Research Supervisor Connect
Research Areas:
Carbon materials, water treatment
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
CH4 pyrolysis (CH4 ® 2H2 + C), in which CH4 is split into H2 and solid carbon without generating CO2, is a potential bridge technology from fossil fuels to a renewable and sustainable H2 economy. Diverse types of carbon materials, such as carbon black, graphite, carbon nanotubes, carbon fibers, and hybrids of different carbon materials, can be produced from CH4 pyrolysis, often with limited control over their structures and purity. A substantial technical gap exists in controlling carbon materials and realizing their practical applications. The resulting carbon materials contain sustainable iron residues when iron catalysts are used in CH4 pyrolysis. The project will explore unpurified carbon/iron composite materials for water treatment applications. In particular, we are interested in their roles as tri-functional adsorbents and catalysts for organic contaminant degradation. The adsorption capacity in removing different types of organic contaminants will be studied. Their roles in catalyzing hydrogen peroxide synthesis and serving as electro-Fenton catalysts to enable advanced oxidation will also be examined.
Offering:
A PhD scholarship for 3.5 years at the RTP stipend rate (currently $40,109 in 2024). International applicants will have their tuition fees covered.
Successful candidate must:
How to apply:
To apply, please email yuan.chen@sydney.edu.au with the following:
The opportunity ID for this research opportunity is 3455