Dr Arshad Aijaz

Assistant Professor
Inorganic Chemistry

Dr Arshad Aijaz is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sciences and Humanities with specialization in Inorganic Chemistry. Before joining RGIPT, he served as a postdoctoral fellow in Japan and Germany with prestigious JSPS and Humboldt fellowships, respectively. His research interests focus on Metal-Organic Frameworks, Heterogeneous Catalysis, and Electrocatalysis.

 

 

                                                                           
       Personal Webpage
                                                                             
Education
Ph D 2011 Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur
M Sc 2004 Lucknow University, Lucknow
B Sc 2002 Lucknow Christian P G College, Lucknow 
Experience
May 2017 – Till Date Assistant Professor, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology, Jais, Amethi
Jan 2015 – April 2017 Post-Doctoral Fellow, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany
July 2011 – Sep 2014 Post-Doctoral Fellow, AIST, Osaka, Japan 
Undergraduate Courses
  • Inorganic and Physical Chemistry
  •  Chemistry Lab
  •  Materials Science
  •  Nanomaterials for Energy Applications
Postgraduate Courses
  • Advanced Inorganic Chemistry
  • Advanced Nanomaterials for Energy Storage and Conversion
Research Interests
  • Inorganic Chemistry
  • Porous Materials
  • Heterogeneous Catalysis
  • Electrocatalysis
Research Projects
  • Electrochemical conversion of aq. ethanol/methanol to acetic acid/formic acid & hydrogen, PI, NRL, March 2025- Aug 2026, 72.0 Lakhs, ongoing.
  • Fabrication, Assembly, and Transportation of Two Prototype Working Models of R&D Projects Proposed to be Displayed at India Energy Week (IEW) 2025, PI, NRL, November 2024- March 2025, 36.0 Lakhs, ongoing.
  • Metal-Organic Frameworks-Derived Nanomaterials for Electrocatalysis, PI, CSIR, October 2021- March 2025, 19.0 Lakhs, ongoing.
  • Supported Single-Manganese-Atom Electrocatalysts: Understanding Manganese-Support Interactions, Enhanced Stability, and Application as Oxygen Electrodes in Electrochemical Devices under Acidic Electrolytic Conditions, PI, SERB, Nov 2019- February 2022, 23.65 Lakhs, completed.
  • Development of Electrodes & Modular Compact Membraneless Electrolyzer Setup for Sustainable H2 Production from Sea/Tap/Ground Water, Co-PI, DST, 2022-25, 253.28 Lakhs, Ongoing.
  • Technical Upgradation of Electrode and Membraneless Electrolyzer for Sea Water Electrolysis, Co-PI, NTPC, 2024-25, 128.67 Lakhs, ongoing
  • Demonstration of Redox Flow Battery for Stationary Energy Storage at kW Scale, Co-PI, BPCL, 2024-25, 82.80 Lakhs, ongoing.
  • Development of Electrodes and Design of a Prototype for the Hard/Sea Water Electrolysis, Co-PI, NTPC, 2020-22, 98.0 Lakhs, completed.
Invited Talks
  • Emerging Materials for Energy and Environment (EMEE-2023)” Conference, IIT Roorkee
  • Emerging Researcher Lecture Talk at XIX MTIC Conference, BHU
  • Chairing the Session, CFOS-2022 Conference, IIT Roorkee
  • 84th Indian Academy of Sciences Annual Meeting, IIT BHU, November 2018
  • Isabella Thoburn College, Lucknow University, 25th September 2017
Journal Publications

SK Motahar, S. Saifi, S. Bera, A. Ghosh, D. Banerjee, A. Aijaz, Reusable Ni-Immobilized MOF Catalyst for Dehydrogenation of N-Heterocycles Under Milder Conditions, Chem. Eur. J. 2025, 31, e202404219. 

G. Dey, S. Saifi, A. K. Yadav, S. Awasthi, A. S. K. Sinha, A. Aijaz, Yolk-Shell α-/β-Ni(OH)2/Carbon Nanostructure for Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction Cryst. Growth Des. 2024, 24, 8310-8318. 

S. Saifi, G. Dey, R. Shakir, J. Karthikeyan, R. Kumar, D. Bhattacharyya, A. S. K. Sinha, A. Aijaz, Single-Atomic Co-N4 Sites with CrCo Nanoparticles for Metal-Air Battery-Driven Hydrogen Evolution, Inorg. Chem. 2024, 63, 7218-7232.

G Dey, R Jana, S Saifi, R Kumar, D Bhattacharyya, A Datta, A S K Sinha and A Aijaz, Dual Single-Atomic Co–Mn Sites in Metal–Organic-Framework-Derived N-Doped Nanoporous Carbon for Electrochemical Oxygen Reduction, ACS Nano, 2023, 17, 19155-19167.

G Dey, S Saifi, H Sharma, M Kumar and A Aijaz, Carbon Nanofibers Coated with MOF-Derived Carbon Nanostructures for Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries with Enhanced Electrochemical Activity and Power Density, ACS Appl. Nano Mater. 2023, 6, 8192–8201. 

S. Saifi, G. Dey, J. Karthikeyan, R. Kumar, D. Bhattacharyya, A. S. K. Sinha, A. Aijaz, Coupling Single-Ni-Atom with Ni-Co Alloy Nanoparticle for Synergistically Enhanced Oxygen Reduction Reaction. Inorganic Chemistry 2023, DOI: ic-2023-00584g.

S. Saifi, G. Dey, J. Karthikeyan, A. S. K. Sinha and A. Aijaz, MoS2 and WS2 Nanosheets Decorated on Metal-Organic Framework-Derived Cobalt/Carbon Nanostructures as Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution, ACS Appl. Nano Mater. 5, 10696-10703, 2022.

G. Dey, S. Saifi, M. Sk, A. S. K. Sinha, D. Banerjee and A. Aijaz, Immobilizing a Homogeneous Manganese Catalyst into MOF Pores for α-Alkylation of Methylene Ketones with Alcohols, Dalton Trans. 51, 17973-17977, 2022. (Featured on Cover Page)

Shadab, G. Dey, M. Sk, D. Banerjee and A. Aijaz, Heterogenizing a Homogeneous Nickel Catalyst Using Nanoconfined Strategy for Selective Synthesis of Mono-and 1, 2-Disubstituted Benzimidazoles, Inorg. Chem. 60, 16042–16047, 2021.

G. Dey, Shadab and A. Aijaz, Metal-Organic Framework Derived Nanostructured Bifunctional Electrocatalysts for Water Splitting, ChemElectroChem 8, 3782-3803, 2021. (Featured on Cover Page)

A. Aijaz, J. Masa, C. Rösler, P. Weide, W. Xia, R. A. Fischer, W. Schuhmann and M. Muhler, MOF-Templated Assembly Approach for Fe3C Nanoparticles Encapsulated in Bamboo-Like N-Doped CNTs: Highly Efficient Oxygen Reduction under Acidic and Basic Conditions, Chem.-Eur. J. 23, 12125, 2017.

A. Aijaz, J. Masa, C. Rösler, W. Xia, P. Weide, R. A. Fischer, W. Schuhmann and M. Muhler, Metal-Organic Framework Derived Carbon Nanotube Grafted Cobalt/Carbon Polyhedra Grown on Nickel Foam: An Efficient 3D Electrode for Full Water Splitting, ChemElectroChem 4, 188, 2017.

A. Aijaz, J. Masa, C. Rösler, W. Xia, P. Weide, A. Botz, R. A. Fischer, W. Schuhmann and M. Muhler, Co@Co3O4 Encapsulated in CNT-Grafted Nitrogen-Doped Carbon-Polyhedra as Advanced Bifunctional Oxygen Electrode, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 128, 4155, 2016.

C. Rösler, A. Aijaz, S. Turner, M. Filippousi, A. Shahabi, W. Xia, G. V. Tendeloo, M. Muhler and R. A. Fischer, Hollow Zn/Co Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework and Yolk-Shell Metal@Zn/Co ZIF Nanostructures, Chem.-Eur. J. 22, 3304, 2016.

A. Aijaz, J.-K. Sun, P. Pachfule, T. Uchida and Q. Xu, From Metal-Organic Framework to Hierarchical High Surface-Area Hollow Octahedral Carbon Cages, Chem. Commun. 51, 13945, 2015.

A. Aijaz, Q.-L. Zhu, N. Tsumori, T. Akita and Q. Xu, Surfactant-Free Pd Nanoparticles Immobilized to a Metal-Organic Framework with Size- and Location-Dependent Catalytic Selectivity, Chem. Commun. 51, 2577, 2015.

J. Sahu, A. Aijaz, Q. Xu and P. K. Bharadwaj, A Three-Dimensional Pillared-Layer Metal-Organic Framework: Synthesis, Structure and Gas Adsorption Studies, Inorg. Chem. Acta 430, 193, 2015.

S. Sen, S. Neogi, A. Aijaz, Q. Xu and P. K. Bharadwaj, Construction of Non-Interpenetrated Charged Metal-Organic Frameworks with Doubly-Pillared Layers: Pore Modification and Selective Gas Adsorption, Inorg. Chem. 53, 7591, 2014.

A. Aijaz, T. Akita, H. Yang and Q. Xu, From Ionic-Liquid@Metal-Organic Framework Composites to Heteroatom-Decorated Large-Surface Area Carbons: Superior CO2 and H2 Uptakes Chem. Commun. 50, 6498, 2014.

A. Aijaz, N. Fujiwara and Q. Xu, From Metal-Organic Framework to Nitrogen-Decorated Nanoporous Carbons: High CO2 Uptake and Efficient Catalytic Oxygen Reduction, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 136, 6790, 2014.

A. Aijaz and Q. Xu, Catalysis with Metal Nanoparticles Immobilized within the Pores of Metal-Organic Frameworks, J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 5, 1400, 2014.

S. Sen, S. Neogi, A. Aijaz, Q. Xu and P. K. Bharadwaj, Structural Variation in Zn(ii) Coordination Polymers Built with a Semi-Rigid Tetracarboxylate and Different Pyridine Linkers: Synthesis and Selective CO2 Adsorption Studies, Dalton Trans. 43, 6100, 2014.

A. Aijaz, T. Akita, N. Tsumori and Q. Xu, Metal-Organic Framework-Immobilized Polyhedral Metal Nanocrystals: Reduction at Solid-Gas Interface, Metal Segregation, Core-Shell Structure and High Catalytic Activity, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 135, 16356, 2013.

R. A. Agarwal, A. Aijaz, C. Sañudo, Q. Xu and P. K. Bharadwaj, Gas Adsorption and Magnetic Properties in Isostructural Ni(II), Mn(II) and Co(II) Coordination Polymers, Cryst. Growth Des. 13, 1238, 2013.

M. Yadav, A. Aijaz and Q. Xu, Highly Catalically Active Palladium Nanoparticles Incorporated Inside Metal-Organic Framework Pores By Double Solvents Method, Funct. Mater. Lett. 5, 1250039, 2012.

A. Aijaz, A. Karkamkar, Y. J. Choi, N. Tsumori, E. C. Rönnebro, T. Autrey, Hiroshi Shioyama and Q. Xu, Immobilizing Highly Catalytically Active Pt Nanoparticles inside the Pores of Metal-Organic Framework: A Double Solvents Approach, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 134, 13926, 2012.

P.-Z. Li, A. Aijaz and Q. Xu, Highly Dispersed Surfactant-Free Nickel Nanoparticles and their Remarkable Catalytic Activity in Hydrolysis of Ammonia Borane for Hydrogen Generation, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 51, 6753, 2012.

R. A. Agarwal, A. Aijaz, M. Ahmad, E. C. Sañudo, Q. Xu and P. K. Bharadwaj, Two New Coordination Polymers with Co(II) and Mn(II): Selective Gas Adsorption and Magnetic Studies, Cryst. Growth Des. 12, 2999, 2012.

R. K. Das, A. Aijaz, M. K. Sharma, P. Lama and P. K. Bharadwaj, Direct Crystallographic Observation of Catalytic Reactions inside the Pores of a Flexible Coordination Polymer, Chem.-Eur. J. 18, 6866, 2012.

A. Aijaz, E. C. Sañudo and P. K. Bharadwaj, Construction of Coordination Polymers with a Bifurcating Ligand: Synthesis, Structure, Photoluminescence and Magnetic Properties, Cryst. Growth Des. 11, 1122, 2011.

A. Aijaz, P. Lama, E. C. Sañudo and P. K. Bharadwaj, Coordination Polymers of Various Architectures Built with Mixed Imidazole/Benzimidazole and Carboxylate Donor Ligands and Different Metal Ions: Syntheses, Structural Features and Magnetic Properties, New J. Chem. 34, 2502, 2010.

A. Aijaz, P. Lama and P. K. Bharadwaj, A Dynamically Entangled Coordination Polymer: Synthesis, Structure, Luminescence, Single-Crystal-to-Single-Crystal Reversible Guest Inclusion and Structural Transformation, Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 24, 3829, 2010.

P. Lama, A. Aijaz, S. Neogi, L. J. Barbour and P. K. Bharadwaj, Microporous La(III) Metal-Organic Framework Using a Semi-rigid Tricarboxylic Ligand: Synthesis, Single-Crystal to Single-Crystal Sorption Properties and Gas Adsorption Studies, Cryst. Growth Des. 10, 3410, 2010.

A. Aijaz, P. Lama and P. K. Bharadwaj, Two-Dimensional Coordination Polymer with a Non-interpenetrated (4,4) Net Showing Anion Exchange and Structural Transformation in Single-Crystal to Single-Crystal Fashion, Inorg. Chem. 49, 5883, 2010.

P. Lama, A. Aijaz, E. C. Sañudo and P. K. Bharadwaj, Synthesis, Structure and Magnetic Properties of Co(II) Coordination Polymers from a New Tripodal Carboxylate Ligand: Weak Ferromagnetism and Metamagnetism, Cryst. Growth Des. 10, 283, 2010.

A. Aijaz, E. C. Sañudo and P. K. Bharadwaj, A Dicarboxylate with Asymmetric Coordination Ability: Characterization of a Two Dimensional Coordination Polymer of Copper(II) Exhibiting Spin Canting, Inorg. Chem. Acta 362, 4246, 2009.

A. Aijaz, E. Barea and P. K. Bharadwaj, A Diamondoid Three Dimensional Metal-Organic Framework Showing Structural Transformation with Guest Molecules, Cryst. Growth Des 9, 4480, 2009.

Patents
  • Method and System for Sodium Sulphide Induced NiFeCo based Trimetallic Electrode for Seawater Electrolysis, 2023, National, Filed (Patent File Number: 202311053857).
  • Three-Dimensional Electrode for Seawater Electrolysis, 2022, National, Filed (Patent File Number: 202211015887).
  • Assistant Dean, Academic, April 2023-Till Date
  • Convener, DUGC 2020-2022
  • Start-Up Research Grant, DST-SERB, 2019.
  • Humboldt Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, 2016-2017.
  • National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) Best Paper award (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 13926), November 2014.
  • Japan Science for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, 2012-1013.
  • Best Poster Award in 12th Modern Trends in Inorganic Chemistry (MTIC) 2007, held at IIT Madras.
  • CSIR-JRF/SRF, 2005-2010.
  • M. Raman Nayer Memorial Gold Medal in M. Sc. (Inorganic Chemistry), Lucknow University.
  • Bronze medal in B.Sc. from Lucknow Christian P. G. College.
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