Functional topological materials for superior thermoelectric applications. The efficient generation of electricity from waste heat remains a significant technological challenge, hampered by the absence of efficient materials for conversion. This project aims to develop functionalized topological materials with ultra-high thermoelectric and photothermal performance for harvesting heat into electricity. A recent breakthrough in device efficiency will be a game-changer and position Australian acade ....Functional topological materials for superior thermoelectric applications. The efficient generation of electricity from waste heat remains a significant technological challenge, hampered by the absence of efficient materials for conversion. This project aims to develop functionalized topological materials with ultra-high thermoelectric and photothermal performance for harvesting heat into electricity. A recent breakthrough in device efficiency will be a game-changer and position Australian academics and industries at the forefront of next generation of renewable power generation and refrigeration products. The outcomes will provide an advantage to end-users and industry, and will open a new market for advanced thermoelectric devices in multidisciplinary fields, communities and emerging industries.Read moreRead less
Development of High Performance Nanostructured (Bi, Sb)2Te3 Nanomaterials. The direct energy conversion between heat and electricity, based on thermoelectric effects without moving parts, has been considered as a green and sustainable solution to the global energy dilemma. This project aims to develop novel band-engineered (Bi, Sb)2Te3 nanomaterials for high-efficiency energy conversion using novel microwave assisted wet chemistry approach, coupled with nanostructure and band engineering strateg ....Development of High Performance Nanostructured (Bi, Sb)2Te3 Nanomaterials. The direct energy conversion between heat and electricity, based on thermoelectric effects without moving parts, has been considered as a green and sustainable solution to the global energy dilemma. This project aims to develop novel band-engineered (Bi, Sb)2Te3 nanomaterials for high-efficiency energy conversion using novel microwave assisted wet chemistry approach, coupled with nanostructure and band engineering strategies. The key breakthrough is to design high performance (Bi, Sb)2Te3 thermoelectrics for satisfying the high efficiency solid-state devices. The expected outcomes will lead to an innovative technology that waste heat recovery and refrigeration, which will place Australia at the forefront of practical energy technologies.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140101596
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$395,220.00
Summary
Development of high performance silicon-based thermoelectrics through band engineering. Thermoelectric (TE) materials, converting waste heat into electricity, have been considered as a sustainable solution to the current energy dilemma. This project aims to realise high-efficiency silicon-based thermoelectrics through rational design of their band structure and nanostructure. This will advance the knowledge of maximising the TE performance in silicon-based thermoelectrics and develop new strateg ....Development of high performance silicon-based thermoelectrics through band engineering. Thermoelectric (TE) materials, converting waste heat into electricity, have been considered as a sustainable solution to the current energy dilemma. This project aims to realise high-efficiency silicon-based thermoelectrics through rational design of their band structure and nanostructure. This will advance the knowledge of maximising the TE performance in silicon-based thermoelectrics and develop new strategies for improving existing TE materials in general. The resulting high performance silicon-based thermoelectrics will greatly promote TE power generation in a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly way, due to their abundance and nontoxicity, benefiting Australia's emerging energy industry, environment and economy.Read moreRead less
CO2-coupled photothermal catalysis on superlattice structures. This project aims to develop a structure-tailored platform of superlattice materials for photothermal catalytic conversion of natural gases to valuable fuels and chemicals. Innovations lie in engineered atomic and bulk scale nanocrystals for high-efficiency sunlight harvesting to drive CO2-coupled catalysis of C-H bond activation. Advanced characterisations and multiscale computations will enable mechanistic insights into the synergy ....CO2-coupled photothermal catalysis on superlattice structures. This project aims to develop a structure-tailored platform of superlattice materials for photothermal catalytic conversion of natural gases to valuable fuels and chemicals. Innovations lie in engineered atomic and bulk scale nanocrystals for high-efficiency sunlight harvesting to drive CO2-coupled catalysis of C-H bond activation. Advanced characterisations and multiscale computations will enable mechanistic insights into the synergy of photo and thermal catalysis in hydrocarbon conversions. The projects will result in next-generation intelligent materials and clean technologies for solar fuels production and CO2 recycling. Outcomes will benefit Australia’s long-term energy security and sustainability toward a carbon-neutral society. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE120100188
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,000,000.00
Summary
Epitaxial growth facility for advanced materials. An advanced materials fabrication facility accessible to all Australian researchers will be established. This will allow crystal growth at the atomic level for novel materials with applications including fundamental physics, nanocomposites, energy storage and conversion systems, and solar cells.
Solar-driven thermochemical dissociation of carbon dioxide and water to produce carbon-neutral fuels. The biggest challenge to humanity of the century is to develop enabling clean energy resources to encounter rapidly diminished fossil fuel and accelerated global warming conditions. This project will offer a solution by developing a unique solar-driven thermochemical system capable of cleaving carbon dioxide and water to produce artificial syngas.
Self-Assembly of Inorganic Nanoparticles and Biocatalyst Proteins for Artificial Photosynthesis. This project aims to develop high performance inorganic/biologic hybrid photocatalysts for artificial photosynthesis of chemical fuels from overall water splitting and carbon dioxide reduction. An innovative self-assembly strategy is proposed to synergestically integrate superior solar energy harvesting of inorganic functional material with high specificity and efficiency of biocatalyst protein enzym ....Self-Assembly of Inorganic Nanoparticles and Biocatalyst Proteins for Artificial Photosynthesis. This project aims to develop high performance inorganic/biologic hybrid photocatalysts for artificial photosynthesis of chemical fuels from overall water splitting and carbon dioxide reduction. An innovative self-assembly strategy is proposed to synergestically integrate superior solar energy harvesting of inorganic functional material with high specificity and efficiency of biocatalyst protein enzyme. The success of this project will reveal new scientific insight on assembly technique, and the interaction, synergy and compatibility between the inorganic functional material and the biocatalyst, enabling mimicking the natural photosynthesis process to construct highly efficient inorganic/biologic hybrid photocatalysts for renewable clean energy production.Read moreRead less
Concepts towards the next generation of dye-sensitised solar cells: tandem and plasmonic solar cells. This project aims at exploring the feasibility of novel device concepts to enhance the performance of dye-sensitised solar cells. These concepts include tandem solar cells as well as novel energy relay systems based on the ability of nanoparticles to effectively act as antenna systems that can funnel energy towards a sensitising dye molecule.
Nitride materials: In the “bond ionicity Goldilocks zone” for solar energy. Progress towards commercial devices for solar-driven hydrogen generation as well as in-situ electricity generation for vehicles is currently hampered by a lack of earth-abundant, stable, non-toxic semiconductor materials that can be fabricated by scalable methods. This project aims to develop the first scalable solution synthesis methods for a new class of earth-abundant Zn-based nitride semiconductor nanocrystals that h ....Nitride materials: In the “bond ionicity Goldilocks zone” for solar energy. Progress towards commercial devices for solar-driven hydrogen generation as well as in-situ electricity generation for vehicles is currently hampered by a lack of earth-abundant, stable, non-toxic semiconductor materials that can be fabricated by scalable methods. This project aims to develop the first scalable solution synthesis methods for a new class of earth-abundant Zn-based nitride semiconductor nanocrystals that have favourable bond ionicity and establish their optoelectronic properties for renewable energy devices for the first time. Flexible solution processing methods will be exploited to tune surface composition, remove defects and create devices to achieve optimised performance in these challenging new nitride material systems.Read moreRead less
Photonic crystals: The key to breaking the silicon-solar cell efficiency barrier. This project aims to investigate solar light harvesting using light trapping by photonic crystal on an amorphous-Silicon thin-film combining passivation technologies with light trapping. Using this new light trapping method, based on a specially designed periodic surface structure, the project expects to set a new standard in solar energy conversion efficiency. The expected outcomes of this project represent a ste ....Photonic crystals: The key to breaking the silicon-solar cell efficiency barrier. This project aims to investigate solar light harvesting using light trapping by photonic crystal on an amorphous-Silicon thin-film combining passivation technologies with light trapping. Using this new light trapping method, based on a specially designed periodic surface structure, the project expects to set a new standard in solar energy conversion efficiency. The expected outcomes of this project represent a step change in Silicon solar cell efficiency, applicable to different materials and especially useful for thin flexible cells. The project has the potential to benefit the renewable energy sector, increasing the efficiency of sustainable energy production, with positive economic and environmental impacts.Read moreRead less