Materials Engineering Research

Our materials engineering research is conducted in state-of-the-art laboratories located at the Engineering North Building and the Helen Mayo North Building.

Our capability spans the following areas:

  • Circular Economy of battery materials
  • Functional nanomaterials for fuel production from renewable electricity, H2, synthetic fuels, and green ammonia
  • Photocatalyst materials for solar-fuel production
  • Energy storage materials: rechargeable batteries, supercapacitors, aqueous batteries, storage of H2
  • Nanomaterials for fuel cell electrodes
  • Process engineering of nanomaterials (e.g. nitrogen doped carbon nanodots) and quantum materials
  • Graphene and 2D materials for industrial applications; coatings, electronic applications, additive manufacturing, and applied device prototyping
  • Nanomaterials for environment and water remediation
  • Materials for optical sensing and bio-sensing
  • Advanced characterisation of materials
  • Modelling of materials by ab initio methods and force-field based methods
  • Fabrication and application of quantum materials

Our materials engineering and nanotechnology capability achieved the highest ranking (5; well above world standard) as evaluated by Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA). We are the home to world leading researchers – Prof Shizhang Qiao (triple Hi-Ci in Materials Science, Chemistry and Environment and Ecology; ARC Laureate Fellow), Prof Shaobin Wang (triple Hi-Ci in Chemistry, Engineering and Environment and Ecology; and Prof Zaiping Guo (Hi-Ci; ARC Laureate Fellow).

  • Research impact

    We’re making an impact through the following research projects, hubs, and fellowships:

    • Solar-driven sustainable production of fuels and chemicals.
    • Laureate Fellowship, funded by the Australian Research Council.
    • Design the next generation of batteries. Laureate Fellowship, funded by the Australian Research Council.
    • ARC Research Hub for Graphene Enabled Industry Transformation. Funded by the Australian Research Council and industry partners.
    • ARC Research Hub in New Safe and Reliable Energy Storage and Conversion Technologies. Funded by the Australian Research Counciland industry partners.
    • Electrocatalytic Refinery for Fuels and Chemicals. Future Fellowship, funded by the Australian Research Council.
    • Develop Catalyst Materials for Future Fuels by Operando Computation. Future Fellowship, funded by the Australian Research Council.
    • Single-atom anchored photocatalysts for solar ammonia production. ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award, funded by the Australian Research Council.
    • Functional carbon hybrids for green catalysis and clean water. ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award, funded by the Australian Research Council.
    • Photonic Viropsy: Harnessing light on chip for precise SARS–CoV–2 diagnosis, funding by the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund.
    • Catalytic Degradationof Emerging Microplastic Pollutants. Discovery Project, funded by Australian Research Council.
    • Green remediation of water by smart micro-reactors. Discovery Project, funded by Australian Research Council.
    • Batteries of the future-a new strategy for CO2 fixation and energy storage.Discovery Project, funded by Australian Research Council.
    • Low cost aqueous rechargeable zinc batteries for grid-scale energy storage, Discovery Project, funded by Australian Research Council.
    • High energy density, long life, safe lithium-Ion battery for electric cars, Linkage Project, funded by Australian Research Council.
    • Safe and Reliable Solid-State Zinc Batteries, Discovery Project, funded by Australian Research Council.
    • Bioinspired photo–iontronic membranes for smart neuron-mimicking systems, Discovery Project, funded by Australian Research Council.
  • Consulting services

    We advise on, contribute to and lead, projects relating to:

    • Research programs for national and state research-and-development schemes, such as Cooperative Research Centres and the Premier’s Science and Research Fund
    • High-energy lithium Ion battery for electric cars (co-invested research, consulting)
    • Low-cost aqueous zinc batteries for large-scale renewable energy storage (co-invested research, consulting, patent)
    • Metal-carbon dioxide batteries for CO2 fixation and energy storage (co-invested research, consulting)
    • Sustainable recycling of spent rechargeable batteries (co-invested research, consulting)
    • Materials for green hydrogen production and utilization research project (co-invested research, consulting)
    • Safe, high performance, low-cost aqueous batteries project (co-invested research, consulting, patent)
    • Next-generation synthetic fuel research project (co-invested research, consulting)
    • Advanced water purification and disinfection technologies (co-invested research, consulting)
    • Solid waste management and upgrading to value-added products (co-invested research, consulting)
  • Our researchers

  • Fields of research codes

    Our materials engineering research strength covers the following Fields of Research (FoR) Codes: Functional materials (401605), Electrochemical energy storage and conversion (400404), Micro-and nanosystems (401801), Nanofabrication, growth and self-assembly (401805), Nanomaterials (401807), Nanophotonics (401809), and Nanoscale characterisation (401810).

Higher degree by research opportunities

Be involved in engineering discovery, invention, and cutting-edge research through a higher degree by research. Join our Master of Philosophy or Doctor of Philosophy programs.  

HDR opportunities

Our researchers 

Connect with our world-leading researchers.

Researcher profiles