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
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.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200100450
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$425,398.00
Summary
Cooperativity by Design: Unlocking Metal-Metal-Ligand Cooperativity. This proposal aims to deliver efficient chemical hydrogen storage by designing new catalysts to facilitate the storage and release of hydrogen fuel. Hydrogen is an important zero-emission fuel for the low carbon energy future. However, to realise the potential of the hydrogen economy, efficient, cost-effective solutions are required for storage and transportation. This project seeks to provide technological and intellectual adv ....Cooperativity by Design: Unlocking Metal-Metal-Ligand Cooperativity. This proposal aims to deliver efficient chemical hydrogen storage by designing new catalysts to facilitate the storage and release of hydrogen fuel. Hydrogen is an important zero-emission fuel for the low carbon energy future. However, to realise the potential of the hydrogen economy, efficient, cost-effective solutions are required for storage and transportation. This project seeks to provide technological and intellectual advances in chemical hydrogen storage methods. These outcomes are expected to provide environmental and economic benefits for Australia’s developing hydrogen economy, both in the energy export market and locally in utilisation of hydrogen as a sustainable fuel.Read moreRead less
Magnesium(I) complexes: Potent workhorse reagents. This project aims to install magnesium(I) compounds as powerful and selective reagents to prepare metal-metal bonded compound classes that are otherwise inaccessible. These environmentally benign species will be viable alternatives to established systems, incorporating expensive and toxic metals, which are currently used for the stoichiometric/catalytic transformation of small molecules to value added products. The project is expected to cement ....Magnesium(I) complexes: Potent workhorse reagents. This project aims to install magnesium(I) compounds as powerful and selective reagents to prepare metal-metal bonded compound classes that are otherwise inaccessible. These environmentally benign species will be viable alternatives to established systems, incorporating expensive and toxic metals, which are currently used for the stoichiometric/catalytic transformation of small molecules to value added products. The project is expected to cement Australia's internationally leading role in the emerging field of low oxidation state s-block chemistry. The development and commercialisation of magnesium(I), and related compounds as reagents for the selective synthesis of value added products will provide significant economic benefits to fine chemicals industries.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.
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.
Synthesis, Synergy and Sustainability: Development of active-metal reagents. The design and realisation of new and important molecules requires innovative and efficient methods. This project will create a new store of active-metal molecular tools for the selective, catalytic and atom efficient construction of a diverse library of phosphorus heterocyclic scaffolds and chemical feedstocks relevant to biological, medicinal, and materials chemistry, and the fine chemical industry. Parallel studies e ....Synthesis, Synergy and Sustainability: Development of active-metal reagents. The design and realisation of new and important molecules requires innovative and efficient methods. This project will create a new store of active-metal molecular tools for the selective, catalytic and atom efficient construction of a diverse library of phosphorus heterocyclic scaffolds and chemical feedstocks relevant to biological, medicinal, and materials chemistry, and the fine chemical industry. Parallel studies employing environmentally friendly and benign deep eutectic solvents will allow for replacement of traditional hazardous volatile organic solvents, putting the newly created active-metal reagents at the forefront of the necessary shift towards a more sustainable and 'green' polar organometallic chemistry. Read moreRead less