Robin Brimblecombe

Fulbright Postgraduate Scholar in Science and Engineering sponsored by BHP Billiton

Media Profile

“With global oil supplies becoming unstable and the impact of greenhouse gases, the development of a sustainable alternative transport fuel is essential for future economic and ecological stability. The development of a solar powered source of H2 gas is of great importance to Australia and the USA who are both heavily dependant on oil imports and are the highest per capita and highest gross greenhouse gas polluters in the world, respectively.”

Robin Brimblecombe has won a 2007 Fulbright Postgraduate Scholarship in Science and Engineering sponsored by BHP Billiton. Robin is currently working towards a PhD in Chemistry at Monash University on an Australian Postgraduate Award. He is a graduate of Monash University with a Bachelor of Science in Genetics with first class honours from Monash University and Bachelor of Applied Science in Energy Studies from Murdoch University.

Through his Fulbright Scholarship Robin will undertake research with Professor Dismukes at Princeton University into the development of catalysts, that with solar energy, can create hydrogen. Robin explains, “the development of an efficient water oxidation catalyst that utilises solar energy has been described as the ‘holy grail of electrochemistry’ as it is a vital component of a device that could provide a renewable sustainable fuel source in the form of hydrogen gas (H2)."

“My research is to develop an efficient water oxidation catalyst by combining manganese cubane photosynthetic mimics, developed by Professor Dismukes (Princeton University), with dye sensitised titanium dioxide, electrodes, commonly used in dye-sensitised solar cells (Monash University). The photocatalyst will then be incorporated into a photoelectrochemical cell that will split water into oxygen and hydrogen thereby facilitating the sustainable production of hydrogen for fuel."

“Professor Dismukes is a world expert on Photosystem II and water oxidation catalysts, whose knowledge and understanding of photosynthetic mimics would be invaluable to the successful development of a molecular photo-catalyst. In addition, Princeton has state-of-the-art facilities specific to this field that would facilitate rapid progression of our research. Successful completion of this research would enhance the collaboration with Dr Sweiger at CSIRO to develop a hydrogen producing photo-electrochemical cell,” states Robin.

During his undergraduate studies Robin won a wide variety of awards including: a Murdoch University Dean of Science Award for academic excellence; a Murdoch University Postgraduate Award for excellence in Energy Studies; Sir John Monash Award for Excellence; Dean’s List for outstanding academic achievement and was a Sir John Monash Dean’s Scholar.

At Monash University Robin was a leader of the Climate Change group which successfully campaigned in 2005 for Monash to become the first university in Australia to commit to reduce its energy consumption.