Staff Directory

I am a member of SERC and an Associate Professor in Sustainable Chemistry with research interests in green electrochemistry and silicon-organic fertilisers. My electrochemistry research is focused on efficient and clean recovery of energy and useful products from industrial waste and by-product streams using clean electrochemical energy conversion devices including solid oxide cells and zinc-bromine batteries. I am currently working on the ERDF-funded FLEXIS and RICE projects, and four ESF KESSII PhD projects to investigate the utilisation and recovery of hydrogen, ammonia and zinc from steelmaking waste streams. In my second research theme, I have developed an advanced silicon-digestate fertiliser and soil conditioner, which gives excellent crop yields, can be made without natural gas and could alleviate dependence on mineral (synthetic) fertilisers. I was the principal investigator for an ERDF-funded FLEXISApp project into the development of silicon-digestate fertilisers and presently, my research in this area aims to establish the fundamental science, environmental benefits and commercial viability of these materials. I am currently director of studies for four PhD projects and one MRes project. In addition, I teach on the Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology MSc programme, where I lead the Industrial Resource Recovery module and supervise dissertation project students.

Please see my Pure profile for a list of my publications: https://pure.southwales.ac.uk/en/persons/christian-laycock