(6eh) Realizing CO2 Utilization and Carbon-Neutral Energy Conversion in Practical Scenarios --- Mining the Air, Extracting Industrial Wastes, One-Pass Conversion, and Scale-Out

My special inter-disciplinary fundamental and experimental ingenuities in electrochemistry, catalysis, microfluidics, system integration and techno-economics have aligned me with the knowledge base and holistic view to begin bridging the gap between the current technology and a chemical engineering CO₂ mitigating process that can be considered stable and economical. So far, most studies in electrochemical CO₂ utilization have been relying on high-purity feed gases and electrolytes, operated in ideally conditioned small apparatus. The throughputs and costs could not fulfil the low-carbon economy roadmap set out by authorities. To cope with the target by delivering realistic CO₂ value chain enabling technologies, my primary research focuses as a Lecturer are: 1. the technological advancement of CO2 electrolyzers through the construction and assessment of physically-scaled reactors; 2. the realization of electrochemical processes driven by practical sources, for instances, intermittent renewables as the electricity input, industrial effluents as the feed gas, and industrial waste liquids as the electrolytes; 3. the development of effective structural engineering strategies for reactive sites with near-unity one-pass CO₂ conversion efficiency so that it could be readily used in industrial carbon sources. Up to now, few efforts have looked to understand the reactions and dynamics taking place within a reactor larger than 1 cm², and even greater engineering challenges and opportunities will arise in practical scenarios.

This research will also look to address a yet unanswered question within the field: what will a carbon-neutral energy conversion cycle look like? Answering these questions will require expertise across several academic disciplines. To aid in my lab’s research I will collaborate with an international network of researchers that I have built up, particularly subject-matter experts in various electrolyzer components. Funding for the project and collaborations will be sought from various government and private sector sources, some applications of which are currently underway. My strong networking capabilities and inter-sectoral visions will consolidate the connections with the industry, enabling grants with larger consortium in the future and offering more career possibilities for our graduates. The proposed research is also well-positioned within the faculty team in the department, functioning between fundamental catalyst research and system-integration.

Teaching Interests:

I was a teacher of science subjects in front of a large classroom in a private school prior to my undergraduate study. Since my postgraduate program, my teaching competences have been further advanced by structured teaching curriculum, generic skill workshops and training-on-work. I served as a teaching assistant for three undergraduate/postgraduate courses in chemical/mechanical engineering stream (Energy Conversion 1-3, Thermofluids 1-2, Heat Transfer 3-4, Engineering Mechanics, Product Design and Development). In each of these courses I was responsible for a wide range of tasks including leading and teaching tutorials, guiding laboratory experiments and planning course materials, in addition to compiling and grading problem sets. Therefore, I am confident in my teaching competences for the bachelor’s and master’s programs in chemical or mechanical engineering.

I am also willing to serve as a cohort mentor for students to help consolidate their fundamental base, foster cross-border knowledge acquisition and develop out-of-box thinking. The most effective mentoring style, gained from the past experiences, is to encourage achievements whilst acknowledge mistakes. Therefore, I will ensure weekly-based communication with each mentee and recalibrate the project schedule to maximize what students could earn. All mentees will be granted diverse conceptual and technical trainings according to individual interest and passion (e.g. fundamental or practical, theoretical or experimental, chemical or engineering). These are believed to boost their internal enthusiasm and satisfaction, maintaining a life-time awareness of science attitude.

Looking to the future, I am eager to pioneer a new course that provides interested students with i) a well-rounded knowledge of carbon-neutral energy resources and usage, and ii) the skills to assess the efficiency, potential and emissions of existing and new technologies. In this course, the art and science revolving a carbon-neutral energy conversion cycle will be taught through four modules: CO₂ emission, CO₂ capture, CO₂ utilization and storage, and fuel cell. Current challenges for renewables related to fossil fuel crisis and CO₂ concentration will be introduced. Pros and cons of different CO₂ capture and sequestration strategies will be discussed. CO₂ price fluctuation and safety concerns would lead students to alternative solutions, such as CO₂ utilization. This session will be the core module of this course and include photochemistry, electrochemistry, chemical synthesis etc. Last but not least, fuel cell technology, as a green way to release the energy in fuels into electricity and the final step of the energy conversion loop, will be elaborated. Course materials with sufficient case studies will be well prepared based on classical textbooks, recent reports from the International Panel on Climate Change, BP’s Statistical Report on World Energy as well as scientific articles. As this course is closely related to my study, my up-to-dated research outcomes will be readily accessible to our students and transformed into teaching, tutorial and training materials. A combination of laboratory and industry challenges will be posed to students who will then be introduced to different effective solutions. After following a series of clues, students will then be asked to submit reports and give presentations on methods they would use to unravel the mysteries. I will establish an internal website to preserve and pass on the knowledge gained to future generations of graduate students.