Professor Rose Amal
Rose Amal is Director of the Centre for Energy Research and Policy Analysis (CERPA) and Director of the NSW/ACT Node of the ARC Centre for Functional Nanomaterials. The group led by Prof. Amal focuses their energy research from a number of perspectives. Using the sun’s energy as a clean fuel source, Prof. Amal’s research group is currently designing photocatalysts and engineering systems for solar induced processes. The photocatalytic research entails developing particles for water purification and air quality control, with the intention of using the sun as the sole energy source. Moreover, photoactive materials are being created capable of solar water splitting for hydrogen generation as a clean fuel source. Engineered systems for solar induced process research consists of closely controlling particle morphology during their growth for solar catalytic H2 production and solar cell applications. This includes developing efficient mesoporous titania and metal oxide nanorod films for solar cell applications.
In the context of thermal catalysis for clean and energy efficient technologies, the research group is developing thermal nanocatalysts for: (1) converting natural gas to liquid fuels (Fischer-Tropsch reaction); (2) generating hydrogen fuel streams via the water-gas-shift reaction and; (3) preferentially oxidising carbon monoxide in the presence of hydrogen in fuel cell feed streams to prevent their deactivation.
The photo- and thermal catalysts are prepared by techniques including hydrothermally or by Flame Spray Pyrolysis (FSP). Hydrothermal preparation is excellent for growing metal oxide materials with unique morphologies such as nanorods, nanowires and nanotubes. FSP is a highly adaptable preparation technology capable of preparing highly functional materials with closely controlled characteristics. For example one of the key areas under investigation is using FSP to design novel mixed oxide particles with targeted band energy characteristics for some of the solar applications previously outlined.