Summary
Dr Sharif Zein is Reader in Chemical Engineering and MSc Coordinator. He has about two decades of experience and research expertise in the valorisation of the biomass and waste plastics which is the foremost global challenge towards the production of biofuel and biomaterials in deriving value from the waste. Sharif also scales up the basic lab works to processes and bio-based products used in the industry. He adapts techniques for use in a different purpose to produce several different types of materials and chemicals that could have applications as fuels or industrial chemicals. Hence, his research could hasten public awareness and improve market uptake of the above bio-based products. He has managed to get with his co-researchers about 40 grants and publish over 140 scientific articles, book chapters, and patents. Some of Dr Sharif’s papers are listed as one of the top 25 hottest articles. For many years, Dr Sharif has received over 50 awards, including special awards and Gold medals for his studies, research, excellence in teaching in and reaction engineering, reactor design, Petrochemicals, Oil and Gas and Bioenergy.
In terms of teaching, Dr Zein has taught several modules of the Chemical Engineering Curriculum such as Chemical Reaction Engineering, Reactor Design and Analysis, Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics, Organic Chemical Processes, Chemical Engineering Lab I, Chemical Engineering Lab II, Chemical Engineering Lab III, and Petroleum and Petrochemical Engineering. . For his teaching, he has received seven (7) Excellent Teaching Awards in the past.
Currently, Dr Zein contributes:
Petroleum and Petrochemical Engineering - Level 7 (Module Leader)
Undergraduate MEng final year individual projects - Level 7
MSc individual projects - Level 7
Chemical Reaction Engineering - Level 6 (Module Leader)
Chemical Engineering Design Project - Level 6 – (13 Students)
Undergraduate teaching Labs - Level 4 and 5
Journal Article
Techno-economic analysis of production of octane booster components derived from lignin
Ng, Z. W., Yeoh, K. Y., Hafyan, R. H., Putranto, A., Horri, B. A., Zein, S. H., …Butar, I. (in press). Techno-economic analysis of production of octane booster components derived from lignin. Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-023-05255-w
Advances in MXene-based photoanodes for water-splitting
Bahari, M. B., Mamat, C. R., Jalil, A. A., Hassan, N. S., Khusnun, N. F., Sawal, M. H., …Le, V. G. (2023). Advances in MXene-based photoanodes for water-splitting. Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry, 947, Article 117750. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelechem.2023.117750
Lamellar-structured fibrous silica as a new engineered catalyst for enhancing CO<inf>2</inf> methanation
Aziz, M. A., Jalil, A. A., Hamid, M. Y., Hassan, N. S., Khusnun, N. F., Bahari, M. B., …Saravanan, R. (2023). Lamellar-structured fibrous silica as a new engineered catalyst for enhancing CO2 methanation. Fuel, 352, Article 129113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2023.129113
Comparison of activated carbon and low-cost adsorbents for removal of 2,4-dichlorophenol from wastewater using Aspen Adsorption and response surface methodology
Yasir, H. A., Zein, S. H., Holliday, M. C., Jabbar, K. J., Ahmed, U., & Jalil, A. A. (2023). Comparison of activated carbon and low-cost adsorbents for removal of 2,4-dichlorophenol from wastewater using Aspen Adsorption and response surface methodology. Environmental Technology, https://doi.org/10.1080/09593330.2023.2202829
Research interests
Biomass and Waste Plastics
Lead investigator
Project
Funder
Grant
Started
Status
Project
Advanced Microwave Pyrolysis Technique to Produce New Materials for CO2 Adsorption
Funder
Royal Society
Grant
£6,000.00
Started
1 February 2017
Status
Complete
Project
ECPE PPF: Plastics2Energy
Funder
EPSRC Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council
Grant
£30,000.00
Started
1 October 2019
Status
Complete
Project
Evaluation of the thermo-mechanical pulping of biomass to facilitate release of fermentable sugars for advanced biofuel production
Funder
BBSRC Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Counc
Grant
£22,993.00
Started
1 August 2016
Status
Complete
Project
THYME: Production of Nano-celluloses and Nano-carbons of Spent Pea Biomass for Waste Water Treatment
Funder
University of York
Grant
£27,381.00
Started
1 June 2020
Status
Complete
Co-investigator
Project
Funder
Grant
Started
Status
Project
THYME: CCF BIO ECONOMY
Funder
HEFCE Higher Education Funding Council for England
Grant
£1,021,924.00
Started
1 April 2018
Status
Complete
Project
Evolving a Circular Plastics Economy
Funder
EPSRC Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council
Grant
£938,304.00
Started
1 January 2019
Status
Complete
Postgraduate supervision
Supervision
Dr Zein supervises PDRA, PhD and MSc by Research projects in areas related to biomass, plastic waste, petroleum refineries, reactor design and intensification processes
Current Postgraduate Supervision
•3 PhD (First Supervisor)
•1 PhD (Second Supervisor)
•1 PhD (Second Supervisor - Malaysia)
Completed Supervision
•2 PDRA
•8 PhD
•14 MSc by Research
Dr Zein welcomes PhD and Masters of Research applications and feel free to contact him directly to discuss options, topics and funding availability.