Responsible Extraction Technologies of Materials
Sustainable technologies and practices for the mining, minerals and metals industry that will promote responsible mineral resource management. It will include emerging technologies for the advancement of the various facets of the mining, minerals, metals, and materials sectors such as characterization, extraction, environment, social, economic, health and safety.
Scope of Research:
- Mineral or ore characterization
- Mineral and metal extraction
- Tailings/waste utilization, rehabilitation/remediation, and reprocessing
- Social and economic impact of mining and extraction activities
- Health and safety
- Materials recovery
Enabling Technologies
Discoveries, inventions, or innovations that promote advancements in capabilities leading to rapid development in applications (e.g., products, processes, and metrology in the field of mining, metallurgical, and materials engineering)
Scope of Research:
- Plasma-assisted processes
- Nanomaterials synthesis and micro-nano structure fabrication
- Ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents
- Computer-based (calculations, modeling, simulation, and artificial intelligence-facilitated) studies
- Novel measurement techniques
Biomaterials
Materials, either synthetic or natural, that interact with biological systems for prosthetic, dental, diagnostic, therapeutic, and drug delivery systems applications without adversely affecting the human body and its components
Scope of Research:
- materials for prostheses and implants (e.g. transtibial prosthesis, external fixators, 3D printed articular cartilage, SMA materials for stent application, dental biomaterials)
- materials for medical treatment (e.g. wound dressing and healing, antibacterial gels, drug delivery systems, abdominal wall defect closure, Rebirth)
- materials for diagnosis (e.g. medical sensors, phantom models for ultrasound)
- materials for protective devices (e.g. facemasks, medical cleaning/disinfection devices)
Ecomaterials
Materials and materials technologies that bring positive environmental impact throughout the whole life cycle of the material, i.e., from the selection of eco-friendly raw materials, employing green manufacturing technologies, application of eco-materials and technologies, recycling of waste materials, and waste disposal technologies without harming the environment.
Scope of Research:
- Biobased packaging materials and bioplastics (derived from organic sources)
- Materials valorization
- Recyclable materials
- Naturally-occurring materials
- Green technologies
- materials free from hazardous substances,
- materials manufactured with low energy consumption and in clean conditions,
- materials that purify contaminated water and air
Materials for Energy
Fundamental to advanced materials research, across the whole energy spectrum, focusing on the synthesis, characterization and theoretical understanding of materials to be used in energy applications.
Scope of Research:
- Materials for energy generation and harvesting
- Materials for energy conversion
- Materials for energy transport and storage
- Advanced materials for sustainable and renewable energy applications