A PhD student who allegedly threw sulphuric acid into the face of a classmate and then hit him on the head with a hammer will spend his time in custody in a mental health facility.
Rui Zhang, 26, appeared in Waverley Local Court today charged with causing grievous bodily harm to Xiaoyu Cheng, 25.
The two Chinese nationals are PhD chemistry students at the University of NSW and were in a research laboratory with other students when the incident happened about 6pm (AEDT) on Thursday.
Zhang wore a white forensics jumpsuit and had his hands cuffed behind his back as he sat in the dock.
He had bandages on his chin and right cheek.
Magistrate Jacqueline Milledge told the court that Zhang "clearly needed mental health and physical health attention".
He did not apply for bail, which was formally refused, and had a Mandarin interpreter to assist him during his brief appearance.
Ms Milledge ordered that Zhang be transferred to a mental health facility for evaluation.
She noted that a psychiatrist had assessed him at the Kiloh Centre, a mental health facility at Prince of Wales Hospital.
Just after Zhang was ushered out of court, prosecutor Mark Drury told the court police may upgrade the charges.
Ms Milledge responded, "One minute of madness and your life changes forever".
Mr Cheng remains in a critical condition in an induced coma at Royal North Shore Hospital.
His mother has flown from Melbourne and his father from Shanghai to join him.
The university has offered accommodation to Mr Cheng's family and counselling to staff and other students present during the incident.
"This distressing incident involved two of our postgraduate students working in a research laboratory," a university spokeswoman said in a statement.
"The university has set up an incident team to provide support to the victim's family and staff and students."
It is understood Cheng has been a PhD student for 18 months at the university.
Zhang will appear in Sydney's Central Local Court via audio-visual link on November 29.
