Overview
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
Works
Search Professor Tom Rufford’s works on UQ eSpace
2021
Journal Article
Evaluation of flowsheet design approaches to improve energy efficiency in multistage membrane processes to recover helium
Quader, M. Abdul, Rufford, Thomas E. and Smart, Simon (2021). Evaluation of flowsheet design approaches to improve energy efficiency in multistage membrane processes to recover helium. Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, 60 (6) acs.iecr.0c05871, 2588-2599. doi: 10.1021/acs.iecr.0c05871
2021
Journal Article
Unveiling the effects of dimensionality of tin oxide-derived catalysts on CO2 reduction by using gas-diffusion electrodes
Li, Mengran, Idros, Mohamed Nazmi, Wu, Yuming, Garg, Sahil, Gao, Shuai, Lin, Rijia, Rabiee, Hesamoddin, Li, Zhiheng, Ge, Lei, Rufford, Thomas Edward, Zhu, Zhonghua, Li, Liye and Wang, Geoff (2021). Unveiling the effects of dimensionality of tin oxide-derived catalysts on CO2 reduction by using gas-diffusion electrodes. Reaction Chemistry and Engineering, 6 (2), 345-352. doi: 10.1039/d0re00396d
2021
Journal Article
The role of electrode wettability in electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide
Li, Mengran, Idros, Mohamed Nazmi, Wu, Yuming, Burdyny, Thomas, Garg, Sahil, Zhao, Xiu Song, Wang, Geoff and Rufford, Thomas E. (2021). The role of electrode wettability in electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide. Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 9 (35), 19369-19409. doi: 10.1039/d1ta03636j
2020
Conference Publication
Tin-based electrocatalysts for reduction of CO2 to formic acid
Rufford, Thomas, Li, Aaron , Garg, Sahil , Wang, Geoff , Ge, Lei , Tian, Xiaohe , Wu, Yuming and Idros, Mohamed Nazmi (2020). Tin-based electrocatalysts for reduction of CO2 to formic acid. 2020 Conference on Advances In Catalysis, Energy, and Environmental Research, Hyderabad, India and Virtual, 17-18 December 2020.
2020
Conference Publication
Advancing Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction to CO over Ag Electrodes via Optimizing Catalyst-electrolyte Interfaces
Garg, Sahil , Li, Mengran , Idros, Mohamed Nazmi , Wu, Yuming , Wang, Geoff and Rufford, Thomas (2020). Advancing Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction to CO over Ag Electrodes via Optimizing Catalyst-electrolyte Interfaces. 2020 Conference on Advances In Catalysis, Energy, and Environmental Research, Hyderabad, India and Virtual, 16-18 December 2020. Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Hyderabad, India .
2020
Conference Publication
Screening swelling inhibitors
Rufford, Thomas , Patel, Archana , Ge, Lei and Chen, Zhongwei (2020). Screening swelling inhibitors. CSG Solids Production in Queensland – How, Why and Strategies to Manage, Virtual, 21-22 October 2020. Society of Petroleum Engineers.
2020
Journal Article
A stochastic method to estimate the anisotropic stress-dependent coal permeability by pore-volume distribution and stress-strain measurements
Raza, Syed Shabbar, Rudolph, Victor, Rufford, Tom and Chen, Zhongwei (2020). A stochastic method to estimate the anisotropic stress-dependent coal permeability by pore-volume distribution and stress-strain measurements. SPE Journal, 25 (5), 2582-2600. doi: 10.2118/198260-pa
2020
Other Outputs
Inhibition of mudstone swelling and breakage by Mg(OH)2 precipitation using MgCl2 and NaOH as precursors. July 2020 Progress Report
Patel, Archana , Rufford, T. E. , Chen, Zhongwei and Ge, Lei (2020). Inhibition of mudstone swelling and breakage by Mg(OH)2 precipitation using MgCl2 and NaOH as precursors. July 2020 Progress Report. *:
2020
Journal Article
Characterization of fines produced during drainage of coalbed methane reservoirs in the Linfen block, Ordos Basin
Zhang, Aoxiang, Cao, Daiyong, Wei, Yingchun and Rufford, Thomas E. (2020). Characterization of fines produced during drainage of coalbed methane reservoirs in the Linfen block, Ordos Basin. Energy Exploration & Exploitation, 38 (5), 014459872093552-1679. doi: 10.1177/0144598720935528
2020
Journal Article
Modulated Sn oxidation states over a Cu2O-derived substrate for selective electrochemical CO2 reduction
Li, Mengran, Tian, Xiaohe, Garg, Sahil, Rufford, Thomas E., Zhao, Peiyao, Wu, Yuming, Yago, Anya Josefa, Ge, Lei, Rudolph, Victor and Wang, Geoff (2020). Modulated Sn oxidation states over a Cu2O-derived substrate for selective electrochemical CO2 reduction. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 12 (20) acsami.0c00412, 22760-22770. doi: 10.1021/acsami.0c00412
2020
Conference Publication
Modifying catalyst-electrolyte interactions for enhanced electrochemical CO2 reduction
Garg, Sahil, Li, Mengran, Ge, Lei, Wang, Geoff and Rufford, Thomas Edward (2020). Modifying catalyst-electrolyte interactions for enhanced electrochemical CO2 reduction. 237th ECS Meeting with the 18th International Meeting on Chemical Sensors (IMCS 2020), Montreal, QC Canada, 10-14 May 2020. Pennington, NJ United States: The Electrochemical Society. doi: 10.1149/ma2020-01361518mtgabs
2020
Journal Article
Modeling and cost analysis of helium recovery using combined-membrane process configurations
Quader, M. Abdul, Rufford, Thomas E. and Smart, Simon (2020). Modeling and cost analysis of helium recovery using combined-membrane process configurations. Separation and Purification Technology, 236 116269, 116269. doi: 10.1016/j.seppur.2019.116269
2020
Journal Article
Catalyst–Electrolyte Interactions in Aqueous Reline Solutions for Highly Selective Electrochemical CO 2 Reduction
Garg, Sahil, Li, Mengran, Rufford, Thomas E., Ge, Lei, Rudolph, Victor, Knibbe, Ruth, Konarova, Muxina and Wang, Geoff G. X. (2020). Catalyst–Electrolyte Interactions in Aqueous Reline Solutions for Highly Selective Electrochemical CO 2 Reduction. ChemSusChem, 13 (2), 282-282. doi: 10.1002/cssc.201903390
2020
Journal Article
Front Cover: Catalyst–Electrolyte Interactions in Aqueous Reline Solutions for Highly Selective Electrochemical CO 2 Reduction (ChemSusChem 2/2020)
Garg, Sahil, Li, Mengran, Rufford, Thomas E., Ge, Lei, Rudolph, Victor, Knibbe, Ruth, Konarova, Muxina and Wang, Geoff G. X. (2020). Front Cover: Catalyst–Electrolyte Interactions in Aqueous Reline Solutions for Highly Selective Electrochemical CO 2 Reduction (ChemSusChem 2/2020). ChemSusChem, 13 (2), 278-278. doi: 10.1002/cssc.201903391
2020
Journal Article
Toward excellence of transition metal-based catalysts for CO2 electrochemical reduction: an overview of strategies and rationales
Li, Mengran, Garg, Sahil, Chang, Xiaoxia, Ge, Lei, Li, Liye, Konarova, Muxina, Rufford, Thomas E., Rudolph, Victor and Wang, Geoff (2020). Toward excellence of transition metal-based catalysts for CO2 electrochemical reduction: an overview of strategies and rationales. Small Methods, 4 (7) 2000033, 2000033. doi: 10.1002/smtd.202000033
2020
Journal Article
Use of pressure signal analysis to characterise counter-current two-phase flow regimes in annuli
Wu, Benjamin, Ribeiro, Ayrton Soares, Firouzi, Mahshid, Rufford, Thomas E. and Towler, Brian (2020). Use of pressure signal analysis to characterise counter-current two-phase flow regimes in annuli. Chemical Engineering Research and Design, 153, 547-561. doi: 10.1016/j.cherd.2019.11.009
2020
Journal Article
Advances and challenges in electrochemical CO2 reduction processes: an engineering and design perspective looking beyond new catalyst materials
Garg, Sahil, Li, Mengran, Weber, Adam Z., Ge, Lei, Li, Liye, Rudolph, Victor, Wang, Guoxiong and Rufford, Thomas E. (2020). Advances and challenges in electrochemical CO2 reduction processes: an engineering and design perspective looking beyond new catalyst materials. Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 8 (4), 1511-1544. doi: 10.1039/c9ta13298h
2019
Journal Article
Characteristics of counter-current gas-liquid two-phase flow and its limitations in vertical annuli
Wu, Benjamin, Firouzi, Mahshid, Rufford, Thomas E. and Towler, Brian (2019). Characteristics of counter-current gas-liquid two-phase flow and its limitations in vertical annuli. Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 109 109899, 109899. doi: 10.1016/j.expthermflusci.2019.109899
2019
Journal Article
Measurements of helium adsorption on natural clinoptilolite at temperatures from (123.15 to 423.15) K and pressures up to 35 MPa
Arami-Niya, Arash, Rufford, Thomas E., Dresp, Gerrit, Al Ghafri, Saif, Jiao, Fuyu and May, Eric F. (2019). Measurements of helium adsorption on natural clinoptilolite at temperatures from (123.15 to 423.15) K and pressures up to 35 MPa. Separation and Purification Technology, 223, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.seppur.2019.04.049
2019
Journal Article
Effect of oxidation and silane surface treatments of coal powders on relative permeability in packed coal beds
Ge, Lei, Soares, Fabio Terzini, Mahoney, Shilo, Hamilton, Christopher, Khan, Chawarwan, Steel, Karen, Rufford, Thomas E. and Rudolph, Victor (2019). Effect of oxidation and silane surface treatments of coal powders on relative permeability in packed coal beds. Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, 69 102931, 102931. doi: 10.1016/j.jngse.2019.102931
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Tom Rufford is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
-
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
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
-
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
-
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
Completed supervision
-
2024
Doctor Philosophy
Synthesis of Graphene Assisted Heterojunction Photocatalysts for Conversion of CO2 to Methanol
Principal Advisor
-
2024
Doctor Philosophy
Understanding interaction between ionomers, particles and solvents in catalyst ink formulation for CO2 electrolysis to multicarbon products
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Tim Duignan
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
Investigation of Electrolyte Flooding in a Carbon-based Gas Diffusion Electrode for CO2 Electrolysis to CO
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Geoff Wang
-
2021
Doctor Philosophy
Magnesium based clay stabilizers for swelling inhibition of smectites in coal seam gas reservoirs
Principal Advisor
-
2021
Doctor Philosophy
Optimizing Catalyst-electrolyte Interfaces for Selective Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction to CO over Ag Electrodes
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Geoff Wang
-
2020
Doctor Philosophy
Design and Techno-economic Evaluation of Multi-stage Membrane Processes for Helium Recovery from Natural Gas
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Simon Smart
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
The Effects of Surface Chemistry, Mineral Content and Effective Pressure on Relative Permeability using Artificial Australian Coal Cores
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Lei Ge
-
2017
Doctor Philosophy
Novel Adsorbents for Natural Gas Separation and Purification
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Greg Birkett, Professor John Zhu
-
2024
Master Philosophy
Optimization of structured cementitious composite for sustainability: Thermal properties and Mechanical properties
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Vinh Dao, Dr Shujian Chen
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
Carbon Footprint Mapping & Modelling for an Ironmaking Blast Furnace
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Geoff Wang
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
The experimental study of counter-current two-phase flows in annuli
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Mahshid Firouzi
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Dynamics of anisotropic permeability in coal seam gas reservoirs
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor John Zhu
-
2019
Doctor Philosophy
Application of Electrohydraulic Discharge (EHD) Stimulation for Unconventional Reservoir Development
Associate Advisor
-
-
2018
Doctor Philosophy
Foam structured carbon monoliths for gas adsorption
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Lei Ge, Professor John Zhu
-
2017
Doctor Philosophy
The Effect of Water Occlusion on Gas Production in Coal
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Karen Steel
-
2017
Doctor Philosophy
Design and Preparation of Novel Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Evolution Reaction
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor John Zhu
-
2016
Doctor Philosophy
Two-Dimensional Nanomaterials for Supercapacitors
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Lianzhou Wang
-
-
2012
Doctor Philosophy
Mesoporous materials supported catalysts for removal of nitric oxide using carbon monoxide as reducing agent
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor John Zhu
Media
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