In a world where technology continually reshapes our lives, the unsung heroes of innovation are often the materials that make up the things we use every day. From the cars we drive to the phones in our hands, our experience of the world is fundamentally affected by the materials we have created.
Opinion piece from Dr Marcus Zipper, Director CSIRO Manufacturing, on how materials science is driving the innovations that will change our lives.
Materials throughout history
The fields of materials science and engineering have always stood at the forefront of innovation, with the development of new materials consistently being a catalyst for technological and societal shifts.
From ancient civilisations that harnessed the power of metals, we progressed to innovations like the steam engine, which had a profound impact and ushered in the Industrial Revolution.
The 20th century saw a historic shift with the advent of synthetic polymers and plastics. These revolutionised the world due to their remarkable versatility and affordability. However, they also gave rise to environmental concerns, prompting a recent move towards sustainable and biodegradable materials.
Case study: Redefining sustainability
Every year, Australians uses one million tonnes of single-use plastics like food packaging. Only thirteen per cent is recycled, with massive economic, social, environmental and health impacts.
What if we could find alternative plastic materials that degrade quickly, and leave no lasting environmental footprint?
Here at CSIRO, we are working with industry and academia to find bioplastics that can degrade into carbon dioxide and water. We are investigating plant-based plastic composites and materials that could produce compostable plastics. We are also undertaking research to improve technology for producing bioplastics from renewable resources.
The future of materials science
Today, the combination of state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques and ongoing advances in materials science is a potent innovation accelerator.
One notable area of development over the past decade has been additive manufacturing, or 3D printing. This has opened new realms of possibility in design and engineering through the creation of lighter, stronger and more efficient components. As 3D printing technologies advance, we will continue to see even more intricate and complex designs. Another exciting development in this area is the ability to combine multiple materials in a single print run, creating complex, functional products with diverse properties.
Robotics and automation have also emerged as profound agents of change. These technologies enhance precision and efficiency in material fabrication, allowing for more complex and accurate production processes. They also enable high-throughput experimentation, allowing researchers to conduct numerous tests and experiments simultaneously, with the potential for real-time feedback.
Similarly, digital twins – or virtual replicas of physical objects or systems – can simulate and analyse materials under various conditions. This seamless blend of digital and physical realms significantly accelerates material development and testing, leading to faster innovation cycles.
And of course, there’s artificial intelligence, or AI, which looks set to revolutionise nearly every aspect of our lives. In materials science, AI’s capacity to analyse extensive datasets will allow us to predict the properties and behaviours of new materials. This will drive the rapid discovery and development of potentially world-changing materials.
Collectively, these breakthroughs will profoundly impact a wide range of sectors. In healthcare, new biomaterials will enable us to make more effective medical devices and drug delivery systems. The aerospace and automotive industries will benefit from lighter, stronger materials, improving fuel efficiency and safety. In electronics, advanced materials will allow for smaller, more powerful devices. And the energy sector can anticipate better renewable energy technologies, including more efficient solar panels and batteries.
Case study: Preparing for space flight
Among approximately 2,600 active satellites in orbit, an increasing number are CubeSats – small satellites ranging in size from that of a Rubik’s cube to a small suitcase.
While reducing the cost of space exploration, CubeSats face challenges in orbit. One big risk is thermal cycling, which is the shift between extreme cold and heat as orbiting spacecrafts move in and out of sunlight and shadow. This can place CubeSats under great stress, threatening their structural integrity and potentially damaging sensitive optics.
In collaboration with DMTC, UNSW Canberra Space, La Trobe University and AW Bell, CSIRO investigated optimal materials for the satellite components that can withstand thermal cycling. We settled on a titanium/invar hybrid which combines the strength and lightness of titanium with invar’s thermal stability.
Once we decided on a material, the team at CSIRO’s Centre for Additive Innovation, Lab22, used a combination of 3D printing and cold spray to quickly produce the parts.
Australia’s competitive edge – R&D
Australia’s competitive advantage in this transformative landscape will be closely tied to our strategic use of science and technology.
We must continue to foster a strong, collaborate manufacturing ecosystem, underpinned by robust R&D investment at all levels from individual company efforts to national initiatives. This will be essential to driving a sustainable and thriving value chain and enhancing Australia’s position in a competitive global market.
In this endeavour, organisations such as CSIRO and various universities will play pivotal roles, propelling progress and strengthening the nation’s manufacturing sector.
Australia boasts a strong legacy in this domain, with several of our universities consistently ranked within the top 100 internationally in the field of materials science. Globally, CSIRO’s work is held in high regard. It is frequently cited by other scientists, placing us ninth in a global comparison alongside 56 similar organisations. This high level of citation places us in the top quarter of these organisations in terms of research impact and recognition.
To foster breakthrough innovations, it’s also essential to merge various scientific and engineering fields through collaborative efforts, creating a multidisciplinary approach.
This will propel Australia’s manufacturing sector forward and generating new industries and employment opportunities.
However, the challenge often lies in translating innovations into successful products, as many promising Australian inventions encounter significant obstacles when making the leap from the R&D stage to commercial viability. This transitional difficulty is commonly referred to as the ‘valley of death.’
CSIRO is dedicated to helping overcome these challenges by supporting industry to develop scalable, economically viable and sustainable manufacturing processes, offering a range of facilities for pilot scaling, upscaling, and prototyping to support material development and manufacturing.
Case study: Supporting the pioneering of lithium-ion battery materials
Lithium-ion batteries have become the lifeblood of our modern world, powering everything from smartphones to electric vehicles.
As demand surges globally, a special opportunity emerges for Australia to establish a complete battery value chain – especially given our abundant reserves of critical minerals that comprise batteries. This could span from mining battery minerals to processing and manufacturing battery active materials, and ultimately, cell manufacture.
CSIRO, leveraging its decades of expertise, is playing an important role in supporting the development of this value chain. We provide innovative and technical solutions to companies venturing into this sector.
In one project, we partnered with Queensland nanotechnology company, VSPC, and the University of Queensland to design, manufacture, and test next-generation fast-charge batteries for trams and other transport using VSPC’s advanced cathode materials.
Building on these efforts, we collaborated on another battery materials project with VSPC’s parent company, Lithium Australia Limited. The company wanted to assess use of its high-quality Lithium Iron (Ferro) Phosphate and Lithium Iron (Ferro) Manganese Phosphate cathode materials – known in the automotive industry for their high safety standards in rapid charging applications.
This collaboration between Australian research institutions and industry players underscores the dynamic and evolving sector of lithium-ion batteries, showcasing Australia’s potential to become a leader in this critical field.