ashes and mineralogical slags, is an area receiving
significant attention. University of Melbourne
research is focused on developing a more complete
understanding of the chemistry of geopolymerisation,
with a view towards optimising performance in
desired applications. We work closely together with
industrial partners in developing geopolymers as a
sustainable alternative to traditional construction
materials. University of Melbourne researchers are
international leaders in this research area, including
John Provis acting as the Secretary of RILEM TC
224-AAM, the peak international body working on
issues of standardisation and test method
development in the field of alternative cements.
University of Newcastle
5.1
Centre for Infrastructure Performance
and Reliability
(http://www.newcastle.edu.au/research-centre/cipar/)
Professor Mark G. Stewart
(mark.stewart@newcastle.edu.au)
Principal research area is structural reliability analysis
of structural masonry. This includes calculation of the
probability of failure of masonry walls for use in
safety assessments and selection of design safety
factors for the Australian Masonry Code AS3700.
The reliability analysis includes the spatial variability
of material properties, and the variability of loads and
model error.
University of New South Wales
6.1
School
of
Materials
Science
Engineering
(http://www.unsw.materials.unsw.edu.au)

&

Prof. Charles C. Sorrell (C.Sorrell@unsw.edu.au)

The principal area of research is in semiconducting
oxides for photocatalytic applications, including
photovoltaics, water decomposition, air and water

55

purification, and self-cleaning and self-sterilising

surfaces. The focus is on the effect of the
composition, microstructure, and related processing
parameters on the performance of thin and thick
films. The laboratories are fully equipped with
relevant facilities for the processing, characterisation,
and analyses of these materials.
Dr Runyu Yang (r.yang@unsw.edu.au)
Dynamic modelling of sintering of ceramic powders
Sintering is an essential process in powder metallurgy
and ceramic manufacturing. There have been many
problems to implement the current sintering theories
into practice as many variables are involved. This
project focuses on the development of fundamental
understanding of sintering at the microscopic level
(particle-level), and linking microscopic phenomena
to macroscopic phenomena. By developing a dynamic
model of sintering based on discrete element method
(DEM), the micromechanical analysis of sintering at
different stages can be conducted and the effects of
key variables associated with powder properties and
process can be investigated. This model can be
applied to specific systems and to predict the
properties of sintered product based on the knowledge
of particle characteristics, material properties and
process conditions.
Dr. Owen Standard (o.standard@unsw.edu.au)
Overall research processing-microstructure-property
relationship of advanced ceramics for functional
applications and include: colloidal processing of
electroceramics, compositional and microstructural
modification of bioactive and bioinert ceramics for
orthopaedic and dental applications, sol-gel
deposition of functional ceramic coatings for
electronic applications, development of functional
(sol-gel) coatings on textile fibres, and ceramic
coatings on biomedical alloys.
Prof. Sean Li (sean.li@unsw.edu.au)
The ceramic research in our group, which currently
consists of 9 research fellows and 18 postgraduate
students, covers a wide range area from electronic
and photonic materials to super-hard bulk ceramics
and transparent armors etc. In the electronic and
photonic materials research, we are focusing on
ceramic based spintronic and thermoelectric materials
as well as multiferroic materials. In the structural
ceramic research, our interest is targeting at the
fabrication of large scale fully dense B4C and spinel
transparent armors. We are using unique instruments
for synthesis of large scale polycrystalline transparent
lasing materials and also Oxide Molecular Beam

Perera
Epitaxy system for the fabrication and interface
engineering of complex oxide heterostructures. The
laboratory is equipped with world-class instruments
with a total value of $8 million including 8 ARC
LIEF grants over the last 6 years and the research
projects are funded by ARC, ASI and Industries etc.
Dr. Nakaruk Auppatham
(a.auppatham@unsw.edu.au)
The critical research area involves the processing of
thin films of metal oxides (SnO2, In2O3, ZnO, CeO2,
WO3, MnO2, and TiO2). These thin films have the
potential to be used in solar energy conversion and in
environmental applications. The conventional thin

56
film fabrication methods include spin coating (figure
10), spray pyrolysis (figure 11), aerosol spraying, and
ultrasonic spray pyrolysis. For characterisation and
analyses of the properties of these films, sophisticated
analytical techniques such as glancing angle X-ray
diffraction, laser Raman microspectroscopy, laser
Raman
photoluminescence,
UV-VIS
spectrophotometry, photoluminescence, and photobleaching of organic compounds are used. The focus
of the research is the optimisation of the
photocatalytic properties through the modification of
energy band and microstructural characteristics in
order to improve the performance.

Fig. 10: The image shows that the films, which were fabricated by spin coating, are highly transparent and
homogenous.

Fig. 11: The images shows the surface morphology and cross-section of anatase and anatase-rutile thin films, which
were fabricated by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis at 400C.

Journal of the Australian Ceramics Society Volume 50[1], 2014, 49 68

57

IAN WARK RESEARCH INSTITUTE

7.1
ARC Special Research Centre for Particle
and Material Interfaces
Mawson Lakes Campus

functionally graded materials with controlled linear

gradients mm to cm in breadth. For the last 12 years I
have been developing and optimizing the impellerdry-blending process for making functionally graded
materials as metal-ceramic blends and pore-graded
ceramics for metal infiltration.

Laureate Professor John

(john.ralston@unisa.edu.au)

School of Chemistry
(http://sydney.edu.au/science/chemistry/)

University of South Australia

Ralston,

Director

Dr Terry Wilks, Institute Manager

(Terry.Wilks@unisa.edu.au)

Prof. Brendan J. Kennedy

( Brendan.Kennedy@sydney.edu.au)

The research areas of the Wark cover Colloids and

Nanostructures, Bio and Polymer Interfaces and
Mineral Processing. The Wark has played a key role
in the development of a new Bachelor of Science
(Advanced Materials) program that will be based at
UniSA's new $72 million M2 Building which opens at
the Mawson Lakes Campus early next year.

Our work is concerned with the studies of structural

and electronic phase transitions in complex metal
oxides, especially perovskites and pyrochlores. This
involves the preparation, crystallographic and as
appropriate magnetic studies of materials.

The program will allow first year students the chance

to continue with a broad range of core studies in
chemistry, physics, biology and mathematics before
specialising in the second and third years of their
degrees. Students will then be able to major in
minerals, nanomaterials, optical materials, water
technology, environmental remediation, energy
technology,
biomaterials,
chemistry
and
pharmaceuticals and medical and health physics. The
program has been specifically designed for key
industry sectors in South Australia and nationwide
and will focus on educating quality graduates to work
in the priority areas of the minerals processing, water,
energy and health sectors.
University of Sydney
7.2
Faculty of Engineering
(http://www.aeromech.usyd.edu.au/biomedical/)
Assoc. Professor Andrew J. Ruys
(a.ruys@aeromech.usyd.edu.au)
7.2.1
Director
of Biomedical
Engineering
(Education)
The principal area of ceramics research in my
laboratory is biomaterials for medical devices. There
is a major focus on bioceramics. 1. Bioglass for use in
forming bioactive tissue scaffolds. We also use the
bioglass in making bioactive polymer-matrix medical
devices for tissue engineering, orthopaedic, and other
implantable medical device applications. 2. Aluminaplatinum composite materials for use in the Australiawide bionic eye project. 3. Hydroxyapatite coating is
a major focus, by electrochemical deposition and
thin-film vapor techniques. 4. Metal-ceramic

University of Technology Sydney

8.1
Faculty of Engineering and Information
Technology
8.1.1
Centre for Built Infrastructure Research
(CBIR), a Key Centre of Research within the
University of Technology, Sydney.
Prof Abhi Ray
(A.Ray@uts.edu.au)
8.1.2
Cement Chemistry and Recycled Glass
Application
Cement Chemistry: a number of research projects are
underway to investigate methods to reduce CO2
emission in the manufacture of cement-based
construction materials. Incorporation of aluminosilicate industrial waste which are pozzolanic in terms
of their reactivity is a major focus of the research
projects so that the vast amount of Portland Cement
used in traditional cement-based building products
can be replaced at least partially by the industrial
wastes. Other projects include the evaluation of
hybrid systems of admixtures and fibres for the
development of shrinkage resistant cement-based
materials and the development of green cement for
sustainable concrete using cement kiln dust.
Recycled Glass for applications in the manufacture of
Construction Materials: There has been a great
impetus worldwide towards the utilisation of glass
waste as a renewable construction material and the
topic has received considerable research interest. The
research investigates the potential of recycled glass as
a renewable resource material for the manufacture of
new generation building products in the Australian
context.

Perera

58

8.2
Faculty of Science
Prof. Besim Ben-Nissan (B.Ben-Nissan@uts.edu.au)

[Dr. Richard Roest

(Richard.Roest@newcastle.edu.au);

Two projects currently undertaken and others

involved are listed under the projects.

Dr. Bruno Latella (bruno.latella@csiro.au); Dr. Geg

Heness (G.Heness@uts.edu.au)]

[Dr. David W. Green (David.green@uts.edu.au);

Prof. Bruce Milthorpe
(Bruce.Milthorpe@uts.edu.au)]

Sol gel derived ceramic nano films on anodised

titanium substrates

Adult stem cell coatings using bioceramics for

regenerative medicine
Stem cells can become potent tools for the treatment
of degenerative disorders such as heart failure, eye
disease and osteoarthritis. Housing stem cells inside a
hydrogel coating, directly deposited around them
individually and in groups, may be an important
solution to the problem of increasing stem cell
viability and protection in cultivation. Such coatings
can target regulatory proteins and genes for
maintenance, differentiation and development into
tissues. Already a range of coatings are being applied
directly to protect insulin producing pancreatic islet
cells in the hope of treating type I diabetes. In this
pioneering work we emerging developments in adult
mesenchymal stem cell nanocoating and microcoating
techniques on a range of ceramic substrates and
assess their unique practical engineering, biological
and potential clinical advantages.

Sol-gel-derived ceramic coatings (Figure 12) have a

variety of uses, due to their ease of production and
ability to coat complex shapes. The sol-gels
nanocrystalline grain structure results in improved
mechanical properties of the zirconia coating, which
further aids their use in a variety of applications from
thermal barrier coating to improved tribological
properties on titanium substrates. Stabilised zirconia
thin films were spin coated on anodised titanium
substrates. The titanium was anodised in a dilute
H3PO4/H2SO4 solution before spin coating with the
zirconia sol gel. These films were then studied using
secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), to depth
profile the elemental species through to the titanium
substrate. In conjunction, scanning electron
microscopy (SEM) and X-ray mapping were used to
examine the craters formed by SIMS to gain an
understanding of the diffusion gradient existing with
the anodised titanium substrate and zirconia thin film.

Fig. 12: Micro tensile testing of Zirconia sol gel derived nanocoatings (70nm)

Journal of the Australian Ceramics Society Volume 50[1], 2014, 49 68

dealing with immobilisation of intermediate-level

waste from ANSTOs production of 99Mo
radiopharmaceutical production.

University of Western Sydney

(http://www.uws.edu.au)
9.1

59

School of Natural Sciences

Prof Janusz Nowotny (j.nowotny@uws.edu.au)

Research Area. The research interest is on the
materials for energy conversion devices, such as
electrochemical devices, photoelectrochemical solar
cells and photocatalytic systems. The research is
focused on oxide semiconductors for the conversion
of solar energy into chemical energy. The research
aims to process high-performance photoelectrodes for
the production of solar hydrogen fuel and
photocatalysts for solar water purification. The
research includes the determination of materialrelated properties, such as diffusion, charge transport,
segregation and the charge transfer at gas/solis and
liquid/solid interfaces.
GOVERNMENT-FUNDED
INSTITUTES
10.1
Australian
Nuclear
Technology
Organisation
(www.ansto.gov.au)

RESEARCH
Science
and
(ANSTO)

synrocANSTO (http://www.synrocansto.com)

Sam Moricca (sxm@ansto.gov.au)

ANSTO has more than 30 years experience in the
development of synroc-type ceramic and glassceramic waste forms and associated process
technologies for the immobilisation and safe disposal
of high- and intermediate-level nuclear wastes
(Figure 13). The synroc Team at ANSTO has utilised
this knowledge and experience to develop innovative
synroc waste forms tailored for specific nuclear waste
streams, including some which have no current
disposal route. By tailoring the waste form chemistry
and utilising innovative processing technology, whilst
still maintaining the long-term durability of the waste
form, significant reductions in waste volumes can be
achieved; resulting in potential disposal cost savings
of billions of dollars to international nuclear waste
clean-up programs. A current ANSTO project is

10.2
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial
Research Organisation (CSIRO)
CSIRO
Future
Manufacturing
Flagship
Geopolymer R&D Group
Dr Kwesi Sagoe-Crentsil
(Kwesi.Sagoe-Crentsil@csiro.au)
The CSIRO Future Manufacturing Flagship
Geopolymer R&D Group has developed extensive
expertise and IP position within the Inorganic
Polymer/Geopolymer technology domain over the
past decade. The specific fields of activity relate to
Geopolymer binder applications covering building
products manufacture and mining applications. The
group has partnered several Australian SMEs and
multi-nationals geopolymer R&D activities. The team
continues to provide both strategic and consulting
R&D services to industry leveraging its track record
of feedstock material processing, field testing and
monitoring through to product durability and tests for
code and standards compliance.
The groups strategic work on Geopolymer systems
builds on existing capabilities in the chemistry of
cements and mix design of cementitious binders.
Current R&D activities on Geopolymer binder
synthesis cover: i) feedstock selection, beneficiation
and reactivity ii) the role of key oxide components i.e.
Al203, SiO2, Na2O, H2O, iii) control of dissolution and
condensation reaction kinetics, and iv) optimization
of Geopolymer process parameters. Coupled with a
very strong process engineering capability, this
provides the group with a differentiated advantage
that enables science concepts to be realised through
the internal value chain into applied technology. The
latter is enhanced through the very strong linkages
that the Group has with innovative SMEs who are
typically mid-tier OEMs who play a vital role in
systems integration and applied engineering.
The group has capabilities and extensive facilities
covering all aspects of binder mix design, accelerated
and specialist test facilities that meet most Australian
Standards protocols as well as prototype scale
batching and mixing plant for manufacturing and
testing large scale building product elements. The
group has a long standing history of active
participation in several Australian Standards
committees.

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60

Fig. 13: Synroc-type ceramic

Fig. 14: The Single Source Chemical Vapour Deposition (SSCVD) method used to produce complex metal oxide
thin films.
10.2.1

Materials Science and Engineering

Process Science and Engineering Structural and

Electronic Ceramics
Robert ODonnell (Robert.odonnell@csiro.au)
Research activities are focused on: developing
ceramic membranes for controlled gas transport;
electronic ceramics for dielectric, thermoelectric and
solar cell applications; structural ceramics for impact
and wear resistant applications; and refractory
ceramics for thermal insulation.
The implementation of visco-plastic processing, tape
casting technologies and Spark Plasma Sintering
capabilities has driven the development of high
performance ceramic and ceramic composite
materials such as the ceramic/polymer composite
delivering an order of magnitude increase in dielectric
coefficient. Reduction of manufacturing costs and
pilot scale demonstration is also an expertise within
the Program.

10.2.2

Separation Processes and Materials

Matthew R. Hill (matthew.hill@csiro.au)

Inorganic synthesis of heterobimetallic carbamate
cluster complexes as precursors to solar cell
electrode or nanomagnet thin films
Common materials often take on special properties
when nanostructured into thin films. For example, a
material such as zinc oxide, often used in sunscreen,
becomes capable of application in solar cells or
microelectronics. Whilst much engineering work has
been done to further tune the properties of thin films
by changing the nanostructure, chemistry-based
approaches to change the elemental composition have
not been explored.
We have previously grown ZnxMg1-xO thin films for
band-gap engineering applications using a facile
technique known as Single Source Chemical Vapour
Deposition (SSCVD) (Figure 14), which does not rely
on complex equipment like most other techniques.
The further success of SSCVD depends on synthetic
inorganic chemistry and the ability to make new
precursor molecules.

Journal of the Australian Ceramics Society Volume 50[1], 2014, 49 68

The aim of this project is to synthesise
heterobimetallic carbamate cluster complexes and use
SSCVD to deposit new types of thin film
nanomaterials. Possible materials include ZnCdO
thin films which could be used for tuning the thin
film band gap for use in solar cells, or
Mg(Mn/Ni/Co)O thin films which could be
nanomagnets and be useful in spintronics.
Characterisation of precursor molecules will involve
single crystal X-Ray Diffractometry, and thin film
analysis will employ scanning electron microscopy
(SEM) and Near-Edge X-Ray Absorption Fine
Structure (NEXAFS) at the Australian Synchrotron.
10.2.3 Periodic
Mesoporous
Lix(Mn1/3Ni1/3Co1/3)O2
Spinel
for
Battery
Applications
In the push towards viable renewable energy
technology, improved means of energy storage are
crucial for offsetting the intermittent nature of sources
including wind, solar, and tidal power. This project
involves
the
preparation
of
monoclinic
Lix(Mn1/3Ni1/3Co1/3)O2 spinel phase that exhibits
periodic mesoporosity (Figure 15). The route
employed involves an adaptation and extension of the
two solvents synthetic methodology, and under
optimised conditions leads to materials that display
surface areas of more than 180 m2g-1. Surface areas
for this material were previously limited to 24 m2g-1.

61

phosphates. Because of the many bonding modes of

the PO4 tetrahedron, most phosphates develop
complex intermixtures in biological settings, or
exhibit intricate polymorphism with metal salts.
These twin challenges of supply and purity mean that
efficient synthesis of pure materials and their ready
characterisation is an important and pressing goal.
The consequences of phase impurity and/or its lack of
detection can be severe. For example, the presence of
small impurities of calcium phosphates within
hydroxyapatite coated bone implants can create a
cytotoxic surface, severely limiting the ability of the
implant to graft successfully. The loss of calcium
phosphate from the bones is associated with
osteoporosis and its accumulation in joints can lead to
gout. Many of these polymorphs form at lower
temperatures and in small quantities, rendering a
sample that has small amounts of amorphous material
present.

Fig. 16: Synchrotron crystal structure of a novel

biophosphate discovered in our laboratories.
Our research utilises a suite of novel synthetic
approaches
and
alternative
characterisation
techniques that deliver high purity samples, ready
detection of phase impurities even at low levels, and
more complete structural characterisation (Figure 16).
Dr. Paolo Falcaro (paolo.falcaro@csiro.au)
Fig. 15: An image of a mesoporous battery electrode
prepared in the CSIRO laboratories.
Materials such as this have application in high
charge-discharge rate electrochemical storage
devices.
10.2.4 Biophosphates and their Application to
Materials Discovery
Phosphates and their related salts are ubiquitous
within modern society, with strong demand in
particular from the agriculture and health sectors.
These applications, along with emerging uses in
electrochemistry have created a global shortage of

10.2.5 Control and Application of Sol-Gel

Derived Ceramics
The research area is related to the preparation of
functional coatings and nanoparticles via sol-gel
process. A strong background has been developed on
self-cleaning coatings, such as hydrophobic and
photocatalytic films, nano-porous ceramic coatings
(e.g. SiO2, TiO2, HfO2) and hybrid thin and thick
films. Lithographic protocols for the fabrication of
patterned materials using such coatings have been
developed. Functional coatings for biomolecular
grafting are studied as well (e.g. coatings for
microarrays). Part of the research is dedicated to the
investigation of ceramic and hybrid organic-inorganic

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62

nano and micro-particle properties for the preparation

of nanocomposites with specific mechanical features
(e.g. scratch resistant coatings), and for the
preparation of seeds for heterogeneous nucleation
purposes (e.g. metal organic frameworks nucleation).
The focus is the optimization of the material
properties to improve the performances through the
investigation of the chemical composition,
microstructure, nanoporosity and morphology. For
this reason, we have developed a new method based
on the design of the experiment (DOE) to identify the
relationships between the material processing and
material features. With this procedure the number of
experiments is minimized and the probability to
optimize ceramic and hybrid material is improved.

INDUSTRY
11.1
Austral Bricks
(www.australbricks.com.au)

Dr Cara Doherty (Cara.Doherty@csiro.au)

In 2003, Brickworks acquired Bristile Limited

making Austral Bricks Australias largest brick
manufacturer producing over 1 Billion bricks per
annum. The manufacturing operations consist of
factories throughout Australia including New South
Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia,
Tasmania and Western Australia.

10.2.6 Mesoporous
Ceramics
Electrochemical Storage and Thin
Applications

for
Film

Research has focused on the synthesis and

characterisation of porous hierarchical ceramic
materials for energy storage applications and
inorganic-organic silica based materials to investigate
materials for adaptive and responsive applications.
Mesoporous LiFePO4 electrode materials for lithium
ion batteries have been prepared to investigate the
effects that high surface area and hierarchical
structures have on the power capability if the
electrodes. The periodic mesoporous organosilicas
have physical properties which can be carefully
controlled for specific applications including flexible,
optically clear monoliths (Figure 17) and
mechanically strong thin films. Full material
characterisation is undertaken including positron
annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) for the
accurate measurement of pore size (0.2 20 nm) and
relative concentration.

738 780 Wallgrove Rd

Horsley Park, NSW 2164
Cathy Inglis, Group Technical
Engineering Manager
(cathy.inglis@brickworks.com.au)

Research

&

Originally established in 1908, Austral Bricks has

been operating as part of Brickworks Limited since
1945. Brickworks Limited is a publicly listed
company which was formed in 1934.

All of Australias sites are continually upgraded and

modernised to maintain production efficiency and to
produce modern, fashionable products for the housing
and commercial markets.
With the commissioning of a new brick factory at
Wollert, Victoria in 2007 Austral Bricks continue to
set the pace for quality, efficiency and high levels of
environmental performance. The introduction of
robotic brick handling equipment at plants around
Australia enables Austral Bricks to greatly reduce
manufacturing costs and enhance production
flexibility. In 2011 another brick factory was
commissioned on this same site, making it one of the
biggest brick operations in Australia with a
production capacity of 150 million bricks per year.
Water on this site is collected and recycled to provide
all the necessary water for manufacturing, eliminating
the use of town water. This new plant is another step
by Austral Bricks towards further reducing the
embodied energy of our clay products as it uses 40%
less energy than the plant it replaced.
Austral Bricks is constantly striving to improve its
energy utilisation by reinvesting in more efficient
technologies, efficient plants, redesigning existing
plants and processes and updating control systems.

Fig. 17: Optically clear organosilica monolith.

Austral Bricks extensive range of products are

manufactured and tested to the highest quality. Each
batch of bricks is graded at various stages of the
manufacturing process and are tested in registered

Journal of the Australian Ceramics Society Volume 50[1], 2014, 49 68

laboratories to make sure they meet strict Australian
Standards.
Having to meet the changing demands of todays
market, Brickworks Limited has acquired a number
of complementary companies to Austral Bricks which
fall under Brickworks Building Products. Companies
within the Brickworks Building Products division
include Austral Bricks, Austral Masonry, Austral
Precast, Bristile Roofing and Auswest Timber.

63

Austral Bricks has developed a terracotta faade

system, Terraade (Figure 19). Large format clay
tiles are supported on a structural rail system to
provide a ventilated rainsceen facade. Terraade is
durable, colour fast, low maintenance and
environmentally friendly.

Austral Bricks continuous focus on quality and

service, coupled with the determination to remain the
market leader in the Australian brick industry means
we are always working to make Austral Bricks a
better brick company, built on the manufacturing and
service traditions that have made the company what it
is today.
Austral Bricks is constantly developing new products
to meet the changing demands of the building and
construction market. Two new products, namely the
Boxer Lite brick and the Everyday Life Brick (Figure
18), have been recently released and provide the
following benefits:
20% less raw material is required per brick due
to their lighter weight lessening our impact on
natural resources including clay and shale
stockpiles.
A 10% reduction in natural gas use and
greenhouse gas emissions over comparable
standard bricks.
A 19% reduction in diesel fuel required to
deliver bricks to customers due to increased
pack size resulting from the bricks lower weight.
Use of town water is eliminated through on-site
stormwater capture for use in the manufacturing
process whilst excess process water is
subsequently re-cycled.

Fig. 18: Boxer Lite brick

Fig. 19: terracotta faade system

Austral Bricks produce a full range of clay pavers and
the latest new product that has been developed is
large format ceramic pavers. These pavers are 300 x
300mm and 600 x 300 in size and come in a range of
colours (Figure 20).

Fig. 20: Ceramic pavers

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64

11.2
Austral Precast
(www.australbrick.com.au)

Austral Precast offers a variety of finishes that can be

used separately or in combination.

33-41 Cowpasture Road

Wetherill Park, NSW 2164
Austral Precast is Australias premier supplier of high
quality and innovative customizable precast concrete
solutions (Figure 21). Operating from five plants
around Australia, using state of the art technology,
production techniques and systems.

Applied finishes are achieved through the application

of materials, such as tiles or bricks to the surface of
the concrete panel in various patterns to create a truly
distinctive look. Whether you want a traditional brick
veneer finish or a striking tiled pattern.

Austral Precast delivers a diversified range of wall,

floor, column, and client specific precast solutions.

Austral Precast have recently developed a

prefabricated brick panel to provide a complete wall
solution with rapid construction times, no mess and
waste on site and improved cyclone, flood, fire and
acoustic performance.

Austral Precast offers an industry leading installation

service either through Austral Precasts own team or
through a number of Austral accredited installers.

Fig. 21: Precast concrete walls

11.3
Bristile Roof Tiles
(www.bristileroofing.com.au)
164 Viking Drive,
Wacol, QLD 4076
Bristile Roofing was established in 1929 when Sir
Lance Brisbane opened his first terracotta products
factory in Perth. The division is now one of
Australia's largest manufacturers and expert installers
of quality terracotta, and concrete roof tiles.
Concrete tiles were first marketed in the late 1940s
and roof tiles, whether concrete or terracotta, quickly
became the roofing material of choice due to their
durability, profile variation and selection of colours.
In 1974, Besser Roof Tiles (as the company was then
known) entered the Queensland market offering one
tile profile in eight colours. In those days maximum

output was 20,000 tiles per day. In time the company

expanded into New South Wales building factories in
Grafton and Sydney. The Pioneer group purchased
the company in 1989 and oversaw further
development over the next decade which included the
incorporation of the famous Victorian brand Nubrik
which had first made concrete tiles in 1972 under the
Whitelaw Roof Tiles brand. Today, these various roof
tile companies, which first started serving the
Australian market over 75 years ago, have combined.
Now known as Bristile Roofing, we are one of the
countrys largest suppliers of concrete and terracotta
roof tile, producing up to 250,000 units per day from
three plants and offering a comprehensive range of
more than 40 colours and seven profiles. Bristile
Roofing is part of the national Brickworks group of
companies.

Journal of the Australian Ceramics Society Volume 50[1], 2014, 49 68

11.4
Ceramic Oxide Fabricators (Australia)
Pty. Ltd. (www.cof.com.au)
83 Wood Street, Eaglehawk, Victoria 3556
Alan Walker, Manager, (ceramics@cof.com.au)
C.O.F. manufactures advanced alumina, zirconia and
other ceramics by extrusion, injection moulding,
casting, welding and machining (Figure 22). Our
ceramic extrusion capability is amongst the best in
the world. We supply several of the worlds highest
ranked universities, process control equipment
manufacturers in Europe, India, China, Japan and the

65

U.S.A. and the largest industrial, university and

CSIRO laboratories in Australia.
Our ceramic
components are chosen for their outstanding for
abrasion, corrosion, and electrical resistance. We are
a second tier supplier to almost all the large
automotive companies.
The SIRO2 oxygen sensor we manufacture is the
standard method for furnace control in the heattreating industry all over the world.

Fig. 22: Ceramic oxide components

11.5
Empire Ceramics Pty Ltd.
(www.empirebrick.com.au)
PO Box 4338, Bunderberg South, QLD 4670
Pat Slee, Managing Director
(pat@empirebrick.com.au)
Specialist brick cutters, who manufacture a
lightweight brick veneering system (Figure 23). It is
primarily exported to Japan as it is earthquake &
cyclone resistant. The company has been doing this
since 1986.

Fig. 23: Lightweight bricks

11.6
Morgan Technical Ceramics Australia Pty
Ltd (http://www.mtcmelbourne.com)
4 Redwood Drive, Notting Hill
Melbourne, VIC.
Steve Thompson, General Manager
(steve.thompson@morganplc.com)
Stuart Pratt, Sales and Marketing
(stuart.pratt@morganplc.com )

Manager

Martin Stuart, Research and Development Manager

(martin.stuart@morganplc.com)
Morgan Technical Ceramics, Australia Pty Ltd, based
in Melbourne, is a wholly owned subsidiary of The
Morgan Crucible Company plc. The manufacturing
site produces zirconia components for a large range
of severe service industrial applications (Figure 24).
Most products go into applications demanding high
resistance to corrosion and wear, such as valve trim
for the chemical and food industry, guides and dies
for metals processing, bearings for materials transport
and components for automotive applications.
Nilcra Magnesia-Partially Stabilised Zirconia, or
simply Nilcra PSZ, has the greatest toughest, or
resistance to cracking, of all available ceramic
materials. This unique property, derived from
optimization of a process known as transformation
toughening, makes it particularly suited to

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66

Fig. 24: Various components (left) and Metal forming tooling (right)
applications demanding high levels of mechanical
reliability. Typical products are, Valve & Pump
Components including complete butterfly valve
assemblies (Z-Max Valves), Can Tooling
(ProSeamers), Battery Tooling, Shell Bearings (ZBearings) and Metal Forming Components.
Internal R&D activity at Morgan Technical Ceramics,
Australia is focused on process, product and
applications development.
11.7
Morgan Thermal Ceramics
(A division of Morganite Australia Pty Ltd)
(www.morgarnthermalceramics.com)
10-14 Toogood Avenue
Beverley, South Australia
Gary Latter National Sales Manager
(Gary.Latter@morganplc.com)
Gerald Ng Business Development Manager
(Gerald.Ng@morganplc.com
Fiona Leyonhjelm Customer Services Manager
(Fiona.Leyonhjelm@morganplc.com)
Morgan Thermal Ceramics designs, manufactures and
installs a broad range of thermal insulation products
that significantly reduce energy consumption and
emissions in a variety of high temperature processing
applications.
Our manufacturing plant is based in Beverley South
Australia produces our patented Superwool high
temperature fibre insulation, Vermiclulite Boards, and
a range of customised insulation components.
Globally, Thermal Ceramics manufactures an
extensive range of insulating refractorory products
including: Insulating Firebricks, Dense and Insulating
Monolithics, Microporous Insulation, Fired Alumina
Shapes and High Temperature Textiles. By nature of
our wide product range, we service a diverse

industrial sectors from the Primany Aluminium and

Steel Industry to Marine Fire-Protection, and
Domestic Equipment Insulation.
11.8
Rojan Advanced Ceramics Ltd.
(http://www.rojan.com.au)
55 Alacrity Place
Henderson, WA 6166
Rod Stead, Managing Director
(rod.stead@rojan.com.au)
Established in 1991, Western Australian company
Rojan Advanced Ceramics Pty Ltd ("Rojan"), started
producing brick extrusion cores and simple crucible
shapes. It has now rapidly expanded into more
demanding applications with 30 staff in Sales,
Production, Engineering/ Product Development,
Administration/Finance supplying industrial ceramics
world wide. Its product range manufactured include
Alumina, aluminium titanate, magnesia, yttria
stabilised zirconia, spinel, mullite and forsterite
materials.
A history of cooperative research projects with
government organisations, universities and private
industry, together with continuous technology
development and internal research into new materials,
has transformed Rojan into arguably the most
technologically advanced ceramics company in the
Southern hemisphere. It exports to over 20 countries.
After nearly 20 years as a private company, Rojan
Advanced Ceramics was purchased by the Ludowici
Group of Companies in December 2010.
11.9
Taylor Ceramic Engineering
(www.taylorceramicengineering.com)
65 Anderson Road
Mortdale
NSW 2223
Alyssa Taylor , Managing Director

Journal of the Australian Ceramics Society Volume 50[1], 2014, 49 68

(alyssa@taylorceramicengineering.com)
office@taylorceramicengineering.com
They are specialists in 99.9% HIGH purity
Alumina technology for over 40 years. Their unique
Net-Forming technique yields accurate & complexgeometry components
Applications: Wear & Chemical Resistance,
Electrical Insulation.
Components: Chute Liners, Guides, Brick Core Tips,
Bearings, Nozzles, Pumps, Spigots, Crucibles, Knife
Edge Blades, Insulators, Prototypes, Custom-made
etc. (Figure 25)
Component size: Minute to Monolithic.
Services: Taylor-made Solutions, Manufacturing,
Design, Consultancy, Worldwide Export.
11.20 Zeobond Group, VI (: www.zeobond.com)
PO BOX 210,
Somerton, VIC 3062
Prof Jannie S.J. van Deventer (jannie@zeobond.com)
Chief Executive Officer
Products made by Zeobond Group are Zeostone Low CO2 Precast Pavers; E-Crete, is Zeobonds
proprietary geopolymer concrete product consisting
of fly ash, the by-product of burning coal at a

67

powerstation, and slag; Zeostone Pavers, which use

award winning CO2 reducing technology to offer a
sustainable choice unparalleled in the Australian
concrete paver market.
Zeobond is working with leading engineering
consulting firm Halcrow Pacific, polymer fibre
manufacturer Elasto Plastic Concrete and pre-cast
concrete products manufacturer Humes to
manufacture fibre reinforced concrete tunnel lining
segments. Tunnel lining segments are used in
applications like outflow pipes for desalination plants
and subway systems.
Zeobond is supporting fundamental scientific
research and training at the University of Melbourne
to investigate the long term durability of geopolymer
concrete. This work follows on from investigations of
old geopolymer structures in the former Soviet Union
which were investigated by CEO of Zeobond, Jannie
van Deventer in 2006.
Fire Resistance of E-Crete has been tested
according to the Standard Time-Temperature Curve
(STTC) heating profile, which is the heating profile
specified in the ISO834 Standard. This test has shown
E-Crete to perform considerably better than OPC
based concrete at high temperatures.

Fig. 25: High purity alumina components

Perera
Consultants
Dr. Laurie Aldridge, (laurie.aldridge@gmail.com)
12.1
24 Balmer Crescent
Woonona, NSW 2517
Monitoring Applications of Durability
Worldwide billions of dollars are spent annually to
replace defective infrastructure that needs
replacement only because of concrete failing to attain
its expected service life. In addition costly
maintenance is another outcome in the lack of
durability of concrete. For example in 1979 a survey
of large (greater than three story) residential buildings
erected in the previous 15 years in North Sydney
found that; 69% of the buildings showed some
incidence of durability distress, the younger buildings
shown increase frequency of distress than those 10 15 years old. Good quality concrete is durable and
service lives of over a hundred years can be achieved
with: (1) dequate mixing, (2) Proper composition
(with special emphasis both on amount of water and
the addition of supplementary cementitious materials
to blends with pulverized fuel ash (PFA), ground
granulated blast furnace slag GGBFS, or silica fume),

68
(3) Proper curing, (4) Proper compaction, and (5)
Adequate cover. Yet there exist little in situ testing
protocols to cheaply determine if placed concrete is in
fact properly cured, properly compacted, with defined
composition, and the adequate cover specified. Many
specifications are in fact prescriptive based on
experience and the development of performance
specifications is of some importance with the recent
need to develop cementitious binders that required
less carbon dioxide emission during production.
This project was set up with private money to develop
and evaluate the monitoring of performance of
cementitious binders with the aim of predicting
durability from the performance of the concrete by
in-situ testing. Collaborative work is being carried
out with the Niels Bohr Institute Copenhagen
Denmark, Frank Collins & Will Gates Department of
Civil Engineering, Monash University, Kapila
Fernando ANSTO, Kirk Vessalas & Paul Thomas
UTS. This work has led to a number of publications
on water movement and chloride ingress through
cementitious binders and concretes. Continuing work
aims to use our data to estimate service life of
concrete used as cover in built structures.