Embedded Files
Dr. Abdul Malek has led and executed industry-driven research projects in collaboration with Saudi Aramco, ACWA Power, and Shanghai Electric. As lead researcher, he worked on applied electrochemical technologies spanning water electrolysis, energy systems, and reactor-level engineering, with a strong emphasis on scalability, durability, and industrial relevance. These projects bridged fundamental research with real-world deployment challenges, supporting translation toward pilot- and industrial-scale applications.
Dr. Abdul Malek has led and executed industry-driven research projects in collaboration with Saudi Aramco, ACWA Power, and Shanghai Electric. As lead researcher, he worked on applied electrochemical technologies spanning water electrolysis, energy systems, and reactor-level engineering, with a strong emphasis on scalability, durability, and industrial relevance. These projects bridged fundamental research with real-world deployment challenges, supporting translation toward pilot- and industrial-scale applications.
1. Scale-up demonstration under fluctuating power with Shanghai Electric (China)
1. Scale-up demonstration under fluctuating power with Shanghai Electric (China)
As lead researcher, Dr. Abdul Malek collaborated with Shanghai Electric (China) on the development of renewable-powered anion exchange membrane water electrolyzers (AEMWEs) capable of operating under fluctuating power conditions. The project introduced a transient-promoter-based strategy for NiFe oxyhydroxide OER catalyst derived from a Ni–Fe–Cr precursor, enabling enhanced durability and performance through electronic modulation, improved porosity, and sacrificial Cr leaching. The system demonstrated industrially relevant operation at 1 A cm⁻², long-term stability under dynamic loads, and successful scale-up from lab-scale devices to a 2.5 kW, 8-cell electrolyzer stack. This work validated the technical feasibility of directly coupling intermittent renewable electricity with durable, kilowatt-scale water electrolysis systems.
Ref: Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2025, e20825 https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202520825
2. Treated industrial wastewater-driven kW-scale water electrolysis with Saudi Aramco (Saudi Arabia)
2. Treated industrial wastewater-driven kW-scale water electrolysis with Saudi Aramco (Saudi Arabia)
In collaboration with Saudi Aramco, Dr. Abdul Malek led the development of a cost-efficient, non-noble-metal S-NiFeCr oxide anode catalyst for anion exchange membrane water electrolysis using treated industrial wastewater. The project addressed key challenges of impurity tolerance, catalyst durability, and long-term operation under realistic water feeds, offering an alternative to precious-metal-dependent PEM systems reported in recent literature. The technology was successfully demonstrated at the 5-kW scale, validating its stability and industrial relevance for coupling wastewater treatment with sustainable hydrogen production. This work has progressed to patent application.
Ref: Abdul Malek, Khalid N Alfaleh, Hassan S. Alqahtani, Xu Lu, “S-NiFeCr Oxide Anode Catalyst for Anion Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis using treated industrial wastewater.” (Status: Applied).
3. Pilot-Scale PV-Integration Project with ACWA Power (Saudi Arabia)
3. Pilot-Scale PV-Integration Project with ACWA Power (Saudi Arabia)
Conducted a pilot-scale study with ACWA Power on the direct integration of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels with both Anion Exchange Membrane (AEM) and Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) water electrolyzers. The project evaluated electrolyzer performance under variable solar power, focusing on load-following behavior, system and stack level efficiency, start–stop resilience, and short- to mid-term operational stability. The outcomes provided practical insights into system design and control strategies required for renewable-powered hydrogen production under realistic operating conditions. This project compared AEM and PEM systems.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse