Doug MacFarlane is a materials chemist whose research has focussed on a vast new family of materials based on room temperature liquid salts. His interests include developing the unique properties of these ionic liquids for application in renewable energy technologies, including batteries, electrolysers, phase change materials and the Carnot-battery for large-scale energy storage. His recent discoveries have demonstrated an electrolysis pathway that uses intermittent renewable energy to produce green ammonia for fertilisers and fuels and he founded Jupiter Ionics P/L to scale up the technology.
Doug is a Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor at Monash University. He graduated from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand with degrees in Chemistry and History and then undertook his PhD research at Purdue University. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and was awarded the Academy's Craig Medal for contributions to Chemistry. He is also a Fellow of the Australian Academy for Technological Sciences and Engineering and an Honorary Professor of Queens University Belfast. His group won the 2023 Royal Society of Chemistry’s Horizon Prize for Environment, Sustainability and Energy.
Professional position
- Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor, School of Chemistry, Monash University
Subject groups
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Chemistry
Chemistry, applied, Chemistry, materials, Chemistry, physical
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Other
History of science
