Faculty Profile

Engr. Dr. Umair Azhar
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. Chemical Engineering

Dr. Umair Azhar is an Assistant Professor in the Institute of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology (KFUEIT), Rahim Yar Khan. He earned his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Jinan, China, and subsequently completed his postdoctoral research at the American University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

His research focuses on the design and development of advanced porous materials for sustainable energy and environmental applications. His primary research interests include porous organic polymers (POPs), high internal phase emulsion-derived porous polymers (polyHIPEs), hydrogen production and storage, carbon capture and utilization, membrane technologies, photocatalysis, wastewater treatment, and advanced functional materials for clean energy systems.

Dr. Azhar’s research has appeared in leading journals including Chemical Engineering Journal, Coordination Chemistry Reviews,  International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, ACS Applied Nano Materials, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, Applied Surface Science, RSC advances, Langmuir, Carbohydrate Polymers, Sustainable Materials and Technologies, Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, Electrochimica Acta, Journal of Materials Science Polymer, Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering Materials & Design, and  Macromolecular Materials and Engineering. He has also contributed numerous book chapters published by Elsevier, Springer, Taylor & Francis, and ACS, covering topics such as hydrogen technologies, carbon capture, fuel cells, lithium-sulfur batteries, biomass conversion, greenhouse gas mitigation, and advanced environmental materials.

In addition to his academic research, Dr. Azhar has significant industrial experience, having served as a Production Manager in Unilever. Before joining KFUEIT, he served as Chairperson of the Department of Polymer Engineering at the National Textile University, Faisalabad (KC). He has also been actively involved in academic administration, curriculum development, student supervision, and quality enhancement activities.

Dr. Azhar is a Senior Member of the International Association for Carbon Capture and serves on the editorial boards of several international scientific journals. He has participated in numerous international conferences and collaborative research projects across China, the United Arab Emirates, and Pakistan.

His current research aims to develop next-generation porous materials for hydrogen energy production and storage, advanced separation processes, and environmental remediation, contributing to sustainable technologies that address global challenges in clean energy, climate change mitigation, and water purification.

Teaching Areas

  • Chemical Reaction Engineering
  • Heat and Mass Transfer
  • Polymer Engineering
  • Instrumentation and Process Control
  • Chemical Process Principles
  • Process Safety Management
  • Occupational Safety and Health

  1. A. Hassan, A. Haq, M. Arif, J. Łuczak, MA Mushtaq, F. Kashif, M. Sagir, U. Azhar, Rationally design and modulation strategies of cobalt-based covalent organic frameworks (COFs) electrocatalysts towards energy conversion applications, Coordination Chemistry Reviews, 543(2025) 216926
  2. MT Iftikhar, U Azhar* (corresponding author), M. Arif, MF Maqsood, TH Ibrahim, T. Ahmad, First principle investigation of the structural, elastic, optoelectronics, and thermodynamic properties of barium-based tetragonal complex perovskite hydrides X2BaH4 (X= Na, K, and Rb) for hydrogen storage applications, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 194 (2025) 152502.
  3. MF. Maqsood, KC. Fong, F. Ghafoor, U. Azhar, I. Rabani, Solar vapor generation: Advances in materials engineering and structural design for efficient water evaporation, Materials Today Physics, 59(2025) 101938.
  4. A. Haq, A. Kumar, M. Arif, U Azhar* (corresponding author), H. Ahmad, U. Talib, M. Ahmad, MA Mushtaq, M. Sagir, MF Maqsood, K. Venkatesan, G. Yasin, Interface synergistic-driven electronic modulation in amorphous CoFeB@ g-C3N4 for high-performance bifunctional OER/HER electrocatalysis.Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 14(2026) 120877.
  5. ZU. Rehman, MF. Maqsood, Mohsin A. Raza, SMZ. Mehdi, R. Kanwal, U. Azhar, S. Kumar, MJ. Iqbal, W. Amin, MFKhan, S. AliImpact of Sr Content on the Morphology and Electrochemical Properties of La1− xSrxMnO3 Perovskites for High-Performance Supercapacitors, Ceramics 05(2026) 44.
  6. A. Haq, A. Kumar, M. Arif, U Azhar* (corresponding author), A. Riaz, T. Ahmad, H. Ahmad, U. Talib, M. Ahmed, MF Maqsood, MA Mushtaq, M. Sagir, K. Venkatesan, G. Yasin, Electronic modulation with heterointerface engineering of CoNiB/g-C3N4 for enhanced bifunctional electrocatalysis of oxygen evolution and hydrogen evolution reactions, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 196 (2025) 152494.
  7. J Chen, X Chen, U Azhar* (corresponding author), X Yang, C Zhou, M Yan, H Li, C Zong, Flexible and Photo-responsive Superwetting Surfaces Based on Porous Materials Coated with Mussel-Inspired Azo-Copolymer, Chemical Engineering Journal,  143176.
  8. Y. Zhang, S. Liu, T. Li, L. Zhang, U. Azhar, J. Ma, C. Zhai, C. Zong, S. Zhang, Cytocompatible and non-fouling zwitterionic hyaluronic acid-based hydrogels using thiol-ene “click” chemistry for cell encapsulation, Carbohydrate Polymers, 236 (2020)116021.
  9. U.Azhar, MT Iftikhar, M. Arif, T Ibrahim, MO Alkaderi, First Principle Investigation on the Physical Properties of Rhodium-based XRhH3 (X= Na, Cs or Sr) Perovskites Hydride for Hydrogen Storage Applications. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 101 (2025) 1448-1459.
  10. U. Azhar, Z. Huo, R. Yaqub, A. Xu, S. Zhang, B. Geng, Non-crosslinked fluorinated copolymer nanoparticles stabilized Pickering high internal phase emulsion for fabrication of porous polymer monoliths, Polymer 172 (2019) 160-169.
  11. U. Azhar, C. Zong, X. Wan, A. Xu, Z. Yabin, J. Liu, S. Zhang, B. Geng, Methyl Methacrylate HIPE Solely Stabilized by Fluorinated Di-block Copolymer for Fabrication of Highly Porous and Interconnected Polymer Monoliths, Chemistry – A European Journal 24 (2018) 11619-11626.
  12. U. Azhar, C. Huyan, X. Wan, A. Xu, H. Li, B. Geng, S. Zhang, A cationic fluorosurfactant for fabrication of high-performance fluoropolymer foams with controllable morphology, Materials & Design 124 (2017) 194-202.
  13. U. Azhar, C. Huyan, X. Wan, C. Zong, A. Xu, J. Liu, J. Ma, S. Zhang, B. Geng, Porous multifunctional fluoropolymer composite foams prepared via humic acid modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles stabilized Pickering high internal phase emulsion using cationic fluorosurfactant as co-stabilizer, Arabian Journal of Chemistry 12 (2018) 559-572.
  14. U. Azhar, R. Yaqub, H. Li, G. Abbas, Y. Wang, J. Chen, C. Zong,  A. Xu, Z. Yabin, S. Zhang, B. Geng, Di-block copolymer stabilized methyl methacrylate based polyHIPEs: Influence of hydrophilic and hydrophobic co-monomers on morphology, wettability and thermal properties, Arabian Journal of Chemistry 2 (2019) 3801-3816.
  15. U. Azhar, M. Arif, M.S Bshir, M Sagir, M. Babar, G. Yasin, Functionalized Fe3O4 based MMA composites for oil water separation.Chemosphere, 309, 136526.
  16. MS Bashir, XZ Kong, N Ramzan, M Arif, H Bashir, U Azhar* (corresponding author, JZ Arshad, Systemic Study on Interfacial Polymerization Mechanism of Toluene Diisocyanate and Water for the Preparation of Polyurea Microspheres, Inorganic Chemistry Communications, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.inoche.2022.109814.
  17. X.Yanga, U.Azhar, W.Wang, C.Zhai, Q.Zhang, S.Zhang, C.Zong, Photo-responsive azobenzene-based surfactants as fast-phototuning foam switch synthesized via thiol-ene click chemistry, Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 609 (2021) 125645.
  18. L. Zhang, Z. Zhu, U. Azhar, J. Ma, Y. Zhang, C. Zong, S. Zhang, Synthesis of Well-Defined PVDF-Based Amphiphilic Block Copolymer via Iodine Transfer Polymerization for Antifouling Membrane Application, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research 57 (2018) 8689-8697.
  19. A. Xu, W. Wang, U. Azhar, Z. Huo, K. Zhao, H. Li, Z. Shuxiang, Synthesis and characterization of hydrophilicity-controlled poly(arylene ether sulfone) copolymers with phenolphthalein-based carboxylic acid groups for separation membrane applications , Journal of Macromolecular Science, Part A, 56, 2019 – 1040-1049.
  20. Y Zhang, Q Niu, Y Xu, J Chen, C Zhai, U Azhar, Y Lu, H Li, C Zong, Synthesis of long straight‐chain alkane substituted ferrocene with ultra‐robust oil solubility as multifunctional organometallic additive, Applied Organometallic Chemistry, 38 (6), e7482.
  21. A. Xu, Q. Lu, Z. Huo, J. Ma, B. Geng, U. Azhar, L. Zhang, S. Zhang, Synthesis of fluorinated nanoparticles via RAFT dispersion polymerization-induced self-assembly using fluorinated macro-RAFT agents in supercritical carbon dioxide, RSC Advances 7 (2017) 51612-51620.
  22. Y.Wang, X.Wan, J.He, U. Azhar, H. Chen, J. Zhao, A.Pang, B. Geng, A one-step fabrication and modification of HIPE-templated fluoro-porous polymer using PEG-b-PHFBMA macrosurfactant, Journal of Materials Science,55(2020)4970.
  23. M.Hu, Y.Zhang, U. Azhar, L. Zhang, J. Ma, S. Zhang, C. Zong, Free radical copolymerization of trifluoroethyl methacrylate with perfluoroalkyl ethyl acrylates for superhydrophobic coating application. Journal of Coatings Technology and Research 16(2018) 711-719.
  24. X. Wan†, U. Azhar† (First Authorship Shared), Y. Wang, J. Chen, A. Xu, S. Zhang, B. Geng, Highly porous and chemical resistive P(TFEMA–DVB) monolith with tunable morphology for rapid oil/water separation, RSC Advances 8 (2018) 8355-8364.
  25. Y. Wang†, U. Azhar† (First Authorship Shared), J. He, H. Chen, J. Zhao, A. Pang, B. Geng, A facile fabrication of porous fluoro-polymer with excellent mechanical properties based on high internal phase emulsion templating using PLA as co-stabilizer, RSC Advances, 9 (2019) 40513.
  26. J. Chen†, U. Azhar† (First Authorship Shared), Y. Wang,  J. Liang, B. Geng, Preparation of fluoropolymer materials with different porous morphologies by emulsion template method using supercritical carbon dioxide as a medium, RSC Advances, 9 (2019), 11331-11340.
  27. MA Nazir, T Najam, MS Bashir, MS Javed, MA Bashir, M Imran, U Azhar* (corresponding author), Kinetics, isothermal and mechanistic insight into the adsorption of eosin yellow andmalachite green from water via tri-metallic layered double hydroxide nanosheets, Korean J. Chem. Eng. 39 (2022) 216–226
  28. S Faryad, U Azhar* (corresponding author), MB Tahir, W Ali, M Arif, M Sagir, Spinach-derived boron-doped g-C3N4/TiO2 composites for efficient photo-degradation of methylene blue dye, Chemosphere, 320 (2023) , 138002.
  29. A Javed, A Hassan, M Babar, U Azhar* (corresponding author), A Riaz, R Mujahid, T Ahmad,, A Comparison of the Exergy Efficiencies of Various Heat-Integrated Distillation Columns, Energies, 15, 2022, 6498 ,
  30. HH Ali, M Arif, U Habiba, A Khurshid, U Azhar* (corresponding author), M Sagir, MA Mushtaq Rationally designed Mo-based advanced nanostructured materials for energy storage technologies: Advances and prospects, Sustainable Materials and Technologies, 38(2023), e00738.
  31. J Chen, X Yang, J Chen, U Azhar* (corresponding author), F Chen, R Zhu, C Zhou, S Jiang, Light-responsive Polyblend Films with Reconfigurable Surface Micropatterns as Rewritable Information Storage Media, Chinese Journal of Chemistry, 40, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1002/cjoc.202200549.
  32. J. Liang†, U. Azhar† (First Authorship Shared), P. Men, J. Chen, Y. Liu, J. He, B. Geng, Fluoropolymer/SiO2 encapsulated aluminum pigments for enhanced corrosion protection, Applied surface science, 487(2019), 1000-1007.
  33. M Arif, M Babar, U Azhar* (corresponding author), M Sagir, MB Tahir, MA Mushtaq, G Yasin, Rational design and modulation strategies of Mo-based electrocatalysts and photo/electrocatalysts towards nitrogen reduction to ammonia (NH3), Chemical Engineering Journal,  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2022.138320.
  34. J. Ma, U. Azhar, C. Zong, Y. Zhang, A. Xu, C. Zhai, L. Zhang, S. Zhang, Core-shell structured PVDF@BT nanoparticles for dielectric materials: A novel composite to prove the dependence of dielectric properties on ferroelectric shell, Materials & Design 164 (2019) 107556.
  35. C. Zong, U. Azhar, C. Zhou, J. Wang, L. Zhang, Y. Cao, S. Zhang, S. Jiang, C. Lu, Photo-controllable Wrinkle Morphology Evolution on Azo-Based Multilayers for Hierarchical Surface Micropatterns Fabrication,  Langmuir 35 (2019) 2601-2609.
  36. C. Zhai, U. Azhar, W. Yue,Y. Dou, L. Zhang, X. Yang, Y. Zhang, P. Xu, C. Zong, S. Zhang, Preparation and Insights of Smart Foams with Phototunable Foamability Based on Azobenzene-Containing Surfactants, Langmuir, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c03028.
  37. X. Qiu, U. Azhar, J.Q. Li, D.H. Huang, S.C.Jiang,Ultrafast  form II to I transition of isotactic  polybutene-1, Chinese Journal of Polymer Science, (2019), DOI: /10.1007/s10118-019-2273-5.
  38. L. Xu, U. Azhar, Z. Chen, Q. Niu, J. Chen, S. Zhang,  C. Zong, Light-printable epoxy oligomer wrinkle-forming surface for rewritable information storage, RSC Advances, 10 (2020) 3423.
  39. MB Hussain, U. Azhar, HM. Loussala, R. Razaq, Synergetic effect of ZnIn2S4 nanosheets with metal-organic framework molding heterostructure for efficient visible- light driven photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI), Arabian Journal of Chemistry, 13 (2020) 5939-5948.
  40. C.Zhai,L.Zhang, U. Azhar, C. Zong, A. Xu, S. Zhang, Y. Zhang, Synthesis and performance of a Mono (dodecafluoroheptyl) acetate surfactant, Journal of Dispersion Science and Technology 40(2018) 1-9.
  41. J. Ma, L.Zhang, B.Geng, U. Azhar, A. Xu, S. Zhang, Preparation of Thermo-Responsive and Cross-Linked Fluorinated Nanoparticles via RAFT-Mediated Aqueous Polymerization in Nanoreactors, Molecules 22 (2017).   
  42. C. Zhai, Y. Sun, L. Xu, U. Azhar, Y. Zhang, L. Zhang, S. Zhang, and C. Zong, Long-lasting and Rapid-responsive Media for Rewritable Information Storage Based on the Low-cost N-substituted Maleimides Oligomers, 305(2019) 1900560 Macromolecular Materials and Engineering.
  43. MB Hussain, ,R. Mehmood, U. Azhar, J. Wang, L. Song, BiOCl-Coated UiO-66-NH2 Metal–Organic Framework Nanoparticles for Visible-Light Photocatalytic Cr(VI) Reduction, ACS applied nano materials 4(2021) 4037-4047.
  44. C. Zong, M. Hu, U. Azhar, X. Chen,Y. Zhang, S. Zhang, C. Lu, Smart Copolymer-Functionalized Flexible Surfaces with Photo-Switchable Wettability: From Superhydrophobicity with “Rose Petal” Effect to Superhydrophilicity, ACS Applied Materials & Interface Science. 11 (2019) 25436-25444.
  45. M Arif, A Kumar, MA Mushtaq, U Azhar* (corresponding author), M Sagir, MB Tahir, U Talib,, Edge-hosted CoFeB active sites with graphene nanosheets for highly selective nitrogen reduction reaction towards ambient ammonia synthesis, Chemical Engineering Journal, 473(2023), 145368.
  46. U. Azhar, H. Ahmad, H. Shafqat, M. Babar, HS Munir, M. Sagir, M. Arif, A. Hassan, N. Rachmadona, S. Rajendran, M. Mubashir, KS Khoo, Remediation techniques for elimination of heavy metal pollutants from soil: A review, Environmental Reseaerch, 214 (2022), 113918.
  47. U. Latif, MF Maqsood, SMZ Mehdi, F. Ghafoor, U. Azhar, SH Abbas, MF Khan, Effect of lithium doping on the electrochemical properties of Bi2Sr2Co2Oy misfit-layered oxides for supercapacitor applications, Electrochimica Acta, 526 (2025), 146171.
  48. MF Maqsood, SMZ Mehdi, A. Ashraf, U. Azhar, N. Abbas, MA Raza, M. Amer, Binder-Free Hexagonal Boron Nitride Nanosheets (BNNSs) as Protective Coatings for Copper, Steel, and Wood: A Review, Crystals, 1 (2025), 99.
  49. A Riaz, R Mujahid, H Zeb, M Arif, U Azhar, J Kim, Solvent-Mediated Depolymerization of Lignin under Solvothermal Conditions: Catalysis, Stabilization, and Sustainability Metrics, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research,65 (2026),22.
  50. Impact of Sr Content on the Morphology and Electrochemical Properties of La1−xSrxMnO3 Perovskites for High-Performance Supercapacitors, ZU Rehman, MF Maqsood, MA Raza, SMZ Mehdi, R Kanwal, U Azhar,Ceramics 9 (5) 2026, 44.

  • Advanced Materials for Electrochemical energy conversion and storage
  • PolyHIPEs and Advanced Porous Materials
  • Hydrogen Storage
  • Nanomaterials and Functional Polymer Composites
  • Water and Wastewater Treatment
  • Photocatalysis and Environmental Remediation
  • Materials property predictions using Density Functional Theory (DFT)

  • HEC approved PhD Supervisor
  • Distinguished International Student Award from University of Jinan, China
  • Winner of the Government Internal Merit scholarship
  • Winner of China Government Scholarship