Engineering nanostructured graphene-based semiconductor photocatalysts. Harnessing solar energy and converting it into useful chemical energy efficiently is the expected outcome of the project. Given the strategic solar-geographical position of Australia, solar photocatalysis is a leading option for utilising our renewable energy resources to applications relating to energy conversion and environmental remediation.
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL140100081
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,380,000.00
Summary
Engineering hybrid photocatalytic systems for sustainable fuel generation. Engineering hybrid photocatalytic systems for sustainable fuel generation. The project aims to develop next generation hybrid photo-(co)catalyst and gaseous photoelectrode systems that will effectively harness solar energy to transform carbon dioxide into sustainable fuels using a multi-scale approach: designing hetero-structured material systems; elucidating surface reaction mechanisms, and engineering coupled photo/ther ....Engineering hybrid photocatalytic systems for sustainable fuel generation. Engineering hybrid photocatalytic systems for sustainable fuel generation. The project aims to develop next generation hybrid photo-(co)catalyst and gaseous photoelectrode systems that will effectively harness solar energy to transform carbon dioxide into sustainable fuels using a multi-scale approach: designing hetero-structured material systems; elucidating surface reaction mechanisms, and engineering coupled photo/thermal-catalytic and unique gaseous photoelectrochemical systems. This project aims to yield fundamental new knowledge for the economical conversion and storage of solar energy as an environmentally benign chemical fuel, as well as create contemporary material systems and reactors for photo- and thermal-catalysis and photoelectrochemical reactions that utilise carbon dioxide as a feedstock.Read moreRead less
Nano-engineered catalysts for sustainable fuel production from waste . This project aims to address two major problems simultaneously-reducing the burden of non-recyclable waste currently going to landfill in Australia, and offsetting Australia’s reliance on imported diesel to support industry and transport needs. While approximately 95% of diesel consumed in Australia is imported, vast quantities of carbon-based waste ends up in landfill. Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is a mixture of plant-based ....Nano-engineered catalysts for sustainable fuel production from waste . This project aims to address two major problems simultaneously-reducing the burden of non-recyclable waste currently going to landfill in Australia, and offsetting Australia’s reliance on imported diesel to support industry and transport needs. While approximately 95% of diesel consumed in Australia is imported, vast quantities of carbon-based waste ends up in landfill. Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is a mixture of plant-based waste (including food, garden, paper, and wood) and fossil-fuel derived materials (plastics). Using an innovative and environmentally-sustainable catalytic process, the outcomes of this project are aimed alleviating Australia’s dependence on diesel fuel imports and better waste management solutions in Australia.Read moreRead less
Functional biomass carbons for low-cost sodium and potassium-ion batteries. The development of hard carbon anode materials for stationary rechargeable sodium and potassium ion batteries remains a major technological challenge. This project aims to utilise two very different biomass feedstock sources, sorghum and macadamia shell agricultural waste to manufacture low-cost, high-performance carbon anodes. Current carbon anode materials such as graphite or carbonised sucrose, pitch or phenolics suff ....Functional biomass carbons for low-cost sodium and potassium-ion batteries. The development of hard carbon anode materials for stationary rechargeable sodium and potassium ion batteries remains a major technological challenge. This project aims to utilise two very different biomass feedstock sources, sorghum and macadamia shell agricultural waste to manufacture low-cost, high-performance carbon anodes. Current carbon anode materials such as graphite or carbonised sucrose, pitch or phenolics suffer from poor performance, high cost and/or low carbon yield and device durability issues. This project will investigate combinations of biomass precursors, tailored graphene and carbon alloys in order to significantly enhance anode performance while minimising cost.Read moreRead less
Depressing pyrrhotite in copper and gold flotation. The mining industry is processing low-grade ores associated with high amounts of waste minerals. Extracting metals from low-grade ores is very difficult with technical challenges in rejecting waste minerals. This project aims to understand the surface properties and the behaviour of a major waste mineral which is becoming increasingly problematic during the processing of copper and gold ores. New chemistry and chemical reagents will be develope ....Depressing pyrrhotite in copper and gold flotation. The mining industry is processing low-grade ores associated with high amounts of waste minerals. Extracting metals from low-grade ores is very difficult with technical challenges in rejecting waste minerals. This project aims to understand the surface properties and the behaviour of a major waste mineral which is becoming increasingly problematic during the processing of copper and gold ores. New chemistry and chemical reagents will be developed to efficiently and economically reject the waste mineral by manipulating the reactions that take place on its surface. This project expects to have immediate economic and environmental impacts through increasing metal production, cutting greenhouse gas emissions and applying new green reagents.Read moreRead less
Novel gas-liquid columns for liquefied natural gas (LNG) production. Novel gas-liquid columns for liquefied natural gas (LNG) production. This project aims to design distillation and absorption columns, perhaps the most important unit operations in a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant, and whose optimization is integral to overall performance of any LNG plant. This project will use 3D printers to rapidly prototype concepts of columns and their internals, and test them using flow characterization ....Novel gas-liquid columns for liquefied natural gas (LNG) production. Novel gas-liquid columns for liquefied natural gas (LNG) production. This project aims to design distillation and absorption columns, perhaps the most important unit operations in a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant, and whose optimization is integral to overall performance of any LNG plant. This project will use 3D printers to rapidly prototype concepts of columns and their internals, and test them using flow characterization tools and numerical models. The final outcome of the project will be a set of designs of the columns, which should be more efficient, safer and cheaper to operate, and have smaller physical and environmental footprints, thus helping the Australian LNG industry to stay globally competitive.Read moreRead less
Utilisation of dense gas technology for the development of controlled release active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) delivery systems. The aim of this project is to develop an orally administered drug formulation for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome and other diseases of the colon. Irritable bowel syndrome is a debilitating condition and the cost to society is similar to that of asthma. As such, the project has the potential to have a major impact on society.
Engineering floating liquid marbles for three-dimensional cell cultures. This project aims to understand the physics of three-dimensional cell cultures in a liquid marble floating on a liquid free surface. New methodology developed can produce these cell cultures without using matrices or scaffolds and with run-times well beyond existing technologies. This methodology closely mimics a normal in-vivo environment and produces spheroids needed in cell transplantation therapies. This project will re ....Engineering floating liquid marbles for three-dimensional cell cultures. This project aims to understand the physics of three-dimensional cell cultures in a liquid marble floating on a liquid free surface. New methodology developed can produce these cell cultures without using matrices or scaffolds and with run-times well beyond existing technologies. This methodology closely mimics a normal in-vivo environment and produces spheroids needed in cell transplantation therapies. This project will resolve uncertainties in the underlying phenomena. The expected outcome should support future high quality cell cultures suitable for transplantation therapies.Read moreRead less
Vaporization of heavier gas oil in Fluid Catalytic Cracking risers. Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) is an important refinery operation responsible for about 45 per cent of the total petrol produced. The project is aimed at improving production efficiency of Australian refineries by applying fundamental modelling to the FCC. The outcomes will enable refiners to produce cleaner fuel and decrease greenhouse gas emissions.
Improving the scale-up of spray drying for bioactive extracts and fibres. The project will develop new processing techniques that will contribute to better functional foods and bioactive products from fruit and vegetable wastes. The total national crop of fruit and vegetables produces over 3 million tonnes of wastes, where the bioactive materials in the wastes have a potential value of $3 billion/year.