UOW researcher developing ‘vitamins’ for COLORBOND® steel

Aug 18, 2006

A University of Wollongong honours student and BlueScope Steel cadet has won the poster competition at a major international conference in Seattle, USA for his research into facelifts of a different kind...

Troy Lowe has been involved in a collaborative project with BlueScope Steel that involves further extending the lifetime of their flagship product, COLORBOND® steel, already for many years an iconic part of the Australian suburban landscape and a premium choice for domestic roofing.

Troy presented his research in America recently as part of a poster competition for the American Society of Mass Spectrometry, one of the largest conferences in its field in the world involving over 5000 delegates. His research presentation resulted in him winning the competition against researchers from across the globe.

His presentation explained how the University of Wollongong is the first institution in the country to be using a revolutionary new mass spectrometer technique called Desorption Electrospray Ionisation (DESI) that allows researchers to obtain analysis directly from surfaces to scrutinise the molecules present, rather than having to use laborious extraction procedures.

While the new technology will have major implications for the security, forensic and pharmaceutical sectors, at UOW the machine provides local benefits for BlueScope Steel, allowing for rapid and detailed testing of surface coatings of the type employed in COLORBOND® steel. Troy has been working closely with Technology Leader in Polymer Science at BlueScope Steel Research, Dr Phil Barker.

“Just as humans age due to the additive natural effects of sunlight and the weather in general, similar oxidative processes can affect the lifetime of surface coatings,” said Dr Barker.

“In humans, the vitamins C and E protect us from these harmful processes and this new technology will allow us to understand which chemical additives can further extend the lifetime of COLORBOND® steel, maintaining its status as the preferred choice for Australian domestic roofing applications for many years to come. This, in turn, helps to ensure the long-term viability of the Illawarra as a major manufacturing centre for BlueScope, with concomitant benefits for the local economy.”

Troy said DESI would allow researchers to detect changes in steel coatings at a molecular level.

“The great thing about it is that you don’t need any sample preparation – you can manipulate as you analyse. It is grabbing a lot of people’s attention because it is a brilliant detector.”

Dr Stephen Blanksby from UOW’s Chemistry department has supervised the research and said Troy’s success has proven him a student ‘ahead of his time’.

“He is only in his honours year and yet has already accomplished so much. Since winning the poster competition at the conference he has had employment discussions with the group that developed DESI in Indiana.”

Dr Barker and Dr Blanksby are planning further research in the area and have recently submitted a Linkage Grant to the ARC based on Troy's research.

“This project is an excellent example of collaboration between university and industry-based researchers that leads to greater scientific understanding but also has direct application in improving technology,” said Dr Blanksby.

For further information contact: Dr Stephen Blanksby on (02) 4221 5484.

For more information, contact:

media@uow.edu.au
University of Wollongong
Ph: (02) 4221 5942; fax (02) 4221 3128