Methane is the main product of anaerobic digester. Because methane is a gas that is difficult and costly to store and transport, some factories burn off or release excess methane directly into the atmosphere when it cannot be easily captured or used. When methane escapes into the atmosphere, it acts as a powerful greenhouse gas and is about 28 to 34 times more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide over a 100 year period. Instead of burning or releasing methane, it can be converted into useful liquid chemicals such as methanol, which is easier to store, transport, and use in industry. Developing a clean and efficient way to do this could help reduce emissions while creating valuable products.
The aim of this project is to oxidise methane into value added chemicals such as methanol using light and electricity under mild conditions. The goal is to use sunlight to assist the reaction so that methane can be transformed without the need for very high temperatures or energy intensive industrial processes.
An important part of the project is understanding how the reaction takes place. The research will focus on studying the reaction step by step to identify what happens during the transformation of methane. In particular, the project will examine how the reaction changes when different electrical potentials are applied, when light is present or absent, and when different co-catalysts are used to support the process. By carefully observing these factors, it will be possible to understand how each one influences the reaction pathway and the formation of desired products.
The work will be carried out in a supportive research environment in close collaboration with senior researchers. Through regular discussions, shared experimental planning, and guided laboratory work, the project will combine practical experimentation with mentorship and scientific learning. This collaborative setting will support both technical development and deeper understanding of the reaction mechanism.
School
Chemical Engineering
Research Area
Chemical engineering | Electrolysis | Clean energy | Synthetic fuels | Catalysis
Suitable for recognition of Work Integrated Learning (industrial training)?
No
- Research environment
- Expected outcomes
- Supervisory team
- Reference material/links
The student will have the opportunity to work in the Particles and Catalysis Research Group (PartCat) under the guidance of Dr Shujie Zhou and Dr Michael Gunawan. The student will have access to well-equipped laboratories with experimental facilities and computational tools. The student will work in a multidisciplinary research environment and learn various functional skills to facilitate future career in academic or industry.
- The student is expected to gain experience in materials synthesis and characterisation as well as photoelectrochemical activity measurements.
- This is an extended project based on preliminary results and the generated knowledge and data will result in a publication.
- The project will also allow the student to work with other research students to gain valuable interdisciplinary experience.
- Continuing the research as an 4th year honour thesis project is possible.
- J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2023, 145, 12, 6927–6943
- ACS Omega 2024, 9, 44, 44549–44558