Light-Driven Co-Generation: Integrating Solar Hydrogen Production with Waste-Fed Selective Photooxidation

About the Project

The global transition towards clean energy has placed green hydrogen (H₂) at the forefront of decarbonisation strategies. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting, which directly harnesses sunlight to drive H₂ production within a single integrated device, represents a promising route to solar-driven, low-carbon hydrogen without external electrical input. Despite considerable progress in semiconductor materials and device architectures, deployment remains hindered by a fundamental bottleneck at the anodic half-reaction. The oxygen evolution reaction (OER), driven at the photoanode, is a kinetically sluggish four-electron process that demands significant overpotential, limits overall device efficiency, and yields oxygen as its sole product, returning no economic value to offset system costs.

Concurrently, rapid industrialisation and agricultural intensification, particularly across Southeast Asia, have produced a growing crisis of organic-laden wastewater discharge from sectors including food processing, agro-industrial operations, and biorefineries. These streams represent both a significant environmental liability and an untapped reservoir of chemical value that is routinely destroyed rather than recovered.

This project proposes to address both challenges through a single integrated solar-driven platform. Rather than persisting with the unproductive OER, this research will investigate the substitution of OER with selective photooxidation of organic substrates derived from real industrial and agro-industrial waste streams. By engineering the photoanode to oxidise waste-derived substrates instead of water, the project aims to simultaneously reduce the thermodynamic demand on the PEC device, enhance solar-to-hydrogen efficiency, and generate value-added chemical co-products at the anode, transforming a waste liability into a productive output. This concept of light-driven co-generation represents a fundamental shift in how PEC systems are designed and evaluated.

The research will focus on the development of photoanode architectures functionalised with selective oxidation co-catalysts, mechanistic investigation of photooxidation pathways governing product selectivity, and evaluation of photoanode stability under real waste feed conditions, advancing PEC technology within a broader circular economy framework.

The ideal candidate holds a strong undergraduate or master's degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry, or a closely related discipline. Prior experience in electrochemistry, photoelectrochemistry, catalysis, or semiconductor materials will be advantageous. The project suits a motivated and independent researcher working at the intersection of materials engineering, sustainable chemistry, and energy systems.

Main Supervisor: Prof Chong Meng Nan, Monash University Malaysia

Co-Supervisor: Dr Ng Wen Cai, Monash University Malaysia

Interested candidates who satisfy the criteria above should provide the following to Prof Chong Meng Nan (Chong.Meng.Nan@monash.edu) or Dr Ng Wen Cai in their application:

• A cover letter that outlines your skills and experience
• CV which includes your education background and your publication record (if any)
• Evidence of English proficiency test (if any) (eg: IELTS, TOEFL)

How To Apply

It is suggested that you first contact the main supervisor and provide them with your academic background and achievements to determine whether you are a 'fit' for this research topic. If you feel you are a 'fit', please click here to complete an Expression of Interest, including your research proposal relevant to this project. Your EoI will be assessed and if you are eligible you will be invited to apply for PhD candidature and may be selected to interview for the scholarship

IMPORTANT: Starting May 2026, the Expression of Interest process described above will no longer apply. Updated application instructions will be available on this page from 4 May 2026.

Funding Notes

To be eligible for GRES, you must possess a minimum academic qualification of First Class Honours (H1) or its equivalence (H1E) recognised by Monash University Malaysia and satisfy the English language requirements.