Science Minister Kim Carr announced yesterday that 12 Australian universities and research bodies would share $2.7million to promote projects with Chinese counterparts.

The projects, spanning a variety of disciplines, were selected by scientific peer review on the basis of scientific merit, benefit to Australia and China, and value for money.

Senator Carr said engaging with Chinese partners allowed Australian researchers to tap into global networks, technologies and infrastructure.

The recipients will investigate a variety of topics across the medical, environmental, communications, agricultural and industrial fields.

The grants are provided from the Australia-China Special Fund for Scientific and Technological Co-operation, as part of the International Science Linkages program.

The ANU has received $349,272 to work with Tianjin University to look at immersing solar cells in liquid to improve heat reduction.

The business development manager at the ANU's Centre for Sustainable Energy Systems, Igor Skryabin, said the money came at a crucial time in the research.

''It is part of a $1.8million project with Tianjin University and this money will allow us to go to the next stage of building an immersed linear concentrator,'' Dr Skryabin said.

The research is aimed at producing more efficient solar cells.

The ANU has also received $256,308 for the Joint Research Centre for Functional Molecular Materials with Jiansu University.

The CSIRO has received a combined $813,000 for projects, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions from livestock and improving technologies for wireless and mobile communications networks.