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Material and devices

Theme leader

Materials and devices

Next-generation solar cells: Light and energy interconversion materials
Batteries and energy storage
Electroactive materials
Next-generation ultra-low energy technologies: Atomically thin and low dimensional materials
Energy-efficient separation processes

Monash University is a global leader in energy conversion materials and devices.

Our researchers are working on a diversity of materials which are sustainable and game changers in how we generate, store and use energy. These have developed in the key areas outlined below and are currently being demonstrated through major research initiatives supported by the Australian Research Council (ARC) and industry.

ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science (ACEx)

Monash University has been working in the area of light and energy interconversion materials including next-generation solar cells for over two decades. Our focus in this area of research has been on printable solar cell technologies. Developing printable solar cells that possess comparable efficiencies and stabilities to that offered by silicon, will provide a cost-effective solution to meet the world’s increasing power demands. Researchers at the ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science (ACEx) are investigating the possibilities of transforming light into energy and energy into light. In collaboration with industry, academics are involved in innovative research to improve solar energy technology, lighting and security systems.
ARC Research Hub on Graphene Enabled Industry Transformation

Drawing from over a decade of research on catalysts, ionic liquids, membranes and carbon-based materials, we have developed a leading position in synthesis and scale-up of energy storage materials and their technologies. The energy storage program at Monash University has at its heart developing next-generation batteries that could power the future: lithium-sulphur, silicon, and magnesium systems. We prioritise practical viability for our energy storage technologies by looking at sustainable source of active materials, meeting the industrial criteria of scalability, and avenues of recycling and repurposing of used batteries and end-of-life solar cells.Monash University’s graphene supercapacitor research has been transformative to the global and local energy communities, in which major breakthroughs have led to high impact academic publications, foundational IP, and the establishment of spin-offs such as SupraG Energy and Ionic Industries. Graphene is an exceptional two-dimensional material with superior electronic conductivity, flexibility and strength, which may as well be the material of the future. Researchers from the ARC Research Hub on Graphene Enabled Industry Transformation are working on graphene-based technologies and products can be applied in many sectors including renewable energy, biomedical, transport, construction, environmental remediation, defence and space industries – linking Monash University to the future that graphene will built.
ARC Centre of Excellence in Electromaterials (ACES)

Research conducted at the ARC Centre of Excellence in Electromaterials (ACES) includes creating and optimising new materials for use in next-generation devices for energy applications, while considering the ethical and public policy implications of these technologies. ACES research teams are striving to construct complex 3D structures in which the spatial distribution of the functional elements can be controlled with implications in new processes for hydrogen and ammonia production.
ARC Centre of Excellence for Future Low-Energy Electronics Technologies (FLEET)

Led by Monash University, Australian and international investigators at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Future Low-Energy Electronics Technologies (FLEET) are working at the boundaries of what is possible in condensed matter physics and nanotechnology to develop a new generation of ultralow power devices. Research in topological materials, exciton superfluids, and light-transformed materials aims to create systems in which electrical current can flow with near-zero resistance. This will be made possible by synthesising novel atomically-thin materials and developing nano-fabrication techniques to incorporate these materials into device structures.
ARC Research Hub for Energy-efficient Separation

Research conducted at the ARC Research Hub for Energy-efficient Separation aims to develop advanced separation materials, innovative products and smart processes to reduce the energy consumption of separation processes which underpin Australian industry. The intended research outcomes will allow most of the Australian industry to become more energy-efficient and cost-competitive in a global economy. Other projects in this area include the development of multifunctional nanoparticle membranes, with a view to design intelligent membranes with multifunctionalities (ultrafast filtration and smart sensing) for use in energy and environmental industries.

Monash Energy Institute

Monash Energy Institute

Material and devices

Theme leader

Materials and devices

ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science (ACEx)

ARC Research Hub on Graphene Enabled Industry Transformation

ARC Centre of Excellence in Electromaterials (ACES)

ARC Centre of Excellence for Future Low-Energy Electronics Technologies (FLEET)

ARC Research Hub for Energy-efficient Separation