Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100871
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,000.00
Summary
Carbon-based catalysts for polysulphide redox reactions in lithium-sulfur batteries. This project aims to develop surface-engineered carbons as multifunctional catalysts to accelerate the polysulphide redox reactions for lithium-sulfur batteries. High capacity storage of electricity is the key to efficient use of renewable and clean energy resources and the development of emission-free technologies. This project will provide high-performance lithium-sulfur batteries with high energy density, hig ....Carbon-based catalysts for polysulphide redox reactions in lithium-sulfur batteries. This project aims to develop surface-engineered carbons as multifunctional catalysts to accelerate the polysulphide redox reactions for lithium-sulfur batteries. High capacity storage of electricity is the key to efficient use of renewable and clean energy resources and the development of emission-free technologies. This project will provide high-performance lithium-sulfur batteries with high energy density, high efficiency, and long life. Its success is expected to contribute to energy technologies, reduce the dependence of household and industrial energy consumption on fossil fuels, enhance Australia’s long-term viability, and bring economic, environmental, and social benefits to the nation.Read moreRead less
Designing disorder into ionic materials for clean energy applications. . This project aims to develop new materials designed to possess optimum properties for targeted clean energy technologies. By the design of specific ion chemistries, we aim to produce materials that absorb large amounts of thermal energy, as needed in energy storage and refrigeration applications. Their large internal free volume will offer unique properties for energy-consuming gas separation applications. Expected outcomes ....Designing disorder into ionic materials for clean energy applications. . This project aims to develop new materials designed to possess optimum properties for targeted clean energy technologies. By the design of specific ion chemistries, we aim to produce materials that absorb large amounts of thermal energy, as needed in energy storage and refrigeration applications. Their large internal free volume will offer unique properties for energy-consuming gas separation applications. Expected outcomes from the project include (i) fundamental understanding of ion design, (ii) a suite of new materials with advantageous properties for energy application. The expected benefits include advancement of technologies that support renewable energy storage and a reduction in energy costs and harmful emissions from refrigeration.Read moreRead less
Metal-free catalysts for clean production of energy and hydrogen peroxide. This project aims to create novel metal-free carbon-based catalysts to replace the scarce and expensive noble metal catalysts. Noble metal catalysts are needed for clean production of electricity by fuel cells or hydrogen peroxide from hydrogen and oxygen gases. A combined theoretical and experimental approach will be developed for controlled synthesis of heteroatom-doped carbon catalysts and to improve our understanding ....Metal-free catalysts for clean production of energy and hydrogen peroxide. This project aims to create novel metal-free carbon-based catalysts to replace the scarce and expensive noble metal catalysts. Noble metal catalysts are needed for clean production of electricity by fuel cells or hydrogen peroxide from hydrogen and oxygen gases. A combined theoretical and experimental approach will be developed for controlled synthesis of heteroatom-doped carbon catalysts and to improve our understanding of the catalytic mechanism and structure-activity relationship for the novel carbon catalysts. The project is expected to lay fundamental groundwork for a new paradigm in carbon-based catalysts that should be of considerable significance for energy and chemical production in a clean and cost effective way.Read moreRead less
Oxidation product generation during heating and storage of bio-fuels and alternative fuels assessed by multidimensional gas chromatography. Renewable bio-fuels offer much promise as a replacement for fossil fuels. However, they have a tendency to oxidise when prepared and used, potentially forming gums and solid deposits in engines. The objective of this project is the identification of these deposits and subsequent prevention during engine operation.
Regulating guest transport in microporous materials by electric field. This project aims to address the fundamentals and applications of regulating micropore accessibility. It has long been known that some highly adsorbing molecular sieves suddenly become inaccessible to gases below certain temperatures. Following a recent breakthrough in elucidating the mechanism of such temperature-regulated guest admission, this project will explore electrical regulation of micropore accessibility in conjunct ....Regulating guest transport in microporous materials by electric field. This project aims to address the fundamentals and applications of regulating micropore accessibility. It has long been known that some highly adsorbing molecular sieves suddenly become inaccessible to gases below certain temperatures. Following a recent breakthrough in elucidating the mechanism of such temperature-regulated guest admission, this project will explore electrical regulation of micropore accessibility in conjunction with developing new mechanisms, materials, and control tools for applications, including tunable molecular sieves, valves and gas encapsulation devices. The outcomes of this project will generate new knowledge in the active manipulation of the admission and release of guest molecules in/out of microporous materials, and establish new expertise and capabilities that can advance gas separation, storage and sensing technologies. It is expected that this project will contribute to the long term benefit in low emission energy supplies and Australia's natural gas industry, improve the separation efficiency of our chemical industry, and boost the development of the hydrogen economy.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180100082
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$367,446.00
Summary
Impact of geochemical alteration on carbon dioxide stability in the subsurface. This project aims to investigate the reactive behaviour of carbon dioxide in sandstone rocks to improve the safety of carbon sequestration operations. The project will develop new techniques to link fluid flow behaviour and geochemistry analysis, using high resolution 3D microscopy within geologic samples. The results will demonstrate the level of stability and security of carbon dioxide in underground sandstone rock ....Impact of geochemical alteration on carbon dioxide stability in the subsurface. This project aims to investigate the reactive behaviour of carbon dioxide in sandstone rocks to improve the safety of carbon sequestration operations. The project will develop new techniques to link fluid flow behaviour and geochemistry analysis, using high resolution 3D microscopy within geologic samples. The results will demonstrate the level of stability and security of carbon dioxide in underground sandstone rocks, and lead to safer design of sequestration operations.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100677
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,000.00
Summary
Deconstructing molecular self-assembly by advanced mass spectrometry. This project aims to develop ion-mobility mass spectrometry methods to observe the molecular evolution of model self-assembly reactions with high temporal and structural resolution, and interrogate the intrinsic gas phase functionality of the assemblies themselves, including aggregation, inclusion and disassembly behaviours. Lack of knowledge of reaction intermediates, mechanisms and kinetics hampers the industrial potential o ....Deconstructing molecular self-assembly by advanced mass spectrometry. This project aims to develop ion-mobility mass spectrometry methods to observe the molecular evolution of model self-assembly reactions with high temporal and structural resolution, and interrogate the intrinsic gas phase functionality of the assemblies themselves, including aggregation, inclusion and disassembly behaviours. Lack of knowledge of reaction intermediates, mechanisms and kinetics hampers the industrial potential of self-assembly to fabricate highly functional materials. This project expects to determine the critical link between the assemblies’ structure and function, and provide the rational framework to optimise and direct synthetic outcomes. This could enable Australian manufacturers to create low-energy production processes of high value commodities.Read moreRead less
Well-designed Metal Oxide Semiconductors for Photocatalytic Water Splitting. The project seeks to provide new insights into the effects that structure and composition of catalyst materials have on photocatalytic properties, to tackle the bottlenecks inhibiting the commercialisation of water-splitting technology. The main objective of this project is to strategically design and synthesise highly efficient photo-harvesting mesostructural materials (multi-shelled hollow microspheres) and use them f ....Well-designed Metal Oxide Semiconductors for Photocatalytic Water Splitting. The project seeks to provide new insights into the effects that structure and composition of catalyst materials have on photocatalytic properties, to tackle the bottlenecks inhibiting the commercialisation of water-splitting technology. The main objective of this project is to strategically design and synthesise highly efficient photo-harvesting mesostructural materials (multi-shelled hollow microspheres) and use them for efficient photocatalytic water splitting. Based on an understanding of photoharvesting materials and the current challenges that plague water-splitting reactions, the project plans to use state-of-the-art materials synthesis and theoretical calculations to develop next-generation photo-harvesting materials for water-splitting systems.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210101883
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$403,948.00
Summary
Carbon-based catalysts for value-added chemicals from CO2 and sunlight . This project aims to address the problem of excessive carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by utilizing newly designed - carbon architecture derived catalysts and constructing important integrated devices. The insights thus gained will generate new knowledge both in the chemical sciences of understanding the mechanism of carbon dioxide reduction on advanced carbon-based catalysts, and the engineering of effectively integrated d ....Carbon-based catalysts for value-added chemicals from CO2 and sunlight . This project aims to address the problem of excessive carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by utilizing newly designed - carbon architecture derived catalysts and constructing important integrated devices. The insights thus gained will generate new knowledge both in the chemical sciences of understanding the mechanism of carbon dioxide reduction on advanced carbon-based catalysts, and the engineering of effectively integrated devices. The expected outcome of this project is a low-cost approach to the sustainable generation of clean and renewable value-added chemicals from carbon dioxide driven by sunlight, which provides significant benefits for human society in terms of clean energy and environmental protection.Read moreRead less
Ambient Electrochemical C-N Coupling via Co-electrolysis of N2 and CO2. To overcome the hurdles in N2 fixation (massive energy consumption and CO2 emission), investigators creatively hypothesize that the simultaneous electrocatalytic coupling of N2 and CO2 would enable the selective formation of N-products and thus realize their conversion into N--fertilizers and acetamides. Based on the CI's recent discoveries, this project will develop an innovative / sustainable system, which could promote th ....Ambient Electrochemical C-N Coupling via Co-electrolysis of N2 and CO2. To overcome the hurdles in N2 fixation (massive energy consumption and CO2 emission), investigators creatively hypothesize that the simultaneous electrocatalytic coupling of N2 and CO2 would enable the selective formation of N-products and thus realize their conversion into N--fertilizers and acetamides. Based on the CI's recent discoveries, this project will develop an innovative / sustainable system, which could promote the N2 fixation along with CO2 conversion process, a significant alternative approach to simplify the pathways of C-N bond formation. It will thereby contribute to mitigation of greenhouse emissions and create an ecofriendly protocol/technology for distributed production of C-N products under ambient conditions. Read moreRead less