Dr Agnieszka Mierczynska-Vasilev, AWRI

Date: Thursday, 30  April 2026, 10:00 am, SARDI Plant Research Centre Auditorium

Title: Engineering Functional Surfaces with Plasma Technologies for Wine Processing

Abstract: Surface science and nanotechnology are opening new opportunities to address persistent challenges in wine production, including flavour faults, instability, and processing inefficiencies. This seminar will present recent advances in plasma polymerisation as a versatile platform for engineering functional surfaces with tailored chemical and physical properties for wine processing applications. By controlling plasma deposition parameters, surfaces can be designed to selectively interact with specific compounds in complex wine matrices. Case studies will include magnetic nanoparticle systems for protein haze removal, plasma-functionalised materials for tartrate stabilisation, and nanoengineered surfaces with immobilised gold nanoparticles for the selective removal of volatile sulfur compounds responsible for reductive aromas. These examples illustrate how surface-engineered materials can offer innovative, potentially more sustainable alternatives to conventional winemaking treatments while improving wine quality and processing efficiency.

Bio: Dr Agnieszka Mierczynska-Vasilev is a Principal Research Scientist at the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI). Her research focuses on materials science, surface engineering, and nanotechnology applied to complex liquid systems, particularly wine. She develops nanoengineered materials and smart surface technologies to address key challenges in wine production, including flavour faults, stability issues, and processing efficiency. Her work contributes to the development of novel surface-engineered materials for the selective removal of undesirable compounds in wine, bridging fundamental materials science with practical solutions for the wine sector through collaborations with academic and industry partners in Australia and internationally.

https://adelaide.zoom.us/j/88324941961?pwd=iBEvCU8wU2bKbEa3JaDzLIDGOZtEkj.1

Webinar ID: 883 2494 1961, Passcode:429141

Followed by morning tea