ProfessorMatthew Barnett

Deakin Distinguished Professor and Chair in Metallurgy

Faculty of Science Engineering and Built Environment/Institute for Frontier Materials

  • Deakin Distinguished Professor and Chair in Metallurgy
    Faculty of Science Engineering and Built Environment/Institute for Frontier Materials
  • +61 3 522 72797 (Work)
  • Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus, 75 Pigdons Road, Waurn Ponds, Victoria 3216

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Professor Barnett's passion is in using physical metallurgy to create new alloys and processes that reduce our environmental footprint.
He has opened up new understanding of how to develop and process magnesium alloys for use in light-weighting applications - facilitating energy saving in the transport sector.
Prof Barnett has also made breakthroughs in the technology of steel rolling, showing how lower temperatures can be employed without detriment - thereby paving the way for reduced energy demands during production.
Most recently he is focussing on how to create advanced alloys and processes that make better use of scrap metal input. This has the added benefit of opening up new avenues for Australia to create value from all the advanced and specialty alloy scrap it currently exports.

His current ARC Laureate project is entitled: “Alloy Alchemy: New paradigms in alloy science to promote a circular economy”.

GRANTS

  • GRANT
    ARC Training Centre for Resource Efficient Alloys in a Circular Economy
    16 Jun 2025 - 16 Jun 2030
    People funded by this grant:
    Hysata Pty Ltd - $500,000.00
  • GRANT
    ARC Training Centre for Resource Efficient Alloys in a Circular Economy
    16 Jun 2025 - 16 Jun 2030
    People funded by this grant:
    DooGood Australian - $300,000.00
  • GRANT
    ARC Training Centre for Resource Efficient Alloys in a Circular Economy
    16 Jun 2025 - 16 Jun 2030
    People funded by this grant:
    Bradken Pty Ltd - $625,000.00
  • GRANT
    ARC Training Centre for Resource Efficient Alloys in a Circular Economy
    16 Jun 2025 - 16 Jun 2030
    People funded by this grant:
    Bissalloy Steels Pty Ltd - $122,500.00
  • GRANT
    ARC Training Centre for Resource Efficient Alloys in a Circular Economy
    16 Jun 2025 - 16 Jun 2030
    People funded by this grant:
    Callidus Process Solutions Pty. Ltd. - $100,000.00
  • GRANT
    ARC Training Centre for Resource Efficient Alloys in a Circular Economy
    1 Jan 2025 - 31 Dec 2029
    People funded by this grant:
    ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centres - IC240100027 - $4,988,139.00
  • CONTRACT RESEARCH
    Characterisation and testing of pearlitic alloy grades
    8 Aug 2024 - 15 Nov 2024
    People funded by this grant:
    Bradken Resources Pty Ltd - $30,000.00
  • FELLOWSHIP
    Enabling solid state metal recycling with new numerical techniques
    1 Nov 2023 - 31 Oct 2026
    People funded by this grant:
    ARC DECRA - Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - DE230100338 - $448,721.00
  • CONTRACT RESEARCH
    Improving the Abrasive Wear Resistance of Ground Engaging Tools - Phase II
    24 May 2022 - 23 Mar 2023
    People funded by this grant:
    Sandvik Mining & Construction Australia (Production / Supply) Pty Ltd - ICG002090 - $56,572.00
  • CONTRACT RESEARCH
    Improving the Abrasive Wear Resistance of Ground Engaging Tools - Phase II
    24 May 2022 - 23 Mar 2023
    People funded by this grant:
    Innovation Connections - $50,000.00
  • CONTRACT RESEARCH
    High stress abrasion of prospective Molycop grinding media alloys.
    3 May 2022 - 29 Jul 2022
    People funded by this grant:
    Moly-Cop USA LLC - $33,900.00
  • GRANT
    Miniature solid-state 3D metal printing for space applications
    15 Oct 2021 - 15 Oct 2022
    People funded by this grant:
    VESKI Study Melbourne Research Partnerships - $150,000.00
  • GRANT
    Understanding miniaturized additive friction stir deposition for off-Earth manufacturing
    30 Sep 2021 - 29 Sep 2023
    People funded by this grant:
    Air Force Office of Scientific Research United States of America - $185,008.00
  • CONTRACT RESEARCH
    Advanced Engineered Surfaces for Hydrometallurgy Ball Valves.
    1 Sep 2021 - 31 Aug 2022
    People funded by this grant:
    Innovative Manfacturing CRC Limited - $199,842.00
  • CONTRACT RESEARCH
    Precious metal / BNNT metal matrix composites by additive friction stir deposition.
    9 Aug 2021 - 17 Jun 2022
    People funded by this grant:
    BNNT Precious Metals Limited - $154,500.00
  • FELLOWSHIP
    Alloy alchemy: New paradigms in alloy science to promote a circular economy
    1 Jul 2021 - 30 Jun 2026
    People funded by this grant:
    • Matthew Barnett
    ARC Fellowship ALF - Australian Laureate Fellowship - FL210100147 - $2,982,000.00
  • CONTRACT RESEARCH
    High volume, scalable manufacturing cell for enhanced building products.
    23 Jun 2021 - 13 Jun 2022
    People funded by this grant:
    Formflow Pty Ltd - ICG001781 - $33,621.00
  • CONTRACT RESEARCH
    High volume, scalable manufacturing cell for enhanced building products.
    23 Jun 2021 - 13 Jun 2022
    People funded by this grant:
    Innovation Connections - $33,621.00
  • CONTRACT RESEARCH
    Improving the Abrasive Wear Resistance of Ground Engaging Tools.
    30 Jul 2020 - 13 Jun 2021
    People funded by this grant:
    Department of Industry, Innovation and Science - $49,831.00
  • CONTRACT RESEARCH
    Improving the Abrasive Wear Resistance of Ground Engaging Tools.
    30 Jul 2020 - 13 Jun 2021
    People funded by this grant:
    Sandvik Mining & Construction Australia (Production / Supply) Pty Ltd - ICG001425 - $49,830.00
  • GRANT
    Real-time imaging of crystal strengthening mechanisms in metals
    7 Jul 2020 - 6 Jul 2023
    People funded by this grant:
    • Barnett M,
    • Lynch P,
    • Stevenson A,
    • Fivel M
    ARC - Discovery Projects - DP200100727 - $361,640.00
  • CONTRACT RESEARCH
    Atomic scale analysis of heat treated cold rolled rods.
    11 Feb 2020 - 31 Oct 2020
    People funded by this grant:
    InfraBuild Construction Solutions Pty Ltd - CONTR2020/00366 - $49,000.00
  • GRANT
    ARC Training Centre in Alloy Innovation for Mining Efficiency
    20 Aug 2019 - 26 Mar 2022
    People funded by this grant:
    Bradken Resources Pty Ltd - $300,000.00
  • GRANT
    Materials Development and Design for Electrification and Automation
    24 Jun 2019 - 7 Jun 2021
    People funded by this grant:
    DIIS Automotive Engineering Graduate Program - ABN 74 599 608 295 - $409,506.00
  • CONTRACT RESEARCH
    Improving the performance of high manganese steels used in rock crushing applications.
    18 Mar 2019 - 18 Jan 2020
    People funded by this grant:
    Department of Industry, Innovation and Science - $50,000.00