Dr. Muhammad Tahir
Associate Professor
Tahir's group is focused on engineered multifunctional nanomaterials (inorganic & polymeric) and their applications in biofouling, corrosion and photo/-electrochemical catalysis.
Research Areas
Materials & Nanoscience
We are interest in the synthesis and detailed chemical and physical characterization of multifunctional nanomaterials with compositions ranging from carbon based semiconductors (graphene, C3N4), metals (Au, Ag, Cu, Ni), metal oxides (optically active semiconductors as well as magnetic) and transition layered metal chalcogenides. The morphologies of these nanomaterials range from spherical (0D), nanorods or nanotubes (1D), nanoplates (2D), to hierarchically nano-architectured mesoporous 3D organized superparticles using various synthetic methods including hydrothermal, solvothermal, high temperature solution and solid state synthesis.
The chemical aspects are focused on the development of new synthetic routes to achieve next level of hierarchy in nanomaterials chemistry to tailor their bandgaps for efficient solar light harvesting ability and energy storage capacity. The surface engineering to overcome the interfacial mismatches for their applications in multidisciplinary research areas (oil and gas field). Moreover, we are interested in the synthesis and design of new materials to understand the chemical structure and their function relationships.
In the area of the physical properties of these materials, we are interested to tailor the surfaces to achieve super-hydrophobic/hydrophilic properties and mechanically and chemically robust anti-biofouling & anticorrosive smart coatings.
A second goal of research in our lab is to develop bioinspired, bio-mimicked, eco-friendly protocols for the synthesis of metal, metal oxide nanoparticles/thin films or mimicking complex biological systems to develop functional nanocomposites or using inorganic nanoparticles as biocatalysts to mimic various enzymatic catalyzed reactions.
The topics of our current activities in the lab include:
- Engineered organic semiconductors (graphene, doped graphene, carbon nitride for photo-reforming of polymeric waste (plastics)
- Band gap engineering of inorganic nanoparticles for solar energy conversion & storage devices
- Lessons from Nature (enzyme mimics); combating biofouling with nanoparticles
- Colloidal inorganic nanoparticles/polymer composites for enhanced oil and gas recovery
OFFICE
4 - 141
PHONE
1687
EMAIL
muhammad.tahir@kfupm.edu.sa
ORCID ID