Professor Chuan Zhao | UNSW Research

My Expertise

Electrochemistry, electrocatalysis, electroanalysis, electrosynthesis

Nanomaterials, electroactive materials, ionic liquids

Hydrogen energy (water electrolysis, hydrogen fuel cells, hydrogen storage via NH3)

CO2 reduction and utilisation

Batteries

Fields of Research (FoR)

Electrochemistry, Physical Chemistry of Materials, Colloid and Surface Chemistry, Nanomaterials, Electroanalytical Chemistry

SEO tags

Expanding Knowledge in the Chemical Sciences

Hydrogen-based Energy Systems (incl. Internal Hydrogen Combustion Engines)

Hydrogen Production from Renewable Energy

Energy storage

Chemical sciences

Biography

Chuan Zhao is a Professor at the School of Chemistry at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), and the head of UNSW Nanoelectrochemistry Lab of ~30 researchers. He is also a Professorial Future Fellowship from Australian Research Council. He currently is the Chair of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) Electrochemistry Division, and elected the Fellow of Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC), Fellow of RACI (FRACI) and Fellow of Royal Society of New South Wales (FRSN). Prof Zhao received his PhD in 2002 with an excellence award from Northwest University, then completed postdoctoral research at University of Oldenburg and Monash University. He started his independent research career as a Lecturer at UNSW in Oct 2010, and was promoted to full Professor in 2017.

My Grants

Recent grants include:

“Multi-angle in-operando mapping of nanoscale electro/photo-redox reactions” 2019, Australian Research Council, Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities (LIEF)
“Highly efficient and low cost photovoltaic electrolysis (PVE) system to generate hydrogen by harvesting the full spectrum of sunlight”, 2018- 2021, Australian Renewable Energy Agency
“Low-Cost Perovskite/Silicon Semiconductors Integrated with Earth Abundant Catalysts for Efficient Solar Hydrogen Generation”, 2018- 2021, Australian Renewable Energy Agency
“Commercialisation of 3D electrode assembly”, 2016—, UNSW Torch Initiative
“Fuel Cells”, 2017—, UNSW Torch Initiative
“Nanoconfined Ionic Liquids for Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide” 2018-2021, Australian Research Council, Future Fellowship
“Three-dimensional, precious-metal-free electrolysis of water” 2016-2018, Australian Research Council, Discovery Project
“Miniaturised Ionic Liquid Systems: Design, Electrochemistry and Application” 2015-2017, Australian Research Council, Discovery Project
“Conformal Bionics - addressing the challenges in bringing miniaturised implants to the site of therapeutic delivery”, 2014-2017, Australian Research Council, Linkage Project
“Chip-Scale Implantable Bionics for Next Generation Therapeutic Neural Prostheses”, 2011-2013, Australian Research Council, Linkage Project
"Photochemical and electrochemical control of redox enzyme cascades” 2012-2014, Australian Research Council, Discovery Project
“Tuning the electrolytes for high efficiency solar splitting of water,” 2011-2015, Australian Research Council, Australian Research Fellowship

My Research Activities

Prof Chuan Zhao's research focuses on discovering novel electrochemical methods, nanomaterials and ionic liquids and their implications to electrochemical energy storage and conversion, and sensors applications including hydrogen production from water splitting, hydrogen fuel cells, CO2 reduction, ammonia synthesis, and batteries.

My Engagement

Chair Electrochemistry Division Royal Australian Chemical Institute (EDRACI)
Fellow of Royal Society of New South Wales (FRSN)
Fellow of Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC)
Chartered Fellow Royal Australian Chemical Institute (FRACI, CChem)