Our Research

Our research typically occurs at the interface between established scientific disciplines, i.e. chemistry, physics, biology, engineering and materials science. Because of this we adopt a multi-scale, multi-disciplinary approach that enables us to bring a wide range of skills to bear on pressing environmental and sustainable development problems. We work with experts from the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and across the University of Sydney, as well as with institutions in Asia, Europe, Africa and the USA.

Our research is divided into three streams, although there is often crossover between streams:

1. Zero emission product and process design
2. Renewable energy and the ‘hydrogen economy’
3. Nanotechnology and nanomaterials

We are currently undertaking the following projects:

1. 'Waste to energy' and 'waste to product' technologies.
2. Zero emission design for the pulp and paper industry.
3. Sustainable biological processes.
4. Biomimicry in chemical engineering
5. Phytoextraction, phytomining and bioremediation to generate value added by-products.

1. Hydrogen production from waste materials.
2. Solar thermal gasification of biomass and wastes.
3. Biomass combustion, gasification and pyrolysis.
4. Process intensification of fluidisation reactors.
5. Development of advanced porous burner technologies. Link for porous burner research

1. Carbon nanotube synthesis using fluidised beds.
2. Phytosynthesis of metallic nanoparticles.
3. Advanced membrane development for hydrogen gas separation.
4. Development of nanoparticle fluidisation reactors.

Further details about our research are available by downloading the project summaries.

There are Masters and PhD research projects available in most of these areas. Refer to the future students page for more details.

In the past three years the laboratory has undertaken almost $250k of consulting projects for industry, in the following areas:

1.Waste-to-energy and waste-to-product conversion technologies;
2.Biodiesel synthesis;
3.CO2 sequestration using algae, and the conversion of algal feedstocks into biodiesel;
4.Fuel oil characterisation;
5.Zero emission process design and general sustainability assessments;
6.Process modelling, simulation and flowsheet optimisation for renewable energy technologies;
7.Environmentally benign, hazardous waste disposal.

We have expertise in a wide range of experimental and modelling techniques and can bring expertise from most of the engineering and science disciplines to bear to solve the problems facing industry today. Several of the members of the Laboratory have professional consulting experience. Please contact us (link) for more information.

If you would like to contribute to the work of the Laboratory, e.g. by sponsoring a research project, or by volunteering your own expertise to help us, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please contact us for more information.

Dr Andrew Harris
School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering