CO2 Utilisation for Energy Storage. This project aims to develop a novel technology that can convert carbon dioxide into useful products while storing intermittent renewable energy as green stable chemical energy. The project plans to focus on the development of a robust cathode for the conversion of carbon dioxide with optimum physical and chemical structure to achieve long-term stable performance. This technology would make a significant contribution to increasing the proportion of renewable e ....CO2 Utilisation for Energy Storage. This project aims to develop a novel technology that can convert carbon dioxide into useful products while storing intermittent renewable energy as green stable chemical energy. The project plans to focus on the development of a robust cathode for the conversion of carbon dioxide with optimum physical and chemical structure to achieve long-term stable performance. This technology would make a significant contribution to increasing the proportion of renewable energy in our energy supply and reducing our carbon dioxide emissions.Read moreRead less
Structurally designed catalysts for high-performance natural gas reforming. This project aims to develop a new class of highly stable catalysts with specially designed physical and chemical structures that can be used in high temperature chemical processes. These catalysts can potentially be used for the reforming of natural gas to produce the synthesis gas, which can then be used to produce liquid fuels and chemicals.
Composites for thermal expansion matched oxygen electrodes. This project aims to develop high performance composite oxygen electrodes by using both negative thermal expansion materials and electrolyte materials to tailor the thermal expansion and activities of the perovskite-based electrodes for use in reduced temperature solid oxide cells. Such composite electrodes will show highly matched thermal expansion with electrolyte without sacrificing high activity at reduced temperatures. This project ....Composites for thermal expansion matched oxygen electrodes. This project aims to develop high performance composite oxygen electrodes by using both negative thermal expansion materials and electrolyte materials to tailor the thermal expansion and activities of the perovskite-based electrodes for use in reduced temperature solid oxide cells. Such composite electrodes will show highly matched thermal expansion with electrolyte without sacrificing high activity at reduced temperatures. This project seeks to address an important practical issue in the operation of solid oxide power cells - thermal expansion compatibility, which causes poor efficiency outside a narrow temperature band.Read moreRead less
Biochar as a renewable catalyst for hot gas cleaning. This project aims to generate new knowledge for the development of a novel hot gas cleaning technology. This project expects to understand the mechanisms of tar reforming using biochar as a renewable catalyst, which can avoid the problems associated with the catalyst deactivation and catalyst disposal if conventional supported catalysts are used. Expected outcomes of this project include a theoretical framework and a kinetic model describing ....Biochar as a renewable catalyst for hot gas cleaning. This project aims to generate new knowledge for the development of a novel hot gas cleaning technology. This project expects to understand the mechanisms of tar reforming using biochar as a renewable catalyst, which can avoid the problems associated with the catalyst deactivation and catalyst disposal if conventional supported catalysts are used. Expected outcomes of this project include a theoretical framework and a kinetic model describing the catalytic reforming of tar as part of the hot gas cleaning during the conversion of biomass. The technology will contribute to Australia’s improved energy security and reduced carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the carbon-constrained future.Read moreRead less
Smart self-propelled nanoreactors for catalytic environmental remediation. This project aims to develop nanomaterial design and technology to enable the applications of nanotechnology for environmental remediation. Various nanomotors with different asymmetric structures will be fabricated and tested for catalytic and photocatalytic degradation of aqueous pollutants. The physicochemical properties, motion behaviour and catalytic performance will be comprehensively investigated. The outcomes of th ....Smart self-propelled nanoreactors for catalytic environmental remediation. This project aims to develop nanomaterial design and technology to enable the applications of nanotechnology for environmental remediation. Various nanomotors with different asymmetric structures will be fabricated and tested for catalytic and photocatalytic degradation of aqueous pollutants. The physicochemical properties, motion behaviour and catalytic performance will be comprehensively investigated. The outcomes of the project will underpin the development of green technologies for sustainable energy conversion and water treatment. This will provide significant benefits, putting Australia in a leading position in the sustainable development of nanotechnology for sustainable energy supply and transformation as well as environmental and biomedical applications.Read moreRead less
Methanol to diesel. Australia has large remote gas reserves which are not accessible to markets via pipeline and cannot be effectively utilised using liquefied natural gas technology. Fischer-Tropsch conversion of gas to liquid (GTL), being capital intense, is uneconomical for these stranded gas resources. This project will develop a new GTL technology to produce sulphur-free, clean combustion diesel. The outcomes of this research will be a frontier technology that allows more effective utilisat ....Methanol to diesel. Australia has large remote gas reserves which are not accessible to markets via pipeline and cannot be effectively utilised using liquefied natural gas technology. Fischer-Tropsch conversion of gas to liquid (GTL), being capital intense, is uneconomical for these stranded gas resources. This project will develop a new GTL technology to produce sulphur-free, clean combustion diesel. The outcomes of this research will be a frontier technology that allows more effective utilisation of Australian remote gas resources to meet rising global demand for transport fuels, adding enormous value to Australian natural resources and contributing to Building and Transforming Australian industries.Read moreRead less
Syngas Production Using Catalytic Carbon Dioxide Dry Reforming. This project intends to pave the way for turning remote low-value Australian resources and greenhouse gases into valuable products. Most of Australian natural gas reserves are located in the remote north-west shelf, and many are small scale and thus cannot be economically harnessed using conventional methods such as pipeline transportation or gas liquefaction. In this project, a dry reforming reactor with novel catalysts will be des ....Syngas Production Using Catalytic Carbon Dioxide Dry Reforming. This project intends to pave the way for turning remote low-value Australian resources and greenhouse gases into valuable products. Most of Australian natural gas reserves are located in the remote north-west shelf, and many are small scale and thus cannot be economically harnessed using conventional methods such as pipeline transportation or gas liquefaction. In this project, a dry reforming reactor with novel catalysts will be designed for converting natural gas and carbon dioxide to syngas, which is an intermediate step of gas-to-liquid plant. By innovatively integrating advanced catalysis and heating technologies, reactor weight and operational costs will be minimised.Read moreRead less
3-D Printed Catalytic Monoliths for Energy Efficient Carbon Conversion. Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) is an essential pathway for reducing carbon in the Earth's atmosphere. However a major hurdle in the carbon utilisation part is that the conversion technologies often rely on energy derived from fossil sources. Electrification of carbon conversion processes can overcome this hurdle by providing this energy via renewables. This project aims to develop an electrically powered energy efficie ....3-D Printed Catalytic Monoliths for Energy Efficient Carbon Conversion. Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) is an essential pathway for reducing carbon in the Earth's atmosphere. However a major hurdle in the carbon utilisation part is that the conversion technologies often rely on energy derived from fossil sources. Electrification of carbon conversion processes can overcome this hurdle by providing this energy via renewables. This project aims to develop an electrically powered energy efficient catalytic process for carbon conversion. A modular 3-D printed monolithic catalytic reactor prototype powered by induction or resistive heating will be developed to minimise energy loss in the carbon conversion process. An expected outcome of this project is translation of this prototype in a CCU pilot scale facility.Read moreRead less
Integrated photo and thermal catalysis for economic carbon dioxide conversion to fuels. The project aims to develop an integrated process for simultaneously photo- and thermal-catalytic conversion of carbon dioxide and water vapour to hydrocarbon fuels and chemicals using solar light and waste heat from flue gas. This project will design and make multi-functional catalysts based on zirconium metal organic frameworks, incorporating quantum dots and metal nanoclusters. This project is expected to ....Integrated photo and thermal catalysis for economic carbon dioxide conversion to fuels. The project aims to develop an integrated process for simultaneously photo- and thermal-catalytic conversion of carbon dioxide and water vapour to hydrocarbon fuels and chemicals using solar light and waste heat from flue gas. This project will design and make multi-functional catalysts based on zirconium metal organic frameworks, incorporating quantum dots and metal nanoclusters. This project is expected to develop an advanced materials system, reduce carbon dioxide and use it to produce fuel, and harness solar energy. The project should advance Australia’s leading role in reducing carbon emission, and producing clean energy and nanotechnology.Read moreRead less
Experimental and modelling development of advanced symmetrical fuel cells. Fuel cells are advanced energy conversion devices with high efficiency and low emissions. The overall goal of this project is to increase the competitiveness of the fuel cell technology with currently matured power generation technologies based on fossil fuel combustion through innovations. Both experimental development and modelling studies will be performed. It is expected that: reduced materials, fabrication and mainte ....Experimental and modelling development of advanced symmetrical fuel cells. Fuel cells are advanced energy conversion devices with high efficiency and low emissions. The overall goal of this project is to increase the competitiveness of the fuel cell technology with currently matured power generation technologies based on fossil fuel combustion through innovations. Both experimental development and modelling studies will be performed. It is expected that: reduced materials, fabrication and maintenance costs; improved performance; increased coking resistance and sulfur tolerance; and prolonged lifetime of solid oxide fuel cells will be achieved. This project endeavours to advance the field of electrochemical energy conversion. It is also expected to expand the science and engineering knowledge base and pave the way to sustainable energy systems.Read moreRead less