Chemical Engineering Graduate Seminar

Abstract

The recent progress in advanced materials has spurred the evolution of innovative approaches to exert meticulous control over the movement of ions and molecules within the confined domains of nanostructured membranes. This talk casts a spotlight on the extraordinary potential inherent in Mxene nanosheets. These nanosheets serve as exemplars, illuminating the artful manipulation of physicochemical attributes within the intricate 2D nanochannels of Mxene membranes, which manifests as a potent mechanism for orchestrating the transport of ions and molecules. This transformative prowess holds the key to substantially amplifying the efficacy of ion and molecule separation processes. Through the deliberate customization of nanochannel properties via surface functionalisation, as evidenced by the case study involving Mxene nanosheets, a captivating avenue emerges, enabling the precious control of ion and molecule transport within the realm of 2D nanoconfinements.

Keywords: nanostructured membrane; nanosheet; separation mechanism.

Bio

Prof. Xiwang Zhang is the Endowed Dow Chair in Sustainable Engineering Innovation at The University of Queensland University (UQ), the Director of UQ Dow Centre and the Director of ARC Centre of Excellence for Green Electrochemical Transformation of Carbon Dioxide (GetCO₂). Before joining UQ in January of 2022, he was a Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Monash University, the Founding Director of ARC Industry Transformation Research Hub for Energy-efficient Separation (EESep), and the Deputy Director of Monash Centre for Membrane Innovation (MCMI). His research focuses on membrane technology and advanced catalysis for energy-efficient separation, water and wastewater treatment, resource recovery, green chemical synthesis and renewable energy generation. Prof. Zhang has over 15 years of R&D experiences in both academia and industry with demonstrated achievements in technology development and translation. Prof. Zhang was the recipient of the prestigious ARC Australian Research Fellowship, Future Fellowship and Monash Larkins Fellowship.