MUSCAT: A young Omani postgraduate student has received a prestigious award from Imperial College London for developing an innovative organic material for a photoanode-based device designed for green hydrogen (GH2) production from water.
The breakthrough technology, which features an advanced organic photoanode, holds the potential to transform the global energy landscape by making green hydrogen production more efficient. Noof al Lawati, the engineer behind this achievement, completed her Master’s degree at Imperial College London and her Bachelor’s degree at the University of Nottingham in the UK. She shared her journey with the Observer.
Noof expressed pride in receiving the Best Performance in the MSc Research Project Prize from Imperial College London, recognised as Europe’s top university and the world’s second-ranked institution. This award was presented during Noof’s Master's programme in Advanced Chemical Engineering with Biotechnology. Her research focused on developing an organic photoanode that achieved a breakthrough in both stability and performance. This innovative material enables the creation of a standalone device capable of operating without an external electrical power source, representing a major leap forward in renewable energy technology.
Organic photoanodes play a critical role in photoelectrochemical devices, which can convert solar energy into electrochemical energy which directly drives the water-splitting reaction, producing oxygen and green hydrogen. “Green hydrogen is essential for building a sustainable world, enabling renewable energy to be stored and distributed as needed,” said Noof.
“With further development and commercialisation, this technology has the potential to significantly impact the global energy transition and support Oman’s move towards sustainable energy solutions.”
Earlier in her academic journey, Noof was also honoured by the University of Nottingham with the Frank Whitt Chemical and Environmental Engineering Student Prize for being the Most Outstanding Student in her final year.
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