SCMP Features Professor Jiawei Liu’s Electrosynthesis and Green Chemistry Research
Image courtesy of South China Morning Post
The South China Morning Post (SCMP) recently featured Prof. Jiawei Liu, a new Assistant Professor jointly appointed by the School of Energy and Environment (SEE) and the Department of Chemistry at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK), highlighting her research in electrosynthesis and green chemistry.
Prof. Liu’s research lies at the intersection of chemistry, materials science, and renewable energy, focusing on sustainable alternatives to traditional, carbon-heavy industrial chemical processes. Electrosynthesis uses electrons powered by renewable energy to drive chemical reactions under ambient temperatures and pressures, avoiding the extreme heat, pressure, and fossil fuel consumption required by conventional chemical manufacturing. By using readily available raw materials—such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and biomass derivatives as carbon sources, alongside nitrates as nitrogen sources—her work converts waste into high-value compounds like ammonia, urea, and formamide, with future plans to explore amino acid synthesis. To move this technology forward, her lab focuses on developing novel catalysts, regulating electrode micro-environments, and optimizing reactor engineering to improve overall yield and reduce unwanted by-products.
After spending a decade in Singapore’s research ecosystem—earning her PhD at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and conducting postdoctoral research at NTU and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Prof. Liu chose Hong Kong for its strong international academic setting and proximity to family in mainland China. She noted that Hong Kong’s independent principal investigator model, joint collaboration opportunities, and access to both local and mainland Chinese research funding pools offer an ideal environment for establishing her new laboratory at CityUHK.
For the full SCMP feature, please visit: https://sc.mp/fmx8v?utm_source=copy-link&utm_campaign=3364755&utm_medium=share_widget