Nur Atika Nikma Binti Dahlan( Award Conferred 23 July 2025)
Title of Thesis:‘ Development of polymeric carbon nitride-based photocatalysts for effective solar-driven bacterial disinfection.’
Photocatalytic water disinfection stands out as a promising sustainable alternative to traditional water treatment methods due to its energy efficiency and environmental friendliness. This thesis reports the development of carbon nitride-based photocatalysts for high-performance disinfection of Escherichia coli and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus under sunlight illumination. The research covers intrinsic modification of carbon nitride via elemental doping and morphology tuning, and extrinsic modification via hybridisation with another photocatalyst for maximised solar energy utilisation and enhanced disinfection performance. For improved commercial applicability, the developed photocatalyst was also evaluated after being coated onto a polymeric water filtration membrane.
Supervisor: Professor Siang Piao Chai Associate Supervisor: Associate Professor Chien Wei Ooi Associate Supervisor: Dr Lling Lling Tan
Wail Gourich( Award Conferred 5 March 2025)
Title of Thesis:‘ Enzymatic hydrolysis of methyl esters catalyzed by free liquid lipases for the production of fatty acids.’
Fatty acid methyl ester( FAME) and fatty acid( FA) are important oleochemical intermediates. The conversion of FA to FAME via esterification is well-established, but not the reverse conversion of FAME to FA. From past literature, FAME can be hydrolyzed to FA using acid catalysts. However, acid catalysts are corrosive and require harsh operating temperatures and pressures. Recently, enzymes have emerged as greener catalysts for oleochemical production. As such, this thesis reports the development of an enzymatic FAME hydrolysis process using free liquid lipases. These findings could potentially inspire the future development of an alternative process route for industrial-scale FA production.
Abraham Matthews Joshua( Award Conferred 5 March 2025)
Title of Thesis:‘ Microplastic Recovery In Sodium Chloride Solution Using Bubble Flotation System.’
This PhD thesis explores how microplastics interact with bubbles in salty water to improve their removal from water. The study found that higher salt levels make microplastics more likely to stick to bubbles, making it easier to remove them through flotation. By measuring various factors to quantify bubble-particle attachment, the research showed that polyethylene( PE) and polystyrene( PS) microplastics attach more readily to bubbles as salt concentration increases. Experiments using a special flotation column confirmed these findings, showing improved recovery rates for both types of microplastics with more salt. This research helps optimize techniques for cleaning microplastics from water.
Supervisor: Associate Professor Ee Von Lau Associate Supervisor: Associate Professor Chang Wei Sea
Steven Kok Hao Wan( Award Conferred 2 April 2025)
Title of Thesis:‘ Design and development of photo-active materials for efficient photocatalytic fixation of nitrogen.’
This thesis focuses on developing advanced bismuth-based materials for sustainable ammonia production using sunlight. By applying innovative engineering strategies, it opens a potential avenue for the rational design of semiconductor materials for photo-driven nitrogen fixation.
Supervisor: Dr Lling Lling Tan Associate Supervisor: Professor Siang Piao Chai
Supervisor: Professor Eng Seng Chan Associate Supervisor: Dr Song Cher Pin
G R A D U A T I O N CEREMONY
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