Objective of this research:​

Owing to their renewable attributes, photo-and electrocatalytic processes remain at the forefront of current research activities including water splitting to produce H₂, reduction of CO₂ into value-added fuels, environmental purification etc. The merit of photocatalytic process lies not only in the fact that they utilize readily available sunlight and relatively low cost photo-active materials, but also the capability to induce a variety of important catalytic reactions. One of the most crucial components which could revolutionize afore-mentioned catalytic reactions is the designing and development of novel nanostructured catalysts that can efficiently convert solar and/or electrical energy into chemical energy. It is generally accepted that achieving control of the architecture of nanoscale materials could lead to the development of new materials and systems with enhanced physico-chemical properties. The potential for success lies in the appropriate tailoring and engineering of the nanomaterials. Among various strategies, tailoring shape, controlling size and creating porosity (high surface area), tuning composition or creating interface are highly effective in enhancing the efficacy of catalysts.

We aim to develop noble metal-free, stable, and solar and electroactive active nano-engineered catalysts which could be applied in H₂ generation, CO₂ reduction, environmental purification in an energy efficient and environmentally benign way.

Members: 

• Dr. Mohammad Qamar
• Mr. Munzir Suliman (PhD student)

Research Facilities:

Centre's laboratories are running and hold the 'basic' infrastructure needed to perform the synthesis and characterization of nanostructured materials. This particular laboratory has equipment for chemical syntheses, high & low temperature muffle and tube furnaces, potentiostat/galvanostat, gas chromatograph, rotating disc electrode, ring rotating disc electrode, other electrodes (Pt counter electrodes, saturated calomel electrodes, silver/silver chloride electrodes, glassy carbon electrode discs), two and three-electrode photo-electrochemical and electrochemical cells, tunable light source, and so forth.

Collaboration:

• Dr. Belabbes Merzougui
• Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, Doha, Qatar.

Current Project:

• ​​Development of plasmonic-metal/metal oxide nanocatalyst for photocatalytic applications.    

Latest Publications:

• Benzyl Alcohol-Mediated Versatile Method to Fabricate Nonstoichiometric Metal Oxide Nanostructures, M. Qamar, A. Adam, A.-M. Azad, Y.-W. Kim, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 9 (2017) 40573–40579.
• Broad Solar Spectrum-Responsive and Highly Efficient Photoanode of Nonstoichiometric TiO₂ Nanoplates/Reduced Graphene Oxide, M. Qamar, B. Merzougui, M. I. Ahmed, Z. H. Yamani, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering (2017) DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.7b03535.
• Metal Organic Framework-Guided Growth of Mo₂C Embedded in Mesoporous Carbon as High-Performance and Stable Electrocatalyst for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction, M. Qamar, A. Adam, B. Merzougui, A. Helal, O. Abdulhamid, M. N. Siddiqui, Journal of Materials Chemistry A 4 (2016) 16225–16232.
• Single-Pot Synthesis of ⟨001⟩-Faceted N‑Doped Nb₂O₅/Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanocomposite for Efficient Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting, M. Qamar, M. Abdalwadoud, M. I. Ahmed, A.-M. Azad, B. Merzougui, S. Bukola, Z. H. Yamani, and M. N. Siddiqui, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 7 (2015) 17954–17962.
• Highly Efficient and Selective Oxidation of Aromatic Alcohols Photocatalyzed by Nanoporous Hierarchical Pt/Bi₂WO₆ in Organic Solvent-Free Environment, M. Qamar, R.B. Elsayed, K.R. Alhooshani, M.I. Ahmed, D.W. Bahnemann, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 7 (2015) 1257-1269.

Patents:

• A Photocatalyst for Selective Oxidation of Alcohols: A Green Synthesis Approach, M. Qamar, K. Alhooshani, R.B. Elsayed, USPTO 9,156, 763 B1.
• Electrode materials for electrocatalytic hydrogen generation from brine, B. Merzougui, S. Bukola, M. Qamar, A. Akeem, M. N. Noui-Mehidi, US Patent App. 15/147, 252.
• Transition metal doped titanate nanotubes manufacturing, K.S. Lee, D.H. Kim,  M. Qamar, S.J. Kim, J.H. Ho, Republic of Korea, Patent No. 10-2006-0094390, 2006.09.27.
• Titanate nanotube synthesis, S.J. Kim, C.R. Yoon, H.J. Oh, G. Minhwa, M. Qamar, D.H. Kim, Republic of Korea, Patent No. 10-2006-0130457, 2006.12.19.