Advanced Applications of Micro and Nano Clay II - Synthetic Polymer Composites

The book focuses on clay-based micro and nanocomposites with different synthetic polymers and presents their synthesis, characterization and testing. The fields of application of these materials include food packaging, rheological control agents, wastewater treatment, biomedical applications and drug delivery.

About the Author

Dr. Amir Al-Ahmed is working as a Research Scientist-II (Associate Professor) in the Interdisciplinary Research Center for Renewable Energy and Power Systems (IRC-REPS), at King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM), Saudi Arabia. He graduated in chemistry from the Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), India. Then completed his M.Phil. (2001) and Ph.D. (2004) in Applied Chemistry from the Department of Applied Chemistry, AMU, India, followed by three consecutive postdoctoral fellowships in South Africa and Saudi Arabia. During this period, he worked on various multidisciplinary projects, in particular, conducting composites, electrochemical sensors, nano-materials, polymeric membranes, electro-catalysis and solar cells. At present, his research activity is fundamentally focused on the 3rd generation solar cell devices, such as, low band gap semiconductors, quantum dots, perovskites, and tandem cells. At the same time, he is also working on energy storage technologies, such as, heat storage, evaluation of electricity storage devices and dust repellent coating for PVs.

He has worked on different NSTIP, KACST and Saudi Aramco funded projects in the capacity of a principle and co-investigator. Dr. Amir has eight US patents, over 60 journal articles, invited book chapters and conferences publications. He has edited ten books with Trans Tech Publication, Springer, Elsevier, Materials Research Forum LLC, and several other books are in progress. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of an international journal “Nano Hybrids and Composites” along with Professor Y. H. Kim.

Dr. Inamuddin is working as Assistant Professor at the Department of Applied Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India. He obtained Master of Science degree in Organic Chemistry from Chaudhary Charan Singh (CCS) University, Meerut, India, in 2002. He received his Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Applied Chemistry from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), India, in 2004 and 2007, respectively. He has extensive research experience in multidisciplinary fields of Analytical Chemistry, Materials Chemistry, and Electrochemistry and, more specifically, Renewable Energy and Environment. He has worked on different research projects as project fellow and senior research fellow funded by University Grants Commission (UGC), Government of India, and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Government of India. He has received Fast Track Young Scientist Award from the Department of Science and Technology, India, to work in the area of bending actuators and artificial muscles. He has also received the Sir Syed Young Researcher of the Year Award 2020 from Aligarh Muslim University. He has completed four major research projects sanctioned by University Grant Commission, Department of Science and Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, and Council of Science and Technology, India.

He has published 200 research articles in international journals of repute and nineteen book chapters in knowledge-based book editions published by renowned international publishers. He has published 150 edited books with Springer (U.K.), Elsevier, Nova Science Publishers, Inc. (U.S.A.), CRC Press Taylor & Francis Asia Pacific, Trans Tech Publications Ltd. (Switzerland), IntechOpen Limited (U.K.), Wiley-Scrivener, (U.S.A.) and Materials Research Forum LLC (U.S.A). He is a member of various journals’ editorial boards. He is also serving as Associate Editor for journals (Environmental Chemistry Letter, Applied Water Science and Euro-Mediterranean Journal for Environmental Integration, Springer-Nature), Frontiers Section Editor (Current Analytical Chemistry, Bentham Science Publishers), Editorial Board Member (Scientific Reports-Nature), Editor (Eurasian Journal of Analytical Chemistry), and Review Editor (Frontiers in Chemistry, Frontiers, U.K.). He is also guest-editing various special thematic special issues to the journals of Elsevier, Bentham Science Publishers, and John Wiley & Sons, Inc. He has attended as well as chaired sessions in various international and national conferences.

He has worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow, leading a research team at the Creative Research Initiative Center for Bio-Artificial Muscle, Hanyang University, South Korea, in the field of renewable energy, especially biofuel cells. He has also worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center of Research Excellence in Renewable Energy, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia, in the field of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells and computational fluid dynamics of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. He is a life member of the Journal of the Indian Chemical Society. His research interest includes ion exchange materials, a sensor for heavy metal ions, biofuel cells, supercapacitors and bending actuators.