Designing high performance gas separation by interfacial diffusion membrane. This project aims to develop a new generation of interfacial diffusion membranes for industrial gas separations including carbon dioxide removal, nitrogen gas enrichment, methane purification and air separation. The project focuses on advancing separation technologies for the petrochemical, natural gas, and clean energy industries in the mining sector. The project is expected to reveal new separation properties and perf ....Designing high performance gas separation by interfacial diffusion membrane. This project aims to develop a new generation of interfacial diffusion membranes for industrial gas separations including carbon dioxide removal, nitrogen gas enrichment, methane purification and air separation. The project focuses on advancing separation technologies for the petrochemical, natural gas, and clean energy industries in the mining sector. The project is expected to reveal new separation properties and performance based on highly selective interfacial diffusion membranes. The project will also create new scientific knowledge about the role of functional surfaces and nanostructures that will not only facilitate new membrane designs but also offer new, more cost-effective devices for solar conversion, energy storage and harvesting, biomedical applications, sensing and information technology.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE120100109
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$370,000.00
Summary
A facility for non-destructive quantification of coal structures, composition and percolation fluid flows in energy and environmental applications. The facility will advance our scientific understanding of 3D micro- and nanostructures of coal under various mechanical and chemical conditions. It will help develop process innovation and breakthrough technologies for energy and environmental applications. It will also enhance the research capabilities of the collaborating institutions.
Electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide to formic acid. This project aims to develop economical and scalable carbon dioxide electrochemical technologies to convert carbon dioxide in blast furnace flue gas to formic acid as a value-added product in steel-making plants. The project expects to develop new electrochemical catalysts, to optimise the structure of electrodes and ultimately improve carbon dioxide conversion efficiency and reaction selectivity towards formic acid. The expected outco ....Electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide to formic acid. This project aims to develop economical and scalable carbon dioxide electrochemical technologies to convert carbon dioxide in blast furnace flue gas to formic acid as a value-added product in steel-making plants. The project expects to develop new electrochemical catalysts, to optimise the structure of electrodes and ultimately improve carbon dioxide conversion efficiency and reaction selectivity towards formic acid. The expected outcomes of this project will provide an efficient and economically viable electrochemical technology to convert carbon dioxide to a valuable product such as formic acid or syngas, with the potential to significantly reduce the emission of carbon dioxide from steel-making processes and coal-fired power plants.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE190100803
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$418,956.00
Summary
Single-enzyme membrane biofuel cells for wastewater and flue gas treatment. This project aims to mitigate energy and environmental problems by fusing the fields of membrane separation, biocatalysis and electrochemistry. The novel single-enzyme biofuel cells can generate electrical power from processes like wastewater micropollutant degradation and flue gas carbon dioxide conversion. However, the bottleneck is the lifetime of enzymes and the lack of efficient reactor design. This project expects ....Single-enzyme membrane biofuel cells for wastewater and flue gas treatment. This project aims to mitigate energy and environmental problems by fusing the fields of membrane separation, biocatalysis and electrochemistry. The novel single-enzyme biofuel cells can generate electrical power from processes like wastewater micropollutant degradation and flue gas carbon dioxide conversion. However, the bottleneck is the lifetime of enzymes and the lack of efficient reactor design. This project expects to overcome these challenges by developing metal-organic framework-based bioelectrode materials, and integrating them with separation membranes and single-enzyme fuel cells for energy generation. This project is expected to transform the current biocatalytic process for wastewater treatment and gas separation.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120100329
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Photocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide with water into hydrocarbon fuels and chemicals. This project aims to develop a highly efficient photocatalytic process for converting CO2 into hydrocarbon fuels and high value-added chemicals. This new technology can reduce CO2 concentrations in the environment and provide a feasible mean to produce non-fossil fuels and industrial chemicals that society has to depend upon.
Membrane Systems for CO2 Capture and Conversion Using Multi-Enzyme Cascades. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is one of the defining technological challenges in today's industry and society. Primary sources of carbon dioxide (CO2) are due to energy generation using fossil fuels as well as key manufacturing activities such cement production and steel making. This project aims to focus on novel approaches to enzyme mediated membrane contactor systems to create robust, high efficiency CO2 capture f ....Membrane Systems for CO2 Capture and Conversion Using Multi-Enzyme Cascades. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is one of the defining technological challenges in today's industry and society. Primary sources of carbon dioxide (CO2) are due to energy generation using fossil fuels as well as key manufacturing activities such cement production and steel making. This project aims to focus on novel approaches to enzyme mediated membrane contactor systems to create robust, high efficiency CO2 capture from post-combustion and other gas emissions and conversion into useful chemical feedstock. Enzyme immobilisation and stabilisation are expected to be enhanced using functionalised nanoparticles and nanostructured membranes.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180100523
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$359,446.00
Summary
Tailoring efficient photo-thermal catalysts for carbon dioxide reduction. This project aims to develop a highly solar-efficient and environmentally-friendly approach to reducing greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) into valuable fuels that will be beneficial for relieving energy shortage and improving global sustainability. New multifunctional catalysts will be constructed by combining various catalytic active centres and optical promoters, for optimising energy efficiency and reaction activity. ....Tailoring efficient photo-thermal catalysts for carbon dioxide reduction. This project aims to develop a highly solar-efficient and environmentally-friendly approach to reducing greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) into valuable fuels that will be beneficial for relieving energy shortage and improving global sustainability. New multifunctional catalysts will be constructed by combining various catalytic active centres and optical promoters, for optimising energy efficiency and reaction activity. Such knowledge gained is essential for the success of the low-carbon industry and a more environmentally-friendly energy economy in Australia.Read moreRead less
Putting metal organic frameworks to work at interfaces. This project aims to develop new strategies to better synthesize ultrathin Metal-organic framework (MOF) membranes by nanostructured and chemically functionalized substrates. MOF materials have enormous potential due to the extraordinary structural and chemical diversity of these crystalline microporous materials and their potential applications in gas storage, separation, catalysis and sensing. However, a major challenge is fabricating thi ....Putting metal organic frameworks to work at interfaces. This project aims to develop new strategies to better synthesize ultrathin Metal-organic framework (MOF) membranes by nanostructured and chemically functionalized substrates. MOF materials have enormous potential due to the extraordinary structural and chemical diversity of these crystalline microporous materials and their potential applications in gas storage, separation, catalysis and sensing. However, a major challenge is fabricating thin robust MOF films or patterns on porous, flexible, and nonporous substrates, quickly and easily in order to construct useful devices. The project will grow ultrathin layers of molecular sieving and electroactive MOFs to produce technology platforms for large scale device manufacturing.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE120100098
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$230,000.00
Summary
A comprehensive gas/vapour sorption facility for the fast advancement of decarbonised energy technologies. Solutions to clean energy production, storage and use are critical to Australia’s prosperity, yet there is a significant lack of targeted research facilities for the development of the highly needed materials and technologies for powering a sustainable Australia. This facility will bring research efforts closer to practical solutions.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100680
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$423,275.00
Summary
Solar electrolysis for manufacture of sustainable energy storage materials. This project aims to develop a novel solar-driven manufacturing process able to produce advanced carbon materials which effectively sequester carbon dioxide (negative emission). The project expects to provide key data and insights into a new method of carbon capture and utilisation through advancement of the fundamental science of carbon electrolysis and carbonate regeneration. A combination of advanced electrochemical a ....Solar electrolysis for manufacture of sustainable energy storage materials. This project aims to develop a novel solar-driven manufacturing process able to produce advanced carbon materials which effectively sequester carbon dioxide (negative emission). The project expects to provide key data and insights into a new method of carbon capture and utilisation through advancement of the fundamental science of carbon electrolysis and carbonate regeneration. A combination of advanced electrochemical and engineering techniques will be utilised to achieve this from lab-scale experimental work through to process modelling. Expected outcomes of this project include a clear understanding of the practical potential of this negative emission technology in contributing to offsetting global carbon dioxide emissions.Read moreRead less