Mesoporous Metal Scaffolds: Reactive Containment Vessels. The storage of hydrogen is one of the most important issues that remains to be solved before the mass implementation of hydrogen as an energy carrier becomes commercially viable. This project aims to determine the kinetic and thermodynamic benefits of mesoporous metal scaffolds as reactive containment vessels for hydrogen storage materials. Fundamental experimental research into the synthesis, characterisation, and modification of nano-co ....Mesoporous Metal Scaffolds: Reactive Containment Vessels. The storage of hydrogen is one of the most important issues that remains to be solved before the mass implementation of hydrogen as an energy carrier becomes commercially viable. This project aims to determine the kinetic and thermodynamic benefits of mesoporous metal scaffolds as reactive containment vessels for hydrogen storage materials. Fundamental experimental research into the synthesis, characterisation, and modification of nano-confined hydrogen storage materials will be carried out. The results of this research are expected be used to tune hydrogen desorption temperatures and pressures of various light weight hydrogen storage materials to generate new materials attractive to the automobile industry.Read moreRead less
A thermal battery for dish-Stirling concentrated solar power systems. This project will investigate new high temperature (> 600 degrees Celsius) metal hydrides and carbonates suitable for thermochemical energy storage in dish-Stirling Concentrated Solar Power systems. The intended outcome is to discover cost effective, energy dense materials that are capable of operating over a 30 year life span in a solar power plant. This will enable 24/7 electricity production from renewable sources in a disp ....A thermal battery for dish-Stirling concentrated solar power systems. This project will investigate new high temperature (> 600 degrees Celsius) metal hydrides and carbonates suitable for thermochemical energy storage in dish-Stirling Concentrated Solar Power systems. The intended outcome is to discover cost effective, energy dense materials that are capable of operating over a 30 year life span in a solar power plant. This will enable 24/7 electricity production from renewable sources in a dispatchable solar platform, ideal for remote locations. The successful development of high temperature metal hydrides and carbonates will finally provide an energy storage solution to dish-Stirling Concentrated Solar Power systems, which will greatly reduce our reliance on fossil fuels to produce electricity.Read moreRead less
Improved hydrogen geological storage via zeta potential measurements. Hydrogen is a clean fuel which has the potential to revolutionize the energy supply chain by complete decarbonisation. An estimated 50-fold increase in the global hydrogen market is expected by 2050, totalling AUD$16.3 trillion. However, the key barrier to a hydrogen economy is hydrogen storage, as hydrogen is highly volatile, compressible and flammable. Underground hydrogen storage, i.e. storage of hydrogen in sedimentary geo ....Improved hydrogen geological storage via zeta potential measurements. Hydrogen is a clean fuel which has the potential to revolutionize the energy supply chain by complete decarbonisation. An estimated 50-fold increase in the global hydrogen market is expected by 2050, totalling AUD$16.3 trillion. However, the key barrier to a hydrogen economy is hydrogen storage, as hydrogen is highly volatile, compressible and flammable. Underground hydrogen storage, i.e. storage of hydrogen in sedimentary geologic formations, is a potential option to solve this problem. In this project we will provide fundamental data required to establish hydrogen underground monitoring techniques, and to develop associated large-scale models with which underground hydrogen storage efficiency and security can be predicted.Read moreRead less
A New Spin on Liquid Hydrogen: Controlled Cold Energy. While hydrogen is set to play a leading role in global decarbonisation, significant challenges remain regarding methods for its reliable storage and transportation. Hydrogen liquefaction has emerged as a promising approach in this regard due to its high energy density and hydrogen purity, but is currently prohibitively expensive. In this project we will exploit the peculiar spin physics of hydrogen to alleviate liquefactions costs through t ....A New Spin on Liquid Hydrogen: Controlled Cold Energy. While hydrogen is set to play a leading role in global decarbonisation, significant challenges remain regarding methods for its reliable storage and transportation. Hydrogen liquefaction has emerged as a promising approach in this regard due to its high energy density and hydrogen purity, but is currently prohibitively expensive. In this project we will exploit the peculiar spin physics of hydrogen to alleviate liquefactions costs through the provision of controllable refrigeration (so-called 'cold energy') following regasification. In particular we will measure, optimise and exploit the highly endothermic catalysed conversion of para- to ortho- hydrogen, which can provide up to 525 kJ/kg of cooling at convenient temperatures. Read moreRead less
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
Interface/Boundary Engineering Towards Better Solid-State Lithium Batteries. This project aims to develop high-performance solid-state lithium batteries by engineering the design of grain boundaries within the oxide electrolyte and interfaces between the electrolyte and both anode and cathode. This project expects to propose a novel cation exsolution strategy for comprehensively engineering the interfaces and boundaries. This project should provide significant benefits on energy safety and susta ....Interface/Boundary Engineering Towards Better Solid-State Lithium Batteries. This project aims to develop high-performance solid-state lithium batteries by engineering the design of grain boundaries within the oxide electrolyte and interfaces between the electrolyte and both anode and cathode. This project expects to propose a novel cation exsolution strategy for comprehensively engineering the interfaces and boundaries. This project should provide significant benefits on energy safety and sustainable development of Australia. The successful completion of this project can lead to the development of battery technologies that may lift Australia to a better position in the international market and may also help boost the prosperity of Australia’s world-leading lithium mining industry.Read moreRead less
Shifting the trend in radical battery research . The project aims to address a growing problem of increasing energy consumption by storing intermittent energy from the sun in affordable and efficient flow batteries. The project expects to generate new knowledge in the areas of materials science and battery research by using innovative theoretical chemistry approaches to studying electrochemical properties of nitroxide radicals in ionic media. The project aims to develop radical organic flow batt ....Shifting the trend in radical battery research . The project aims to address a growing problem of increasing energy consumption by storing intermittent energy from the sun in affordable and efficient flow batteries. The project expects to generate new knowledge in the areas of materials science and battery research by using innovative theoretical chemistry approaches to studying electrochemical properties of nitroxide radicals in ionic media. The project aims to develop radical organic flow batteries by utilising ionic liquids to stabilise radicals. Intended outcomes of the project include improved efficiency of flow batteries that can store energy from widely used solar panels. This should provide significant benefits to Australia’s effort to switch to renewable energy technologies. Read moreRead less
Adaptation of carbon free fuels to high temperature industrial processes. This project aims to deepen our understanding of the underpinning scientific and engineering solutions required to adapt carbon free renewable fuels to high temperature industrial processes. The project will advance the knowledge base of innovative strategies, such as fuel blending and oxidant stream vitiation needed to replace fossil based fuels with alternatives such as hydrogen, or ammonia. Advance experimental and comp ....Adaptation of carbon free fuels to high temperature industrial processes. This project aims to deepen our understanding of the underpinning scientific and engineering solutions required to adapt carbon free renewable fuels to high temperature industrial processes. The project will advance the knowledge base of innovative strategies, such as fuel blending and oxidant stream vitiation needed to replace fossil based fuels with alternatives such as hydrogen, or ammonia. Advance experimental and computational tools will be used to investigate the controlling parameters to facilitate adaptation including burning characteristics, modes of heat transfer and pollutant emissions. The project will generate deeper understanding of the proposed approaches, detailed and unique high fidelity data, and suitable predictive models.Read moreRead less
Novel Characterization of Porous Structure and Surface Chemistry of Carbon. The aim of this project is to develop novel characterisation methods that probe the structure and surface chemistry of carbons, ranging from highly graphitised thermal carbon black through ordered mesoporous carbon to disordered porous activated carbon. The project plans to develop a new generic molecular model based on wedge-shaped pores. Conventional parallel sided pore models fail to account for real structures and th ....Novel Characterization of Porous Structure and Surface Chemistry of Carbon. The aim of this project is to develop novel characterisation methods that probe the structure and surface chemistry of carbons, ranging from highly graphitised thermal carbon black through ordered mesoporous carbon to disordered porous activated carbon. The project plans to develop a new generic molecular model based on wedge-shaped pores. Conventional parallel sided pore models fail to account for real structures and therefore for the physics of adsorption in real materials. The project then plans to back the theoretical model with high-resolution experimental measurements. It is expected that the model will unify the structural analysis for all carbons and account for all experimental isotherms within a rational and physically plausible framework.Read moreRead less
Degradation conscious grid-scale battery energy management scheme. The project aims to develop an improved battery management system to smooth the intermittent contribution of renewable energy sources to the grid. As the level of penetration of renewable energy sources into electrical grids increases, energy storage will play an increasingly important role in solving some of the technical challenges caused by the intermittent nature of the renewable sources. The existing design methods for gri ....Degradation conscious grid-scale battery energy management scheme. The project aims to develop an improved battery management system to smooth the intermittent contribution of renewable energy sources to the grid. As the level of penetration of renewable energy sources into electrical grids increases, energy storage will play an increasingly important role in solving some of the technical challenges caused by the intermittent nature of the renewable sources. The existing design methods for grid-scale battery management systems do not take into consideration the degradation of the battery banks. Thus, this project aims to fill this gap by developing an electrochemical-based, degradation-conscious, battery management system. The proposed system aims to increase the life span and capacity use of the batteries.Read moreRead less