title: Synthesis, Characterisation and Applications of Novel Ionic Liquids.

authors: Ying, Lucia (Li)

subjects: phosphinate ionic liquids

abstract: A series of novel phosphinate-based ionic liquids have been synthesised using various organic phosphorus acids, such as mono-n-octylphosphinic acid (octylPO₂H₂), mono-n-hexylphosphinic acid (hexylPO₂H₂), di-n-octylphosphinic acid ((octyl)₂PO₂H), di-n-hexylphosphinic acid ((hexyl)₂PO₂H) and bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl)phosphinic acid ((TMP)₂PO₂H), by reaction with tetrabutylphosphonium hydroxide (Bu₄POH), tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (Bu₄NOH), pyridine (py) and triethylamine (Et₃N). Reactions simply involve neutralizing the organophosphorus acids with bases. The only byproduct, water, and excess amine, py/Et₃N can be easily removed under vacuum (Chapter 2).
Some of the physical and chemical properties of these ionic liquids have been characterized by NMR, ES-MS, TGA, UV-Visible spectroscopy etc. The formed tetraalkylphosphonium/tetraalkylammonium phosphinate ionic liquids are viscous, hygroscopic liquids, but are more thermally stable than trialkylammonium and pyridinium analogues. For example, for the most stable ionic liquid, [Bu₄P][(octyl)₂PO₂], its onset temperature of decomposition in thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) is 358 °C (Chapter 2).
One of the applications of these novel phosphinate-based ionic liquids has been investigated. Au(0), Rh(0) and Ir(0) nanoparticles have been prepared in some of these phosphinate-based ionic liquids as a media and (or) reducing agents and have been characterized by SEM, TEM, Zetasizer, UV-Visible spectroscopy and IR spectroscopy. In general, the average particles size of Au(0), and Ir(0) were ca. 25 nm, but some of the particles average size formed was less than 2 nm, such as Rh(0) and Ir(0) nanoparticles formed in [Bu₄P][(octyl)₂PO₂] or [Bu₄P][(TMP)₂PO₂]. Generally, these phosphinate-based ionic liquids are good media to prevent nanoparticle aggregation (Chapter 3).

text: Synthesis, Characterisation and Applications of Novel Ionic Liquids. A series of novel phosphinate-based ionic liquids have been synthesised using various organic phosphorus acids, such as mono-n-octylphosphinic acid (octylPO₂H₂), mono-n-hexylphosphinic acid (hexylPO₂H₂), di-n-octylphosphinic acid ((octyl)₂PO₂H), di-n-hexylphosphinic acid ((hexyl)₂PO₂H) and bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl)phosphinic acid ((TMP)₂PO₂H), by reaction with tetrabutylphosphonium hydroxide (Bu₄POH), tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (Bu₄NOH), pyridine (py) and triethylamine (Et₃N). Reactions simply involve neutralizing the organophosphorus acids with bases. The only byproduct, water, and excess amine, py/Et₃N can be easily removed under vacuum (Chapter 2).
Some of the physical and chemical properties of these ionic liquids have been characterized by NMR, ES-MS, TGA, UV-Visible spectroscopy etc. The formed tetraalkylphosphonium/tetraalkylammonium phosphinate ionic liquids are viscous, hygroscopic liquids, but are more thermally stable than trialkylammonium and pyridinium analogues. For example, for the most stable ionic liquid, [Bu₄P][(octyl)₂PO₂], its onset temperature of decomposition in thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) is 358 °C (Chapter 2).
One of the applications of these novel phosphinate-based ionic liquids has been investigated. Au(0), Rh(0) and Ir(0) nanoparticles have been prepared in some of these phosphinate-based ionic liquids as a media and (or) reducing agents and have been characterized by SEM, TEM, Zetasizer, UV-Visible spectroscopy and IR spectroscopy. In general, the average particles size of Au(0), and Ir(0) were ca. 25 nm, but some of the particles average size formed was less than 2 nm, such as Rh(0) and Ir(0) nanoparticles formed in [Bu₄P][(octyl)₂PO₂] or [Bu₄P][(TMP)₂PO₂]. Generally, these phosphinate-based ionic liquids are good media to prevent nanoparticle aggregation (Chapter 3).

year: 2006

title: A junior school science unit on the solar system: Learning to think like a scientist

authors: Brooks, Megan

subjects: junior school science

abstract: This article highlights the ways in which a Year 1‒3 teacher in a decile 8 rural primary school used the Science Learning Hub website (www.sciencelearn.org.nz) to develop her own science knowledge and to introduce her 20 five- and six-year-olds to the planets, and to the research that scientists undertake to extend their knowledge. The research was undertaken as part of the Science Learning Hub’s (Hub) ongoing research in evaluating its usefulness for practitioners. Hub researchers observed the class over three days during the second week of the unit, and interviewed the teacher about her approaches to the unit. The research explored how a new entrant teacher might make use of the Hub resources in conjunction with other materials to help children begin to think like scientists. Detail of the materials and two of the activities that were used is given and there is a discussion around how these activities encouraged the children to articulate their ideas and listen to the views of others, including those of ‘expert’ scientists. Implications for teaching are highlighted to show how teachers of very young children can stimulate children’s interest and curiosity in science, and help children to start a journey towards ‘thinking like a scientist’.

text: A junior school science unit on the solar system: Learning to think like a scientist This article highlights the ways in which a Year 1‒3 teacher in a decile 8 rural primary school used the Science Learning Hub website (www.sciencelearn.org.nz) to develop her own science knowledge and to introduce her 20 five- and six-year-olds to the planets, and to the research that scientists undertake to extend their knowledge. The research was undertaken as part of the Science Learning Hub’s (Hub) ongoing research in evaluating its usefulness for practitioners. Hub researchers observed the class over three days during the second week of the unit, and interviewed the teacher about her approaches to the unit. The research explored how a new entrant teacher might make use of the Hub resources in conjunction with other materials to help children begin to think like scientists. Detail of the materials and two of the activities that were used is given and there is a discussion around how these activities encouraged the children to articulate their ideas and listen to the views of others, including those of ‘expert’ scientists. Implications for teaching are highlighted to show how teachers of very young children can stimulate children’s interest and curiosity in science, and help children to start a journey towards ‘thinking like a scientist’.

year: 2012

title: Science-practice roadshow 1: Summary perspectives from centralised entities and agencies

authors: Serrao-Neumann, Silvia

abstract: Flooding is Aotearoa-New Zealand’s most frequent natural hazard, regularly damaging buildings and infrastructure networks, and causing months of disruption to communities and businesses (Hutchings et al. 2019). Also, floods have indirect, cascading, and more intangible impacts (Lawrence, Blackett, and Cradock-Henry 2020), such as the withdrawal of future investment or the emotional stress of recovery. flood risk is predicted to rise quickly due to the combination of climate change and rapid urban intensification (Ministry for the Environment and The Flood Risk Management and River Control Review Steering Group 2008). 

Currently, there is no consistent approach to accurately determine flood risk on a national scale, nor how this may be changing as the climate warms. Instead, flooding risk assessments are done for individual catchments or locations, with the goal of managing and mitigating on the local scale. Local and regional governments vary widely in their capability and capacity to undertake this work (Ford, Berrang-Ford, and Berrang Ford 2011) and, thus, significant differences in data availability and modelling approaches mean that integration of results to gain a pan-region or nationwide picture has not been possible. 

The ‘Mā te haumaru ō nga puna wai ō Rākaihautū ka ora mo ake tonu: Increasing flood resilience across Aotearoa’ research develop a detailed nationwide model that could inform strategic and co-ordinated nationwide decision-making and regulations to support improved resilience to flood risk across the country. Utilising new methods and advances in computer processing and automation, the programme is developing a dynamic risk modelling framework that will assess flood hazard for every catchment in the country and under differing climate scenarios. The model will account for the risks to both built infrastructure and communities so that a fuller understanding of societal costs and impacts can be established. The model’s utility for supporting decision-making will be investigated using an initial set of scenarios for environmental planning, policy settings and infrastructure investment options. Two overarching themes across all of the research - Mtauranga Mori and Uncertainty – are designed to utilise the diverse knowledge systems available to develop tools that are relevant for communities throughout Aotearoa-New Zealand, and to take into account and communicate more clearly flood risks. 

Improved resilience to flooding across Aotearoa-New Zealand is a key outcome sought by the research programme, however it cannot be achieved by research alone. Instead, knowledge and information developed within the programme must be utilised by practitioners in their work to assist communities to plan for, manage, mitigate and avoid flood risks. New knowledge from the programme must be incorporated by practitioners into further tools, policy and decision-making frameworks. This knowledge translation however is not a straight forward process (Dilling and Lemos 2011). Cultural, behavioural and cognitive differences between those who produce and those who utilise knowledge mean that research outputs may not fit the requirements of their intended users, and thus, uptake of research outputs may be compromised. Conversely, strong engagement of knowledge users in the knowledge production process is known to increase the likelihood, and impact, of knowledge implementation. 

Stakeholders are key members of the programme’s research team, representing views across central and local government, engineering, planning consultancies, emergency management, insurance and banking industries, and Te Rūnanga o Wairewa (Banks Peninsula). To broaden the range of stakeholder perspectives, and to facilitate relationships across the programme, we have established a boundary organisation – Te W Te W . Boundary organisations (Guston 2001; Kirchhoff, Esselman, and Brown 2015) are forums that bridge between the two relatively different social worlds of knowledge producers (researchers/scientists) and users (practitioners/policy makers). These forums create and sustain legitimate space and collaboration for knowledge/information to be co-designed, co-produced and co-disseminated (Serrao-Neumann, Di Giulio, and Low Choy 2020). Within our programme, Te W Te W is responsible for organising and facilitating communication and collaboration activities – events (Science-Practice oadshows), communications channels such as an electronic newsletter and website, and learning opportunities. Through this organisation, we are fostering trust, legitimacy and capacity for information use so that our research results will be usable, useful, and used. 

This report summarises the discussion and perspectives shared at the first Science-Practice Roadshow held in October 2021.

text: Science-practice roadshow 1: Summary perspectives from centralised entities and agencies Flooding is Aotearoa-New Zealand’s most frequent natural hazard, regularly damaging buildings and infrastructure networks, and causing months of disruption to communities and businesses (Hutchings et al. 2019). Also, floods have indirect, cascading, and more intangible impacts (Lawrence, Blackett, and Cradock-Henry 2020), such as the withdrawal of future investment or the emotional stress of recovery. flood risk is predicted to rise quickly due to the combination of climate change and rapid urban intensification (Ministry for the Environment and The Flood Risk Management and River Control Review Steering Group 2008). 

Currently, there is no consistent approach to accurately determine flood risk on a national scale, nor how this may be changing as the climate warms. Instead, flooding risk assessments are done for individual catchments or locations, with the goal of managing and mitigating on the local scale. Local and regional governments vary widely in their capability and capacity to undertake this work (Ford, Berrang-Ford, and Berrang Ford 2011) and, thus, significant differences in data availability and modelling approaches mean that integration of results to gain a pan-region or nationwide picture has not been possible. 

The ‘Mā te haumaru ō nga puna wai ō Rākaihautū ka ora mo ake tonu: Increasing flood resilience across Aotearoa’ research develop a detailed nationwide model that could inform strategic and co-ordinated nationwide decision-making and regulations to support improved resilience to flood risk across the country. Utilising new methods and advances in computer processing and automation, the programme is developing a dynamic risk modelling framework that will assess flood hazard for every catchment in the country and under differing climate scenarios. The model will account for the risks to both built infrastructure and communities so that a fuller understanding of societal costs and impacts can be established. The model’s utility for supporting decision-making will be investigated using an initial set of scenarios for environmental planning, policy settings and infrastructure investment options. Two overarching themes across all of the research - Mtauranga Mori and Uncertainty – are designed to utilise the diverse knowledge systems available to develop tools that are relevant for communities throughout Aotearoa-New Zealand, and to take into account and communicate more clearly flood risks. 

Improved resilience to flooding across Aotearoa-New Zealand is a key outcome sought by the research programme, however it cannot be achieved by research alone. Instead, knowledge and information developed within the programme must be utilised by practitioners in their work to assist communities to plan for, manage, mitigate and avoid flood risks. New knowledge from the programme must be incorporated by practitioners into further tools, policy and decision-making frameworks. This knowledge translation however is not a straight forward process (Dilling and Lemos 2011). Cultural, behavioural and cognitive differences between those who produce and those who utilise knowledge mean that research outputs may not fit the requirements of their intended users, and thus, uptake of research outputs may be compromised. Conversely, strong engagement of knowledge users in the knowledge production process is known to increase the likelihood, and impact, of knowledge implementation. 

Stakeholders are key members of the programme’s research team, representing views across central and local government, engineering, planning consultancies, emergency management, insurance and banking industries, and Te Rūnanga o Wairewa (Banks Peninsula). To broaden the range of stakeholder perspectives, and to facilitate relationships across the programme, we have established a boundary organisation – Te W Te W . Boundary organisations (Guston 2001; Kirchhoff, Esselman, and Brown 2015) are forums that bridge between the two relatively different social worlds of knowledge producers (researchers/scientists) and users (practitioners/policy makers). These forums create and sustain legitimate space and collaboration for knowledge/information to be co-designed, co-produced and co-disseminated (Serrao-Neumann, Di Giulio, and Low Choy 2020). Within our programme, Te W Te W is responsible for organising and facilitating communication and collaboration activities – events (Science-Practice oadshows), communications channels such as an electronic newsletter and website, and learning opportunities. Through this organisation, we are fostering trust, legitimacy and capacity for information use so that our research results will be usable, useful, and used. 

This report summarises the discussion and perspectives shared at the first Science-Practice Roadshow held in October 2021.

year: 2022-02