Dr Ali Jalili
Senior Lecturer
Science
School of Chemistry
Ali Jalili is a Senior Lecturer and Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellow at the School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, Australia. He earned his PhD from the University of Wollongong in 2013. His research expertise spans plasma gas conversion, additive manufacturing, biomimetic systems, electrochemical device fabrication, and plasma catalysis, strongly focusing on net-zero initiatives via green ammonia production, sustainable fertilizers, scalability of these technologies, and hydrogen transport technologies.
Dr. Jalili has been instrumental in advancing the research of green ammonia via plasma and electrocatalysis from conceptual development to industrial scale-up. His significant research contributions have been supported by prestigious grants, including an ARC DECRA (AUD 450k), an ARC Future Fellowship (FT230100396, AUD 850k), and an ARC Discovery grant (DP230102907), enabling critical advancements in plasma catalysis for sustainable fertilizer production. He recently secured a substantial AUD 1.5 million R&D grant from the NSW Environmental Trust as part of a collaborative effort, leading plasma-related activities at UNSW in partnership with PlasmaLeap Technologies. The project focuses on developing a pilot system for on-demand ammonia synthesis, integrating plasma catalysis, innovative reactor technologies, and comprehensive techno-economic analyses.
Dr. Jalili has published over 65 peer-reviewed manuscripts, achieving an H-index of 45. His research publications have garnered more than 7,500 citations globally, averaging over 100 citations per manuscript, indicating substantial impact and international recognition. Notably, 16 publications have each been cited over 100 times, accounting for more than 25% of his total research output, including eight highly cited papers. Beyond scholarly articles, his research outcomes include four patents and more than twenty invited talks at international conferences and seminars, reflecting his leadership and influence in his field.
E-mail
Location
Room 130, F12 Dalton Building, UNSW Sydney
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
- 2025: UNSW-SJTU Collaboration Research Program, Hybrid Plasmatic-Electrochemical Reaction for Green Ammonia Synthesis, $10,000
- 2024: Clean Technology R&D Grants, On-Demand Green Ammonia Production, $1,588,959
- 2023: ARC Future Fellowship Award, High productivity of hybrid plasma electrocatalytic fertiliser production, $842,080
- 2022: ARC Discovery, Plasma-driven Electrochemical Synthesis of Urea, $422,103
- 2019: UNSW Sydney Startup Fund, $215,576
- 2018: ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award,Nature-inspired electrochemical conversion of nitrogen to ammonia, $368,446
- 2017: Vice Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellow Award, RMIT University, $326,000
- 2015: The Australian Institute for Innovative Materials (AIIM) Collaborative Grant, $20,000
- 2014: The Australian Institute for Innovative Materials (AIIM) for Gold Grant, $12,000
ARC Future Fellowship (2023)
ARC DECRA (2017)
Travel award from Australia Academy of Sciences (2016).
Best poster award from the Fiber Society (2013).
My research focuses on making a significant societal, scientific, and technological impact by advancing sustainable energy solutions, decarbonisation strategies, and the circular economy. As an ARC Future Fellow at UNSW's School of Chemistry, I bring together academia and industry by scaling up innovative technologies like plasma gas conversion and integrated plasma-electrocatalysis systems. My work addresses critical challenges such as climate change mitigation, carbon removal, emission avoidance, and efficient renewable energy management through interdisciplinary collaborations at both the national and international levels.
My research directly contributes to the development of a sustainable future, with a focus on decarbonised industrial processes, sustainable manufacturing, and technologies that are compatible with renewable energy's intermittent nature. I explore new chemical reactions, green ammonia production methods, hydrogen storage and transportation technologies, and fuels made from renewable sources. My expertise includes advanced materials, additive manufacturing, green chemistry, and nanotechnology, resulting in significant advancements in biomedical devices, 3D-printed electrocatalytic scaffolds, and graphene-based liquid crystalline inks for scalable device production.
With a proven track record of significantly improving the efficiency, productivity, and sustainability of plasma reactors and related technologies, my current focus is on making chemical processes compatible with renewable energy, developing novel energy storage solutions (such as hydrogen, ammonia, and green energy), and lowering inherent emissions in critical chemicals such as fertiliser production. My recent interest in AI-driven modeling and techno-economic analysis can enhance my ability to optimise processes and accelerate the transition from lab-scale innovation to meaningful industrial applications.
My research is focused on providing industry and society with practical solutions to support the transition to a sustainable, decarbonised, circular economy. By assisting partners in incorporating advanced net-zero strategies into research proposals, grant applications, and operational frameworks, I hope to broaden the impact of sustainable technology innovation on science, industry, and the global community.
I am deeply committed to bridging academia, industry, government, and the wider community through strategic engagement and collaboration. By combining my experience in technology commercialization, academic leadership, and advanced research, I actively foster partnerships that translate cutting-edge science into real-world impact. My collaborative approach emphasizes shared goals in sustainability, decarbonisation, and circular economy solutions, and includes assisting industry and academic partners in developing competitive grant applications and proposals aligned with global net-zero strategies. Through these engagements, I facilitate the effective integration of renewable energy technologies, plasma gas conversion systems, energy storage solutions, and advanced material innovations into practical applications, ultimately supporting partners and the broader community in achieving their sustainability and emission-reduction targets.