Professor Yuan Chen
People_

Professor Yuan Chen

PhD Chemical Engineering (Yale), FRSC, FRACI CChem, FIChemE
Professor
School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Professor Yuan Chen

Professor Yuan Chen received a bachelor’s degree from Tsinghua University and a Ph.D. from Yale University. He was an Assistant and an Associate Professor at Nanyang Technological University Singapore from 2005 to 2015. He joined the University of Sydney in 2015. His research focuses on carbon materials and their sustainable energy and environmental applications, including supercapacitors, batteries, electrocatalysts, membranes, and antibacterial coatings. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers, the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK), and the Royal Australian Chemical Institute. He received the Australian Research Council Professorial Future Fellowship in 2016, an Excellence in Review Award from Carbon in 2015, a Young Scientist Award from the Singapore National Academy of Science in 2011. He is currently serving as an editor for Carbon (Elsevier) and Journal of Alloys and Compounds. He also served as Chair for the Asian Association of Carbon Groups from 2017 to 2020, has served as Chair for the Australian Carbon Society since August 2017.

Professor Yuan Chen’s research aims to translate the superior properties of carbon nanomaterials into applications that will ensure a sustainable future for humankind.

“Throughout history, the materials we have used have primarily defined our quality of life – from stone, bronze, and iron to metal alloys, silicon, and plastics.

“Over the past 20 years, carbon nanomaterials have been discovered to possess many fascinating properties that differ significantly from other materials. For example, a tiny, single-walled carbon nanotube with a diameter of less than one ten-thousandth of human hair has electrical conductivity more than 1000 times greater than that of copper, while a two-dimensional atomic-scale layer of graphene is the strongest material ever tested.

“As a chemical engineer, I want to develop scalable chemical processes to translate these properties into practical applications with minimal environmental and health risks.

“One fascinating example is the development of a new generation of electrochemical energy storage devices. Lithium-ion batteries have been used in a wide range of applications. However, the fast-growing energy storage demands require energy storage devices with higher energy and higher power density and depending on sustainable materials.

“My research aims to develop efficient, cost-effective, and reliable energy storage solutions. This will create commercial opportunities and bring significant environmental benefits in accelerating the shift to renewable energy andachieving carbon neutrality.”

“I am also working on synthesising carbon catalysts for efficient energy conversion and water treatment, creating novel carbon nanomaterial-based membranes and antibacterial materials, and controlling the structure of single-walled carbon nanotubes for a new generation of smaller and faster electronics.

“I’ve been working with carbon nanomaterials since 2002, and I joined the University of Sydney in 2015. The University offers me great academic freedom and a great multidisciplinary research environment to develop my intellectual ability and creativity. I hope my research here can make some important contributions to converting the superior properties of carbon nanomaterials into impactful applications that can create a more sustainable future for humankind.”

  • CHNG2803/9203 Heat and Mass Transfer
  • CHNG3808/9303 Reaction Engineering
  • CHNG4811/5020/5222 Thesis/Capstone Project/Dissertation
  • Carbon materials from methane pyrolysis for battery and water treatment applications
  • Carbon/metal electrocatalysts for electrochemical conversions: Carbon dioxide reduction,water splitting, hydrogen peroxide synthesis, advanced oxidation
  • Zinc-based batteries: Zinc anodes, cathode materials, oxygen electrocatalysts, and electrolytes
  • Carbon composite electrodes for supercapacitors and hybrid capacitors
  • Nanocarbon for environmental applications: membranes and antibacterial materials
  • Chirality selective synthesis ofsingle-walled carbon nanotubes
  • Institution of Chemical Engineers (FIChemE)
  • The Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC)
  • Royal Australian Chemical Institute (FRACI CChem)
  • Australian Carbon Society
  • American Chemical Society

  • Fellow, Engineered Science Society, 2022
  • First Prize, ICONN2020 Micrograph competition, Microscopy Australia, 2020
  • Finalist for Supervisor of the Year, Sydney University Postgraduate Representative Association, 2018
  • Distinguished Expert, Tianjin City, China, 2018
  • Professorial Future Fellowship, Australian Research Council, 2016
  • Excellence in Review Awards, Carbon (Elsevier), 2015
  • Koh Boon Hwee Inspirational Teaching Award, Nanyang Technological University, 2014
  • Singapore Young Scientist Award, Singapore National Academy of Science, 2011
  • Tan Chin Tuan Fellowship in Engineering, Tan Chin Tuan Foundation, 2010
  • New Scientific Exchange Programme Award, Japan Society of the Promotion of Science, 2009
  • National Nanotechnology Initiative Scholarship, Oak Ridge National Lab, 2005
  • Mary and William Samuels Fellowship, Yale University, 2001-2002
  • 1st Prize for Bachelor of Engineering Thesis, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, 2000
Clean energy, Water and the environment, Materials and structures
Project titleResearch student
Sustainable Energy Storage and Carbon Utilization: Advancing Post-Lithium Alkali-Metal-Ion Batteries with Methane Pyrolysis-Derived CarbonJustin PRABOWO
Application Study of Solid Carbon Co-products from Hydrogen Production by Methane PyrolysisPeter WANG
Enhancing the chemical stability of manganese dioxide through metal dopingDi ZHU

Publications

Edited Books

  • Guo, Z., Chen, Y., Lu, N. (2018). Multifunctional Nanocomposites for Energy and Environmental Applications. United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons. [More Information]

Book Chapters

  • Zhai, S., Li, Z., Chen, Y. (2022). Fiber-shaped micro-supercapacitors. Microsupercapacitors, (pp. 257-271). United Kingdom: Woodhead Publishing Limited. [More Information]
  • Chen, Y., Wang, B., Yang, Y., Wang, Q. (2014). Developments in Catalytic Methodology for (n,m) Selective Synthesis of SWNTs. In Adam M Gilmore (Eds.), Luminescence: The Instrumental Key to the Future of Nanotechnology, (pp. 35-60). Singapore: Pan Stanford Publishing. [More Information]
  • Liu, S., Chen, Y. (2012). Antimicrobial Activity of Carbon Nanotubes. In George Tegos and Eleftherios Mylonakis (Eds.), Antimicrobial Drug Discovery : Emerging Strategies, (pp. 338-348). Wallingford: CAB international.

Journals

  • Liu, F., Yang, Y., Xu, M., Chen, Y., Li, W. (2024). 2D covalent organic framework/reduced graphene oxide hybrid hydrogel for simultaneous power generation and organic contamination degradation in microbial fuel cell. Materials Today Energy, 39. [More Information]
  • Meunier, V., Liu, C., Sheremetyeva, N., Terrones, M., Bepete, G., Cao, M., Chen, Y., De Tomas, C., Di, J., Ewels, C., et al (2024). Carbon science perspective in 2024: Current research and future challenges. Carbon, 229, 119488. [More Information]
  • Shan, W., Ying, G., Chen, F., Chen, Y., Zi, Y., Chen, H., Li, M., Luo, M., Oo, T., Lwin, N., et al (2024). Coupling redox flow desalination with lithium recovery from spent lithium-ion batteries. Water Research, 252, 121205. [More Information]

Conferences

  • Karahan, H., Wiraja, C., Nasrun, N., Toh, S., Goh, M., Wei, L., Xu, C., Wei, J., Chen, Y. (2017). Antibacterial performance of graphene oxide complemented with pluronic F-127 on physiologically mature gram-negative bacteria. 17th IEEE International Conference on Nanotechnology (IEEE NANO 2017), Piscataway: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). [More Information]

Patents

  • Chen, Y., Yang, Y. (2014). Method of forming single-walled carbon nanotubes. Patent No. 8747799.

2024

  • Liu, F., Yang, Y., Xu, M., Chen, Y., Li, W. (2024). 2D covalent organic framework/reduced graphene oxide hybrid hydrogel for simultaneous power generation and organic contamination degradation in microbial fuel cell. Materials Today Energy, 39. [More Information]
  • Meunier, V., Liu, C., Sheremetyeva, N., Terrones, M., Bepete, G., Cao, M., Chen, Y., De Tomas, C., Di, J., Ewels, C., et al (2024). Carbon science perspective in 2024: Current research and future challenges. Carbon, 229, 119488. [More Information]
  • Shan, W., Ying, G., Chen, F., Chen, Y., Zi, Y., Chen, H., Li, M., Luo, M., Oo, T., Lwin, N., et al (2024). Coupling redox flow desalination with lithium recovery from spent lithium-ion batteries. Water Research, 252, 121205. [More Information]

2023

  • Ovvyan, A., Li, M., Gehring, H., Beutel, F., Kumar, S., Hennrich, F., Wei, L., Chen, Y., Pyatkov, F., Krupke, R., et al (2023). An electroluminescent and tunable cavity-enhanced carbon-nanotube-emitter in the telecom band. Nature Communications, 14(1). [More Information]
  • Huang, C., Lin, Y., Chiang, C., Peng, C., Senthil Raja, D., Hsieh, C., Chen, Y., Chang, S., Yeh, Y., Lu, S. (2023). Atomic scale synergistic interactions lead to breakthrough catalysts for electrocatalytic water splitting. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 320. [More Information]
  • Wang, Z., Wang, C., Chen, Y., Wei, L. (2023). Covalent Organic Frameworks for Capacitive Energy Storage: Recent Progress and Technological Challenges. Advanced Materials Technologies. [More Information]

2022

  • Wang, C., Liu, F., Yan, S., Liu, C., Yu, Z., Chen, J., Lyu, R., Wang, Z., Xu, M., Dai, S., Chen, Y., Wei, L. (2022). Assemble 2D redox-active covalent organic framework/graphene hybrids as high-performance capacitive materials. Carbon, 190, 412-421. [More Information]
  • Li, Z., Wu, R., Xiao, S., Yang, Y., Lai, L., Chen, J., Chen, Y. (2022). Axial chlorine coordinated iron-nitrogen-carbon single-atom catalysts for efficient electrochemical CO2 reduction. Chemical Engineering Journal, 430, 132882. [More Information]
  • Yao, Y., Pan, Y., Yu, Y., Yu, Z., Lai, L., Liu, F., Wei, L., Chen, Y. (2022). Bifunctional catalysts for heterogeneous electro-Fenton processes: a review. Environmental Chemistry Letters, 20(6), 3837-3859. [More Information]

2021

  • Liu, C., Li, H., Chen, J., Yu, Z., Ru, Q., Li, S., Henkelman, G., Wei, L., Chen, Y. (2021). 3d Transition-Metal-Mediated Columbite Nanocatalysts for Decentralized Electrosynthesis of Hydrogen Peroxide. Small, 17(13), 2007249. [More Information]
  • Zavahir, S., Elmakki, T., Gulied, M., Ahmad, Z., Al-Sulaiti, L., Shon, H., Chen, Y., Park, H., Batchelor, B., Han, D. (2021). A review on lithium recovery using electrochemical capturing systems. Desalination, 500, 114883. [More Information]
  • Ma, W., Xue, S., Chen, Y., Wang, Y. (2021). Capacitive deionization of carbon spheres with a carbon shell derived from the quantum dots of urea-citric acid grown in situ. Diamond and Related Materials, 116, 108444. [More Information]

2020

  • Zhai, S., Karahan, H., Wang, C., Pei, Z., Wei, L., Chen, Y. (2020). 1D Supercapacitors for Emerging Electronics: Current Status and Future Directions. Advanced Materials, 32(5), 1902387. [More Information]
  • Sui, X., Yuan, Z., Yu, Y., Goh, K., Chen, Y. (2020). 2D Material Based Advanced Membranes for Separations in Organic Solvents. Small, 16(50), 2003400. [More Information]
  • Pei, Z., Yuan, Z., Wang, C., Zhao, S., Fei, J., Wei, L., Chen, J., Wang, C., Qi, R., Liu, Z., Chen, Y. (2020). A Flexible Rechargeable Zinc-Air Battery with Excellent Low-Temperature Adaptability. Angewandte Chemie - International Edition, 59(12), 4793-4799. [More Information]

2019

  • Zhai, S., Wei, L., Karahan, H., Chen, X., Wang, C., Zhang, X., Chen, J., Wang, X., Chen, Y. (2019). 2D materials for 1D electrochemical energy storage devices. Energy Storage Materials, 19, 102-123. [More Information]
  • Wang, C., Zhai, S., Yuan, Z., Chen, J., Zhang, X., Huang, Q., Wang, Y., Liao, X., Wei, L., Chen, Y. (2019). A core-sheath holey graphene/graphite composite fiber intercalated with MoS2 nanosheets for high-performance fiber supercapacitors. Electrochimica Acta, 305, 493-501. [More Information]
  • Liang, Y., Zhao, C., Yuan, H., Chen, Y., Zhang, W., Huang, J., Yu, D., Liu, Y., Titirici, M., Chueh, Y., et al (2019). A review of rechargeable batteries for portable electronic devices. InfoMat: novel materials for next-generation information system, 1(1), 6-32. [More Information]

2018

  • Bianco, A., Chen, Y., Chen, Y., Ghoshal, D., Hurt, R., Kim, Y., Koratkar, N., Meunier, V., Terrones, M. (2018). A carbon science perspective in 2018: Current achievements and future challenges. Carbon, 132, 785-801. [More Information]
  • Karahan, H., Wang, Y., Wei, L., Liu, F., Wang, L., Sui, X., Riaz, M., Chen, Y. (2018). Antimicrobial graphene materials: The interplay of complex materials characteristics and competing mechanisms. Biomaterials Science, 6(4), 766-773. [More Information]
  • Karahan, H., Wiraja, C., Xu, C., Wei, J., Wang, Y., Wang, L., Liu, F., Chen, Y. (2018). Graphene Materials in Antimicrobial Nanomedicine: Current Status and Future Perspectives. Advanced Healthcare Materials, 7(13), 1701406(1)-1701406(18). [More Information]

2017

  • Wei, L., Goh, K., Birer, O., Karahan, H., Chang, J., Zhai, S., Chen, X., Chen, Y. (2017). A hierarchically porous nickel-copper phosphide nano-foam for efficient electrochemical splitting of water. Nanoscale, 9(13), 4401-4408. [More Information]
  • Wei, L., Karahan, H., Zhai, S., Liu, H., Chen, X., Zhou, Z., Lei, Y., Liu, Z., Chen, Y. (2017). Amorphous Bimetallic Oxide-Graphene Hybrids as Bifunctional Oxygen Electrocatalysts for Rechargeable Zn-Air Batteries. Advanced Materials, 29(38), 1-10. [More Information]
  • Karahan, H., Wiraja, C., Nasrun, N., Toh, S., Goh, M., Wei, L., Xu, C., Wei, J., Chen, Y. (2017). Antibacterial performance of graphene oxide complemented with pluronic F-127 on physiologically mature gram-negative bacteria. 17th IEEE International Conference on Nanotechnology (IEEE NANO 2017), Piscataway: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). [More Information]

2016

  • Yuan, Y., Karahan, H., Yildirim, C., Wei, L., Birer, O., Zhai, S., Lau, R., Chen, Y. (2016). "Smart poisoning" of Co/SiO2 catalysts by sulfidation for chirality-selective synthesis of (9,8) single-walled carbon nanotubes. Nanoscale, 8(40), 17705-17713. [More Information]
  • Karahan, H., Wei, L., Goh, K., Liu, Z., Birer, O., Dehghani, F., Xu, C., Wei, J., Chen, Y. (2016). Bacterial physiology is a key modulator of the antibacterial activity of graphene oxide. Nanoscale, 8(39), 17181-17189. [More Information]
  • Goh, K., Karahan, H., Wei, L., Bae, T., Fane, A., Wang, R., Chen, Y. (2016). Carbon nanomaterials for advancing separation membranes: a strategic perspective. Carbon, 109, 694-710. [More Information]

2015

  • Wei, L., Liu, B., Wang, X., Gui, H., Yuan, Y., Zhai, S., Ng, A., Zhou, C., Chen, Y. (2015). (9,8) Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Enrichment via Aqueous Two-Phase Separation and Their Thin-Film Transistor Applications. Advanced Electronic Materials, 1(11), 1-8. [More Information]
  • Wei, L., Karahan, H., Goh, K., Jiang, W., Yu, D., Birer, O., Jiang, R., Chen, Y. (2015). A high-performance metal-free hydrogen-evolution reaction electrocatalyst from bacterium derived carbon. Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 3(14), 7210-7214. [More Information]
  • Huang, S., Kumar, R., Chen, Y., Liu, Q., Wang, M. (2015). A narrow-bandgap benzobisthiadiazole derivative with high near-infrared photothermal conversion efficiency and robust photostability for cancer therapy. Chemical Communications, 51(20), 4223-4226. [More Information]

2014

  • Yu, D., Goh, K., Zhang, Q., Wei, L., Wang, H., Jiang, W., Chen, Y. (2014). Controlled functionalization of carbonaceous fibers for asymmetric solid-state micro-supercapacitors with high volumetric energy density. Advanced Materials, 26(39), 6790-6797. [More Information]
  • Chen, Y., Wang, B., Yang, Y., Wang, Q. (2014). Developments in Catalytic Methodology for (n,m) Selective Synthesis of SWNTs. In Adam M Gilmore (Eds.), Luminescence: The Instrumental Key to the Future of Nanotechnology, (pp. 35-60). Singapore: Pan Stanford Publishing. [More Information]
  • Si, R., Wei, L., Wang, H., Du, D., Mushrif, S., Chen, Y. (2014). Extraction of (9,8) single-walled carbon nanotubes by fluorene-based polymers. Chemistry: An Asian Journal, 9(3), 868-877. [More Information]

2013

  • Wei, L., Chen, F., Wang, H., Zeng, T., Wang, Q., Chen, Y. (2013). Acetone-Induced Graphene Oxide Film Formation at the Water-Air Interface. Chemistry: An Asian Journal, 8(2), 437-443. [More Information]
  • Wang, H., Wei, L., Ren, F., Wang, Q., Pfefferle, L., Haller, G., Chen, Y. (2013). Chiral-Selective CoSO4/SiO2 Catalyst for (9,8) Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Growth. ACS Nano, 7(1), 614-626. [More Information]
  • Wang, H., Ren, F., Liu, C., Si, R., Yu, D., Pfefferle, L., Haller, G., Chen, Y. (2013). CoSO4/SiO2 catalyst for selective synthesis of (9,8) single walled carbon nanotubes: Effect of catalyst calcination. Journal of Catalysis, 300, 91-101. [More Information]

2012

  • Liu, S., Chen, Y. (2012). Antimicrobial Activity of Carbon Nanotubes. In George Tegos and Eleftherios Mylonakis (Eds.), Antimicrobial Drug Discovery : Emerging Strategies, (pp. 338-348). Wallingford: CAB international.
  • Shen, J., Liu, A., Tu, Y., Wang, H., Jiang, R., Ouyang, J., Chen, Y. (2012). Asymmetric deposition of manganese oxide in single walled carbon nanotube films as electrodes for flexible high frequency response electrochemical capacitors. Electrochimica Acta, 78, 122-132. [More Information]
  • Mesgari, S., Poon, Y., Yan, L., Chen, Y., Loo, L., Thong, Y., Chan-Park, M. (2012). High selectivity cum yield gel electrophoresis separation of single-walled carbon nanotubes using a chemically selective polymer dispersant. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 116(18), 10266-10273. [More Information]

2011

  • Wang, L., Xu, R., Chen, Y., Jiang, R. (2011). Activity and stability comparison of immobilized NADH oxidase on multi-walled carbon nanotubes, narbon nanospheres, and single-walled carbon nanotubes. Journal of Molecular Catalysis B: Enzymatic, 69(3-4), 120-126. [More Information]
  • Liu, S., Zeng, T., Hofmann, M., Burcombe, E., Wei, J., Jiang, R., Kong, J., Chen, Y. (2011). Antibacterial Activity of Graphite, Graphite Oxide, Graphene Oxide, and Reduced Graphene Oxide: Membrane and Oxidative Stress. ACS Nano, 5(9), 6971-6980. [More Information]
  • Wang, Q., Lim, K., Yang, S., Yang, Y., Chen, Y. (2011). Atomic carbon adsorption on Ni nanoclusters: a DFT study. Theoretical Chemistry Accounts, 128(1), 17-24. [More Information]

2010

  • Zoican Loebick, C., Lee, S., Derrouiche, S., Schwab, M., Chen, Y., Haller, G., Pfefferle, L. (2010). A Novel synthesis route for bimetallic CoCr-MCM-41 catalysts with higher metal loadings. their application in the high yield, selective synthesis of single-wall carbon nanotubes. Journal of Catalysis, 271(2), 358-369. [More Information]
  • Wei, L., Li, L., Chan-Park, M., Yang, Y., Chen, Y. (2010). Aggregation-Dependent Photoluminescence Sidebands in Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 114(14), 6704-6711. [More Information]
  • Liu, S., Ng, A., Xu, R., Wei, J., Tan, C., Yang, Y., Chen, Y. (2010). Antibacterial action of dispersed single-walled carbon nanotubes on Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis investigated by atomic force microscopy. Nanoscale, 2(12), 2744-2750. [More Information]

2009

  • Chan, M., Wei, L., Chen, Y., Chan, L., Lee, P. (2009). Charge-induced conductance Modulation of carbon nanotube field effect transistor memory devices. Carbon, 47(13), 3063-3070. [More Information]
  • Shen, J., Li, J., Chen, Y., Huang, Z. (2009). Construction of unconventional hexapod-like tellurium nanostructure with morphology-dependent photoluminescence property. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 113(22), 9502-9508. [More Information]
  • Wang, B., Yang, Y., Li, L., Chen, Y. (2009). Effect of different catalyst supports on the (n,m) selective growth of single-walled carbon nanotube from Co-Mo catalyst. Journal of Materials Science, 44(12), 3285-3295. [More Information]

Selected Grants

2025

  • Tailoring high-purity carbon from methane abatement via Joule-heating, Chen Y, Australian Research Council (ARC)/Discovery Projects (DP)
  • The utilisation of carbon materials from methane pyrolysis, Chen Y, Australian Research Council (ARC)/Mid-Career Industry Fellowship

2024

  • Enable Sustainable Chemical Production by Multi-scale Electrode Engineering, Wei L, Chen Y, Australian Research Council (ARC)/Linkage Projects (LP)
  • Australias fuel cells and electrolysers prototyping and testing facility, Aguey-Zinsou K, Verstraete D, Chen Y, Zhu J, Australian Research Council (ARC)/Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities (LIEF)

International collaboration

In the media