Monash Engineering is spearheading a groundbreaking research project that aims to revolutionise catalyst technology for industrial and biological processes by harnessing the extraordinary chemical properties of liquid metals.
Dr Md. Arifur Rahim, a recent addition to the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Monash, has been awarded a prestigious four-year Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellowship worth $883,000 to support his research on the development of liquid metal-based artificial nanozymes.
Liquid metals, which are metallic elements or alloys that remain liquid at low temperatures (typically below 200°C), are at the heart of this innovative research.
Dr Rahim explains that gallium, for instance, becomes liquid at around 30 degrees Celsius, allowing it to melt in one’s hand.
The potential of gallium as a “solvent” for catalytic metals, including platinum group and other metals, has only recently begun to be explored.
Recent studies have shown that liquid metal-based alloys have great potential as catalysts at low temperatures across a wide range of applications.
Some of the promising applications of liquid metal-based catalysts include:
- Conversion of carbon dioxide and methane into value-added carbon-based chemicals
- Breakdown of biofuels and liquid hydrocarbons like canola oil into propylene
- Enhancement of biological reactions, such as enzyme-like reactions, with major improvements in enzyme stability, activity, and efficiency
Dr Rahim notes that even when the solubility of the catalytic element in liquid gallium is relatively low, a gallium-based catalyst can increase the rate of a reaction by a factor of 1000 or even 10,000.
The research team at Monash is focusing on creating a new class of nanozymes with liquid-like properties that can offer greater catalytic efficiency.
These “dynamic” liquid nanozymes take advantage of the liquid nature of gallium, which keeps the catalytic sites with enzyme-mimicking activity moving and accessible.
Dr Rahim believes this approach can open up many new possibilities in industrial, medical, and environmental applications.
The Future Fellowship offers exciting opportunities for collaboration not only within the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering but also across disciplines at Monash University.
As this research progresses, it has the potential to produce a paradigm shift in catalyst technology, paving the way for more efficient and sustainable industrial and biological processes.