Projects per year
Personal profile
Research interests
Preparation and characterization of ionic liquids and other types of ionic materials for a range of applications in electrochemistry, green chemistry, solar cells, batteries and biotechnology, including protein stabilization and biopreservation. Production of ammonia and hydrogen from renewable energy.
Biography
Professor Doug MacFarlane FAA FTSE FRS
Professor Doug MacFarlane is a Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor at Monash University’s School of Chemistry. He was a BSc(Hons) graduate from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, and then undertook his PhD with the late Professor Austen Angell at Purdue University before taking up an academic position at Monash. In 2007 he awarded an ARC Federation Fellowship and then in 2012 an Australian Laureate Fellowship. His interests include the chemistry and application of organic salts including in electrochemistry applications in renewable energy storage. His current focus is on the electrochemical generation of ammonia as an energy store.
He has published more than 800 papers and 30 patents and these have been cited > 80,000 times (h-index 140). He has been a Clarivate “highly cited author” since 2019. He was the Australian Academy of Science’s Craig Medalist 2018 and winner of the Victoria Prize for Science and Innovation in 2018, the Max Bredig prize of the Electrochemical Society in 2023, the Royal Society of Chemistry’s 2023 Horizon Prize for Environment, Sustainability and Energy and the RACI Stokes Medal in 2024.
Professor MacFarlane was elected to the Australian Academy of Science in 2007 and the Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering in 2009. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of London in 2024.
He recently co-founded Jupiter Ionics P/L to scale up the ammonia production technology his group has developed.
Research area keywords
- Ionic Liquids Batteries Supercapacitors Conductivity
- Ionic Liquids Electrolytes Plastic Crystals Advanced Materials Biopreservation
- Ionic Liquids Proteins Biocompatibility Biosensors
- Ionic Liquids
- Electrochemical Interface
- Lithium
- Conducting Polymer Electrochemistry
- Magnesium Alloy Corrosion
- Impedance Spectroscopy
- Surface Film
- Synthesis
- Purification
- Characterization
- Preparation and Characterization of Ionic Liquids
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 2 Zero Hunger -
SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being -
SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy -
SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth -
SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure -
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production -
SDG 13 Climate Action -
SDG 14 Life Below Water
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
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Establishment of an international platform based on the research on concentrated or mixed solvent thermocell and deployment to electrochemical nitrogen reduction
Simonov, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Yamada, T. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Macfarlane, D. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Du, H.-L. (Chief Investigator (CI))
15/05/26 → 14/05/29
Project: Research
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High-energy-efficiency electrolytic synthesis of green ammonia
Hodgetts, B. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Simonov, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Macfarlane, D. (Partner Investigator (PI)) & Kanady, J. (Partner Investigator (PI))
11/02/26 → 10/08/27
Project: Research
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Trimodal Materials to Unlock Synergistic Thermal Energy Storage Mechanisms
Matuszek, K. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Macfarlane, D. (Partner Investigator (PI)) & Tabor, R. (Chief Investigator (CI))
ARC - Australian Research Council, Monash University – Internal School Contribution
2/04/25 → 1/04/28
Project: Research
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High performance electrolyte for vanadium redox flow battery
Simonov, A. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Macfarlane, D. (Partner Investigator (PI)) & Nguyen, T. (Chief Investigator (CI))
31/01/25 → 30/01/28
Project: Research
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Jupiter Ionics, Melbourne, Capital Cost reduction in electrochemical ammonia synthesis
Day, C. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), O'Connor, B. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Hoogeveen, D. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Moshtarikhah, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Nattestad, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Macfarlane, D. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Simonov, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Du, H.-L. (Chief Investigator (CI))
3/04/24 → 31/10/27
Project: Research
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Space-confined nafion nanochannels in PVDF membranes enable efficient Li+/Mg2+ separation
He, K., Wang, F., Ma, H., Wang, Z., Shi, F., Wu, Q., Li, Z., Acharya, D., Doherty, C., Li, Z., MacFarlane, D. R. & Wang, H., Jan 2026, In: Journal of Membrane Science. 738, Part A, 8 p., 124817.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
Cell Engineering Can Mitigate Cathode Scaling during Water Electrolysis in the Presence of Mg2+
Fareza, A. R., Garg, H., Simondson, D., Rizk, M. R., Nguyen, T., Du, H.-L., MacFarlane, D. R. & Simonov, A. N., May 2025, In: ACS Electrochemistry. 1, 5, p. 763-773 11 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Decoupling the catalytic and degradation mechanisms of cobalt active sites during acidic water oxidation
Simondson, D., Tesch, M. F., Spanos, I., Jones, T. E., Guo, J., Kerr, B. V., Chatti, M., Bonke, S. A., Golnak, R., Johannessen, B., Xiao, J., MacFarlane, D. R., Hocking, R. K. & Simonov, A. N., Aug 2025, In: Nature Energy. 10, 8, p. 1013–1024 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access39 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus) -
Design of the Low-Loading NiFe Hydroxide Alkaline Oxygen Evolution Catalyst Layers Based on Inverse Opal Supports
Nguyen, T. D., Nguyen, L., Dinh, K., Van Zeil, D., Jasieniak, J. J., Varga, J. F., MacFarlane, D. R. & Simonov, A. N., 12 Nov 2025, In: ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. 17, 45, p. 62064-62075 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
1 Link opens in a new tab Citation (Scopus) -
Extreme Fast Charging and Stable Cycling of Lithium Manganese Oxide Batteries by Suppression of Cathode Phase Changes
Roy, B., Pal, U., Simondson, D., Nguyen, C., Kerr, B. V., Hocking, R. K., Al-Masri, D., Howlett, P. C., Forsyth, M., Kar, M. & MacFarlane, D. R., 11 Mar 2025, In: Advanced Functional Materials. 35, 11, 12 p., 2417317.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access6 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)
Prizes
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Australian Academy of Science
Macfarlane, D. (Recipient), 1 May 2007
Prize: Election to learned society
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Australian Academy of Science Craig Medal
Macfarlane, D. (Recipient), 31 May 2018
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering
Macfarlane, D. (Recipient), 1 Mar 2009
Prize: Election to learned society
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MONASH UNIVERSITY (Organisational unit)
Elliott, G. D. (Inventor), Macfarlane, D. (Inventor), Foureau, D. M. (Inventor) & McKillop, I. (Inventor)
22 Mar 2016Activity: Industry, Government and Philanthropy Engagement and Partnerships › Patents › Patent
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AquaHydrex Pty Ltd (External organisation)
Macfarlane, D. (Inventor), Winther-Jensen, B. (Inventor) & Izgorodin, A. (Inventor)
2 Aug 2016Activity: Industry, Government and Philanthropy Engagement and Partnerships › Patents › Patent
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MONASH UNIVERSITY (Organisational unit)
Macfarlane, D. (Inventor), Stoimenovski, J. (Inventor) & Dean, P. M. (Inventor)
8 Mar 2016Activity: Industry, Government and Philanthropy Engagement and Partnerships › Patents › Patent
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Fellow
Macfarlane, D. (Visitor)
5 Oct 2009Activity: External Academic Engagement › External research organisation, centre or institute
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Fellow
Macfarlane, D. (Visitor)
5 Oct 2007Activity: External Academic Engagement › External research organisation, centre or institute