Industry engagement
Industry partners
Partnering with industry enables the School to stay aligned with industry’s constantly evolving needs. We are continually seeking ways to build on our long history of collaboration with the materials and manufacturing industries.
Our staff and students work in close partnership with industry to drive innovative advancements in materials and solve real-world problems, helping industries remain at the cutting edge and secure the future of their businesses. This collaboration includes Australian Research Council Linkage grants awarded to staff members, as well as numerous direct research contracts with various companies and organisations.
We actively encourage industry partners to participate in our teaching and learning activities through industrial training placements, sponsorship of scholarships, and undergraduate prizes.
ܰIndustry Advisory Board, representing a wide range of sectors, is an integral part of the School’s management structure, providing a vital link with this key stakeholder group.
The School also maintains strong connections with industry through itsalumni, who have established careersacross a diverse range of sectors.
Explore our partnerships to discover how we collaborate with our industry partners aligned with our research themes.
Story@Industry
Industrial By-Products to Advanced Ceramic Products
Fly ash is the industrial by-product that arises from coal combustion in power-stations and is used mostly in the construction industry as an additive to cement. Of the estimated 400 million tonnes of fly ash stockpiled globally in landfill and tailing ponds, only 15% has been utilised, with almost half of this fraction going to the cement and concrete industries and the rest to geotechnical applications.
A/Prof. Koshy started working with Vecor in 2009 on projects to convert fly ash into advanced products with Prof. Sorrell joining the project in 2010. Prior research was focussed on using fly ash as a raw material for high-temperature applications, including refractories and as cement-replacement materials (geopolymers). Through the Trailblazer program, the potential for using fly ash as a low-cost additive for structural, thermal, chemical, and optical applications for use in numerous high-value and high-volume applications is now being investigated.
Vecor’s goal is to show how fly ash can be engineered in precise directions for a wide range of unexpected applications. Vecor CEO Mark Ramsey stated that, “We are now exploring the modification of fly ash to facilitate expansion into new areas of high-value products. In reality fly ash is a ceramic raw material with unique chemical and physical characteristics.
The team’s vision is to show how this low-cost, waste material can be used as the basis for a range of new products for use in a host of high-performance products for which it has never been considered or trialled. These include using fly ash as a feedstock for high performance additives for paints, powder coatings, polymer matrix composites, and ceramic matrix composites. These applications will involve partial or complete replacement of existing more expensive fillers, thereby enhancing the environmental and economic benefits to these industries. The success of this project is evident through the synthesis of a processed ceramic powder through a patented process, which demonstrates excellent properties when used in paints, including excellent hiding power as well as superior UV and wet scrub resistance.
Novel Na-Ion Rechargeable Battery Systems
The lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery (LIB) is the predominant commercial rechargeable battery; however, the costs are impacted by the availability of critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt and nickel, while there are increasing safety concerns from overheating (fires) and damage at high voltages. To address these shortcomings, the NEMCAT group and Vecor have embarked on the development of cost-effective, efficient rechargeable batteries with alternative materials to expensive and strategically sensitive lithium. The substantial funding by Vecor to establish dedicated research laboratories at 鶹madou is complemented by major product development efforts led by Dr. Mofarah, A/Prof. Koshy, and Prof. Sorrell with patented technologies developed by the 鶹madou team opening up globally competitive commercial opportunities.
Vecor CEO Mark Ramsey stated, “As a company we concentrate on using recycled and commonly available materials to reduce environmental impacts and reduce supply chain risks in key industries. We are particularly interested in exploring how to effectively utilize sodium, instead of lithium, in batteries, as it can be extracted without significant environmental consequences.”
Dr. Mofarah’s work in this area has led to a completely new technology that has been patented, as well as the creation of a second novel fabrication strategy for battery materials, with the relevant patent application submitted. The latter work led to the successful development of a groundbreaking class of rechargeable Na-ion rich cathode electrodes by applying a room-temperature, aqueous-based, cost-effective, and environmentally-friendly electrochemical method; this innovation marks a pivotal advancement in sustainable battery technology. The new one-step fabrication of Na-ion cathodes has the potential to revolutionize battery manufacturing, offering green approaches with zero carbon emissions and toxicity while the scalability of the promising Na-ion battery technology is a testament to its practical viability.
Dr. Mofarah said, “The technique we developed leverages a counter-intuitive strategy for the electrochemical generation of specific, hybrid materials in often-unique forms; further, this approach enables precise control over the chemistry, morphology, and topography of the cathodes, demonstrating mastery of electrochemical and aqueous chemistry principles."
The newly developed cathode exhibits exceptional performance with improved energy and power densities while eliminating the use of toxic and hazardous materials during battery assembly. Recently, the research team have initiated steps to scale up operations from coin cell to pouch cell batteries by extending their advanced battery development facilities based at 鶹madou Sydney.
Further, the NEMCAT Group has solidified its reputation through extensive research in electrochemistry and energy storage. The contribution is underscored by recent publications in prestigious journals such as Nature Communications, Advanced Materials, and Chemical Society Reviews.
Novel Catalysts for Seawater Splitting
Green hydrogen—produced through renewable resources such as solar and wind—holds significant promise in meeting the world’s future energy demands while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However present methods of water splitting are energy-intensive and involve multiple steps to ensure the process safety. Moreover, conventional methods of producing hydrogen involve splitting freshwater; however, with limited freshwater resources (3% globally), there is a need for expensive water purification operations prior to hydrogen production.
The NEMCAT group in partnership with Vecor through Trailblazer have developed novel catalytic materials which are capable of seawater splitting over long timeframes whiles maintaining efficiency. This program is led by Dr. Yue Jiang, Dr. Mofarah, Prof. Sorrell, and A/Prof. Koshy. Dr Jiang said, “One of the major disincentives for research into seawater splitting is the potential for the formation of chlorine gas as a by-product which is highly toxic and corrosive. However, we have been able to design our process to enable seawater splitting without chlorine being generated.”
Moreover, oxygen forms an explosive mixture with hydrogen and must be separated from hydrogen before the fuel can be used and the novel catalysts have been engineered such that that oxygen generation is avoided altogether, providing a safer means of production.
“With the demand for hydrogen as a clean-burning energy resource growing exponentially, developing a competitive technical solution to seawater splitting will benefit the environment while creating jobs and investment opportunities for Australian and international energy providers,” said CEO Mark Ramsey.
The further intention of the project is to optimize the efficiency and stability of catalyst to higher levels and development of a portable prototype which is scheduled to occur by the end of 2024.
Additionally, the NEMCAT group have published their findings in high-impact journals such as Nano Energy, Journal of Materials Chemistry A, ACS sustainable Chemistry & Engineering.