High performance conductive mesoporous carbon electrodes: a low energy desalination alternative. The high cost of existing desalination technology has limited its wider application. There is an urgent need for alternatives which require less energy than current methods. The proposed electrosorption process utilising porous carbon electrodes has the advantage of very low energy demand. Electrosorption therefore has the opportunity to become an alternative desalination option for application in a ....High performance conductive mesoporous carbon electrodes: a low energy desalination alternative. The high cost of existing desalination technology has limited its wider application. There is an urgent need for alternatives which require less energy than current methods. The proposed electrosorption process utilising porous carbon electrodes has the advantage of very low energy demand. Electrosorption therefore has the opportunity to become an alternative desalination option for application in a national and global water desalination market. Advancement in water desalination technology has the potential for a profound social, economical and environmental impact. This vital research is aligned with the National Research Priority 1, An Environmentally Sustainable Australia; Priority Goal: Water, A critical resource.Read moreRead less
Solar Nano-photocatalytic Disinfection and Mineralization of Treated Wastewater from Sewage Treatment Plants. Reuse of the treated wastewater from sewage treatment plants (STPs) has become significantly important in Australia due to dwindling water resources. The poor quality of the wastewater has limited its use for agriculture and aquaculture. This project aims to develop a solar nano-photocatalytic tertiary wastewater treatment process for disinfection and mineralization of the treated waste ....Solar Nano-photocatalytic Disinfection and Mineralization of Treated Wastewater from Sewage Treatment Plants. Reuse of the treated wastewater from sewage treatment plants (STPs) has become significantly important in Australia due to dwindling water resources. The poor quality of the wastewater has limited its use for agriculture and aquaculture. This project aims to develop a solar nano-photocatalytic tertiary wastewater treatment process for disinfection and mineralization of the treated wastewater from STPs, making the wastewater suitable as a water resource. The newly developed nano-fibre catalysts and photocatalytic technology in the teatm will be used and further developed in this novel process. The research will focus on the water quality objectives in terms of technical reliability, and economic and environmental sustainability.Read moreRead less
New nanocomposites of porous materials and visible light sensitive TiO2 for efficient wastewater purification. The innovative newly proposed materials can trap and efficiently decompose dissolved organics in the same process, without generating any waste for disposal. No UV is required and the solar radiation can be efficiently used. The proposed research will be a significant breakthrough in the field of water treatment that reduces energy consumption, uses low cost materials and provides a rea ....New nanocomposites of porous materials and visible light sensitive TiO2 for efficient wastewater purification. The innovative newly proposed materials can trap and efficiently decompose dissolved organics in the same process, without generating any waste for disposal. No UV is required and the solar radiation can be efficiently used. The proposed research will be a significant breakthrough in the field of water treatment that reduces energy consumption, uses low cost materials and provides a real solution. The research findings will be useful to a wide spectrum of manufacturing industries which are currently generating slightly contaminated wastewater, and will be beneficial to the community in general. At the same time, the industries will be a step forward toward sustainable manufacturing.Read moreRead less
An integrated system for high-efficiency hydrogen assisted electricity generation from solar energy. Energy security and climate change have intensified the search for renewable energy technologies that will reduce the carbon footprint of our economies. This project will lead to a technology platform, enabling hydrogen production and electricity generation by a clean way, which is high potential in solar-abundance Australia. Its success will definitely benefit Australia both economically and env ....An integrated system for high-efficiency hydrogen assisted electricity generation from solar energy. Energy security and climate change have intensified the search for renewable energy technologies that will reduce the carbon footprint of our economies. This project will lead to a technology platform, enabling hydrogen production and electricity generation by a clean way, which is high potential in solar-abundance Australia. Its success will definitely benefit Australia both economically and environmentally. It will speed up the utilisation of solar energy and help Australia reduce greenhouse emissions. It would also lead to advanced technologies that can be commercialised and exported overseas, thus positioning Australia at the forefront of renewable energy development.Read moreRead less
Fundamental study on hydrogen desorption from nanoscale Magnesium (Mg) hydrides. Hydrogen storage is the most challenge in realizing the hydrogen economy, especially for on-board application in hydrogen-driving vehicles. Magnesium is among the few promising candidates of effective, safe, high density and cheap hydrogen storage, which has attracted tremendous interests of research. This project creates an innovative science and technology to solve the critical problem of hydrogen storage that wil ....Fundamental study on hydrogen desorption from nanoscale Magnesium (Mg) hydrides. Hydrogen storage is the most challenge in realizing the hydrogen economy, especially for on-board application in hydrogen-driving vehicles. Magnesium is among the few promising candidates of effective, safe, high density and cheap hydrogen storage, which has attracted tremendous interests of research. This project creates an innovative science and technology to solve the critical problem of hydrogen storage that will enhance the international reputation and impact of Australian research in nanoscience and nanothechnology. Realizing the practical hydrogen storage will also enable hydrogen vehicles soon in Australia that adds Australia great potential to reducing the reliance on fossil fuels and greenhouse emissions.Read moreRead less
SYNTHESIS OF A NANO-STRUCTURED TITANIA SURFACE AND ITS APPLICATION IN PHOTOCATALYTIC OXIDATION FOR WATER TREATMENT. Australia is facing severe freshwater crisis. Although there is an increasing public awareness of saving and using water efficiently, re-using water/wastewater has been neglected. In Australia, 97% of city runoff and 86% of effluent water is unproductive. How to recycle and re-use them becomes an urgent issue. This project attempts to develop novel titania based photocatalysts to c ....SYNTHESIS OF A NANO-STRUCTURED TITANIA SURFACE AND ITS APPLICATION IN PHOTOCATALYTIC OXIDATION FOR WATER TREATMENT. Australia is facing severe freshwater crisis. Although there is an increasing public awareness of saving and using water efficiently, re-using water/wastewater has been neglected. In Australia, 97% of city runoff and 86% of effluent water is unproductive. How to recycle and re-use them becomes an urgent issue. This project attempts to develop novel titania based photocatalysts to convert organic contaminated water into reusable/potable freshwater. The project's innovation lies in the synthesis of highly reactive nano-structured titania surfaces in fixed form to solve downstream separation problem. Successful development of such photocatalysts will show significant environmental and socio-economic benefits to Australia.Read moreRead less
Photodesorption Phenomena and Photoreactive Nanosorbent Materials for Water and Wastewater Purification. Introducing more efficient production of drinking water and wastewater treatment methods for reuse is important to address increasing water scarcity in Australia. The proposed project will develop a water purification technology to remove pollutants using a recently discovered process. This process offers simple and affordable operation that is clean, robust and requires minimal attention. Th ....Photodesorption Phenomena and Photoreactive Nanosorbent Materials for Water and Wastewater Purification. Introducing more efficient production of drinking water and wastewater treatment methods for reuse is important to address increasing water scarcity in Australia. The proposed project will develop a water purification technology to remove pollutants using a recently discovered process. This process offers simple and affordable operation that is clean, robust and requires minimal attention. The technology is particularly suitable for small-scale applications in rural and remote areas, and has significant export potential. The project will strengthen established links between Australian and Korean research centres through the production of improved nanomaterials, and the development of the novel water purification technologyRead moreRead less
Production, Fate and Transport of Cyanobacterial Toxins in Waterways. Australian waterways are under severe pressure from both large variation in precipitation patterns and various sources of contamination. In particular, the management of algal blooms costs Australians hundreds of millions of dollars a year. Through the use of a unique approach this project will provide the necessary information for a science based decision making strategies to eradicate, as much as possible, algal blooms and ....Production, Fate and Transport of Cyanobacterial Toxins in Waterways. Australian waterways are under severe pressure from both large variation in precipitation patterns and various sources of contamination. In particular, the management of algal blooms costs Australians hundreds of millions of dollars a year. Through the use of a unique approach this project will provide the necessary information for a science based decision making strategies to eradicate, as much as possible, algal blooms and to reduce the risk of severe injuries to the public, livestock and the environment, resulting from contamination waterways by algal toxins. Read moreRead less
Understanding Fugitive Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Wastewater Systems for Reliable Accounting and Effective Mitigation. Climate change caused by greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is one of the most serious challenges facing mankind. Substantial reductions in emissions must be achieved, with responsibility shared by all industrial sectors. Wastewater systems contribute to GHG emission through not only energy consumption but also direct emissions of fugitive GHG such as methane and nitrous oxide. T ....Understanding Fugitive Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Wastewater Systems for Reliable Accounting and Effective Mitigation. Climate change caused by greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is one of the most serious challenges facing mankind. Substantial reductions in emissions must be achieved, with responsibility shared by all industrial sectors. Wastewater systems contribute to GHG emission through not only energy consumption but also direct emissions of fugitive GHG such as methane and nitrous oxide. This project aims to deliver the urgently needed knowledge and technology support to the Australian wastewater industry to achieve reductions in fugitive emissions. The research will also provide support to the greenhouse office via more reliable estimation of such emissions.Read moreRead less
Optimal management of corrosion and odour problems in sewer systems. Pollutants in wastewater undergo complex changes in sewers, leading to the production and release of odorous and corrosive compounds. Despite major efforts and expenditure by water utilities to mitigate these problems, odorous emissions from sewers are still commonly occurring in urban areas. Furthermore, the value of public assets is significantly diminished due to sewer corrosion, costing hundreds of millions of dollars a yea ....Optimal management of corrosion and odour problems in sewer systems. Pollutants in wastewater undergo complex changes in sewers, leading to the production and release of odorous and corrosive compounds. Despite major efforts and expenditure by water utilities to mitigate these problems, odorous emissions from sewers are still commonly occurring in urban areas. Furthermore, the value of public assets is significantly diminished due to sewer corrosion, costing hundreds of millions of dollars a year in Australia alone. This project is a major joint effort by the Australian water industry and world-leading scientists to generate advanced knowledge and develop effective technologies for optimal odour and corrosion management in sewers, delivering large social, environmental and economic benefits.Read moreRead less