circAlloy centre based at Deakin awarded funding

The Deakin University-based ARC Training Centre for Resource Efficient Alloys in a Circular Economy. or “circAlloy”, was recently awarded $4,988,139 in Australian Research Council funding, and aims to train “the next generation in alloy science and manufacturing for resource efficiency in a circular economy”.

The funding was awarded by the Australian Research Council on Friday last week. The new centre is to be led by Professor Matthew Barnett (pictured on right), Chair in Metallurgy at Deakin’s Institute for Frontier Materials (IFM) and an ARC Laureate.

According to a statement from Deakin on Thursday, research groups supporting the centre include the university’s IFM and Applied Artificial Intelligence Institute, plus the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney. 

CircAlloy will also include a consortium of industry collaborators “committed to net zero via research and development and seeking skilled people to make the transition.”

“Metals are remarkable materials – malleable, strong, durable and highly recyclable. But despite those circular properties, the production of metals faces multifaceted challenges that put pressure on the environment and the economy,” Barnett said.

“circAlloy will help us create alloys that stay in use for longer, enable a more circular economy and demand less resources, while at the same time facilitating innovation in renewable technologies. Nimble placement of researchers and research engineers on-site and in-lab will allow us to fast-track problem solving, audit processes, proof-of-concept testing, and the translation of research into real-world outcomes.”

The ARC also funded five other Industrial Transformation Training Centres and seven Industrial Transformation Research Hubs through the recently-announced round. 

Picture: Professor Daniel Fabijanic and Barnett (supplied)

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