The Research and Postgraduate Centre congratulates Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Haw Choon Yian from the Department of New Energy Science and Engineering, School of Energy and Chemical Engineering for publishing their recent research article entitled “Augmenting Light-to-Heat Conversion Through 3D Scalable Palm Fiber for Energy Efficient Photothermal Solar Steam Generation” in Wiley Solar RRL, an SCI Q1 journal with the latest impact factor of 7.9.
Lim Kok-Loong and Liow Jo-Ey, the first and second author of this article, are both pursuing their master’s degree of New Energy Science and Engineering at XMUM.
This is a collaborative research of two Centers of Excellence at XMUM - Center of Excellence for NaNo Energy & Catalysis Technology (CONNECT) and Kelip-kelip! Center of Excellence for Light Enabling Technologies - and with external collaborators, namely Prof. Dr. Khiew Poi Sim from University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Dr. Nur Aimi Jani from Universiti Teknologi MARA, and Dr. Chiu Wee Siong from the Low Dimensional Materials Research Center, University Malaya.
The project is financially supported by the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia (MoHE) under the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) (Grant no. FRGS/1/2021/STG05/XMU/02/4), Xiamen University Malaysia (XMUM) Research Fund (Grant no. XMUMRF/2021-C8/IENG/0044), and Hengyuan Research Fund (Grant no. EENG/0033).
The researchers introduced the significance of the article:
“Our work addresses the critical challenge of freshwater scarcity through advancements in solar steam generation (SSG). Specifically, we focus on the 3D-designed photoabsorbers over their 2D counterparts, derived from biomass waste oil palm fiber, showcasing their ability to capture light efficiently and minimize heat losses.”
“We crafted 3D structures into cone and cylindrical cup shapes with 3D printer. These structures leverage inherent features like hollow cavity, circular base, and curved surface to adeptly trap light and convert solar energy into heat through photothermal effect. The work not only contributes to the sustainable utilization of biomass waste, but also signifies a significant leap in the efficiency of solar steam generation by combining innovative design with eco-friendly materials. We aim to pave the way for more effective solutions in overcoming freshwater scarcity, well-aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 for Clean Water and Sanitation and SDG 7 for Affordable and Clean Energy.”
Figure 1: The published full article can be accessed at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/solr.202301015
Figure 2: The setup of 3D structures into cone and cylindrical cup shapes to leverage inherent features like hollow cavity, circular base, and curved surface to adeptly trap light and convert solar energy into heat through photothermal effect.
Lim Kok-Loong: “The publication of our work in Solar RRL marks the beginning of my master’s journey. I would like to extend my gratitude to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Haw Choon Yian and Assoc. Prof Dr. Tan Swee Tiam, who have guided me through the research and publication phases.” | |
Liow Jo-Ey: “I extend my sincere gratitude and appreciation to my supervisor, Assoc. Prof. Dr Haw Choon Yian, for invaluable guidance and my peer, Kok-Loong, for steering this research paper. This publication propelled me to delve deeper into the field of photothermal energy conversion.” | |
Ong Wee-Jun received his B.Eng. and Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Monash University in 2012 and 2016, respectively. He is a Professor and Assistant Dean in School of Energy and Chemical Engineering at Xiamen University Malaysia. Starting from 2021, he serves as the Founding Director of the Center of Excellence for NaNo Energy & Catalysis Technology. | |
Tan Swee Tiam obtained his PhD from the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore in 2007. He joined Xiamen University Malaysia as an Associate Professor and Assistant Dean (Research and Industrial Collaboration) at the School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Malaysia. He also serves as the Founding Director of Kelip-kelip! Center of Excellence for Light Enabling Technologies. | |
Haw Choon-Yian earned his PhD from the National University of Malaysia in 2013. He is an Associate Professor at the School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Malaysia. He has an adjunct appointment in the College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Xiamen University China. He also leads the Master programme by research in New Energy Science and Engineering since December 2020. |