Faculty Profile

Muhammad Safdar
Assistant Professor
Research Interests

My research area is Chemistry and Nanotechnology with focus points:  Synthesis of low dimensional nanostructures of inorganic semiconductors, polymer composite materials and solid solutions adapting chemical vapor deposition, and solution methods e.g hydrothermal techniques, hot injection, Sole gel, and elctrochemical methods. The samples characterization performance by using XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, Raman, FTIR, AFM, VSM, four probe SCS and others techniques.  Fabrication of devices for the applicationwith main focus on photocatalysis; water splitting,H2 production, CO2 reduction and photocatalytic degradation of pollutants, optoelectronics; photodetectors, field effect transistor, solar Cell, field emitter, gas sensing, hydrogen storage, magnetism and spintronics peoperties.

Biography

I have been working as an Assistant Professor on the contract program of university since October, 2017. My role involves developing materials and lecturing to undergraduate and graduate students as well as small groups in seminar and laboratory sessions. I am fully involved in the supervision and assessment of my own and joint MS and PhD research students of KFUEIT and others universities. Prior to working at the KFUEIT, I was assistant professor in physical chemistry at B.Z. University in Multan where I performed a similar role. I have worked in the area of energy and environmental research and also won SPRG grant as part of IPFP program from HEC, Pakistan

 

I like to involve in creative research projects. My current research involves using the surface chemistry and photochemistry processes e.g. photcatalysis process which are effective mechanism to achieve green energy, reduction of pollutant, generation of fuels and, water & wastewater treatment. This involves the application of materials in nano systems to achieve the desired results. This research area fits well with the activities of our research group based at the Center for multiscale functional materials (CMFM) department of chemistry KFUEIT. CMFM set up to provide sustainable solutions to problems related to the environment, energy and technology. Aside my main area o3f research, I also have other research interests in the nanoparticles synthesis, optoelectronics and spintronics areas based on my research expertise.

 

I feel joy and pleasure to help others. Gardening and travelling gives me immense pleasure.

Whenever, I have an opportunity to visit a new place, whether a village, city, mountain or seaside, it boost my passion and gives me immense satisfaction and pleasure. The thing I never bored is playing games. Moreover, spending time with family and friends always makes me healthier.

Awards and Honors

  • Gold Medal from ZACHO , B. Z. U. Multan, 2017
  • Won SRGP Project (PKR 0.5 million) from HEC, Islamabad, 2016
  • Excellent International Student Award & Scholarship (PKR 0.5 million) fromthe Ministry of Education of China, 2015
  • Excellent International Student Award of University, 2015
  • Zhuliyuehua Award and Scholarship for Excellent PhDs (0.2%) of UCAS, 2014
  • Director’s Major Award and Scholarship of NCNST (ranked first 2014),

(ranked second 2013), and (ranked second 2012).

  • Outstanding Student Award of Academic Year 2013-2014 of UCAS, 2014
  • Orientation Speaker; Opening Ceremony and Freshman Orientation for
    • International Students of UCAS, 2014
  • Best Oral Presentation Award, and Best Poster Award of National Doctoral Academic Forum of UCAS, 2014
  • Outstanding Oral Presentation, and Most Popular Poster Award of NCNST, 2013

Honor Certificate for the Outstanding Report Award of “Youth Academic Exchange” at NCNST, 2013

Publications

  • Muhammad Usman Khan, Muhammad Khalid, Muhammad Ibrahim, Ataualpa A.C. Braga Muhammad Safdar, Abdulaziz A. Al-Saadi, and Muhammad Ramzan Saeed Ashraf Janjua First Theoretical Framework of Triphenylamine-Dicyanovinylene based Nonlinear Optical Dyes: Structural Modification of π-Linkers J. Phys. Chem. C,2018,DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.7b12293 I.F: 4.54
  • Nazia Yasmin, Misbah Mirza, Muhammad Safdar, Maria Zahid, Mukhtar Ahmad, M.S. Awan, Muhammad Altaf Influence of samarium substitution on the structural and magnetic properties of M-type hexagonal ferrites, J. Magn. Magn. Mater, 2017,446, 276-281. I.F: 2.6

 

  • Tofik Ahmed Shifa · Fengmei Wang · Zhongzhou Cheng · Xueying Zhan · Zhenxing Wang · Kaili Liu · Muhammad Safdar · Lianfeng Sun · Jun He  Vertical-oriented WS2 nanosheet sensitized by graphene: An advanced electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction, Nanoscale, 2015, 7, 1470. I.F: 7.36
  • Muhammad Safdar,  Zhenxing Wang,  Misbah Mirza, Kai Xu, Qisheng Wang, Huang Yun, Fengmei Wang and Jun He. High-performance flexible photodetectors based on large-scale GaTe nanosheets, Nanoscale, 2015 7, 7252. I.F: 7.36

 

  • Fengmei Wang, Xueying Zhan, Zhongzhou Cheng, Qisheng Wang, Zhenxing Wang,Feng Wang, Kai Xu, Yun Huang, Muhammad Safdar, Jun He. A High-Energy-Density Asymmetric Microsupercapacitor for Integrated Energy Systems, Adv. Electr. Mater. 2015, 1,1400053. I.F: 4.17

 

  • Muhammad Safdar, Qisheng Wang, Zhenxing Wang, Xueying Zhan, Kai Xu, Fengmei Wang, Misbah Mirza and Jun He. Weak antilocalization effect of topological crystalline insulator Pb1-xSnxTe nanowires with tunable composition and distinct {100} facets, Nano Letter, 2015, 15, 2485. I.F:12.7 

 

  • Qisheng Wang, Kai Xu, Zhenxing Wang, Feng Wang, Yun Huang, Muhammad Safdar,Xueying Zhan, Fengmei Wang, Zhongzhou Cheng and Jun He. Van der Waals epitaxial ultrathin two dimensional nonlayered semiconductors for highly efficient flexible optoelectronic devices. Nano Letter, 15, 2015. I.F:12.7F:

 

  • Muhammad Safdar, Qisheng Wang,, Zhenxing Wang, Xueying Zhan, Xu Kai, Fengmei Wang and Jun He. Topological Crystalline Insulator Pb1-x SnxSe Nanowires with {100} Facets. Small 2014, 11,2019. I.F:8.37

 

  • Xueying Zhan, Zhenxing Wang, Fengmei Wang, Zhongzhou Cheng, Kai Xu, Qisheng Wang, Muhammad Safdar and Jun He. Efficient CoO nanowire array photocatalysts for H2 generation. Appl. Phy. Lett.2014, 105, 153903. I.F: 3.3

 

  • Yajun Wang, Xueying Zhan, Fengmei Wang, Qisheng Wang, Muhammad Safdar and Jun He. Crystalline ZnO/ZnSx Se1-x core-shell nanowire arrays for efficient visible-light photoelectrocatalysis. J. Mater. ChemA. 2014, 2, 18413. I.F: 8.26

 

  • Fengmei Wang, Xueying Zhan, Zhongzhou Cheng, Zhenxing Wang, Qisheng Wang, Kai Xu, Muhammad Safdar and Jun He. Tungsten Oxide@Polypyrrole Core–Shell Nanowire Arrays as Novel Negative Electrodes for Asymmetric Supercapacitors. Small, 11, 2014, 749. I.F:8.37

 

  • Kai Xu, Fengmei Wang, Zhenxing Wang, Xueying Zhan, Qisheng Wang, Muhammad Safdar, Zhongzhou Cheng and Jun He. Component-Controllable WS2(1-x)Se2x Nanotube for Efficient Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.ACS Nano2014, 8, 8468. I.F:13.33

 

  • Muhammad Safdar, Qisheng Wang,  Xu Kai, Misbah Mirza, Zhenxing Wang and Jun He. Vander Waals epitaxy and photoresponse of hexagonal tellurium nanoplates on Flexible Mica Sheets. ACS Nano 2014, 8, 7497. I.F:13.33

 

  • Zulfiqar Ali, Misbah Mirza, Chuanbao Cao, Faheem K. Butt, M. Tanveer, Muhammad Tahir, Imran Aslam, Faryal Idrees, Muhammad Safdar, Wide range photodetector based on catalyst free grown indium selenide microwires. ACS Appl. Mater. Inter.2014, 6, 9550. I.F: 7.5

 

  • Zhenxing Wang, Kai Xu, Yuanchang Li, Xueying Zhan, Muhammad Safdar, Qisheng Wang, Fengmei Wang and Jun He. Role of Ga Vacancy on a Multilayer GaTe Phototransistor. ACS Nano2014, 8, 4859 I.F:13.9

 

  • Muhammad Safdar, Qisheng Wang, Misbah Mirza, Zhenxing Wang and Jun He. Crystal shape engineering of topological crystalline insulator SnTe microcrystals and nanowires with huge thermal activation energy gap. Cryst. Growth & Des.2014, 14,2502, I.F: 4.42

 

  • Jinli Cao, Zhenxing Wang, Xueying Zhan, Qisheng Wang, Muhammad Safdar, Yajun Wang and Jun He. Vertical SnSe nanorod arrays: from controlled synthesis and growth mechanism to thermistor and photoresistor. Nanotechnology, 2014, 25, 105705. I.F: 3.88

 

  • Faheem K. Butt, Chuanbao Cao, Qi Wan, Ping Li, Faryal Idrees, Muhammad Tahir, Waheed S. Khan, Zulfiqar Ali, Maximiliano J. M. Zapata, Muhammad Safdar, Qu Xuanhui: Synthesis, Evolution and Hydrogen Storage Properties of ZnV 2O4 Glomerulus Nano/microspheres: A Prospective Material for Energy Storage. Inter. J. Hydrogen Energy2014, 39, 7842 I.F: 3.31

 

  • Xueying Zhan, Qisheng Wang, Fengmei Wang, Yajun Wang, Zhenxing Wang, Jinli Cao, Muhammad Safdar and Jun He. Composition-tuned ZnO/ZnxCd1-xTe core/shell nanowires array with broad spectral absorption from UV to NIR for hydrogen generation.ACS Appl. Mater. Inter. 2014, 6, 2878 I.F: 7.5

 

  • Faheem K Butt, Misbah Mirza, Chuanbao Cao, Faryal Idrees, Muhammad Tahir, Muhammad Safdar, Zulfiqar Ali, Muhammad Tanvir, Imran Aslam: Synthesis of Mid-Infrared SnSe Nanowires and their Optoelectronic Properties. CrystEngComm2014, 16,3470I.F: 4.03

 

  • Fengmei Wang,Yajun Wang,Xueying Zhan,Muhammad Safdar, Jianru Gong and Jun He. Pt nanoparticles and CdS quantum dots assisted WO3 nanowires grown on flexible carbon fibers for efficient oxygen production.  Cryst. Eng. Comm. 2014, 16, 1389. I.F: 4.03

 

  • Muhammad Safdar, Qisheng Wang,Misbah Mirza, Zhenxing Wang Xu Kai and Jun He. Topological surface transport properties of single-crystalline SnTe nanowire.Nano Lett.2013, 13, 5344. I.F:13.77

 

  • Kai Xu, Zhenxing Wang, Xiaolei Du, Muhammad Safdar, Chao Jiang and Jun He.Atomic-layer triangular WSe2 sheets: synthesis and layer-dependent photoluminescence property.  Nanotechnology 2013,24, 465705.I.F:3.82

 

  • Muhammad Sajid, Na Na, Muhammad Safdar, Xin Lu, Lin Ma, Lan He, Jin Ouyang , Rapid trace level determination of sulfonamide residues in honey with online extraction using short C-18 column by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection J. Chromatogr. A,2013, 1314, 173 I.F:4.17

 

  • Muhammad Safdar, Qisheng Wang, Xueying Zhan, and Jun He. Controllable wettability by tailoring one-dimensional tellurium micronano-structures. Cryst. Eng. Comm. 2013, 15, 8475. I.F: 4.03

 

  • Qisheng Wang, Muhammad Safdar and Jun He. Low-dimensional Te-based nanostructures. Adv. Mater. 2013,25, 3915. I.F:18. 9

 

  • Yajun Wang, Qisheng Wang, Xueying Zhan, Fengmei Wang, Muhammad Safdar and Jun He. Visible light driven type II heterostructures and their enhanced photocatalysis properties: a review.  Nanoscale 2013,5, 8326. I.F:7.76

 

  • Cao Jinli, Muhammad Safdar, Zhenxing Wang and Jun He. High-performance flexible supercapacitor electrodes based on Te nanowire arrays. J. Mater. Chem. A 2013,1, 10024. I.F: 8.26

 

  • Muhammad Safdar, Zhenxing wang, Misbah Mirza, Faheem K. Butt Yajun Wang, Lianfeng Sun and Jun He. Telluride-based nanorods and nanosheets: synthesis, evolution and properties. J. Mater. ChemA 2013, 1, 1427. I.F: 8.26

 

  • Muhammad Safdar, Xueying Zhan, Mutong Niu, Misbah Mirza, Qing Zhao, Zhenxing Wang, Jinping Zhang, Lianfeng Sun and Jun He. Site-specific nucleation and controlled growth of a vertical Tellurium nanowire array for high performance field emitters. Nanotechnology 2013, 24, 185705.  I.F: 3.82

 

  • Faheem K. Butt, Chuanbao Cao, Waheed S. Khan, Muhammad Safdar, Xuewen Fu, Muhammad Tahir, Faryal Idrees, Zulfiqar Ali, Ghulam Nabi and Dapeng Yu Electrical and Optical Properties of Single Zigzag SnO2 Nanobelt.  Cryst. Eng. Comm. 2013,15, 2106. I.F: 4.03

 

  • Zhenxing Wang, Hong Yin, Chao Jiang, Muhammad Safdar and Jun He. ZnO/ZnSxSe1−x/ZnSe double-shelled coaxial heterostructure: Enhanced photoelectrochemical performance and its optical properties study.  Appl. Phys. Lett. 2012, 101, 253109. I.F: 3.30

 

  • Zhenxing Wang,  Muhammad Safdar, Chao Jiang and Jun He. High-Performance UV-Visible-NIR Broad Spectral Photodetectors Based on One-Dimensional In2Te3 Nanostructures.  Nano Lett.2012, 12, 4715.  I.F:13.77

 

  • Muhammad Safdar, Zhenxing Wang, Misbah Mirza, Chao Jiang and Jun He.  Crystalline indium sesquitelluride nanostructures: synthesis, growth mechanism and properties.  J. Mater. Chem.2012, 22, 19228.  I.F:7.44

 

  • Zhenxing Wang, Xueying Zhan, Yajun Wang, Muhammad Safdar, Mutong Niu , Jinping Zhang, Ying Huang and Jun He. ZnO/ZnSxSe1−x core/shell nanowire arrays as photoelectrodes with efficient visible light absorption.  Appl. Phys. Lett. 2012, 101, 073105. I.F: 3.30

 

  • Yajun Wang, Zhenxing Wang, Muhammad Safdar and Jun He. Graphite-like C3N4 hybridized ZnWO4 nanorods: Synthesis and its enhanced photocatalysis in visible light.Cryst. Eng. Comm. 2012, 14, 5065.I.F:3.84

 

  • Zhenxing Wang, Xueying Zhan, Yajun Wang, Muhammad Safdar, Ying Huang and Jun He.  A flexible UV nanosensor based on reduced graphene oxide decorated ZnO nanostructures.  Nanoscale 2012,4, 2678.  I.F:7.76

 

  • Ghulam Nabi, Chuanbao Cao, Waheed S Khan, Sajad Hussain, Zahid Usman, Noor Abass Din Khattak, Zulfiqar Ali, Faheem K Butt, Sajjad Hussain Shah, Muhammad Safdar: Preparation of grass-like GaN nanostructures: Its PL and excellent field emission properties. Mater. Lett.2012, 66, 50. I.F:2.49
  • Ghulam Nabi, Chuanbao Cao, Waheed S. Khan, Sajad Hussain, Zahid Usman, Muhammad Safdar, Sajjad Hussain Shah, Noor Abass Din Khattak: Synthesis, characterization, growth mechanism, photoluminescence and field emission properties of novel dandelion-like gallium nitride. Appl. Surf. Sci.2011, 257, 10289. I.F:2.71
  • Waheed S. Khan, Chuanbao Cao, Faheem K. Butt, Zulfiqar Ali, M. Safdar, Liqing Pan, M. Yasir Rafique, Qurrat ul Ain, Zahid Usman, Ghulam Nabi: Evolution of Zn based high purity phases under NH3 gas atmosphere and their PL properties. Appl. Surf. Sci., 2011, 257, 7314. I.F:2.71