Research

Photocatalysis is an emerging field for our future green and sustainable technology applications which hybridize the topics of nanotechnology, environmental science, advanced materials, analytical chemistry and renewable energy. Photocatalysis system used semiconductor photocatalyst which is an ability to cause and/or accelerate chemical reactions upon light irradiation, particularly sunlight energy. There is various type of semiconductor photocatalyst that been explored such as titanium dioxide, bismuth vanadate, graphitic carbon nitride and zinc oxide. In addition, photocatalysis system exists in two types which are particle dispersion system and photoelectrochemical system. In our lab, we have done extensive research in both photocatalysis system using various type of semiconductor photocatalyst. We are keen to unravel the promising potential of semiconductor photocatalyst via understanding both capabilities and fundamental processes in the view of computational studies and experimental validation. Several strategies have been adopted in improving the conventional photocatalyst materials such as doping, the formation of the heterostructure, introducing defect and electron mediator have shown promises toward the readiness of our developed photocatalyst materials to be implemented in the industrial application. In the view of wastewater treatment applications via photocatalysis system, we have tested our as-developed materials in real industrial wastewater such as poultry, pharmaceuticals, petroleum, and Batik industries. In fact, our group has several collaborators from industries which are keen to see the promising potential of this emerging technology to be debuted into industrial soon.

Our team focuses more on :Advanced Oxidation Processes, Fenton system, Wastewater Treatment, Degradation.

Solar energy is abundantly available globally, especially in Malaysia as we received a tremendous amount of solar energy due to our position near the equatorial. One of the promising ways of utilizing this nature is via artificial photosynthesis in which we converting the sunlight into chemical energy via adopting the photocatalysis system. In this water splitting system, we are able to split water into oxygen and hydrogen. Hydrogen possesses very high energy density which can be employed in many renewable energy applications and as an alternative energy for the current fossil fuels systems. Currently, the primary source of hydrogen fuel is generated from natural gas, consequently promote the production of harmful carbon dioxide. Nonetheless, there are no harmful by-products such as carbon dioxide being produced in this artificial solar photosynthesis system which helps to maintain our earth ecosystem. In this system, we use our own developed dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) system integrated with a photoanode made of a metal oxide. The photoanode which is made from the metal oxide such as bismuth vanadate, titanium dioxide or others was prepared via several methods such as screen-printing, doctor blading, spin-coating, and CVD. In addition, we use the economical DSSCs approach instead of the conventional silicon-based solar cell which is known to be expensive in our solar hydrogen system.

Our team focuses more on :Hydrogen Production, Photoelectrochemical cell, dye-sensitized solar cells, water splitting

Carbon based materials such as activated carbon (AC), carbon nanotubes and carbon nanofibres also known as graphitic nanofibres (GNF) have been identified as potential storage media for hydrogen (H₂) gas in transportation. Apart from its high surface area, such materials are light weight and able to store H₂ under moderate operating pressure with low hydrogen storage volume. For example, AC is an effective adsorption agent with high surface area compare with GNF. However, the retention of adsorbed H₂ molecules within AC pores can only achieve at cryogenic temperature since only a small fraction of the pores in the typically wide pore size distribution are small enough to interact strongly with H₂ molecules at room temperature and moderate pressures. Graphitic nanofibres are a graphitic filament with diameters between 0.4 and 500 nm. It consists of stacked (platelet) or cup stacked (herringbone) structures. Unlike AC, GNF is capable of adsorbing and retaining up to 30 L H₂ per gram of carbon at room temperature. This is because the distance between the graphene layers which is the interplanar distance of GNF is 3.37A˚. These slit-shaped nanopores having a width slightly higher than kinetic molecular diameter of H₂ that is 2.89 A˚ are sufficient enough to allow only H₂ molecules to be adsorbed while restricting other gas molecules. Apart from that, the presence of delocalized electrons within stacked graphite platelets causes the establishment of a strong interaction between solid and gas. This makes GNF as an ideal solid to store H₂ through physical adsorption process. Some researchers have developed GNF for the purpose of storing H₂. Herein, my interest is to engineer design a practical solution for future hydrogen storage. Various strategies from materials design to engineering process are used to optimize the overall performance of the system.

Coatings, is one of the most effective methods that have been applied on steel structures as to protect the material from corrosion. In coatings industries, the manufacturer tends to use the organic polymer as a based of coatings, owing to their hydrophobicity, substrate compatibility, cost effectiveness and impermeability. Epoxy, poly urethane, polyethylene, poly vinyl chloride, polystyrene and poly aniline type of polymers have demonstrated superior coating properties. Serious implications of the conventional coatings include the depletion of petroleum resources, release of VOCs in the atmosphere, green house effects, global warming, ozone layer depletion and health related issues including allergies, asthma, bronchitis, and sometimes skin and lungs cancer. Besides environmental and health risks associated with petrochemical derived coatings, there exists technical limitations e.g. degradation and failure of coatings at high temperatures and affinity with organic environment e.g. petroleum industry. In order to reduce those drawback, the idea to introduce an inorganic coatings materials gain worldwide attention among researchers. Geopolymers, as one of the example of inorganic materials start to be explore recently, to be applied as a coatings material. Promising with high chemical stability and good mechanical properties, the research in geopolymer coatings should be expand more.

Grant Accumulated: ~RM 4,401,743.75 *updated JUNE 2020

Principal Investigator (PI)

1. Yayasan Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, YUTP (2019 - 2022) (015LC0-138) RM 194,152.00

Project: Facile Development of Low Cost High Porosity Hybrid Geopolymer/Alginate Spheres for Batik Wastewater Treatment.

2. Fundamental Research Grant Scheme - APRS (2018 - 2019) (015MA0-051) Rm 15,000.00

Project: A study on Student's Performance and Acceptance on CDIO Implementation in Solving Engineering Integrated Project.

3. Murata Science Foundation Grant, MSF (2018 - 2019) (015ME0-033) RM 18,302.75

Project: Solar-Driven Water Purification Technology (SWAPT) for generation of Clean Energy and Water in Rural Area.

4. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, SoTL Grant (2018 - 2019) (0152AA-A73) RM 20,000

Project: Enhancing Chemical Engineering Fundamentals Through Integrated Projects of Chem-E Car

5. Yayasan Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, YUTP (2015 - 2018) (0153AA-E01) RM170,800.00

Project: Hydrogen production through methane decomposition using hydrotalcite based catalytic nanomaterials in fluidized bed reactor.

6. Fundamental Research Grant Scheme, FRGS (2015 - 2016) (0153AB-I99) RM96,200

Project: A new study on catalytic mechanism of carbon nanofiber-supported catalyst in nitrogen hydrogenation reaction.

7. Internal grant UTP-URIF (2013 - 2014) (0153AA-B12) RM50,000

Project: Investigation of Functionalized Activated Carbon from Durian Shell and Seed in Dye Removal.

8. Fundamental Research Grant Scheme, FRGS (2010- 2012) (FRGS 2/2010/TK/UTP/03/5) RM56,850

Project: Synthesis of Hydrotalcite-Derived Reduced Mixed Oxides as Novel Hydrogen Storage Materials.

9. Internal grant UTP-STIRF (2011 - 2012) (93/10.11) RM25,000

Project: Removal of Heavy Metal Using Functionalized CNT and CNF.

Co-Principal Investigator

1. Yayasan Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, YUTP (2018 - 2021) (015LC0-037) RM 186000

Project: Low cost transformation of the anthropogenic greenhouse carbon dioxide gases into valuable carbon nanotubes: A comparative study between chemical vapor deposition and solar electrolysis.

2. Yayasan Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, YUTP (2017 - 2020) (0153AA-H34) RM 152720

Project: Smart pH responsive coating doped with layer by layer assembled nanocontainer loaded with corrosion inhibitor.

3. Nanoscifund (2011 - 2013) RM280000

Project: Development of Agro-based Activated Carbon and Modified CNT for CO2 capture.

4. Long Research Grant Scheme, LRGS ( 2011 - 2016) RM 2,121,655.00

Project: Next Generation Green and Economical Urea.

Co-Researcher

1. Fundamental Research Grant Scheme, FRGS (2019 - 2022) RM 125,000

Project: Investigating the Mechanism of Carbon Dioxide Capture by Metal oxides Impregnated Activated Carbon Derived from Waste Material.

2. Fundamental Research Grant Scheme, FRGS (2019 - 2020) RM 87,000

Project: Control Mechanism Of Tunable Silica Grafted Carbon Quantum Dots From Rice Husk By Heteroatoms Doping And Surface Functionalization

3. Fundamental Research Grant Scheme, FRGS (2017 - 2019) RM 78 864

Project: Correlation and interaction of synthesis parameters of microwave irradiation transesterification of Waste frying oil (WFO) and elucidation of its reaction mechanism using new clay catalyst.

4. Fundamental Research Grant Scheme, FRGS (2014 - 2016) RM146000

Project: A study on the reaction mechanism of catalytic hydrogen production using density functional theory (DFT).

5. Fundamental Research Grant Scheme, FRGS (2011 - 2016) RM114,800

Project: Investigating Dispersal and Explosive Behaviours of Engineered Nano Materials (ENMs) .

6. Fundamental Research Grant Scheme, FRGS (2013 - 2015) RM143,500

Project: Interphase behavior of biopolymer nanocomposite material impacting porous surface.

7. Fundamental Research Grant Scheme, FRGS (2015 - 2018) Rm 121,100

Project: Kinetic study of Biodegradable Inhibitor for CH4 and CO2 and mixed gas hydrates.

8. Science Fund (2007 - 2009) Rm 103,800

Project: Development of graphitic nanofibre and carbon nanotubes for hydrogen storage.

9. Internal grant UTP-STIRF (2015 - 2016) Rm 25,000

Project: A structure feature based toxicity prediction of ionic liquids.

10. Internal grant UTP-STIRF (2017 - 2018) Rm 20,000

Project: Template-assisted synthesis of carbon dots/TiO2 by using solvothermal method as photocatalytic agent of water splitting and treatment.

11. Internal grant UTP-STIRF (2014 - 2015) Rm 50,000

Project: Performance analysis of hierarchical rare-earth nanocatalysts for deoxygenation of oil palm waste biomass in malaysia.