Dr Fengwang Li
School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
ARC Centre of Excellence for Green Electrochemical Transformation of Carbon Dioxide (GETCO2)
Dr Fengwang Li is a Senior Lecturer with the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Sydney, where he joined in April 2020. His research aims for a “greener”, carbon-neutral future relying on electrochemical energy.
Dr Li completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry at Renmin University of China. He gained his PhD in Chemistry in 2017 from Monash University where his doctoral thesis, on the use of atomically thin materials for electrochemical carbon dioxide catalysis, was awarded the university’s Mollie Holman Medal for best PhD thesis. He then moved to Canada to complete postdoctoral research at the University of Toronto, where he focused on developing catalysts and systems for the conversion of carbon dioxide to value-added fuels and chemicals.
Dr Li has published more than 90 research articles in top-tier journals including Nature, Science, Nature Catalysis, Nature Materials, Angewandte Chemie, and Journal of the American Chemical Society.
Dr Li's research interests lie in:
- electroactive materials
- carbon dioxide capture and utilisation
- green hydrogen and ammonia
- green chemical synthesis
Our historical reliance on fossil fuels has resulted in high greenhouse gas emissions – primarily carbon dioxide – leading to climate change and a range of associated issues. Carbon capture and sequestration has therefore attracted intense interest in recent years, as a means of removing this excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. However, carbon dioxide currently has low economic value, so in order for this process to become economically viable, new techniques are required to add value to the captured carbon. This is what Dr Fengwang Li’s research focuses on.
“My work uses electricity from renewable sources such as solar, wind and hydro to transform waste carbon dioxide, together with water, into economically valuable chemicals and fuels that can replace fossil fuels.
“One example is ethylene, used to produce plastics for applications from medical devices to synthetic fabrics and the basis of a US$200B global industry. Another is ethanol, a clean alternative engine fuel and fuel additive. Substituting these renewable chemicals and fuels for their current fossil-fuel–based equivalents would lead to a net reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.
“The conversion of carbon dioxide using electrons – known as carbon dioxide electrolysis – is extremely complicated. I’m working to develop novel catalyst materials that facilitate the conversion with high activity and high selectivity towards the specific product we want.
“To speed up the materials discovery and look deeper into the mechanism behind the conversion reaction, I use and develop a suite of operando/in-situ characterisation techniques, such as vibrational spectroscopy, microscopy and synchrotron X-ray, to capture – under operating conditions – the dynamic environment at the material surface with high spatial and temporal resolution.
“The ultimate goal is to make renewable, carbon dioxide–derived chemicals and fuels more economically compelling than fossil fuels.
“I have been working in this field since 2014, and I joined the University of Sydney in 2020. Working here offers me an exciting multidisciplinary research environment where I’m able to collaborate with experts with diverse backgrounds, both fundamental and applied. This gives me great opportunities to think widely and wildly, and to explore with full freedom.”
- Electroactive materials for carbon dioxide capture and conversion
- Mechanistic study of physical chemistry at the interface of electrochemical process
- New process and systems for renewable fuels production
- Member of Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI)
- Member of Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
- Member of American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Member of American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
-
Since 2020 World’s Top 2% Scientists, ranked by Stanford University
-
2023 Top 100 Entry in the Create the Future Design Contest by the Tech Briefs magazine
-
2023 Winner of Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Outstanding Early Career Researcher
-
2023 University of Sydney Research Accelerator (SOAR) Prize
-
2022 Royal Society of Chemistry Nanoscale Emerging Investigators
-
2021 MIT Technology Review 35 Innovators Under 35 (China list)
-
2021 Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Early Career Research
-
2021 Faculty of Engineering Dean’s Award for Early Career Research Excellence
-
2021 Sydney Nano Publication Award
-
2021 Journal of Materials Chemistry A Emerging Investigators
-
2021 ChemE Nicklin Medal
-
2020 Metrohm-EDRACI Young Electrochemist Award
-
2019 ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA)
-
2018 Mollie Holman Medal (“Best PhD thesis award”), Monash University
-
2016 Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-Financed Students Abroad
- 2013 Chinese National Scholarship for Graduate Students
Canada | (University of Toronto) Prof. Edward Sargent. Research interest: renewable fuels, photovoltaics, perovskites |
China | (Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences) Prof. Mianqi Xue. Research interest: flexible electronics, rechargeable batteries |
China | (University of Science and Technology of China (USTC)) Research interest: nanomaterials, catalysis |
United Kingdom | (University of Warwick) Prof. Patrick Unwin. Research interest: electroanalysis, dynamic electrochemistry |
United States | (California Institute of Technology) Prof. Jonas Peters. Research interest: organometallics, solar fuels, nitrogen fixation. Prof. Theodor Agapie. Research interest: clusters and complexes for small molecule conversion |
| Project title | Research student |
|---|---|
| Design of Electronic Nose for Volatile Biomarker Recognition | Fabian Steven GARAY RAIRAN |
| Advanced electrochemcial oxdative leaching of chalcopyrite | Yushi LENG |
| Electrochemical Integrated system for carbon dioxide capture and conversion | Wei ZHANG |
Publications
Journals
- Rabiee, H., Ge, L., Zhu, Z., Ma, B., Yang, Y., Li, F., Yan, P., Wu, Y., Zhang, X., Hu, S., et al (2024). Advances and Challenges of Carbon-Free Gas-Diffusion Electrodes (GDEs) for Electrochemical CO
2 Reduction. Advanced Functional Materials. [More Information] - Liang, Y., Li, F., Miao, R., Hu, S., Ni, W., Zhang, S., Liu, Y., Bai, Y., Wan, H., Ou, P., Li, F., et al (2024). Efficient ethylene electrosynthesis through C–O cleavage promoted by water dissociation. Nature Synthesis. [More Information]
- Chai, Y., Wang, X., Rao, W., Zhang, X., Wang, Y., Ji, J., Li, F., Xue, M., Chen, R., Ma, X., Xia, T., et al (2024). Electrical anisotropy in two-dimensional reduced graphene oxide/ polypyrrole-based ordered conjugated system ensure multi-stimulus response signal adapter. Science China Materials. [More Information]
2024
- Rabiee, H., Ge, L., Zhu, Z., Ma, B., Yang, Y., Li, F., Yan, P., Wu, Y., Zhang, X., Hu, S., et al (2024). Advances and Challenges of Carbon-Free Gas-Diffusion Electrodes (GDEs) for Electrochemical CO
2 Reduction. Advanced Functional Materials. [More Information] - Liang, Y., Li, F., Miao, R., Hu, S., Ni, W., Zhang, S., Liu, Y., Bai, Y., Wan, H., Ou, P., Li, F., et al (2024). Efficient ethylene electrosynthesis through C–O cleavage promoted by water dissociation. Nature Synthesis. [More Information]
- Chai, Y., Wang, X., Rao, W., Zhang, X., Wang, Y., Ji, J., Li, F., Xue, M., Chen, R., Ma, X., Xia, T., et al (2024). Electrical anisotropy in two-dimensional reduced graphene oxide/ polypyrrole-based ordered conjugated system ensure multi-stimulus response signal adapter. Science China Materials. [More Information]
2023
- Zhao, Y., Hao, L., Ozden, A., Liu, S., Miao, R., Ou, P., Alkayyali, T., Zhang, S., Ning, J., Liang, Y., Li, F., et al (2023). Conversion of CO2 to multicarbon products in strong acid by controlling the catalyst microenvironment. Nature Synthesis, 2(5), 403-412. [More Information]
- Luo, M., Ozden, A., Wang, Z., Li, F., Erick Huang, J., Hung, S., Wang, Y., Li, J., Nam, D., Li, Y., Zhang, S., et al (2023). Coordination Polymer Electrocatalysts Enable Efficient CO-to-Acetate Conversion. Advanced Materials, 35(10). [More Information]
- Yang, Y., Xie, E., Du, Z., Peng, Z., Han, Z., Li, L., Zhao, R., Qin, Y., Xue, M., Li, F., et al (2023). Detection of Various Microplastics in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery. Environmental Science & Technology, 57(30), 10911-10918. [More Information]
2022
- Hung, S., Xu, A., Wang, X., Li, F., Hsu, S., Li, Y., Wicks, J., Cervantes, E., Rasouli, A., Li, Y., et al (2022). A metal-supported single-atom catalytic site enables carbon dioxide hydrogenation. Nature Communications, 13(1). [More Information]
- Xu, A., Hung, S., Cao, A., Wang, Z., Karmodak, N., Huang, J., Yan, Y., Sedighian Rasouli, A., Ozden, A., Wu, F., et al (2022). Copper/alkaline earth metal oxide interfaces for electrochemical CO
2 -to-alcohol conversion by selective hydrogenation. Nature Catalysis, 5(12), 1081-1088. [More Information] - Nam, D., Shekhah, O., Ozden, A., McCallum, C., Li, F., Wang, X., Lum, Y., Lee, T., Li, J., Wicks, J., et al (2022). High-Rate and Selective CO
2 Electrolysis to Ethylene via Metal–Organic-Framework-Augmented CO2 Availability. Advanced Materials, 34(51). [More Information]
2021
- Liang, Y., Zhao, J., Zhang, H., Zhang, A., Wang, S., Li, J., Shakouri, M., Xiao, Q., Hu, Y., Liu, Z., Li, F., et al (2021). Bias-Adaptable CO2-to-CO Conversion via Tuning the Binding of Competing Intermediates. Nano Letters, 21(20), 8924-8932. [More Information]
- Ozden, A., Wang, Y., Li, F., Luo, M., Sisler, J., Thevenon, A., Rosas-Hernandez, A., Burdyny, T., Lum, Y., Yadegari, H., et al (2021). Cascade CO2 electroreduction enables efficient carbonate-free production of ethylene. Joule, 5(3), 706-719. [More Information]
- Huang, J., Li, F., Ozden, A., Rasouli, A., De Arquer, F., Liu, S., Zhang, S., Luo, M., Wang, X., Lum, Y., et al (2021). CO2 electrolysis to multicarbon products in strong acid. Science, 372(6546), 1074-1078. [More Information]
2020
- Wang, Y., Wang, Z., Dinh, C., Li, J., Ozden, A., Golam Kibria, M., Seifitokaldani, A., Tan, C., Gabardo, C., Luo, M., et al (2020). Catalyst synthesis under CO2 electroreduction favours faceting and promotes renewable fuels electrosynthesis. Nature Catalysis, 3(2), 98-106. [More Information]
- Leow, W., Lum, Y., Ozden, A., Wang, Y., Nam, D., Chen, B., Wicks, J., Zhuang, T., Li, F., Sinton, D., et al (2020). Chloride-mediated selective electrosynthesis of ethylene and propylene oxides at high current density. Science, 368(6496), 1228-1233. [More Information]
- Garcia de Arquer, F., Dinh, C., Ozden, A., Wicks, J., McCallum, C., Kirmani, A., Nam, D., Gabardo, C., Seifitokaldani, A., Wang, X., et al (2020). CO2 electrolysis to multicarbon products at activities greater than 1 A cm?2. Science, 367(6478), 661-666. [More Information]
2019
- Li, Y., Wang, Z., Yuan, T., Nam, D., Luo, M., Wicks, J., Chen, B., Li, J., Li, F., De Arquer, F., et al (2019). Binding Site Diversity Promotes CO2 Electroreduction to Ethanol. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 141(21), 8584-8591. [More Information]
- Li, J., Wang, Z., McCallum, C., Xu, Y., Li, F., Wang, Y., Gabardo, C., Dinh, C., Zhuang, T., Wang, L., et al (2019). Constraining CO coverage on copper promotes high-efficiency ethylene electroproduction. Nature Catalysis, 2(12), 1124-1131. [More Information]
- Zhuang, T., Nam, D., Wang, Z., Li, H., Gabardo, C., Li, Y., Liang, Z., Li, J., Liu, X., Chen, B., et al (2019). Dopant-tuned stabilization of intermediates promotes electrosynthesis of valuable C3 products. Nature Communications, 10(1), 4807. [More Information]
2018
- Li, F., Xue, M., Zhang, X., Chen, L., Knowles, G., MacFarlane, D., Zhang, J. (2018). Advanced composite 2D energy materials by simultaneous anodic and cathodic exfoliation. Advanced Energy Materials, 8(12), 1-8. [More Information]
- Zhang, Y., Zhang, X., Ling, Y., Li, F., Bond, A., Zhang, J. (2018). Controllable Synthesis of Few-Layer Bismuth Subcarbonate by Electrochemical Exfoliation for Enhanced CO2 Reduction Performance. Angewandte Chemie - International Edition, 57(40), 13283-13287. [More Information]
- Li, J., Che, F., Pang, Y., Zou, C., Howe, J., Burdyny, T., Edwards, J., Wang, Y., Li, F., Wang, Z., et al (2018). Copper adparticle enabled selective electrosynthesis of n-propanol. Nature Communications, 9(1), 4614. [More Information]
2017
- Zhang, Y., Chen, L., Li, F., Easton, C., Li, J., Bond, A., Zhang, J. (2017). Direct detection of electron transfer reactions underpinning the tin-catalyzed electrochemical reduction of CO2 using Fourier-transformed ac voltammetry. ACS Catalysis, 7(7), 4846-4853. [More Information]
- Bentley, C., Kang, M., Maddar, F., Li, F., Walker, M., Zhang, J., Unwin, P. (2017). Electrochemical maps and movies of the hydrogen evolution reaction on natural crystals of molybdenite (MoS
2Chemical Science, 8(9), 6583-6593. [More Information] - Chen, L., Li, F., Zhang, Y., Bentley, C., Horne, M., Bond, A., Zhang, J. (2017). Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide in a monoethanolamine capture medium. ChemSusChem, 10(20), 4109-4118. [More Information]
2016
- Dilusha Cooray, M., Sandanayake, S., Li, F., Langford, S., Bond, A., Zhang, J. (2016). Efficient Enzymatic Oxidation of Glucose Mediated by Ferrocene Covalently Attached to Polyethylenimine Stabilized Gold Nanoparticles. Electroanalysis, 28(11), 2728-2736. [More Information]
- Chen, L., Guo, S., Li, F., Bentley, C., Horne, M., Bond, A., Zhang, J. (2016). Electrochemical reduction of CO2 at metal electrodes in a distillable ionic liquid. ChemSusChem, 9(11), 1271-1278. [More Information]
- Xue, M., Li, F., Chen, D., Yang, Z., Wang, X., Ji, J. (2016). High-Oriented Polypyrrole Nanotubes for Next-Generation Gas Sensor. Advanced Materials, 28(37), 8265-8270. [More Information]
2015
- Ma, X., Xue, M., Li, F., Chen, J., Chen, D., Wang, X., Pan, F., Chen, G. (2015). Gradual-order enhanced stability: A frozen section of electrospun nanofibers for energy storage. Nanoscale, 7(19), 8715-8719. [More Information]
- Li, F., Chen, J., Wang, X., Xue, M., Chen, G. (2015). Stretchable Supercapacitor with Adjustable Volumetric Capacitance Based on 3D Interdigital Electrodes. Advanced Functional Materials, 25(29), 4601-4606. [More Information]
2014
- Lei, H., Han, A., Li, F., Zhang, M., Han, Y., Du, P., Lai, W., Cao, R. (2014). Electrochemical, spectroscopic and theoretical studies of a simple bifunctional cobalt corrole catalyst for oxygen evolution and hydrogen production. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 16(5), 1883-1893. [More Information]
2013
- He, J., Ma, X., Zhu, Y., Li, F., Tang, X., Zhang, X., Zhang, M. (2013). Facile fabrication of regular Au microband electrode arrays for voltammetric detection down to submicromolar level by hydrogel etching. Electrochemistry Communications, 30, 67-70. [More Information]
- Tang, X., Zhao, D., He, J., Li, F., Peng, J., Zhang, M. (2013). Quenching of the electrochemiluminescence of tris(2,2?-bipyridine) ruthenium(II)/tri-n-propylamine by pristine carbon nanotube and its application to quantitative detection of DNA. Analytical Chemistry, 85(3), 1711-1718. [More Information]
- Xue, M., Li, F., Wang, Y., Cai, X., Pan, F., Chen, J. (2013). Ultralow-limit gas detection in nano-dumbbell polymer sensor via electrospinning. Nanoscale, 5(5), 1803-1805. [More Information]
Selected Grants
2024
- Online electrochemical mass spectrometry (OEMS) system, Dose W, Li F, Ling C, DVC Research/Equipment Grant
- research theme 4 - Nano Spectrochemical Imaging Platform (NSIP), Li F, Kang K, Xu A, DVC Research/Equipment Grant
- University of Sydney, Advanced Manufacturing Alkaline Electrolyser Cell-Stacks for Affordable and Scalable Green Hydrogen Production, Tricoli A, Li F, Hocking R, Simonov A, Evans D, Swiegers G, Toogood G, Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)/Competitive Component R&D Project
2023
- Integrated high-throughput material synthesis and characterisation system, Li F, Australian Research Council (ARC)/Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities (LIEF)
- RES: MRIWA PROJECT M10477 - Advanced Electrometallurgy for Improved Recovery of Green Metals - MRIWA and ECOX (formerly Separtis) - Alejandro Montoya, Montoya A, Li F, Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia/Research Grant
In the media
-
New catalyst turns waste CO2 into valuable commodity chemical
ACS Chemical & Engineering News [22 November 2019]
In the hopes of slowing climate change, researchers are seeking ways to get rid of planet-warming carbon dioxide. Making something valuable from it in the process, such as commodity chemicals, is a double win. Researchers at the University of Toronto and the California Institute of Technology now report they have carried off such a trick by improving the efficiency of a process to make the plastics precursor ethylene from CO2 electrochemically (Nature 2019, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1782-2). More
-
Researchers design an improved pathway to carbon-neutral plastics
Phys.org [20 November 2019]
Researchers from U of T Engineering and Caltech have designed a new and improved system for efficiently converting CO2, water, and renewable energy into ethylene—the precursor to a wide range of plastic products, from medical devices to synthetic fabrics—under neutral conditions. The device has the potential to offer a carbon-neutral pathway to a commonly used chemical while enhancing storage of waste carbon and excess renewable energy. More
-
Taking a leaf out of plants’ books
ChemistryWorld [17 June 2019]
We have created a global climate emergency and our reliance on fossil fuels is largely to blame. To save our planet, our global love affair with fossil fuels must end – fast. More
