From pioneering new materials and advancing sustainable manufacturing, to harnessing data‑driven modelling and developing resilient technologies, our researchers are focused on delivering practical solutions that accelerate progress toward sustainability and an inclusive transition to clean energy.
This blog highlights some of the inspiring research taking place within the Net Zero Centre. The posts below are written by PhD students and postdoctoral researchers (PDRAs) funded through the Centre, offering insights into their projects, ideas, and the people behind them. Together, their work is helping to shape a cleaner more resilient future.
If you’d like to learn more or connect with our community, we’d love to hear from you at netzero@kcl.ac.uk.
Case Study 1: Jaewook Lee – Department of Engineering
I am a PhD student in the Department of Engineering, working under the supervision of Dr Miao Guo and Professor Chris Lorenz. My research focuses on applying AI–based methodologies to address challenges in chemical process and biosystem engineering.
I have been particularly inspired by the rapid development of AI technologies, including large language models. These advances continuously introduce creative and unconventional approaches to problem-solving, motivating me to explore how AI can be applied beyond automation and instead used as an intellectual partner to understand and design solutions for complex engineering problems. This perspective is what drives my academic curiosity and sustains my passion for research.
My research:
My current research focuses on designing the software “brain” of a self-driving laboratory by integrating large language models and multi-fidelity optimisation.
Self-driving laboratories are rapidly advancing systems that can autonomously design, execute, and refine experiments without direct human intervention. However, despite this progress, clear limitations remain in achieving scalable experimental design that explicitly accounts for environmental impacts.
Case Study 2: Annika Dennis – Department of Chemistry
I am a third-year PhD student in the King’s Department of Chemistry working under the supervision of Dr Alex Brogan. My work focuses on sustainable methods for plastic recycling.
My research:
This research is important to me because it brings together the things I care about most: creative problem-solving through chemistry and developing sustainable technologies with real-world applications. I am driven by the idea that fundamental chemical understanding can lead to practical solutions for real environmental problems. My research shows a promising new way to recycle polyurethanes, which are among the most difficult and important plastics to deal with because they are widely used in products like foams, coatings, adhesives, and textiles, but are hard to recycle effectively. I was inspired by the idea that we could use biological tools, not brute force chemistry, to tackle one of the most persistent waste problems in modern materials science. The chance to explore the intersection where creative chemical approaches become practical real-world solutions is what motivates me every day.
This work combines the enzyme Proteinase K with ionic liquids to break down polyurethane in a more selective and controlled way under relatively gentle conditions, such as neutral pH, low pressure, and moderate temperatures. The ionic liquids play two important roles. First, they soften the plastic and help the enzyme reach the bonds it needs to cut. Second, in conjunction with some modifications to the enzyme surface, ionic liquids aid in keeping the enzyme stable and active for much longer, even under conditions where it would normally stop working. Using this system, a post-consumer polyurethane sponge was treated, and complete mass loss was achieved at 70 °C after 7 days. Importantly, when polyurethane was mixed with PET, another common plastic, the modified enzyme mainly broke down the polyurethane, suggesting that this method could be useful for treating mixed plastic waste. Overall, these results point to a selective and adaptable recycling strategy that could help address the major challenge of polyurethane waste.
Case Study 3: Mohsin Rafique – Department of Engineering
I come from a remote village in Kashmir, Pakistan, where opportunities were limited and the idea of studying abroad felt almost unreachable. What carried me forward was the constant encouragement of my late father, who always reminded me that education could reshape a person’s life and that I should never place limits on what I could achieve. He influenced every stage of my journey: from choosing aeronautical engineering for my bachelor’s degree in China to completing my MSc Aerospace Engineering in the UK and now pursuing my PhD under the supervision of Dr Richard Jefferson-Loveday. Today, one of my strongest motivations is to know my father would be so proud of me achieving something meaningful; something that contributes to humanity in a real way.
My research:
My PhD research focuses on coupled heat transfer, stress, and hydrogen diffusion modelling in cryogenic combustion systems for future zero-emission jet engines. It brings together finite element modelling, thermodynamics, and materials behaviour to understand how extreme temperature gradients and mechanical loads affect hydrogen inside multi-channel structures.
My interest in the Net Zero and/or climate-focused engineering grew steadily during my academic journey across China and the UK, where I witnessed the global urgency for clean, reliable, and sustainable technologies. This exposure shaped my desire to work on hydrogen propulsion and the future of clean aviation. I enjoy this work because it sits at the intersection of engineering, climate science, and innovation, and because it allows me to contribute knowledge that can support long-term net-zero ambitions.
This project gives me a strong sense of purpose. It allows me to contribute to cleaner aviation, advance sustainable technologies, and be part of a wider effort to address climate change. For me, this journey is not only about academic progress; it is about honouring my father’s belief in me, rising beyond where I started, and dedicating myself to work that genuinely matters for the future.
My work aims to address this gap by using large language models and multi-fidelity optimisation to enable next-generation self-driving laboratory systems that inherently incorporate environmental sustainability into experimental decision-making.
Case Study 4: Mayu Miyazaki – Department of Engineering
From Osaka University to King’s College London, my journey has been anything but linear. With a Master’s in Chemistry, I began my career as a tribologist—studying friction, wear, and lubrication, the quiet forces that underpin both machines and life itself. In Japan, pursuing science as a woman meant navigating rigid norms around gender and age, often without mentors or role models.
After nearly a decade in heavy industry and academia, I stepped off the expected path. A sabbatical across Europe and North America—complete with coffee-fuelled donut pilgrimages—gave me perspective and renewed conviction. Returning to Japan, I rebuilt my career in Tokyo, a leap that defied expectations for a woman over forty in a male-dominated field.
That leap eventually carried me further: to London, and now to King’s. Standing on The Strand, watching sunsets over the Thames, I’m reminded that what once seemed unimaginable is now reality. My path reflects resilience, reinvention, and the beauty of being warmly accommodated, mentored and encouraged to thrive at King’s, plus in an area of research not historically led by women – I am grateful to play even a small role in advancing meaningful change in this field.
My research:
Growing up reliant on public transport, I saw first-hand the pollution tied to vehicles and felt a strong urge to contribute to reversing that course. Today, my research centres on “Developing a new generation of water-based lubricants (WBLs) for electric vehicles (EVs), inspired by biological lubrication mechanisms.”
Lubricants reduce friction, prevent wear, and keep engines or moving parts running smoothly – whether in a car’s pistons or something as simple as wax on a sliding door. Traditional lubricants rely on oil and chemical additive, but these often place a heavy burden on the environment. Water, by contrast, is abundant, inexpensive and easy to process; it has a low viscosity and is easy to handle, plus it offers excellent cooling performance. However, there have been no practical examples of water-based lubricants for EVs, and this area remains largely unexplored.
Research and development in this area is now actively carried out jointly by oil manufacturers and automobile companies. For example, to reduce friction and wear, lubricants must have a certain amount of viscosity, which can be adjusted through the addition of polymers. In addition, extreme pressure agents such as chlorine, phosphorus and sulphur are added to prevent seizure due to high pressure. These additives place a high burden on the environment.
My work seeks to change that: using water as the main raw material combined with biologically inspired compounds to replace harmful additives. It is a difficult challenge, but one that could make lubrication cleaner and more sustainable. With guidance from supervisors across disciplines – including engineering and oral biology – I can approach this research from fresh perspectives, finding unexpected insights beyond the boundaries of my field.
Conducting this work at King’s College London, in such a diverse and collaborative environment, has been transformative. I am deeply grateful to the Net Zero Centre and my supervisors - Dr Sorin Christian-Vladescu, Professor Guy Carpenter, and Professor Chiharu Tadokoro - for their support. Our paths have crossed over years of conferences, labs and factory visits, and this continuity of integrity and collaboration has made the journey possible.
Case Study 5: Michelangelo Tritto – Department of Chemistry
I am an inorganic chemist whose research primarily focuses on the synthesis and computational analysis of novel low oxidation state Group 13 complexes.
I was introduced into this field for my MSci project under the supervision of Dr Clare Bakewell, and I immediately grew a love for working in the lab, the process of research, as well as a strong appreciation for the importance of providing sustainable alternatives to essential chemical processes.
My research:
Transition metals represent the gold standard when it comes to chemical catalysis. In recent years however, questions have been raised regarding their long-term use, particularly when considering the scarcity of many frequently employed catalytic metals (platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium), as well as the unethical practices commonly associated with their extraction. Group 13 elements (boron, aluminium, gallium, indium) in their lower (electron rich) oxidation states, have shown great promise in recreating aspects of transition metal reactivity, whilst remaining generally free of these burdens.
My research focuses on tuning these elements to mimic useful ‘transition metal-like’ reactivity. Whilst conceptually attainable, bonding in main group compounds can often be quite complex, commonly breaking conventional classification ‘rules’ and making their reactivity hard to predict or control.
My synthetic work primarily focuses on the chemical reduction of group 13 elements into highly reactive electron rich states, to promote activation of environmentally adverse small molecules like carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide. My computational work involves using quantum mechanical calculations density functional theory (DFT) to uncover the electronic fine structure of ambiguously bonded main group complexes to predict any associated reactivity and uncover the catalytic potential of these compounds.
Case Study 6: Malene Fumany – Department of Engineering
I am a PhD Researcher, working under the supervision of Dr Laura Lander in the Green Energy Materials Lab. I hold Bachelor of Engineering and Master’s of Science in Petroleum Engineering degrees.
I have industry experience in battery research and recycling from working at Nissan as a Battery Research Engineer Contractor, and Warwick Manufacturing Group, as a project engineer in hydrometallurgical recovery. I also worked as a Research Assistant at Cambridge University on the open-source ventilator system intervention initiative (OVSII) project which aimed at designing a system capable of producing medical grade oxygen and able to be replicated in low-and middle-income countries.
Besides my PhD research, I am also actively engaged in helping create a positive impact for the engineering community in the Democratic Republic of Congo. I aim to inspire young people from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue careers in STEM supporting the Congolese community both in the UK and in the DRC. I delivered a talk on battery recycling, critical materials, the impact of policies and the role of Congo in Climate Change at a conference in Congo, at which His Majesty's Ambassador to the DRC and Members of Parliament including the representative of the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs were present (September 2024).
My research:
My research focuses on recycling of lithium-ion and next-generation batteries, where I conduct techno-economic and business analyses, and work to optimise battery recycling processes. My research is two-fold; the first seeks to understand the impact of recycling policies on critical materials dependency, battery cost and the recycling sector from a supply and price impact point of view and from an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) business perspective. The second is experimental and seeks to investigate increasing efficiencies of current recycling processes, evaluating the feasibility of recovering sodium and lithium from a black mass mixture of sodium-ion battery and lithium-ion battery cathode materials.
For the first part, I have been awarded funding to collaborate with King’s Business School and King’s Centre for Sustainable Business, which allowed me to deepen my knowledge in climate policy and recycling-relevant fields, to increase my interdisciplinary network, and to reach a wider community for increased impact. Through this awarded fund from the Centre for Sustainable Business, we organised a workshop in May 2025 which brought together diverse expertise and perspectives across industry professionals, policy makers and academia. Our research paper is providing important insights on the future of battery recycling for policy makers and battery manufacturers alike. I further presented this paper at the Faraday Institution Conference 2025 and at the IMechE Electrified Vehicle Engineering Conference 2025. This part of the research seeks to elaborate in more detail the possible impacts of these legislations and the outcome of this research will serve as an advisory document to the EU policy makers, whilst the findings will also be of significant interest to the academic community and industry stakeholders alike.
The next part investigates global recycling policies and assesses their impact on car manufacturers and how they adapt or respond to the changing regulatory framework. Finally, through an experimental analysis, the last part of the research seeks to optimise a recycling process to improve recycling efficiency of lithium and sodium-ion batteries.
Through a combination of these two approaches, we have been able to isolate a variety of novel complexes of interest. Including unprecedented aluminium and indium compounds in the +1-oxidation state, capable of noteworthy reactivity.
Case Study 7: Yunfei Bai – Department of Engineering
I am a Postdoctoral Research Associate, working on the Net Zero Transition Implementation project with Westminster City Council and Dr Wei He. My role focuses on supporting Westminster’s journey towards a low-carbon future by exploring how technology, policy, and community needs can come together in practice.
I completed my PhD at the University of Warwick in 2025. My doctoral research focused on smart energy-saving control systems for buildings, with a particular emphasis on space heating. By developing advanced control strategies, my work aimed to reduce heating energy consumption, lower household energy bills, and contribute to the decarbonisation of buildings.
I moved to the UK in 2021 to start my PhD. Every winter, I heard friends around me complain about how expensive heating had become, many avoiding turning it on unless absolutely necessary. This issue became even more real for me in 2022, when I moved from a student apartment with bills included to a flat where I had to pay all energy bills myself. Like many people, I began to balance comfort against cost.
These experiences inspired my interest in building energy research. At first, I believed that smarter control systems alone could significantly reduce energy use and bills. Over time, however, I realised that control is only part of the solution. Meaningful reductions in energy consumption require a more holistic approach: improving building insulation (such as roofs, walls, and windows) to reduce heat loss, and upgrading heating and hot water systems to cleaner, more efficient technologies.
This is why my current role at King’s, in collaboration with Westminster City Council, is so exciting. It gives me the opportunity to take these ideas beyond theory and apply them in the real world, using technical research to support a practical and fair transition to net zero.
My research:
In September 2019, Westminster City Council declared a Climate Emergency and set ambitious carbon-reduction targets. The Council aims to become carbon-neutral in its own operations by 2030 and to achieve a net zero carbon city by 2040, a full ten years ahead of the UK’s national 2050 target.
Reaching these goals is not only about high-level policy decisions. A successful net zero transition also depends on active community and public engagement. My work focuses on understanding and addressing the challenges that arise when technical feasibility, real-world implementation, and community needs intersect.
Specifically, I am developing and testing methods that assess both short- and long-term benefits of net zero projects, such as reduced energy bills, improved health outcomes, and better air quality. This work supports the evaluation of Westminster’s net zero project pipeline and local area energy plans, including strategies such as heat networks and wider energy decarbonisation measures. Importantly, it also considers broader community concerns, helping ensure that the transition is not only low carbon, but also fair, inclusive, and beneficial for residents.
I love this work because it allows me to connect research with real societal impact. Being able to contribute technical insight to decisions that affect people’s everyday lives, and to support communities on their path to a more sustainable future, is what motivates me most. Through this project, I hope to help turn ambitious net zero targets into practical actions that truly make a difference.