Ongoing Research Projects

Currently, our group is involved in six on-going projects, including ECS, GRF, ITF, ARG, and Contract research grants. We have been extending our close connections with institutions (academic, governmental, and private) within and outside of Hong Kong.


Projects involved as Principal Investigator (PI)

Role

Project No.

Project Title

Grant Type

Duration

Fund

Project Status

PI

Enhancing membrane distillation's potential for water reuse and zero liquid discharge: An energy-efficient and hypersaline-stable membrane Research Fellow Scheme (RFS) 01/01/2023~31/12/2027 $5,155,380 on-going
PI

Green Hydrogen-Powered Off-Grid Energy-Water Station (Micro-Grid) ITF 2024/01/01~2026/12/30 $12,000,000 on-going
PI

Development of dual ammonia removal/recovery from reject liquor using a novel hollow fiber/flat sheet membrane distillation ITF 2024/01/01~2025/06/30 $1,362,112 on-going
PI

Omniphobic nanofibrous membrane with bio-inspired nano-flower on-nanoneedle double re-entrant structure for enhanced performance in membrane distillation GRF 01/01/2023~31/12/2025 $1,115,452 on-going
PI

9043150

Facile Fabrication of a Bioinspired Omniphobic-slippery Membrane for Robust Membrane Distillation with Real Time Monitoring for Wetting, Fouling and Scaling GRF 01/01/2022~31/12/2024 ~$911,317 on-going
PI

An Integrated Membrane Distillation System for Highly Efficient Ammonia Nitrogen Removal and Recovery from Reject Liqour ARG 01/04/2023~31/03/2025 ~$300,000 on-going
PI

Transforming Intrinsically Hydrophilic Ti3C2Tx MXene into Superhydrophobic for Efficient Photothermal Membrane Desalination (MD) SIRG 01/05/2022~30/04/2024 ~$300,000 on-going
PI

ECF
2020-05

Investigation of nanobubble flotation to remove micro/nano plastic from Sewage Treatment Works (STWs) in Hong Kong ECF 01/10/2021~30/09/2023 ~$500,000 on-going
PI

9440294

Design and Development of a Novel Membrane Distillation Process for Textile Wastewater Treatment and Reuse for Zero Liquid Discharge ITF 01/12/2018~30/11/2020 ~$3M 
(ITC and L Industries)
Completed
PI 9440195 A Novel Membrane Distillation-crystallizer (MDCr) for Zero Liquid Discharge and Valuable Resource Recovery ITF 01/05/2018~30/04/2020 ~$3M 
(ITC and Prime World Limited) 
Completed
PI 9042497 Engineering Omniphobic Slippery Membrane Surface for Wetting and Fouling Prevention: The Expanded Application of Membrane Distillation for Resource Recovery from Wastewater GRF 01/01/2018~31/12/2020 $582,000 Completed
PI 9048074 Thermally Driven Energy Efficient Desalination Process: A Hybrid Membrane Distillation-Adsorption Desalination System for Concentrate Treatment ECS 01/09/2016~31/08/2019 $446,050 Completed
PI 9231256 Analyzing and Monitoring On-site Smart Bin Operation and Odor Control Supporting for Promotion to Adopt New Technology ConRes-RO 15/05/2017~31/08/2019 $200,000 
(Korea Land and Housing Corporation & Hyeockho Engineering)
Completed/td>
PI 9667155 Nanocomposite Super-hydrophobic-oleophilic Oil Sorbent for Enhanced Sorption Capacity and Reusability ARG 01/06/2017~31/05/2019 $167,630 Completed
PI 9678158 Controlling NOM Fouling on the Microfiltration Ceramic Membrane by Fe-Al Binary Oxide Adsorption Cake Layer MF_EXT 01/05/2018~30/11/2021 $191,875 Completed
PI NP024441-01 First Stage of Desalination Plant at Tseung Kwan O -Investigation, Design and Construction (Black & Veatch) Consultancy (OPAU) 19/08/2016 ~30/12/2017 $200,000 
(WSD and Black & Veatch)
Completed
PI 6986032 Smart Bin & Sustainable Campus: Turning Waste into Energy  CSF 01/03/2016~30/06/2017 $131,801 Completed
PI 6986050 Showcasing the Smart-Bin as a Model for Good Sustainability Practice at CityU for Food Waste Management CSF 01/07/2017~30/06/2018 $65,000 Completed
PI

9231446

Removal of Micro/Nano Plastic from Marine Environments Using Nanobubble MCEF ~$500,000 Completed
PI

ECF
2020-42

The 4th International Forum on Asian Water Environment Technology (IFAWET-4) ECF 01/01/2021~31/12/2021 ~$458,500 Completed

Projects involved in as Co-Principal Investigator / Co-Investigator

Role

Project No.

Project Title.

Grant Type

Duration

Fund

Project Status

Co_PI UGC/FDS25/E10/17  Development of a novel photocatalytic membrane system for bacteria-resistant organics oxidation in wastewater   UGC/FDS 2018~2020 $920,100 on-going
Co_PI 9240005  Investigating the Use of Nanobubble Technology in Aquaculture   ConRes-RO 2019~2021 ~ $10M (IDRC) on-going
Co_PI T21-604 /19-R A Paradigm-shifting, Fully-integrated, Compact Wastewater-to-resource Facility (WWRF) UGC/TRS   ~$35M on-going
Co_I Cpacity Building for Sustainable Water Governance in Hong Kong by Socio-technological Innovation Public Policy Research (PPR)   ~$637.748 on-going