On June 18, Professor Shu Ping Lau, Chair Professor of the Department of Applied Physics and Associate Director of the Photonics Research Institute at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, visited the School of Chemical Engineering by invitation and delivered an academic lecture titled Scalable Electrochemical CO₂ Capture and Conversion. Young faculty members, doctoral and master’s student representatives of the School attended this academic exchange event.

In his lecture, Professor Lau centered on the cutting-edge research field of continuous electrochemical CO₂ capture and resource utilization, systematically presenting major research advances achieved by his research group in recent years. Addressing the critical demand for efficient CO₂ capture and conversion under the carbon neutrality goal, his team constructed modular porous solid electrolyte reactors with a circulating flow configuration, enabling continuous high-purity CO₂ capture from diverse sources including ambient air and industrial flue gas. The system exhibits outstanding long-term operational stability, high Faradaic efficiency and robust air treatment capacity, demonstrating promising prospects for engineering application.

Regarding CO₂ resource valorization, Professor Lau elaborated on an innovative strategy that deeply couples continuous regeneration of capture media with CO₂ electrolysis, realizing direct conversion of captured CO₂ into high-value chemicals such as ethylene. The membrane electrode assembly (MEA) system developed by the group adopts pure water feeding without alkali metal cations, which effectively suppresses carbonate formation and sustains stable long-term operation under industrially relevant current densities. Meanwhile, the innovative design of high-flux gas diffusion electrodes further enhances mass transfer, laying crucial technical support for the construction and industrialization of kilowatt-scale CO₂ electrolysis systems.

During the discussion session, faculty and students engaged in in-depth exchanges with Professor Lau on topics including CO₂ electrolysis reaction mechanisms, membrane electrode design, large-scale scaling-up and industrial deployment. Drawing on his own research experience and achievements, Professor Lau provided detailed responses to all questions, fostering a vibrant academic atmosphere on site.

This lecture showcased the significant application potential of scalable electrochemical technologies in carbon management, deepened faculty and students’ understanding of frontier research on electrochemical CO₂ capture and conversion, and offered valuable insights for academic communication and interdisciplinary collaboration in related fields.