Globally, the building sector alone contributes to 38% of the greenhouse gas emissions, due to energy-intensive production methods, depleting resources, and unsustainable practices. Producing building materials with optimum performance at lower material consumption will help in ameliorating environmental impact of booming construction. Similarly, producing high-performance materials from sustainable resources reduces the dependency of fossil resources.

The use of engineered micro/nanomaterials from Spinifex as high-performance additives has been shown to provide controls on processability, improve performance, and expand the application areas of the materials. Under the UQ/Bulugudu partnership, this theme of research investigates different pathways of processing, biorefinery and applications of Spinifex-derived fibres and resin into various structural materials such as building materials, plastics, and composites.

Project members

Dr Jitka Kochanek

Project Leader
Advanced Spinifex Biofutures Materials Centre

Dr. Kenneth Andres Tryggestad

Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Advanced Spinifex Biofutures Materials Centre

Dr Alireza Hosseinmardi

Advanced Spinifex Biofutures Materials Centre
Principal Research Technician,