[Music plays and an image appears of the Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year medallion in the centre screen, and text appears beneath: Professor Yao Zheng]
[Images move through to show a bottle of bubbling water, a hand holding up a bottle of water, and a bottle of water in the purification process]
Professor Yao Zheng: The last 100 years people always know how to produce hydrogen from water but the water is only highly purified water.
[Image changes to show to show Yao Zheng working on an electrolyser in the lab with bottles of water on the table behind him, and then the image changes to show Yao looking up]
People never know that seawater can also work as the energy resources.
[Image changes to show a medium and then a close view of Yao talking to the camera, and the medallion and text appears: Professor Yao Zheng]
My name is Professor Yao Zheng in the School of Chemical Engineering at the University of Adelaide.
[Images move through to show a female walking past the University of Adelaide Entrance, Yao and colleagues walking towards the camera, and then views of Yao working on an electrolyser]
When we are moving towards zero emission by 2050, hydrogen is emerging as a critical pillar for both energy and environmental sustainability.
[Image changes to show Yao and a colleague looking at an electrolyser in the lab]
Treating seawater into highly purified, deionised water suitable for the electrolyser is not cost effective.
[Image changes to show a medium and then close view of Yao talking to the camera]
In 2023 we developed a catalyst to avoid the unwanted chlorine reaction.
[Images move through to show Yao looking at a sample slide, Yao working at a lab bench, and then water moving through tubes in an electrolyser]
This allows us to use the seawater straight from the beach resolves the energy intensive dissolution.
[Images move through to show the back of the electrolyser he is working on, Yao working on a computer, and a close view of the electrolyser he is working on]
In 2024 we built Australia’s first and only high level seawater electrolyser.
[Images move through to show Yao and a colleague talking while next to the electrolyser, a close view of water bubbling up in the electrolyser, and Yao and a colleague looking at the water]
This allows us to produce at most 1kg of pure hydrogen per day which can power a full scale car running 100km.
[Image changes to show a close view of Yao talking to the camera]
To achieve this we need government, universities and industry to sit together.
[Images move through to show a medium view of Yao talking to the camera, Yao looking up, and Yao and a colleague working and talking next to the electrolyser]
It is quite important for a country like Australia where we have abundant sunlight and the seawater resources but availability of freshwater is limited.
[Images move through to show Yao talking to the camera, Yao and a colleague in conversation, and a close view of the electrolyser]
This achievement are works of many people. We have 13 scientists in the lab.
[Image changes to show Yao talking to the camera]
They are working very hard to make this discovery possible.
[Images move through to show Yao working in the lab, Yao looking up, and Yao talking to the camera]
I received the greatest support and the mentoring from my supervisor and seniors.
[Image changes to show a close view of Yao talking to the camera, and then the image changes to show Yao and colleagues walking towards the camera and talking]
I really want to transfer this treasure to the next generation of scientists.
[Image changes to show medium and close views of Yao talking to the camera]
It is my great honour to be the recipient of the Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year.
[Images move through to show Yao holding up a slide and looking at it, Yao looking at a bottle of water, and a close view of Yao looking at the water in the bottle]
The ocean gave Earth its first life. It will also give us our future.
[Image changes to show Yao talking to the camera, and then the image changes to show Yao smiling at the camera]
Our mission is to use Australian world class sunlight and the seawater to address some global challenges. Our work will make great contribution to Australia’s energy and the environmental sustainability.
[Music plays and the image changes to show the 2025 Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year on the left, and the Australian Government Coat of Arms, and text appears: 2025 Malcolm McIntosh Prize for Physical Scientist of the Year]
