Dr. Maria Kazacos

Biography

Maria Kazacos is an Emeritus Professor in the School of Chemical Engineering at the University of New South Wales. Her research interests encompass a range of themes including metal extraction and molten salt technology. Professor Kazacos has made significant contributions to aluminium electrowinning, exploring alternative electrolytes such as cryolite and room temperature electrolytes. Her work also covers advanced control techniques for aluminium smelting and vanadium extraction from fly-ash and spent catalysts. In addition, she is heavily involved in battery research, specifically the development of vanadium redox-cell batteries designed for remote area load levelling applications. Her research includes the design and field testing of commercial prototypes of vanadium batteries and their applications in solar energy systems and electric vehicles. Furthermore, Professor Kazacos focuses on electrode processes and materials, utilizing techniques such as chronopotentiometry and cyclic voltammetry for studying electrode reactions. Her work also extends to the preparation and characterization of conductive polymers, as well as membrane modifications for electrochemical systems.

Research Interests