Nanostructured Electrocatalysts for Clean Fuels Production. This project aims to develop single-component and hybrid transition-metal and metal-free electrocatalysts with controllable nanostructures to efficiently and selectively catalyse carbon dioxide reduction and hydrogen evolution reactions for clean fuels production including hydrogen and low-carbon organic molecules. By combining experimental and theoretical modelling, this project plans to reveal the origins, mechanism and pathway of the ....Nanostructured Electrocatalysts for Clean Fuels Production. This project aims to develop single-component and hybrid transition-metal and metal-free electrocatalysts with controllable nanostructures to efficiently and selectively catalyse carbon dioxide reduction and hydrogen evolution reactions for clean fuels production including hydrogen and low-carbon organic molecules. By combining experimental and theoretical modelling, this project plans to reveal the origins, mechanism and pathway of these reactions, and the effect of catalyst composition and morphology on their performance. The resulting nanostructured catalysts are of great importance for feasible clean fuel generation and carbon dioxide reduction.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220100656
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$406,742.00
Summary
Aqueous-based potassium ion batteries for scalable energy storage. The aim of this project is to develop aqueous-based potassium ion batteries for new energy storage applications that currently have barely been studied. This project will design novel cathode/anode materials and electrolytes to significantly advance knowledge in this new technology. The expected outcomes include high-performance aqueous-based potassium ion batteries, while new fundamental knowledge of the reaction mechanisms will ....Aqueous-based potassium ion batteries for scalable energy storage. The aim of this project is to develop aqueous-based potassium ion batteries for new energy storage applications that currently have barely been studied. This project will design novel cathode/anode materials and electrolytes to significantly advance knowledge in this new technology. The expected outcomes include high-performance aqueous-based potassium ion batteries, while new fundamental knowledge of the reaction mechanisms will enhance our research capabilities to position Australia as a leader in potassium ion storage.Read moreRead less
Nanoporous nanorods with improved electrochemical properties. This project applies the latest nanotechnology to produce new nanomaterials for energy storage applications. The aim is to significantly improve supercapacitor performance for use in the storage of clean energy and harvesting of wasted energy which will contribute to a clean energy economy.
Recyclable and Rechargeable All-Solid-State Sodium Ion Batteries. This project aims to design a new generation recyclable and rechargeable all-solid-state sodium ion battery. We will use low cost and abundant sodium as a substitute for expensive and limited lithium to reduce material and environmental costs, and will develop ceramic/polymer composites as safe and environmentally friendly solid-state electrolytes to replace flammable and toxic organic liquid electrolytes. Furthermore, we design a ....Recyclable and Rechargeable All-Solid-State Sodium Ion Batteries. This project aims to design a new generation recyclable and rechargeable all-solid-state sodium ion battery. We will use low cost and abundant sodium as a substitute for expensive and limited lithium to reduce material and environmental costs, and will develop ceramic/polymer composites as safe and environmentally friendly solid-state electrolytes to replace flammable and toxic organic liquid electrolytes. Furthermore, we design a recyclable battery configuration to allow rapid, low cost and green recycling of end-of-life batteries. The new battery will be a safe, low cost and sustainable energy storage technology for the multi-billion dollar electric vehicle and smart grid markets while simultaneously addressing battery recycling issues.Read moreRead less
A new design strategy for supercapacitors. This project aims to build a new equivalent electric circuit model using structurally tuneable graphene-based porous electrodes to establish a quantitative structure-property-performance relationship for super-capacitors. The new model will then be used to design novel electrode and device architectures to realise new energy storage devices with high usable storage capacity at high operation rates. This new computer-aided strategy will greatly accelerat ....A new design strategy for supercapacitors. This project aims to build a new equivalent electric circuit model using structurally tuneable graphene-based porous electrodes to establish a quantitative structure-property-performance relationship for super-capacitors. The new model will then be used to design novel electrode and device architectures to realise new energy storage devices with high usable storage capacity at high operation rates. This new computer-aided strategy will greatly accelerate the design of next-generation high-performance super-capacitors, and bring significant benefit to Australia's emerging knowledge-based manufacturing industry.Read moreRead less
Functionalising sustainable natural binders for energy storage devices. This project aims to produce low-cost energy storage devices to meet the energy demands and safety requirements of electric appliances, electric vehicles and smart electricity grids. High-cost and non-regenerable resources and existing energy storage devices’ safety issues have hindered the electrification of portable electronic devices and vehicles and use of intermittent solar and wind energy. This project will use sustain ....Functionalising sustainable natural binders for energy storage devices. This project aims to produce low-cost energy storage devices to meet the energy demands and safety requirements of electric appliances, electric vehicles and smart electricity grids. High-cost and non-regenerable resources and existing energy storage devices’ safety issues have hindered the electrification of portable electronic devices and vehicles and use of intermittent solar and wind energy. This project will use sustainable natural polymers to develop green electrode technologies for manufacturing batteries with greatly reduced production and environmental cost. The in-depth understandings from the combination of experiments and computation simulations will help create strategies to realise low cost, long-life and safe batteries.Read moreRead less
New carbon nanotube electrocatalysts for water splitting and fuel cells. The demand for clean, secure and sustainable energy sources has stimulated great interest in electrochemical energy storage and conversion technologies such as water splitting and fuel cells. The efficiency of water splitting and fuel cells is however strongly dependent on the activity of the electrocatalysts. The objective of the project is to develop new electrocatalysts based on the recently discovered phenomena that car ....New carbon nanotube electrocatalysts for water splitting and fuel cells. The demand for clean, secure and sustainable energy sources has stimulated great interest in electrochemical energy storage and conversion technologies such as water splitting and fuel cells. The efficiency of water splitting and fuel cells is however strongly dependent on the activity of the electrocatalysts. The objective of the project is to develop new electrocatalysts based on the recently discovered phenomena that carbon nanotubes with specific size and number of walls are very active and significantly promote the reaction of water splitting and fuel cells. The proposed project is expected to open a new research field in the development of new electrocatalysts and photoelectrocatalysts for advanced energy conversion and storage technologies.Read moreRead less
Oxide-based high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are one of the most efficient energy conversion technologies for producing electricity from fuels such as hydrogen and methanol. Current PEMFCs use precious metal catalysts, and the performance of liquid methanol fuel is disappointingly low due to the inability of polymer or hybrid membranes to operate at temperatures above 160-180 degrees centigrade. This work aims to develop an all ox ....Oxide-based high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are one of the most efficient energy conversion technologies for producing electricity from fuels such as hydrogen and methanol. Current PEMFCs use precious metal catalysts, and the performance of liquid methanol fuel is disappointingly low due to the inability of polymer or hybrid membranes to operate at temperatures above 160-180 degrees centigrade. This work aims to develop an all oxide-based PEMFC technology using a recently developed sintered and heteropolyacid functionalised mesoporous silica membrane. The utilisation of all-oxide-PEMFCs using non-precious metal catalysts is expected to significantly enhance the power density, reduce costs, and enhance the commercial viability of PEMFC technologies.Read moreRead less
Electrocatalytic Refinery for Fuels and Chemicals . The aim is to produce the fundamental science for sustainable production of fuels and chemicals through an advanced electrocatalytic approach using abundant small-molecule sources like water, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen oxides as feedstocks. A range of highly active and selective electrode catalysts will be developed for electrolysis processes at ambient temperatures and pressures, by an interdisciplinary approach combining atomic-level materi ....Electrocatalytic Refinery for Fuels and Chemicals . The aim is to produce the fundamental science for sustainable production of fuels and chemicals through an advanced electrocatalytic approach using abundant small-molecule sources like water, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen oxides as feedstocks. A range of highly active and selective electrode catalysts will be developed for electrolysis processes at ambient temperatures and pressures, by an interdisciplinary approach combining atomic-level material design principles, in situ/ex situ instrumental techniques, and modern computation methods. The expected outcomes will be of great significance for renewable energy use and clean fuel generation – the major energy and environmental challenges facing Australia and the world.Read moreRead less
Two-dimensional nanoporous structured high performance gas evolution electrocatalysts. This project aims to develop nano-catalysts with high catalytic activity and rapid gas detachment properties for efficient fuel gas production. Heterogeneous electrocatalytic gas evolution reactions are important for clean energy generation and storage technologies, but high overpotentials caused by slow gaseous products’ detachment from catalyst surface severely hinder their efficiencies. Expected outcomes in ....Two-dimensional nanoporous structured high performance gas evolution electrocatalysts. This project aims to develop nano-catalysts with high catalytic activity and rapid gas detachment properties for efficient fuel gas production. Heterogeneous electrocatalytic gas evolution reactions are important for clean energy generation and storage technologies, but high overpotentials caused by slow gaseous products’ detachment from catalyst surface severely hinder their efficiencies. Expected outcomes include insights into gas bubble formation and evolution during electrocatalysis, effective catalyst structures to mitigate negative effects of gas bubble formation, and improved catalytic efficiency of gas evolution reactions and develop high performance electrocatalysts for fuel gas production.Read moreRead less