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).
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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.
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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)
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Our researchers
Our researchers are available to assist with research project supervision for Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy students.
- Professor Shi-Zhang Qiao
- Professor Shaobin Wang
- Professor Zaiping Guo
- Professor Dusan Losic
- Professor David Lewis
- Professor Volker Hessel
- Associate Professor Yan Jiao
- Associate Professor Yao Zheng
- Associate Professor Abel Santos
- Dr Diana Tran
- Dr Xiaoguang Duan
- Dr Jingrun Ran
- Dr Cheng Tang
- Dr Jian Feng Mao
- Dr Tran Tung
- Dr Huayang Zhang
- Dr Wenjie Tian
- Dr Pengtang Wang
- Dr Huanyu Jin
- Dr Chao Ye
- Dr Junnan Hao
- Dr Fangxi Xie
- Dr Md Julker Nine
- Dr Pei Lay Yap
- Dr Farzaneh Farivar
- Dr Shilin Zhang
- Dr Jieqiong Shan
- Dr Fuhua Yang
- Dr Gemeng Liang
- Dr Jinshuo Zou
- Dr Sailin Liu
- Dr Shiyong Zhao
- Giuseppe Tettamanzi
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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.