Biotic-H2

The research includes:

• Creating catalysis that maximises hydrogen production while being stable for extended periods for specific organic reactants 
• Understanding the chemical makeup of food waste streams and how they may enhance or reduce hydrogen production 
• Engineering each component of the electrolyser for efficiency and stability 
• Pre-treatment of food waste streams for optimal use in the electrolyser 
• Obtaining optimal catalyst morphology on the electrodes 
• Understanding the composition of each food waste stream to tailor the catalyst for a specific end user (brewery versus distillery, for example)

Research Areas:

• Catalyst synthesis and design 
• Electrolysis design and optimisation 
• Water quality analysis 
• Analytical chemistry

• Chemical engineering 
• Chemical product engineering 
• Renewable energy engineering 
• Chemistry 
• Materials science 
• Materials engineering 
• Civil & Environmental Engineering
• Business

We will provide chemical analysis on the various waste streams fuelling our electrolysers, including: 

• Total organic content determination and chemical speciation for downstream catalysts design 
• Sulphur and phosphorus speciation and analysis 
• Develop pre-treatment strategies that best interface with the electrolyser

We will design, synthesise, and characterise catalysts for specific molecules susceptible to electrochemical oxidation, including: 

• Alcohols from brewery and distillery waste streams 
• Sugars and organic acids from food waste streams 
• Electrolyser optimisation and design 
• Downstream analysis of hydrogen production and conversion of food waste molecules

We will engage with prospective partners to determine their needs, annual waste output and eventual use of hydrogen.