Photoelectrode design for solar driven methane to methanol conversion. This project aims to achieve efficient photoelectrocatalytic partial oxidation of greenhouse gas methane for methanol production with high selectivity. The program will design new semiconductor materials through rational defect engineering and co-catalyst selection to revolutionise methane conversion. The expected outcomes include sustainable processes to convert methane into valuable liquid chemicals like methanol, and compr ....Photoelectrode design for solar driven methane to methanol conversion. This project aims to achieve efficient photoelectrocatalytic partial oxidation of greenhouse gas methane for methanol production with high selectivity. The program will design new semiconductor materials through rational defect engineering and co-catalyst selection to revolutionise methane conversion. The expected outcomes include sustainable processes to convert methane into valuable liquid chemicals like methanol, and comprehensive understanding on functional material design for solar driven catalytic reactions. The significant benefits will include revolutionary methane mitigation technologies and sustainable processes for value-added chemical production, alleviating key environmental and energy challenges facing Australia and the world.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE240100868
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$453,847.00
Summary
High-energy lithium-air batteries, a breathable future for renewable energy. Lithium-air (Li-air) batteries have the highest energy density which is ten folds over commercial lithium-ion batteries. However, the development of Li-air batteries has been impeded by challenges including low capacity, poor energy efficiency and limited cycle life. This project aims to develop a high-energy Li-air battery prototype with long cycle life by designing functional quasi-solid gel polymer electrolytes with ....High-energy lithium-air batteries, a breathable future for renewable energy. Lithium-air (Li-air) batteries have the highest energy density which is ten folds over commercial lithium-ion batteries. However, the development of Li-air batteries has been impeded by challenges including low capacity, poor energy efficiency and limited cycle life. This project aims to develop a high-energy Li-air battery prototype with long cycle life by designing functional quasi-solid gel polymer electrolytes with multi-layer structures via molecular tuning, which could potentially power next-generation electric vehicles. This project is expected to facilitate the commercialisation of high-performance Li-air batteries and promote the development of energy storage devices that are reliable, benefiting both the economy and environment.Read moreRead less
Low-temperature ceramic electrolysis cells for renewable energy technology. This project aims to develop advanced protonic ceramic electrolysis cells for greatly improving the efficiency of hydrogen production and carbon dioxide conversion using renewable energy. This will be achieved by nanoscale integration of proton-conducting two-dimensional materials with solid acids and ceramic proton conductors to lower the manufacturing costs and operating temperature of protonic ceramic electrolysis cel ....Low-temperature ceramic electrolysis cells for renewable energy technology. This project aims to develop advanced protonic ceramic electrolysis cells for greatly improving the efficiency of hydrogen production and carbon dioxide conversion using renewable energy. This will be achieved by nanoscale integration of proton-conducting two-dimensional materials with solid acids and ceramic proton conductors to lower the manufacturing costs and operating temperature of protonic ceramic electrolysis cells. Expected outcomes of the project include new intellectual property on materials formulation and process parameters for commercial development of this new type of ceramic electrolysis cell, thereby contributing to the growth of Australian manufacturing and renewable energy industries and reduction of carbon emissions.Read moreRead less
Developing lithium metal batteries – a game-changer for renewable energy. This project aims to develop nanostructured lithium metal anodes for rechargeable lithium metal batteries with high energy density and excellent cycle life. Lithium metal batteries such as lithium-sulfur batteries and lithium carbon-dioxide batteries present great opportunities for long-range electric vehicles and high-efficient renewable energy storage. Through the rational structure design and advanced interface engineer ....Developing lithium metal batteries – a game-changer for renewable energy. This project aims to develop nanostructured lithium metal anodes for rechargeable lithium metal batteries with high energy density and excellent cycle life. Lithium metal batteries such as lithium-sulfur batteries and lithium carbon-dioxide batteries present great opportunities for long-range electric vehicles and high-efficient renewable energy storage. Through the rational structure design and advanced interface engineering, the developed lithium metal anodes are expected to overcome the critical issues that hindered their practical application for high-energy batteries. The success of this project will provide new technological solutions for next-generation energy storage devices.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE240100846
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$350,237.00
Summary
Probing Electrochemical Interface in CO2 reduction by Operando Computation. This project aims to explore the structure and dynamics of electrochemical interfaces using operando computational techniques, reveal the influence of catalyst structure and electrolyte environment on catalytic performance, and propose effective design strategies to facilitate the conversion of CO2 to high value-added fuels and chemicals. Innovations are expected in the new mechanism and rational design of electrocatalys ....Probing Electrochemical Interface in CO2 reduction by Operando Computation. This project aims to explore the structure and dynamics of electrochemical interfaces using operando computational techniques, reveal the influence of catalyst structure and electrolyte environment on catalytic performance, and propose effective design strategies to facilitate the conversion of CO2 to high value-added fuels and chemicals. Innovations are expected in the new mechanism and rational design of electrocatalysts. Expected outcomes include the discovery of new mechanisms at the electrochemical interface, the effect of local environmental changes on catalytic performance, and effective strategies for C2+ product. Benefits include a sustainable future for Australia with decreased CO2 emissions and increased green-fuel production.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230101712
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$394,818.00
Summary
All-perovskite tandem solar cells for efficient green hydrogen production. This project aims to design functional materials for the development high-performance and durable solar energy conversion devices, which enable efficient green solar hydrogen production to reduce fossil fuel consumption and alleviate environmental burden. The expected outcomes include advanced semiconducting materials, proof-of-concept solar-driven water electrolytic system with a high solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficie ....All-perovskite tandem solar cells for efficient green hydrogen production. This project aims to design functional materials for the development high-performance and durable solar energy conversion devices, which enable efficient green solar hydrogen production to reduce fossil fuel consumption and alleviate environmental burden. The expected outcomes include advanced semiconducting materials, proof-of-concept solar-driven water electrolytic system with a high solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency, and cutting-edge knowledge in material science, physical chemistry, and nanotechnology. The success of this project expects to facilitate pilot-scale green hydrogen industry and thus position Australia at the frontier of advanced materials, clean energy, and renewable hydrogen supply technologies.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230100407
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$462,414.00
Summary
Novel Hydroxide Ion Conductive Membranes for Advanced Ammonia Fuel Cell. This project aims to address a longstanding challenge in the development of direct ammonia fuel cells for utilization of ammonia as a green energy carrier. It proposes to develop advanced hydroxide ion conductive membranes based on novel porous framework materials to achieve high hydroxide ion conductivity and lower ammonia crossover simultaneously, thereby substantially enhancing the energy efficiency of direct ammonia fue ....Novel Hydroxide Ion Conductive Membranes for Advanced Ammonia Fuel Cell. This project aims to address a longstanding challenge in the development of direct ammonia fuel cells for utilization of ammonia as a green energy carrier. It proposes to develop advanced hydroxide ion conductive membranes based on novel porous framework materials to achieve high hydroxide ion conductivity and lower ammonia crossover simultaneously, thereby substantially enhancing the energy efficiency of direct ammonia fuel cells. The proposed research expects to create new knowledge in the fields of membrane science and energy. The successful development of advanced membranes will improve the efficiency of storage of intermittent and fluctuating renewable resources, thereby contributing to the reduction of carbon footprint in Australia. Read moreRead less
Two-dimensional nanomaterials for wearable zinc ion battery . The project aims to develop a new wearable battery system, based on advanced two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials with robust energy storage performance and lifespan, for industrial application across the rapidly emerging industries of health monitoring, movement tracking, and smart clothing. The project addresses the critical challenges of control functionalization of advanced 2D nanomaterials for developing wearable energy storage. Th ....Two-dimensional nanomaterials for wearable zinc ion battery . The project aims to develop a new wearable battery system, based on advanced two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials with robust energy storage performance and lifespan, for industrial application across the rapidly emerging industries of health monitoring, movement tracking, and smart clothing. The project addresses the critical challenges of control functionalization of advanced 2D nanomaterials for developing wearable energy storage. The research outcomes are expected to result in a scalable approach, a variety of advanced 2D nanomaterials, and wearable new battery system, which will bring significant economic and environmental, social, and cultural benefits to Australia and the world.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE240100660
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$421,117.00
Summary
A Solar Photoelectrochemical Cell for Unbiased Hydrogen Production. This project aims to develop a photoelectrochemical cell for photoelectric conversion and green hydrogen production by using solar power as the only energy input. This project expects to generate new knowledge in photoelectrode material design by combining low-cost semiconductors with natural or synthetic molecular catalysts. Expected outcomes are to generate a sustainable solar hydrogen technique with no electricity consumption ....A Solar Photoelectrochemical Cell for Unbiased Hydrogen Production. This project aims to develop a photoelectrochemical cell for photoelectric conversion and green hydrogen production by using solar power as the only energy input. This project expects to generate new knowledge in photoelectrode material design by combining low-cost semiconductors with natural or synthetic molecular catalysts. Expected outcomes are to generate a sustainable solar hydrogen technique with no electricity consumption, high solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency and long-term stability, promoting the development of green hydrogen industries in Australia with zero carbon emissions. This should provide significant benefits to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, achieve environmental sustainability and meet renewable energy demand.Read moreRead less
Robust Bulk Thermoelectric Technology for Harvesting Waste Energy. This project aims to develop robust thermoelectric technology to harvest waste energy from the use of fossil fuels by (i) establishing new strategies for enhancing thermoelectric properties, (ii) creating mass-production synthesis to reduce the materials cost, and (iii) exploring computation methods to guide the device assembly. Its focus is to improve the average thermoelectric performance, overcome the brittleness of materials, ....Robust Bulk Thermoelectric Technology for Harvesting Waste Energy. This project aims to develop robust thermoelectric technology to harvest waste energy from the use of fossil fuels by (i) establishing new strategies for enhancing thermoelectric properties, (ii) creating mass-production synthesis to reduce the materials cost, and (iii) exploring computation methods to guide the device assembly. Its focus is to improve the average thermoelectric performance, overcome the brittleness of materials, and ensure thermal stability. This project expects to generate new knowledge in manipulating transport properties. The intended outcome of affordable, robust, and functional thermoelectrics can be used for recovering waste heat, which will significantly benefit Australia’s economy, environment, and energy industry.Read moreRead less