Page 21 - R&KT Flipping Book - Issue 5, Dec 2016

Our student / graduate

Li Yuhan, PhD Student Issue FIve

Demonstrates Research Excellence

“My research work not only can provide novel
modifications for the design of highly efficient
g-C N -based photocatalysts, but also offer new
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4
insights into the mechanistic understanding of
g-C N -based photocatalysis,”
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She is extremely grateful for the support that EdUHK provides
Li Yuhan is a prime example of the research her. “EdUHK provides abundant and useful learning resources. I
excellence displayed by PhD students at The can make use of the academic freedom and extensive laboratory
Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK). facilities at the University to do my experiments. I can work on my
Pursuing a PhD Degree in Doctor of Philosophy experiments from morning to night without any disturbance or
at the University. Li is active in researching time restrictions,” Li says.
photocatalysis in her studies on environmental
pollution treatment. Since joining EdUHK in Li will graduate in 2018 and she plans to work as an academic to
September 2015, she has published three contribute to society with the fruits of her environmental research.
academic science papers in international
journals and two conference papers on the topic.

Her passion for the environment has been instrumental in driving
her excellence in research. “The extensive utilization of fossil fuels
remarkably contributes to environmental contamination. As a
consequence, air quality deteriorates and atmospheric pollution
problems, such as greenhouse effect, ozone layer depletion, and
acid rain, ensue,” says Li.

A Chongqing native, Li is determined to help protect the
environment against environmental pollution through her
research on photocatalysis. Regarded as one of the most promising
technologies available in alleviating environmental deterioration,
photocatalysis creates a strong oxidation agent to breakdown Photo taken at the International Symposium on Environmental Catalysis, in Wuhan,
China, in July 2016
organic matter to carbon dioxide and water in the presence of the
photocatalysts of light and water.
However, in order to further develop the technology, there is
an urgent need to carry out research for a robust visible-light-
responsive photocatalyst. This is the area Li feels that she can help
apply her research skills. She has been focusing on developing new
efficient photocatalysts and a novel photocatalytic technologies.
One of her research targets is g-C 3 N 4 , an intriguing visible light-
stimulated photocatalyst that can meet requirements for various
environmental protection measures, including hydrogen evolution,
organic pollutant degradation and air purification.

“My research work not only can provide novel modifications for
the design of highly efficient g-C 3 N 4 -based photocatalysts, but also
offer new insights into the mechanistic understanding of g-C 3 N 4 -
based photocatalysis,” Li says.
Li was awarded 2nd prize in the research paper contest of the 10th National Graduate
Students’ Environmental Forum in Shanghai, 2015.

R & KT News 21