Nitride-based Compound Semiconductors for Solar Water Splitting. Global warming warrants urgent investment in clean and sustainable energy generation. This project aims to investigate the use of nitride semiconductors, a commonly used material for LEDs, and solar energy to generate hydrogen by splitting water molecules. These semiconductors have excellent light absorption efficiency and can be designed to better match the solar spectrum. The project will explore the underlying mechanism of light ....Nitride-based Compound Semiconductors for Solar Water Splitting. Global warming warrants urgent investment in clean and sustainable energy generation. This project aims to investigate the use of nitride semiconductors, a commonly used material for LEDs, and solar energy to generate hydrogen by splitting water molecules. These semiconductors have excellent light absorption efficiency and can be designed to better match the solar spectrum. The project will explore the underlying mechanism of light interaction with the semiconductor through band bending and surface engineering, and determine how this interaction affects the dissociation of water molecules. The concepts demonstrated in the project are expected to pave the way for further development of this technology for future applications. Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC180100049
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,380,454.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre for Future Energy Storage Technologies. The ARC Training Centre for Future Energy Storage Technologies aims to equip the next generation of researchers and the energy technology workforce with the skills needed to drive innovation, exploration and investigation so we safeguard our workers and industries. The Centre aims to challenge existing thinking and expand Australia’s capacity in energy storage and production. The Centre expects to create new knowledge and intellectual p ....ARC Training Centre for Future Energy Storage Technologies. The ARC Training Centre for Future Energy Storage Technologies aims to equip the next generation of researchers and the energy technology workforce with the skills needed to drive innovation, exploration and investigation so we safeguard our workers and industries. The Centre aims to challenge existing thinking and expand Australia’s capacity in energy storage and production. The Centre expects to create new knowledge and intellectual property in advanced energy materials, batteries and battery-control systems for integration into end user industries. This Centre will facilitate small to medium-sized enterprises to take a global leadership role in advancing and producing new age storage technologies. By harnessing the expertise of researchers and industry partners the Centre aims to deliver benefit to our economy, the community and the environment.
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Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220101113
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$428,000.00
Summary
Optimal reaction pathways towards advanced energy technology. This project aims to develop a novel lithium-ion battery (LIB) system that delivers high energy-density, a long cycle life, low-cost, and high safety based on conversion-type lithium oxide cathodes. Expected outcomes of this project will address the preliminary challenges for the practical use of lithium-oxide, which requires innovative designs of reaction pathways to lithium oxide cathode and lithium metal anode architectures as well ....Optimal reaction pathways towards advanced energy technology. This project aims to develop a novel lithium-ion battery (LIB) system that delivers high energy-density, a long cycle life, low-cost, and high safety based on conversion-type lithium oxide cathodes. Expected outcomes of this project will address the preliminary challenges for the practical use of lithium-oxide, which requires innovative designs of reaction pathways to lithium oxide cathode and lithium metal anode architectures as well as a fundamental in-depth understanding of the electrochemical and growing mechanisms. This project will establish a manufacturing road-map for a novel lithium-ion battery system in Australia with practical reliability by integrating active lithium oxide cathode, optimized electrolyte, and lithium metal anode.Read moreRead less
Growing a multi-scale internal structure: new wrought metals for energy conservation. This research aims to reduce the weight of wrought metal parts so that transport and machinery will use less energy. It will establish how to grow novel multi-scale internal structures and will thereby pioneer a new class of metals that display superior properties.
Understanding and controlling of photoferroelectricity for photoenergy uses. The project seeks to develop high performance photoferroelectric materials for a wide range of photoenergy conversion technologies like photovoltaics and photocatalytics. For the past 50 years, ferroelectric photovoltaics have only been an academic curiosity due to their low energy conversion efficiency relative to the popular semiconductor photovoltaics. This project aims to unlock the potential of ferroelectric photov ....Understanding and controlling of photoferroelectricity for photoenergy uses. The project seeks to develop high performance photoferroelectric materials for a wide range of photoenergy conversion technologies like photovoltaics and photocatalytics. For the past 50 years, ferroelectric photovoltaics have only been an academic curiosity due to their low energy conversion efficiency relative to the popular semiconductor photovoltaics. This project aims to unlock the potential of ferroelectric photovoltaics by introducing an ion co-substitution, which is coupled with electron-pinning, into promising ferroelectric materials and investigating the resultant photo-excited electronic and electrical properties. It is anticipated that the outcomes from this proposed project will provide a solution for optimal ferroelectric visible light absorption to achieve high power conversion efficiency in ferroelectric materials for practical photoenergy applications.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.
Porous Electromaterials for Hydrogen Production and Energy Storage. This project aims to develop nanocomposite electrodes and membranes for efficient production of renewable hydrogen and the next generation of high-energy-density battery technologies. This will be accomplished by the engineering of multi-scale porous materials with tuneable electrical, chemical and morphological properties using earth abundant elements. The intended outcome is the establishment of a scalable methodology for the ....Porous Electromaterials for Hydrogen Production and Energy Storage. This project aims to develop nanocomposite electrodes and membranes for efficient production of renewable hydrogen and the next generation of high-energy-density battery technologies. This will be accomplished by the engineering of multi-scale porous materials with tuneable electrical, chemical and morphological properties using earth abundant elements. The intended outcome is the establishment of a scalable methodology for the structuring and effective integration of microporous materials in highly conductive scaffolds, achieving superior charge and molecular transport, as well as high surface activity. Broad social and economic benefits are anticipated providing new technological solutions for renewable energy storage and fuel production.Read moreRead less
Probing anti-ferroelectric to ferroelectric structural phase transitions: towards high power energy transformation devices. Materials which can be rapidly switched from anti-ferroelectric to ferroelectric states exhibit a wide range of exploitable properties. This project will identify the factors enabling such materials to respond to applied electric fields and mechanical stresses and use them to enhance the ability of industry to develop new advanced materials.
Next generation, very high efficiency thin silicon cells. A new type of thin silicon solar cell, with an efficiency potential of 21% or greater, is to be developed and characterized.
These cells should be cheaper, and have better efficiency, power to weight ratio and radiation tolerance than existing commercial silicon solar cells opening interesting possible applications. Novel solar cell designs and associated interconnection and encapsulation schemes for the cells suitable for space and hi ....Next generation, very high efficiency thin silicon cells. A new type of thin silicon solar cell, with an efficiency potential of 21% or greater, is to be developed and characterized.
These cells should be cheaper, and have better efficiency, power to weight ratio and radiation tolerance than existing commercial silicon solar cells opening interesting possible applications. Novel solar cell designs and associated interconnection and encapsulation schemes for the cells suitable for space and high altitude aircraft applications superior to existing technologies are expected to be developed. This should lead to a new, internationally competitive Australian industry.
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Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0560683
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$321,953.00
Summary
A furnace stack for advanced photovoltaic, photonic and microfabrication applications. Advanced silicon photovoltaic, photonic, optoelectronic and micro-electromechanical devices require state of the art processing equipment for the deposition of thin dielectric films and for controlled doping of the devices. Key techniques include the deposition of stoichiometric and silicon rich silicon nitride and silicon dioxide films, and the controlled wafer doping with boron and phosphorus. A state of the ....A furnace stack for advanced photovoltaic, photonic and microfabrication applications. Advanced silicon photovoltaic, photonic, optoelectronic and micro-electromechanical devices require state of the art processing equipment for the deposition of thin dielectric films and for controlled doping of the devices. Key techniques include the deposition of stoichiometric and silicon rich silicon nitride and silicon dioxide films, and the controlled wafer doping with boron and phosphorus. A state of the art furnace stack is to be procured which will satisfy these requirements on industrially relevant wafer sizes up to 150mm. The equipment will support a broad range of research projects in the above fields, ranging from fundamental investigations to applied research carried out in collaboration with industry partners.Read moreRead less