Professor Tom Rufford
Professor

Tom Rufford

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 54165

Background

Biography:

Tom Rufford is an Associate Professor in the UQ School of Chemical Engineering and chief investigator in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Green Electrochemical Transformation of CO2 (GETCO2). Tom completed his BE and PhD degrees in Chemical Engineering at the University of Queensland in 2000 and 2009, respectively. Tom’s PhD thesis investigated the use of porous carbon materials derived from waste coffee grounds for energy storage via hydrogen or supercapacitors on board electric vehicles. From 2001 to 2005 he worked as a process engineer and technologist on the crude distillation columns, naptha reformers and hydrogen purification plant at Shell’s Geelong Oil Refinery. From 2010 to late 2012, Tom was a research fellow at the University of Western Australia working on natural gas processing and LNG production research projects with the UWA’s Chevron Chair in Gas Process Engineering, Prof. Eric May. He returned to UQ as a teaching and research academic in December 2012.

Dr Rufford is a chartered member of the IChemE and Engineers Australia (chemical engineering).

Dr Rufford has published more than 80 scientific papers in international journals and an edited book on carbon materials. He has been a visiting researcher at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology in Tsukuba, Japan, and an Endeavour Research Fellow visiting the Institute of Metals Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shenyang, China.

Research:

Associate Professor Rufford conducts research on gas processing and purification for cleaner energy production and utilization. His research interests include electrochemical processes including energy storage and CO2 reduction, natural gas process engineering, porous carbons, and solid-fluid interactions in coal seam gas reservoirs. Current and recent projects include studies on electrochemical CO2 reduction, development of gas diffusion electrode materials, helium recovery and nitrogen rejection from natural gas, low permeability coals, and the capture of methane emissions from liquefied natural gas (LNG) production plants.

Teaching and Learning:

Tom teaches into the BE and BE/ME chemical engineering programs at UQ. He's taught core chemical engineering courses such as heat and mass transfer, unit operations, and the capstone design project courses CHEE4001 and CHEE7103. In 2024 he is teaching into CHEE3004 Unit Operations in Semester 1 and CHEE7103 BE/ME Design Project in Semester 2.

Availability

Professor Tom Rufford is:
Available for supervision

Qualifications

  • Bachelor (Honours) of Engineering, The University of Queensland
  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
  • Member, Engineers Australia, Engineers Australia
  • Member, Institute of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), Institute of Chemical Engineers (IChemE)
  • Member, International Society of Electrochemistry, International Society of Electrochemistry

Search Professor Tom Rufford’s works on UQ eSpace

188 works between 2006 and 2025
All (188) Journal Article (99) Book Chapter (2) Conference Publication (78) Book (1) Other Outputs (8)

21 - 40 of 188 works

2024

Conference Publication

Catalyst ink effects in the fabrication of electrodes for CO2 electrolysis

Rufford, Thomas E., Idros, Mohammed Nazmi, Wu, Yuming, Sahu, Aloka Kumar, Li, Mengran, Duignan, Tim and Wang, Geoff (2024). Catalyst ink effects in the fabrication of electrodes for CO2 electrolysis. International Conference on Advanced Materials for Energy, Environment and Health 2024, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 24-27 September 2024. Adelaide, SA, Australia: The University of Adelaide.

Catalyst ink effects in the fabrication of electrodes for CO2 electrolysis

2024

Conference Publication

Progress and challenges in the electrochemical conversion of CO2 for decarbonization of ironmaking

Rufford, Thomas E. and Wang, Geoff (2024). Progress and challenges in the electrochemical conversion of CO2 for decarbonization of ironmaking. HBIS-UQ Innovation Centre for Sustainable Steel (ICSS) –ICSS Symposium 2024, Shijiazhuang, China, 23 - 24 May 2024.

Progress and challenges in the electrochemical conversion of CO2 for decarbonization of ironmaking

2024

Journal Article

An indirect Z-scheme heterostructure of nano-gold layer immobilized Cu-Al-doped SrTiO3 and CoOx-WO3 for photocatalytic CO2 reduction

Sahu, Aloka Kumar, Pokhriyal, Meenakshi, Banerjee, Debarun, Rufford, Thomas E. and Upadhyayula, Sreedevi (2024). An indirect Z-scheme heterostructure of nano-gold layer immobilized Cu-Al-doped SrTiO3 and CoOx-WO3 for photocatalytic CO2 reduction. Chemical Engineering Journal, 487 150716, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.cej.2024.150716

An indirect Z-scheme heterostructure of nano-gold layer immobilized Cu-Al-doped SrTiO3 and CoOx-WO3 for photocatalytic CO2 reduction

2024

Journal Article

Accelerating charge separation and CO2 photoreduction in aqueous phase under visible light with Ru nanoparticles loaded on Ga-doped NiTiO3 in a batch photoreactor

Kumar Sahu, Aloka, Yadav, Sushant, Banerjee, Debarun, Rufford, Thomas E. and Upadhyayula, Sreedevi (2024). Accelerating charge separation and CO2 photoreduction in aqueous phase under visible light with Ru nanoparticles loaded on Ga-doped NiTiO3 in a batch photoreactor. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 16 (6), 7057-7069. doi: 10.1021/acsami.3c15915

Accelerating charge separation and CO2 photoreduction in aqueous phase under visible light with Ru nanoparticles loaded on Ga-doped NiTiO3 in a batch photoreactor

2024

Journal Article

Electrode, electrolyte, and membrane materials for electrochemical CO2 capture

Sun, Kaige, Tebyetekerwa, Mike, Zhang, Hongxia, Zeng, Xiangkang, Wang, Zhuyuan, Xu, Zhen, Rufford, Thomas E. and Zhang, Xiwang (2024). Electrode, electrolyte, and membrane materials for electrochemical CO2 capture. Advanced Energy Materials, 14 (24) 2400625. doi: 10.1002/aenm.202400625

Electrode, electrolyte, and membrane materials for electrochemical CO2 capture

2023

Conference Publication

Photo- and electrocatalytic CO2 reduction based on Ga-doped NiTiO3 perovskite nanoparticles

Sahu, Aloka Kumar, Idros, Mohamed Nazmi, Upadhyayula, Sreedevi and Rufford, Thomas E. (2023). Photo- and electrocatalytic CO2 reduction based on Ga-doped NiTiO3 perovskite nanoparticles. ISGTCO2: International Symposium on Green Transformation of Carbon Dioxide: Cooperating on a global opportunity, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 29 Nov - 1 Dec 2023.

Photo- and electrocatalytic CO2 reduction based on Ga-doped NiTiO3 perovskite nanoparticles

2023

Conference Publication

Shockingly large volumes of materials may be required for large scale CO2 electrolysis to make a dent in carbon emissions

Rufford, Thomas E. (2023). Shockingly large volumes of materials may be required for large scale CO2 electrolysis to make a dent in carbon emissions. International Symposium on Green Transformation of Carbon Dioxide (ISGTCO2), Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 29 Nov - 1 Dec 2023.

Shockingly large volumes of materials may be required for large scale CO2 electrolysis to make a dent in carbon emissions

2023

Journal Article

Effect of dispersing solvents for an ionomer on the performance of copper catalyst layers for CO2 electrolysis to multicarbon products

Idros, Mohamed Nazmi, Wu, Yuming, Duignan, Timothy, Li, Mengran, Cartmill, Hayden, Maglaya, Irving, Burdyny, Thomas, Wang, Geoff and Rufford, Thomas E. (2023). Effect of dispersing solvents for an ionomer on the performance of copper catalyst layers for CO2 electrolysis to multicarbon products. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 15 (45), 52461-52472. doi: 10.1021/acsami.3c11096

Effect of dispersing solvents for an ionomer on the performance of copper catalyst layers for CO2 electrolysis to multicarbon products

2023

Journal Article

Non-invasive current collectors for improved current-density distribution during CO2 electrolysis on super-hydrophobic electrodes

Iglesias van Montfort, Hugo-Pieter, Li, Mengran, Irtem, Erdem, Abdinejad, Maryam, Wu, Yuming, Pal, Santosh K., Sassenburg, Mark, Ripepi, Davide, Subramanian, Siddhartha, Biemolt, Jasper, Rufford, Thomas E. and Burdyny, Thomas (2023). Non-invasive current collectors for improved current-density distribution during CO2 electrolysis on super-hydrophobic electrodes. Nature Communications, 14 (1) 6579, 1-11. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-42348-6

Non-invasive current collectors for improved current-density distribution during CO2 electrolysis on super-hydrophobic electrodes

2023

Conference Publication

Reimagining assessment of the capstone chemical engineering design project with a specification grading approach

Rufford, Thomas E. (2023). Reimagining assessment of the capstone chemical engineering design project with a specification grading approach. CHEMECA 2023, Auckland, New Zealand, 1 - 3 October 2023. IChemE.

Reimagining assessment of the capstone chemical engineering design project with a specification grading approach

2023

Conference Publication

Challenges and opportunities for electrochemical CO2 conversion to reduce emissions from hard to decarbonise industrial processes

Rufford, Thomas E. (2023). Challenges and opportunities for electrochemical CO2 conversion to reduce emissions from hard to decarbonise industrial processes. The One-Day Sustainability and Indigenous Education Workshop - Pre-CHEMECA2023 event, Auckland, New Zealand, 1 October 2023. IChemE.

Challenges and opportunities for electrochemical CO2 conversion to reduce emissions from hard to decarbonise industrial processes

2023

Conference Publication

What materials do we need, and how much of them, for very large-scale CO2 electrolysis?

Rufford, Thomas E. (2023). What materials do we need, and how much of them, for very large-scale CO2 electrolysis?. The International Conference on Materials Innovation 2023 (ICMI 2023), Brisbane, QLD Australia, 22 - 25 August 2023. The University of Queensland.

What materials do we need, and how much of them, for very large-scale CO2 electrolysis?

2023

Conference Publication

Elucidating the effects of solvent-ionomer interactions on copper catalyst layers for CO2 electrolysis to multicarbon products

Idros, Mohamed Nazmi, Duignan, Timothy, Li, Mengran, Rufford, Thomas E., Wang, Geoff and Wu, Yuming (2023). Elucidating the effects of solvent-ionomer interactions on copper catalyst layers for CO2 electrolysis to multicarbon products. 35th Topical Meeting of the International Society of Electrochemistry, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia, 7-10 May 2023.

Elucidating the effects of solvent-ionomer interactions on copper catalyst layers for CO2 electrolysis to multicarbon products

2023

Conference Publication

Anti-flooding GDE by in-situ electroreduction of graphene oxide for CO2 electrolysis

Wu, Yuming, Idros, Mohamed Nazmi and Rufford, Thomas (2023). Anti-flooding GDE by in-situ electroreduction of graphene oxide for CO2 electrolysis. 35th Topical Meeting of the International Society of Electrochemistry, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia, 7-10 May 2023.

Anti-flooding GDE by in-situ electroreduction of graphene oxide for CO2 electrolysis

2023

Conference Publication

Engineering data requirements for development and commercialisation of CO2 electrolyser technologies

Rufford, Thomas E. (2023). Engineering data requirements for development and commercialisation of CO2 electrolyser technologies. The 2nd International Conference on Data Driven Innovation and Carbon Neutrality, Online, 25 - 27 February 2023.

Engineering data requirements for development and commercialisation of CO2 electrolyser technologies

2023

Journal Article

Opportunities to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions from ironmaking blast furnace using CO2 electrolysis to CO for carbon recycling

Hu, Yichao, Rufford, Thomas E., Chen, Jian, Hao, Liangyuan, Li, Mengran, Qiu, Yinxuan, Garg, Sahil, Rudolph, Victor and Wang, Geoff (2023). Opportunities to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions from ironmaking blast furnace using CO2 electrolysis to CO for carbon recycling. Journal of Cleaner Production, 389 135997, 1-17. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.135997

Opportunities to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions from ironmaking blast furnace using CO2 electrolysis to CO for carbon recycling

2023

Journal Article

High‐concentration electrosynthesis of formic acid/formate from CO2 : reactor and electrode design strategies

Kuang, Yizhu, Rabiee, Hesamoddin, Ge, Lei, Rufford, Thomas E., Yuan, Zhiguo, Bell, John and Wang, Hao (2023). High‐concentration electrosynthesis of formic acid/formate from CO2 : reactor and electrode design strategies. Energy and Environmental Materials, 6 (6) e12596. doi: 10.1002/eem2.12596

High‐concentration electrosynthesis of formic acid/formate from CO2 : reactor and electrode design strategies

2023

Journal Article

Elucidating the effects of solvent-ionomer interactions on copper catalyst layers for CO2 electrolysis to multicarbon products

Idros, Mohamed Nazmi, Wu, Yuming, Duignan, Timothy T., Li, Mengran, Cartmill, Hayden, Maglaya, Irving, Burdyny, Thomas, Wang, Geoff GX and Rufford, Thomas E. (2023). Elucidating the effects of solvent-ionomer interactions on copper catalyst layers for CO2 electrolysis to multicarbon products.

Elucidating the effects of solvent-ionomer interactions on copper catalyst layers for CO2 electrolysis to multicarbon products

2023

Journal Article

Organic molecules involved in Cu-based electrocatalysts for selective CO2 reduction to C2+ products

Chen, Ping, Wu, Yuming, Rufford, Thomas E., Wang, Lianzhou, Wang, Geoff and Wang, Zhiliang (2023). Organic molecules involved in Cu-based electrocatalysts for selective CO2 reduction to C2+ products. Materials Today Chemistry, 27 101328, 1-15. doi: 10.1016/j.mtchem.2022.101328

Organic molecules involved in Cu-based electrocatalysts for selective CO2 reduction to C2+ products

2022

Conference Publication

Considerations for the use of CO2 electrolysis in blast furnace ironmaking

Rufford, T. E., Wu, Y., Irdos, Md Nazmi, Hu, Yichao, Wang, Geoff, Garg, Sahil and Li, Mengran (2022). Considerations for the use of CO2 electrolysis in blast furnace ironmaking. Baosteel-Australia Joint Research and Development Centre Annual Conference, St Lucia, QLD Australia, 5 December 2022.

Considerations for the use of CO2 electrolysis in blast furnace ironmaking

Current funding

  • 2023 - 2030
    ARC Centre of Excellence for Green Electrochemical Transformation of Carbon Dioxide
    ARC Centres of Excellence
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2026
    Low emission iron and steelmaking using hydrogen to pre-reduce lump ore
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2022
    Laboratory verification of heating milk in Exothermic Baby bottle
    The Trustee for Grumbler Provisions Entrepreneurial Trust
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2021
    Understanding wetting of gas diffusion electrodes during electrochemical CO2 reduction
    UQ Foundation Research Excellence Awards
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2023
    Developing a full-chain process integrated CO2 capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technologies with iron- and steel-making for HBIS
    HBIS Group Co, Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2021
    Selective wellbore coatings to control fines damage in coal seam gas wells
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2018
    Optimisation of Devatering Rates to Maximise CSG Production
    Arrow Energy Pty Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2018
    Multiphase and multiscale modelling of gas-liquid-particle transport in CSG reservoirs and wells
    Pawsey Supercomputing Centre
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2023
    Electrochemical conversion of CO2 to formic acid
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2018
    Acoustic levitation facility for high pressure multiphase systems research (ARC LIEF project administered by the University of Western Australia)
    University of Western Australia
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2021
    The Australian Centre for LNG Futures (ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre administered by the University of Western Australia)
    University of Western Australia
    Open grant
  • 2016 - 2019
    Relative Permeability in Coal
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2016
    X-ray transparent core flood apparatus
    ARC Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2019
    Mathematical modelling of wellbore pressure profiles in CSG (pumped) wells
    QGC Pty Limited
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2018
    High-pressure experimental measurements of gas-water relative permeability behaviour
    QGC Pty Limited
    Open grant
  • 2014
    Controlling fines in coal seam gas wells using MgO nanoparticles
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2016
    Recovering helium from Australia's natural gas: A case study for advanced adsorption processes to concentrate dilute gases
    ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2017
    Identification, characterisation and stimulation of low permeability coals (Centre for Coal Seam Gas Research Project)
    Santos Limited
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2018
    Understanding, characterising, and managing solids production in CSG producing wells (Centre for Coal Seam Gas Research Project)
    Santos Limited
    Open grant

Availability

Professor Tom Rufford is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Enhanced approaches to engineering the scale-up of CO2 electrolysers from bench to pilot scale

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Xiwang Zhang, Dr Mike Tebyetekerwa

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Accelerated stress testing and degradation mechanisms in CO2 electrolysis cell

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Single-atom catalysts (SACs) as potential catalysts for Electrochemical CO2 reduction

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Simon Smart

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Synthesis of Graphene Assisted Heterojunction Photocatalysts for Conversion of CO2 to Methanol

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    CO2 electrolyser degradation mechanisms and accelerated testing methods

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Ruth Knibbe, Dr Ray Bi

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Modelling of thermal engineering management for hydrogen ironmaking in shaft furnace

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Xiaodong Ma, Professor Geoff Wang

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Advanced imaging of CO2 electrochemical conversion materials.

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Ruth Knibbe

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Low emission iron and steelmaking using hydrogen to pre-reduce lump ore

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Geoff Wang, Dr Helen Tang, Dr Xiaodong Ma

  • Master Philosophy

    Optimization of structured cementitious composite for sustainability: Mechanical properties and thermal properties

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Vinh Dao, Dr Shujian Chen

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Polymeric Photocatalysts for Solar-Driven Hydrogen Peroxide Production

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Xiangkang Zeng

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Utilising co-products of water electrolysis in wastewater treatment

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Mike Tebyetekerwa, Dr Ray Bi, Professor Xiwang Zhang

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Controlling microenvironments to enable green fuels and scalable electrolysis

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Christopher Leonardi, Dr Travis Mitchell

Completed supervision

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