Selective photocatalytic lignin biomass conversion. If the prospective ‘hydrogen economy’ is to use hydrogen as a fuel and energy carrier to replace fossil sources, vast amounts of renewable cheap hydrogen must be available. A likely candidate is catalytic water splitting by sunlight. The hydrogen can be made affordable, by coupling hydrogen production to a higher value-added stream. The aim of this project is to produce a stable, hybrid heterogenous catalyst system able to oxidise organic subst ....Selective photocatalytic lignin biomass conversion. If the prospective ‘hydrogen economy’ is to use hydrogen as a fuel and energy carrier to replace fossil sources, vast amounts of renewable cheap hydrogen must be available. A likely candidate is catalytic water splitting by sunlight. The hydrogen can be made affordable, by coupling hydrogen production to a higher value-added stream. The aim of this project is to produce a stable, hybrid heterogenous catalyst system able to oxidise organic substrates derived from lignin biomass as an adjunct to visible light hydrogen generation from water. The significance will be to provide fuels and organic chemicals for industry from biomass, water and sunlight and catalytically remediate waste water with sunlight.Read moreRead less
Adding hydride punch to transition metal complexes for CO2 electroreduction. This project plans to apply an innovative methodology to the selective conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) waste into useful C1 chemicals. The new inorganic chemistry approach is based on the invention of transition metal–organic hydride coordination complexes, which are designed to punch hydride ion (= a proton and two electrons) into metal-activated CO2-derived intermediates. The approach should naturally overcome the ....Adding hydride punch to transition metal complexes for CO2 electroreduction. This project plans to apply an innovative methodology to the selective conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) waste into useful C1 chemicals. The new inorganic chemistry approach is based on the invention of transition metal–organic hydride coordination complexes, which are designed to punch hydride ion (= a proton and two electrons) into metal-activated CO2-derived intermediates. The approach should naturally overcome the two-electron barrier found for today's best transition metal electrocatalysts of CO2 reduction and, hence, enable the selective production of formaldehyde, a four-electron reduction product and bulk industrial feedstock chemical, or methanol, a six-electron reduction product and future transport fuel.Read moreRead less
Electrode-Supported Ionogels for Reversible Energy Storage. The project aims to generate an understanding of electrode-supported ionic liquid gel films to form the basis for the rational design and development of new energy storage technology. For the world to truly move into a new age of low carbon power, it needs transformational battery technology. The creation of novel ionic liquid systems to capture redox-active species would allow for revolutionary designs with the potential to eliminate m ....Electrode-Supported Ionogels for Reversible Energy Storage. The project aims to generate an understanding of electrode-supported ionic liquid gel films to form the basis for the rational design and development of new energy storage technology. For the world to truly move into a new age of low carbon power, it needs transformational battery technology. The creation of novel ionic liquid systems to capture redox-active species would allow for revolutionary designs with the potential to eliminate membranes, with major advantages for charging/discharging speed and deep cyclability. This would directly translate to storage systems that combine high power with high energy density.Read moreRead less
Activation of small molecules using redox- and pH-stable polyoxometalate molecular clusters as catalysts. Anthropogenic carbon dioxide has been linked to global climate change, and several approaches to reducing emissions have been proposed. This project aims to develop systems that convert carbon dioxide into useful raw materials for the chemical industry and fuel, reducing the need to use additional non-renewable resources for these purposes.
Low oxidation state magnesium complexes: multitalented reagents for sustainable chemical synthesis. The chemistry of stable low oxidation state s-block compounds was initiated at Monash in 2007. In addition to being of major fundamental importance, applications of these highly reactive systems have rapidly developed. To cement Australia's international lead in this emerging and competitive field, this project aims to develop a new generation of magnesium(I) (and related) compounds, and to instal ....Low oxidation state magnesium complexes: multitalented reagents for sustainable chemical synthesis. The chemistry of stable low oxidation state s-block compounds was initiated at Monash in 2007. In addition to being of major fundamental importance, applications of these highly reactive systems have rapidly developed. To cement Australia's international lead in this emerging and competitive field, this project aims to develop a new generation of magnesium(I) (and related) compounds, and to install them as sought after reagents for sustainable synthetic methodologies. For the first time, environmentally benign s-block compounds will be utilised for the low energy stoichiometric and catalytic transformation of abundant, often inert gaseous small molecules, for example, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, to value added products important to industry and academia.Read moreRead less
Biomimetic ligands for catalytic iron-mediated degradation of contaminants. This project aims to develop and apply ligands attached to solid supports that bind iron and which, on activation, form high valence state iron species capable of catalytically oxidising contaminants present in waters and wastewaters. Of particular interest in this work are ligands that are simple analogues of biological molecules and which are stable in the presence of the high valent iron species formed following activ ....Biomimetic ligands for catalytic iron-mediated degradation of contaminants. This project aims to develop and apply ligands attached to solid supports that bind iron and which, on activation, form high valence state iron species capable of catalytically oxidising contaminants present in waters and wastewaters. Of particular interest in this work are ligands that are simple analogues of biological molecules and which are stable in the presence of the high valent iron species formed following activation. The end result of this project is a water treatment process suited to the effective removal of trace contaminants such as hormones, pharmaceuticals and pesticides from wastewaters such that the treated waters are suitable for discharge to pristine environments or to reuse for potable purposes.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100236
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$180,000.00
Summary
Facilities for spectroscopy and diffraction at high pressures. The provision of infrastructure for the study of novel materials under high pressures will enhance Australia's capability in creating new materials and in creating new devices that meet needs in communication, environment and medicine applications. The new facility will enable researchers to understand the response of structures to extreme pressures and will exploit the unique capabilities of the synchrotron light.
Reverse engineering nature: metal extraction through mineral replacement. This project aims to find new methods of copper recovery from low grade copper ores, which are currently uneconomic to mine. In nature, at the top of ore deposits and just below the water-table, is a region known as the supergene zone. Here mild oxidizing reactions take place causing primary ore minerals such as chalcopyrite to be replaced by more copper-rich, less refractory minerals. These processes are driven by disso ....Reverse engineering nature: metal extraction through mineral replacement. This project aims to find new methods of copper recovery from low grade copper ores, which are currently uneconomic to mine. In nature, at the top of ore deposits and just below the water-table, is a region known as the supergene zone. Here mild oxidizing reactions take place causing primary ore minerals such as chalcopyrite to be replaced by more copper-rich, less refractory minerals. These processes are driven by dissolution re-precipitation reactions (CDR reactions) and in many CDR reactions, the reaction mechanism, rather than intensive properties such as pressure and temperature, control the nature of the products and the overall reaction process. This project will explore the mechanism and controls on these reactions to see if they can be utilized in the mining industry to economically extract copper from low grade ores.
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Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: Le100100236
Funder
Australian Research Council
Summary
Facilities for spectroscopy and diffraction at high pressures. The provision of infrastructure for the study of novel materials under high pressures will enhance Australia's capability in creating new materials and in creating new devices that meet needs in communication, environment and medicine applications. The new facility will enable researchers to understand the response of structures to extreme pressures and will exploit the unique capabilities of the synchrotron light.
Development of electric discharge assisted mechanical milling: blue sky technology for synthesis and processing of materials. This project will develop a novel waste and pollution free rapid powder processing technology. By plasma enhancement of reactivity between ingredients, this project will reduce processing times and save energy by up to 1000 per cent. As well as producing new science, the technological outcomes involve new materials, devices and processes of significance to local industrie ....Development of electric discharge assisted mechanical milling: blue sky technology for synthesis and processing of materials. This project will develop a novel waste and pollution free rapid powder processing technology. By plasma enhancement of reactivity between ingredients, this project will reduce processing times and save energy by up to 1000 per cent. As well as producing new science, the technological outcomes involve new materials, devices and processes of significance to local industries.Read moreRead less