What if the systems we rely on every day were safer for both people and the planet? These are the kind of questions being asked at Deakin University, where researchers are pioneering advancements in infrastructure for the sake of a more sustainable and efficient future.

Consider Professor Jenny Pringle’s work at the Deakin Institute for Frontier Materials. In an effort to decrease the damaging environmental impacts of traditional cooling devices, Prof Pringle and her team are currently developing a climate-friendly alternative in the form of organic ionic plastic crystals.

While conventional fridges and air-conditioners are energy intensive and rely on hazardous refrigerant gases (contributing to global emissions), plastic crystals are more efficient and do not leak into the atmosphere.

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