Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Sarfaraz Ali

Sarfaraz Ali

Liyuan Fan

Liyuan Fan

George Vamvounis

George Vamvounis

Murray Davies

Murray Davies

Michael Oelgemoeller

Michael Oelgemoeller

Peter Junk

Peter Junk

Zhifang Guo

Zhifang Guo

Phurpa Wangchuk

Phurpa Wangchuk

Yang Liu

Yang Liu

Michael Liddell

Michael Liddell

Electron transport and scattering within the plasma-liquid interface (Old ID 27888)
Yang Liu
01 Jul 2023 - 30 Jun 2026
The synergistic interaction of low-temperature plasmas with liquids and biological matter has unearthed various technological applications in water treatment, agriculture, biofuels and medicine. Predicitive control of these multiphase plasmas is essential to unlocking the potential of these applications, and this requires predictive models. The absence of the relevant non-equilibrium transport theory describing electrons in these multiphase environments together with fundamental data describing electron interactions with biological and liquid matter severely limits this. The project will develop a state of the art transport model informed by world first measurements of electron cross-sections for biomolecules, radicals and liquids.
An Advanced Ultrafast Laser Spectroscopy Facility in Queensland (Old ID 27154)
George Vamvounis
01 Jan 2021 - 31 Dec 2021
The project aims to establish a world-class ultrafast laser spectroscopy facility to investigate how molecules interact with visible or ultraviolet light. Light-matter interactions are key to energy generation in nature through photosynthesis as well as technologies we use on a daily basis including optical communications and displays. This project expects to generate new knowledge in on how light interacts with matter at the molecular level. Expected outcomes of the ultrafast spectroscopic measurements will be understanding the fate of light absorbed by or generated in different materials. Application of the knowledge gained will enable the design of materials for more efficient technologies such as solar cells, lighting, and sensors.
Rare earth corrosion inhibitors in hydrogen production and storage systems
Zhifang Guo
01 Jul 2024 - 30 Jun 2025
This project is an internally funded project for a near miss ARC Discovery Grant, which was within 10% of those who missed. This project addresses corrosion and embrittlement of steel in hydrogen storage facilities, a new dimension in the world-wide multi-trillion dollar problem of the corrosion of steel. With the emerging hydrogen economy, new infrastructure for hydrogen storage will need to be constructed. It has been recently found that hydrogen gas can decompose to hydrogen atoms on the surface of the steel on the inner lining of storage vessels, and impregnate the infrastructure, and therefore compromising the integrity of the high pressure storage vessels. Defects in hydrogen storage facilities can therefore lead to catastrophic failure of hydrogen energy infrastructure. The project will enhance the capacity of rare earth carboxylate corrosion inhibitors, which are an inexpensive and green solution, to mitigate both corrosion and hydrogen embrittlement of steel, and provide an understanding of the protection process. The benefits of this project will ultimately be a new bulk use for Australia’s abundant rare earth resources and new chemical manufacturing to produce the inhibitors. The project aligns with JCU’s major theme of “Industries and economies in the tropics” particularly relevant with the proposed Townsville Region Hydrogen Hub, a $70M Australian Government investment. Furthermore, the rare earth metals are classified as critical metals, and the project aligns with the Critical Metals Trailblazer project. The project requires bulk amounts of corrosion inhibitors for assessment. The most expensive items are lanthanoid salts (all REs required) for the synthesis of lanthanoid carboxylates. Listed costs for rare earth chlorides and nitrates follow as examples, but carbonates and acetates are required for optimising procedures. The metal costs are (quotes are for the least expensive to most expensive chlorides and nitrates): lanthanoid chlorides range from $209/100g for CeCl3 to $1580/5g for ScCl3 while nitrates are $127/100g for Ce(NO3)3 to $975/5g for Sc(NO3)3. For optimum inhibitor systems, all 16 rare earths will need to be. For brevity, we do not quote all prices here, but chlorides total ca $5800, while nitrates total ca $4400. Organic supporting ligands are estimated to cost ca. $3,000. Analysis costs are included below. Travel to Melbourne is planned to meet with our Monash and Deakin collaborators to draft the next grant proposal.
Fast, automated acquisition of mineral chemistry for mineral exploration
Yang Liu
01 Jan 2025 - 30 Jun 2028
This project aims to develop innovative analytical methods to provide fast and efficient mineral chemistry acquisition, which supports mineral industry on a commercially competitive basis. This service will be provided through the Advanced Analytical Centre housed at James Cook University.
Portable Sensors for Phosphate Detection in Cattle Samples
Yang Liu
10 Mar 2025 - 10 Mar 2029
Addressing phosphorus deficiency in cattle through accurate monitoring can enhance farm productivity and animal welfare. This project aims to develop a portable electrochemical sensing platform for phosphate detection, offering farmers a practical solution to manage phosphorus levels and improve cattle health.
New Colombo Plan Mobility Grant - China Chemistry Practicum and Research
Yang Liu
01 Jan 2025 - 31 Dec 2026
Sustainable REE extraction from Australian ores using environmentally friendly reagents, advanced characterisation techniques and geological knowledge
George Vamvounis
03 Feb 2025 - 01 Jun 2029
This project aims to improve the sustainable extraction of rare earths from Australian ores using environmentally friendly reagents.
Theo Murphy Initiative Grant - Participation Support
Yang Liu
01 Jan 2025 - 31 Dec 2025
This grant is to support the career development activities of Australian EMCRs, such as attending conferences or training workshops.
Rare Earths-Critical Metals for Future Applications
Peter Junk
01 Jun 2025 - 31 Dec 2025
This is a new project. This project aims to develop unusual oxidation state rare earth metal (critical metal) organic complexes with high properties (e.g. reactivity, luminescence, strong magnetism), and small molecule activation of these new species. The project expects to advance knowledge of rare valent rare earth chemistry and to enhance the understanding of direct reactions and C-F activations and rare earth complexes involving organic radical anions. Expected outcomes include expansion of tetravalent lanthanoid chemistry and new structures, reactivity, and magnetic properties. Significant benefits are the applications of Australia's abundant rare earths in catalysis as well as the development of new extraction and separation techniques. The results for LnIV will provide key information for the isolation of stable lanthanoids (IV) complexes with high oxidizing abilities, which is important for the expansion of tetravalent lanthanoid chemistry and its applications in catalysis as well as the development of new separation techniques. Divalent and mixed valent rare earth compounds will expand their synthesis and application. All of them require considerable synthetic innovation and would be a major contribution to knowledge and would open exciting reaction chemistry. The innovation is to build –C-F-Ln bonds and induce C-F activation of fluorine substituted ligands by the direct reactions or redox transmetallation RT reactions from free rare earth metals. The redox-active ligand is a particularly attractive linker to promote magnetic coupling in lanthanoids resulting in complexes displaying exchange coupling and single molecule magnet behaviour. These radical-bridged complexes can be accessed using simple N/O supporting ligands. These findings will pave the way for the synthesis of radical-bridged complexes and suitable tuning of the supporting ligand should lead to improved magnetic communication, exchange-coupled SMMs, and understanding the magnetic properties of the 4f-block metal compounds. The main benefits of the project are advancement of knowledge of rare earth chemistry, especially of highly reactive metal-organic compounds, maintenance of Australia’s position as one of the leaders in this field. Knowledge and innovations acquired in this research will facilitate advances in use of Australia's abundant rare earths in chemical manufacture, catalysis, and recycling. It will add value to Australia’s abundant rare earth resources by providing a base for downstream applications. Moreover, the production of rare earth complexes with improved magnetic properties provides an opportunity for advanced manufacturing in Australia’s fine chemicals industry. The most expensive items are rare earth metals for the synthesis of tetravalent rare earth complexes. e.g. Eu $1200/20g, Yb $1252/100g, Dy $939/100g, Tb, $1565/50g, Pr 782/100g, Lu and Tm are much more expensive. Other necessary expensive reagents include pentafluorobenzene $688/500g, 2,6-Difluoroaniline 349/100g, 2,6-Diisopropylaniline $320/100g, 2,3,4,5-Tetrafluoroaniline $195/25g, 2,3,5,6-Tetrafluoroaniline $276/25g, 2,3,4,5,6-Pentafluoroaniline $342/100g, triethyl orthoformate $277/1L, pyrrole $189/100ml, 3-Pentanone $100/1kg needed to prepare organometallic reagents and ligands. Other important reagents include tris(4-bromophenyl)ammoniumyl hexachloroantimonate $105/5g (the oxidizing agent), Benzophenone ($122/1kg), 4,4´-Dipyridyl ($202/25g), iodine ($147/100g), K/Na metal, et al. A supply of deuterated solvents is needed for NMR spectroscopy, e.g. C6D6 ($495/100g) and C4D8O ($477/10g). Microanalyses are a major cost for a synthetic project as the analyses are determined in London (air-sensitive sample $45/C, H, N) and SQUID measurement will be determined at EPSRC National EPR Facility University of Manchester ($160/h).
Rare Earths-Critical Metals for Future Applications
Zhifang Guo
01 Jun 2025 - 31 Dec 2025
This is a new project. This project aims to develop unusual oxidation state rare earth metal (critical metal) organic complexes with high properties (e.g. reactivity, luminescence, strong magnetism), and small molecule activation of these new species. The project expects to advance knowledge of rare valent rare earth chemistry and to enhance the understanding of direct reactions and C-F activations and rare earth complexes involving organic radical anions. Expected outcomes include expansion of tetravalent lanthanoid chemistry and new structures, reactivity, and magnetic properties. Significant benefits are the applications of Australia's abundant rare earths in catalysis as well as the development of new extraction and separation techniques. The results for LnIV will provide key information for the isolation of stable lanthanoids (IV) complexes with high oxidizing abilities, which is important for the expansion of tetravalent lanthanoid chemistry and its applications in catalysis as well as the development of new separation techniques. Divalent and mixed valent rare earth compounds will expand their synthesis and application. All of them require considerable synthetic innovation and would be a major contribution to knowledge and would open exciting reaction chemistry. The innovation is to build –C-F-Ln bonds and induce C-F activation of fluorine substituted ligands by the direct reactions or redox transmetallation RT reactions from free rare earth metals. The redox-active ligand is a particularly attractive linker to promote magnetic coupling in lanthanoids resulting in complexes displaying exchange coupling and single molecule magnet behaviour. These radical-bridged complexes can be accessed using simple N/O supporting ligands. These findings will pave the way for the synthesis of radical-bridged complexes and suitable tuning of the supporting ligand should lead to improved magnetic communication, exchange-coupled SMMs, and understanding the magnetic properties of the 4f-block metal compounds. The main benefits of the project are advancement of knowledge of rare earth chemistry, especially of highly reactive metal-organic compounds, maintenance of Australia’s position as one of the leaders in this field. Knowledge and innovations acquired in this research will facilitate advances in use of Australia's abundant rare earths in chemical manufacture, catalysis, and recycling. It will add value to Australia’s abundant rare earth resources by providing a base for downstream applications. Moreover, the production of rare earth complexes with improved magnetic properties provides an opportunity for advanced manufacturing in Australia’s fine chemicals industry. The most expensive items are rare earth metals for the synthesis of tetravalent rare earth complexes. e.g. Eu $1200/20g, Yb $1252/100g, Dy $939/100g, Tb, $1565/50g, Pr 782/100g, Lu and Tm are much more expensive. Other necessary expensive reagents include pentafluorobenzene $688/500g, 2,6-Difluoroaniline 349/100g, 2,6-Diisopropylaniline $320/100g, 2,3,4,5-Tetrafluoroaniline $195/25g, 2,3,5,6-Tetrafluoroaniline $276/25g, 2,3,4,5,6-Pentafluoroaniline $342/100g, triethyl orthoformate $277/1L, pyrrole $189/100ml, 3-Pentanone $100/1kg needed to prepare organometallic reagents and ligands. Other important reagents include tris(4-bromophenyl)ammoniumyl hexachloroantimonate $105/5g (the oxidizing agent), Benzophenone ($122/1kg), 4,4´-Dipyridyl ($202/25g), iodine ($147/100g), K/Na metal, et al. A supply of deuterated solvents is needed for NMR spectroscopy, e.g. C6D6 ($495/100g) and C4D8O ($477/10g). Microanalyses are a major cost for a synthetic project as the analyses are determined in London (air-sensitive sample $45/C, H, N) and SQUID measurement will be determined at EPSRC National EPR Facility University of Manchester ($160/h).

Synthesis, structure analysis and catalytic activity of two Ln-coordination polymers containing benzophenone-4,4'-dicarboxylate linker

A novel therapeutic effect of mannitol-rich extract from the brown seaweed Sargassum ilicifolium using in vitro and in vivo models

Phytopharmaceutical properties and quality assessment of two Himalayan medicinal plants, Meconopsis horridula and Meconopsis simplicifolia

RE<sup>(III)</sup> 3-Furoate Complexes: Synthesis, Structure, and Corrosion Inhibiting Properties

  • 2022
  • MDPI
  • Researchers:Zhifang GuoPeter Junk

Reinvestigation of Reactions of HgPh<inf>2</inf> with Eu and Yb Metal and the Synthesis of a Europium(II) Bis(tetraphenylborate) †

  • 2022
  • MDPI
  • Researchers:Zhifang GuoPeter Junk

Spectral studies, crystal structures, DNA binding, and anticancer potentials of Pd(II) complexes with iminophosphine ligands: Experimental and computational methods

Biodiesel Production by Heterogeneous Catalysis and Eco-friendly Routes

Inula racemosa Hook. f. Pushkarmool: Its Ethnobotanical Uses, Phytochemicals, and Pharmacological Activities

The effect of relative humidity on eddy covariance latent heat flux measurements and its implication for partitioning into transpiration and evaporation

An ecologically-constrained deep learning model for tropical leaf phenology monitoring using PlanetScope satellites

Title: Research Committee of the College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University
Reseracher: Yang Liu (Associate Professor, Analytical Chemistry)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2022
End Date: 01 Jan 2025
Title: Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee of the College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University
Reseracher: Yang Liu (Associate Professor, Analytical Chemistry)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2022
Title: National Committee for Chemistry, Australian Academy of Science
Reseracher: Yang Liu (Associate Professor, Analytical Chemistry)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2025
Title: JCU Distinguished Professor
Reseracher: Peter Junk (Distinguished Professor; Nevitt Professor of Chemistry)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2021
Title: The Top Researcher Award in Inorganic Chemistry in Australia: for highest number of citations from papers published in the last 5 years in the 20 top journals. (https://specialreports.theaustralian.com.au/1540291/13/)
Reseracher: Peter Junk (Distinguished Professor; Nevitt Professor of Chemistry)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2020
Title: Burrows Award, Premier Inorganic Chemistry Award for the RACI. Contributions to Inorganic Chemistry
Reseracher: Peter Junk (Distinguished Professor; Nevitt Professor of Chemistry)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2016
Title: Reperio Award (JCU): Best innovative research presentation to investors
Reseracher: Peter Junk (Distinguished Professor; Nevitt Professor of Chemistry)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2016
Title: Terrae Rarae Award: In recognition of outstanding contributions to the coordination chemistry of the rare earth elements. Highlighted in Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2016).
Reseracher: Peter Junk (Distinguished Professor; Nevitt Professor of Chemistry)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2016
Title: DSc awarded by James Cook University
Reseracher: Peter Junk (Distinguished Professor; Nevitt Professor of Chemistry)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2007
Title: Ecka Granules Visiting Lectureship, University of Tasmania
Reseracher: Peter Junk (Distinguished Professor; Nevitt Professor of Chemistry)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2003