General systems modelling of hydrogen production network in Australia. The project aims at further developing a general framework for systems modelling and applying the framework to investigate the feasibility and sustainability of large-scale hydrogen production in Australia. Two pathways proposed in this project are to be examined: 1) hybrid plants sourcing hydrogen from fossil fuels and solar thermal energy and 2) hydrogen production network producing hydrogen from 100% renewable energy. The ....General systems modelling of hydrogen production network in Australia. The project aims at further developing a general framework for systems modelling and applying the framework to investigate the feasibility and sustainability of large-scale hydrogen production in Australia. Two pathways proposed in this project are to be examined: 1) hybrid plants sourcing hydrogen from fossil fuels and solar thermal energy and 2) hydrogen production network producing hydrogen from 100% renewable energy. The project involves building systems models and using these models to determine optimal operational parameters and conditions with the goal of maintaining export of high-end energy resources to Japan and other countries as well as using hydrogen domestically while minimising the environment effects of hydrogen production.Read moreRead less
Corrosion of heat resisting alloys in steam/hydrogen-rich environment . Hydrogen is a clean fuel for energy future. Its production and utilisation unavoidably involve water vapour and hydrogen at high temperature which is however corrosive to materials used in the system. This project aims to investigate corrosion behaviour of heat resistant alloys in the presence of both hydrogen and water vapour, mechanisms of water transport in oxide scale, and the effect of hydrogen on water vapour corrosion ....Corrosion of heat resisting alloys in steam/hydrogen-rich environment . Hydrogen is a clean fuel for energy future. Its production and utilisation unavoidably involve water vapour and hydrogen at high temperature which is however corrosive to materials used in the system. This project aims to investigate corrosion behaviour of heat resistant alloys in the presence of both hydrogen and water vapour, mechanisms of water transport in oxide scale, and the effect of hydrogen on water vapour corrosion. Alloying effects on corrosion rates will be defined and methods of slowing or preventing water vapour corrosion in the presence of hydrogen will be devised. The results will provide a basis for improved design/selection of heat resisting alloys for hydrogen production and hydrogen utilisation industries.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220101190
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$418,292.00
Summary
Designing low-toxicity and stable perovskites for solar energy conversion. Efficient solar energy conversion systems can significantly promote sustainable and low carbon-emission economy. This project aims to rationally design low-toxic and stable metal halide perovskites for efficient solar hydrogen conversion. The key concept is to design stable lead-free metal halide perovskite semiconductors with superior photophysical properties for solar-driven valuable chemical production. Expected outcom ....Designing low-toxicity and stable perovskites for solar energy conversion. Efficient solar energy conversion systems can significantly promote sustainable and low carbon-emission economy. This project aims to rationally design low-toxic and stable metal halide perovskites for efficient solar hydrogen conversion. The key concept is to design stable lead-free metal halide perovskite semiconductors with superior photophysical properties for solar-driven valuable chemical production. Expected outcomes include new generation advanced materials and proof-of-concept technologies for efficient solar hydrogen generation. The successful completion of this project will benefit Australia by positioning the nation at the frontier of advanced functional materials and renewable energy supply technologies.Read moreRead less
Perovskite Quantum Dots for Solar Hydrogen Generation. Sustainable hydrogen production is highly significant towards decarbonised economy. This project aims to develop new classes of organometal halide perovskite quantum dots (OHPQDs) for efficient photoelecrochemical hydrogen production. The key concept is to design toxic Lead free/less OHPQDs for use as stable photoelectrode materials in self-powered sunlight driven water splitting devices. Expected outcomes include new generation advanced mat ....Perovskite Quantum Dots for Solar Hydrogen Generation. Sustainable hydrogen production is highly significant towards decarbonised economy. This project aims to develop new classes of organometal halide perovskite quantum dots (OHPQDs) for efficient photoelecrochemical hydrogen production. The key concept is to design toxic Lead free/less OHPQDs for use as stable photoelectrode materials in self-powered sunlight driven water splitting devices. Expected outcomes include new generation advanced materials and revolutionary technologies for efficient solar hydrogen generation. The successful completion of this project will significantly benefit Australia by positioning the nation at the frontier of renewable hydrogen supply technologies. Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160101293
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$350,000.00
Summary
Nanoporous Iron-Based Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysts for Water Splitting. This project aims to develop high-performance water splitting devices based on nanoporous iron-based oxygen evolution electrocatalysts. The devices, which will produce hydrogen to relieve the energy shortage in Australia, can be powered by photovoltaic and wind-generated electricity or directly use solar energy. The development of new energy materials that can be used to make renewable and clean fuels from abundant and ....Nanoporous Iron-Based Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysts for Water Splitting. This project aims to develop high-performance water splitting devices based on nanoporous iron-based oxygen evolution electrocatalysts. The devices, which will produce hydrogen to relieve the energy shortage in Australia, can be powered by photovoltaic and wind-generated electricity or directly use solar energy. The development of new energy materials that can be used to make renewable and clean fuels from abundant and easily accessible resources is among the most challenging and demanding tasks today. The combination of iron doping and nanoporous structure are intended to improve both the intrinsic and extrinsic catalytic activities of the electrocatalysts to be developed in the project.Read moreRead less
Renewable solar hydrogen generated from waste streams. Sunlight is the largest available carbon-neutral energy source, with enough energy striking the planet in one hour to satisfy our current requirements for about a year. With the novel catalysts designed in this project, we will use this energy to simultaneously generate hydrogen and destroy organic pollutants by oxidation.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100930
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$396,948.00
Summary
Defect Engineering Enabling Efficient Solar Hydrogen Production. The project aims to achieve efficient renewable hydrogen production through solar driven photoelectrochemical water splitting. As a carbon-emission free process, photoelectrochemical water splitting is significant in solar hydrogen supply. The key idea is to design innovative photoelectrode materials using defect engineering strategy which allows more efficient conversion of solar energy to hydrogen. The expected outcomes include h ....Defect Engineering Enabling Efficient Solar Hydrogen Production. The project aims to achieve efficient renewable hydrogen production through solar driven photoelectrochemical water splitting. As a carbon-emission free process, photoelectrochemical water splitting is significant in solar hydrogen supply. The key idea is to design innovative photoelectrode materials using defect engineering strategy which allows more efficient conversion of solar energy to hydrogen. The expected outcomes include high Solar-to-Hydrogen conversion efficiency on the new materials and cutting-edge knowledge in advanced material design. The success of this project will contribute to the implementation of the Australia's National Hydrogen Strategy and position the nation at the frontier of renewable hydrogen supply technologies.Read moreRead less
Cold catalysis for water splitting. This project aims to develop photocatalysts via AC magnetic field through nanoscale heating for efficient H2 generation. This project is to introduce cold catalysis concept, which heats catalysts only but not solution, thus called cold catalysis, in the area of production of renewable energy. Expected outcome is the creation of clean and low cost catalysts to effectively harvest the chemical energy from the sun via splitting of water into H2 and O2 without cau ....Cold catalysis for water splitting. This project aims to develop photocatalysts via AC magnetic field through nanoscale heating for efficient H2 generation. This project is to introduce cold catalysis concept, which heats catalysts only but not solution, thus called cold catalysis, in the area of production of renewable energy. Expected outcome is the creation of clean and low cost catalysts to effectively harvest the chemical energy from the sun via splitting of water into H2 and O2 without causing any environmental damage. This unique technology will also help to address clean energy generation, which is in line with H2 economy plan by Australia government, and provide opportunities for new industries that will benefit Australian economy.Read moreRead less
Accelerated discovery of solar hydrogen photocatalysts. Solar photocatalysis is recognised as an environmentally sustainable process for production of Hydrogen. The adaptation of sophisticated machine learning to innovate solar photocatalysis hydrogen evolution is under question. We aim to harvest scientific principles and integrate with robust protocols to obtain a machine-augmented rational workflow guiding and accelerating discovery of optimal catalysts for solar hydrogen production – solving ....Accelerated discovery of solar hydrogen photocatalysts. Solar photocatalysis is recognised as an environmentally sustainable process for production of Hydrogen. The adaptation of sophisticated machine learning to innovate solar photocatalysis hydrogen evolution is under question. We aim to harvest scientific principles and integrate with robust protocols to obtain a machine-augmented rational workflow guiding and accelerating discovery of optimal catalysts for solar hydrogen production – solving a major bottleneck. The project will contribute largely to Australia’s renewable energy sector; fundamental knowledge-based cognitive photocatalysis platform would be conveniently scalable and transferable to mechanistically relevant processes, such as ammonia synthesis and greenhouse gas reduction.Read moreRead less
Faster interfacial electron transfer: the effect of molecule shape and size. This project aims to explore the effect of shape and size of pi-conjugated molecules on interfacial electron transfer reactions, which are fundamentally important in all applications of photo-electrochemical conversion and storage of energy. By making two series of pi-conjugated molecules and determining electron transfer rates using a combination of transient spectroscopies and computational chemistry, the project expe ....Faster interfacial electron transfer: the effect of molecule shape and size. This project aims to explore the effect of shape and size of pi-conjugated molecules on interfacial electron transfer reactions, which are fundamentally important in all applications of photo-electrochemical conversion and storage of energy. By making two series of pi-conjugated molecules and determining electron transfer rates using a combination of transient spectroscopies and computational chemistry, the project expects to generate new design principles for molecules with the potential to significantly improve the efficiencies of solar energy conversion and photo-catalytic processes. The new materials and findings will be exploited in a novel redox-mediated water splitting device as a practical outcome with potential end user benefits.Read moreRead less