Efficient ionic liquid-based reduction of nitrogen to ammonia. This project aims to develop a hybrid ionic liquid-nanostructured electrode platform to electrochemically convert nitrogen gas to ammonia. Ammonia production, mostly for fertilisers, consumes more than 1% of the global energy supply and contributes 1.6 % of global carbon dioxide emissions. A process that could convert nitrogen to ammonia using renewable energy would be an important alternative approach. This project will develop a pl ....Efficient ionic liquid-based reduction of nitrogen to ammonia. This project aims to develop a hybrid ionic liquid-nanostructured electrode platform to electrochemically convert nitrogen gas to ammonia. Ammonia production, mostly for fertilisers, consumes more than 1% of the global energy supply and contributes 1.6 % of global carbon dioxide emissions. A process that could convert nitrogen to ammonia using renewable energy would be an important alternative approach. This project will develop a platform for electrochemical conversion of nitrogen gas to ammonia and optimise it for use with surplus renewable energy supplies. The project is expected to contribute to mitigation of greenhouse emissions and create a technology for distributed production of ammonia and ammonium fertilisers.Read moreRead less
Advanced framework materials for hydrogen storage applications. This project aims to develop new molecular materials capable of the highly efficient storage of hydrogen gas. Through an innovative interdisciplinary approach that targets the synthesis and detailed characterisation of two classes of molecular material this project expects to generate step-change advances in the understanding of how hydrogen gas uptake relates to the chemical and physical attributes of porous molecular systems. Sign ....Advanced framework materials for hydrogen storage applications. This project aims to develop new molecular materials capable of the highly efficient storage of hydrogen gas. Through an innovative interdisciplinary approach that targets the synthesis and detailed characterisation of two classes of molecular material this project expects to generate step-change advances in the understanding of how hydrogen gas uptake relates to the chemical and physical attributes of porous molecular systems. Significant anticipated outcomes and benefits include the development of new material design approaches that optimise performance across a diverse parameter space, and the generation of advanced new materials worthy of commercial development, spanning small scale mobile to large scale stationary storage applications.Read moreRead less
Advanced separators for lithium-sulphur batteries. This project aims to develop new membranes for use as separators in lithium-sulphur batteries. Currently diffusion of polysulphides within these batteries reduces battery power and lifetime. The new membranes are intended to block polysulphide diffusion over an extended lifetime, while transporting the other ions needed for the battery to function. The project is expected to generate new membrane materials and further knowledge about the design, ....Advanced separators for lithium-sulphur batteries. This project aims to develop new membranes for use as separators in lithium-sulphur batteries. Currently diffusion of polysulphides within these batteries reduces battery power and lifetime. The new membranes are intended to block polysulphide diffusion over an extended lifetime, while transporting the other ions needed for the battery to function. The project is expected to generate new membrane materials and further knowledge about the design, synthesis and larger-scale production of membranes for electrochemical applications. This project will provide significant benefits by producing potentially lighter, longer-lasting and cheaper batteries than existing lithium-ion technologies, with the potential to accelerate the adoption of electric cars.Read moreRead less
The systematic development of fundamentally important group 15 compounds: their applications to innovative industrial and environmental processes. The strong coordinating ability of organo-phosphorus/arsonic acids will be harnessed to support a series of metallic clusters that will be exploited for their use as magnetic materials in gas storage and as catalysts. The novel acids will be investigated for use as water soluble purification agents for, for example, mercury, uranium and lead.
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
Data-driven development of photocatalytic and optoelectronic perovskites. This project aims to use materials informatics to discover new, high efficiency perovskites for synthesis and testing in optoelectronic applications. This project expects to identify perovskite composition-property relationships to overcome current drawbacks of high performance perovskites (contain rare or toxic elements and low stability in oxidative and humid environments) by considered selection of elements and their pr ....Data-driven development of photocatalytic and optoelectronic perovskites. This project aims to use materials informatics to discover new, high efficiency perovskites for synthesis and testing in optoelectronic applications. This project expects to identify perovskite composition-property relationships to overcome current drawbacks of high performance perovskites (contain rare or toxic elements and low stability in oxidative and humid environments) by considered selection of elements and their properties. Expected outcomes from this project include new perovskites with commercial potential in critical areas such as energy conversion, photocatalysis and luminescence. This should provide significant benefits including approaches to materials discovery, novel materials and in renewable energy and environmental areas.Read moreRead less