Dr. Zahid Ali

Assistant Professor

Chemistry

Biography

Mr. Zahid Ali joined ‘’Department of Chemistry’’ of The University of Lahore in September 2016 as a lecturer. He earned his MPhil degree in chemistry from the University of Engineering and Technology in 2016. Mr. Zahid has earned his master’s and bachelor’s degrees from the University of Punjab Quai-i-Azam Campus Lahore. He has a specialization in physical chemistry and worked as a research associate at INMOL Hospital Lahore for one year. He is an active part of the sports committee, extra-curricular activities committee, admission committee, discipline committee, exam committee, and quality enhancement cell of the Department of Chemistry. He has taught specialization courses in physical chemistry like Reaction Kinetics, Reaction Dynamics, Electrochemistry and Statistical Thermodynamics, Colloids and Surface Chemistry, Electrochemistry, Thermodynamics and Heat Flow, Nuclear Chemistry, Conductometry, Nanomaterials and Nano-chemistry. He has versatile teaching experience in some other courses including Theories of Chemical Bonding, Advance Concepts of Acids Bases and Salts, Inorganic Materials Chemistry, Applied Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry for Technologies, Chemistry of Transition Elements, and Chemistry of Organometallics at the BS level. He has taught Nanomaterials and Nano-chemistry, Chemistry of Transition Elements, and Chemistry of Organometallics at the MS level. He has supervised 22 MPhil and 11 BS theses. Mr. Zahid started his doctorate at the College of Materials Science and Engineering (ranked 3^rdin China) ‘’Beijing University of Chemical Technology (QS ranked 164 in Chemistry)’’ in 2018. He has research expertise in polyphosphazene chemistry, synthesis, characterizations, and applications like electrochemical physiochemical and thermal fields. He is a focused and knowledgeable Chemist with a wide and deep knowledge base in hybrid materials (inorganic/organic) synthesis processes. He has published 15 scientific papers in reputed international journals, overall he has published 29 publications in the last five years. He graduated on 15^th December 2023 as a Doctor of Chemistry with a specialization in electrochemistry.

Education

SrNo.	Year	Degree	Board/University
1	2016	M.phil Applied Chemistry	The University of Engineering and Technology Lahor
2	2012	Masters in Chemistry	The University of Punjab Quaid-E-Azam Campus Lahor
3	2010	Graduation	The University of Punjab Quaid-E-Azam Campus Lahor
4	2006	Pre-Engineering(intermediate)	Governement Islamia College Lahore
5	2004	Matriculation	Government High School kamahn Lahore cantt

Experience

SrNo.	From	To	Designation	Organization
1	2014	2016	Lecture Chemstry	Concordia Group of colleges A project of Beaconhou
2	2012	2014	Lecture Chemstry	Unique Group of colleges Lahore
3	2011	2012	Lecture Chemstry	Universal Group of colleges Chungi Amer Sidu Lahor
4	2012	2014	Chemistry instructor for Cambrige International Exams	Green Hall Academy for Cambrige studies Defence La

Publications

SrNo.	Title
1	Structure control of heteroatoms’ self-doped porous carbon materials derived from cyclomatrix Polyphosphazenes for high-performance supercapacitor application
2	Development of magnesium oxide@carbon fiber paper composite film for the removal of methyl orange from aqueous phase
3	Comparative Study to Characterise the Pharmaceutical Potential of Synthesized Snake Venom Bradykinin-Potentiating Peptides In Vivo
4	UV-Light Mediated Biosynthesis of Silver Nanowires; Characterization, Dye Degradation Potential and Kinetic Studies
5	Radical scavenging and catalytic activity of fe-cu bimetallic nanoparticles synthesized from Ixora finlaysoniana extract
6	Antioxidant and Organic Dye Removal Potential of Cu-Ni Bimetallic Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Gazania rigens Extract
7	Solvent assisted synthesis of hierarchical magnesium oxide flowers for adsorption of phosphate and methyl orange: Kinetic, isotherm, thermodynamic and removal mechanism
8	A Review on the Morphologically Controlled Synthesis of Polyphosphazenes for Electrochemical Applications
9	Amorphous covalent inorganic–organic hybrid frameworks (CIOFs) with an aggregation induced selective response to UV–Visible light and their DFT studies
10	The Impact of Hyperthyroidism on Selected Serum Proteins and Metal Ions in the Population of Lahore and Its Surrounding Areas
11	Unusual excitation wavelength tunable multiple fluorescence from organocyclo-phosphazene microspheres: Crosslinked structure-property relationship
12	The Impact of Hyperthyroidism on Selected Serum Proteins and Metal lons in the Population of Lahore and its Surrounding Areas
13	Nickel adsorption onto polyurethane ethylene and vinyl Acetate sorbents

Conferences

SrNo.	Year	Level	City	Country	Confence
1	2015	National	Lahore	Pakistan	Symposium at Nanotechnology University of Engineer
2	2016	National	Lahore	Pakistan	Symposium at Nanotechnology University of Engineer
3	2016	International	Lahore	Pakistan	Nanotechnology and Material ScienncesThe Universi
4	2017	national	Lahore	Pakistan	One day symposium on ‘’Functional materials used i
5	2017	national	Lahore	Pakistan	Two-day conference on “Recent advances in Chemistr
6	2017	International	Lahore	Pakistan	Two days International conference on ‘’ Need base
7	2018	International	FaisalAbad	Pakistan	Two days International conference on ‘’ Material
8	2018	International	Beijing	China	2nd International Conference on Polymer Science and Engineering
9	2019	International	Beijing	China	3rd International Conference on Polymer Science and Engineering
10	2020	International	Beijing	China	3rd Science and Innovation Forum
11	2018	International	Beijing	China	Second international conference on Bioenergy and Biofuels by Degradation of Degradable Polymers
12	2020	International	Lahore	Pakistan	Innovation Challenges in the field of Molecular and Chemical Sciences
13	2020	International	Lahore	Pakistan	International Conference on Membrane Science and Technology

Awards

SrNo.	Year	Awarding Organization	Description
1	2018	Chinese Scholarship Council	Full bright scholarship for PhD students (2018-2022)
2	Teacher of The year	Unique Group of Colleges Lahore	Best Chemistry Lecture
3	2012	Punjab Government	Merit Scholarship Award for Masters of Sceince
4	2015	Allama Iqbal Open University Lahore	Best project ward for sceince fictions for B.ed sceince group

Memberships

SrNo.	From - To	Title	Organization
1	2016 - onward	member	Chemical society of Pakistan

Courses Taught

SrNo.	Type	Title	University	Semester
1	Theory	Physical Chemistry	University of Lahore	Fall-2017
2	Theory	Electrochemistry and Statistical Thermodynamics	University of Lahore	Fall-2017
3	Theory and Lab	Applied Chemistry	University of Lahore	Fall-2017
4	Theory and Experimental	Physical Chemistry 1	The university of Lahore	MCHEM 1st
5	Theory and experimental	Applied Chemistry 1	The university of Lahore	MC # 1(Q)
6	theory and practical	Physical chemistry -1	University of Lahore	BS 3rd
7	Theory	Reaction Dynamics	University of Lahore	MS.c. 4th
8	Theory	Electrochemistry of Fuels and Batteries	University of Lahore	MS.c. 4th
9	Theory	Advance Concept in Transition Metal Complexes	University of Lahore	M.Phil 1+2
10	BS	Colloids and Surface Chemistry	The University of Lahore	8th
11	BS	Nanomaterials and their Applications	The University of Lahore	7th
12	BS	Inorganic Chemistry	The University of Lahore	5th
13	BS	Materials Chemistry	The University of Lahore	6th
14	BS	Physical Chemistry	The University of Lahore	6th
15	M.Phil.	Chemistry of Organometallics	The University of Lahore	1st

Project Supervisor

SrNo.	Title	From - To	Organization	Type
1	Preparation of novel MIL_101 (Cr) based mixed matrix membrane for the removal of heavy metals from wastewater	2020 - 2022	The University of Lahore	M.Phil.
2	Preparation of conducting polymers based matrix membrane for removal of heavy metals from saline water	2020 - 2022	The University of Lahore	M.Phil.
3	Fabrication of sodium alginate graphene-oxide mediated banana peals for the removal of heavy metals from wastewater	2020 - 2022	The University of Lahore	M.Phil.
4	Preparation of a novel Zn-(II) imidazole based mixed-matrix membranes for heavy metals removal from drinking water	2020 - 2022	The University of Lahore	M.Phil.
5	In-situ incorporation of zwitter-ionic metal organic framework in thin film composite(TFC) membranes for enhanced water permeability and anti-fouling property.	2020 - 2022	The University of Lahore	M.Phil.
6	A Novel Approach to Starch Based Packing Materials Alternative of Plastic Packing	2019 - 2021	The University of Lahore	M.Phil.
7	Fabrication of Environmental Friendly Alginate/Starch Based Semisynthetic Bio-bags	2019 - 2021	The University of Lahore	M.Phil.
8	Wound Healing Potential of Chitosan/Aloe-Vera Based Polymeric Membranes with Enhanced Physiochemical and Antimicrobial Activity	2019 - 2021	The University of Lahore	M.Phil.
9	Green Synthesis Ni-Sn bimetallic nanoparticles and their activity toward dye degradation potential	2019 - 2022	The University of Lahore	M.Phil.
10	Photocatalytic study of Cu-Sn bimetallic nanoparticles synthesized using pea peel extract	2019 - 2022	The University of Lahore	M.Phil.
11	Effects of dioctyl phthalate on mechanical and thermal properties of PVC based desalination membranes	2019 - 2021	The University of Lahore	M.Phil.
12	Synthesis of poly-vinyl-chloride ultrafiltration desalination membrane via phase inversion method	2019 - 2021	The University of Lahore	M.Phil.
13	Green Synthesis of Magnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles	2016 - 2018	The University of Lahore	M.Phil.
14	Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles	2016 - 2018	The University of Lahore	M.Phil.
15	Green Synthesis and Characterization of Copper-oxide Nanoparticles Using Azadiracta Indica (Neem) Leaf Aqueous Extract	2016 - 2018	The University of Lahore	M.Phil.
16	Green Synthesis of Zinc-Oxide (ZnO) Nanoparticles Using Ocimum Tenuiflorum Leaves	2016 - 2018	The University of Lahore	M.Phil.

Services

Books

Research Fundings

Extracurricular Activities

SrNo.	Hobbies	Interests
1	Debating and comparing	cricket, ploitics and hitch hicking

Languages and Skills

SrNo.	Langues	Skills
1	English	fluent in speaking and writting
2	Urdu	fluent in communication skills and writting
3	Saraiki	fluent in speaking

Active Collabrations

SrNo.	From - To	Type	Country	Organization
1	2012 - onward	Research Collaboration	Pakistan	PCSIR Laboreteris Lahore
2	2013 - Onward	Research Collaboration	Pakistan	University of Engineering and Technology Lahore
3	2014 - Onward	Research Collaboration	Pakistan	INMOL hospital Lahore
4	2017 - Onward	Research Collaboration	Pakistan	University of Engineering and Technology KsK campu
5	2017 - onward	International	China	Beijing University of chemical and technology
6	2017 - onward	Internationale	China	University of Science and Technology China
7	2017 - onward	International	China	Beijing Institute of Technology
8	2020 - onward	Research Collaboration	Pakistan	Comsats University Lahore campus

Consulting Experience

SrNo.	From - To	Post Held	Organization
1	2013 - 2014	As carriar consultent	Lahore Educators School
2	2014 - 2015	educational consultent	Brain College of Technology Walton Road Lahore
3	2015 - 2016	educational consultent	Universal Girls college Chungi Amer Sidu Lahore

Achievements / Rewards

Dr Akhtar represents Pakistan, explores collaboration with Germany on global issues

Description

In a substantial ambassadorial effort, Prof Dr Rabia Akhtar (Director of the Center for Security, Strategy, and Policy Research (CSSPR)) represented Pakistan as a thought leader in a delegation of five eminent scholars from Asia. This delegation, constituted by the Asia chapter of Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), visited Berlin, Germany, to engage in dialogues and meetings aimed at understanding Germany’s viewpoints on key global issues, from June 13-15, 2023.

The FES Strategic Foresight Group, comprising scholars from Pakistan, Thailand, India, South Korea, and Indonesia, sought to gain insights into Germany’s perception of the world, the interconnectedness of geopolitics and geoeconomics, and the overall security and stability of different regions. By interacting with parliamentarians, scholars, and think tank experts, the group aimed to identify Germany’s foreign policy direction amidst intensifying great power competition, technological advancements, and the Russo-Ukrainian war.

Dr Akhtar articulated Pakistan’s aspirations to become a regional and global connector, and expressed her belief that the country could serve as Germany’s partner in promoting peace. She said academic collaboration between the two countries must lay the groundwork for better ties. In that regard, she hoped that the University of Lahore (UOL) and CSSPR will like to establish linkages, to work on security and strategic issues with policymakers, universities, and think tankers in Germany.

Moreover, during the meetings with German officials and academicians, including Dr.Martin Thummel (Deputy Head for East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific, Federal Foreign Office), Dr Akhtar along with the delegation underlined the importance of collaboration between nations in an increasingly interconnected world. It was argued that Europe and Asia should not be considered separate arenas, as common threats and opportunities necessitate a collective approach.

The participants engaged in thought-provoking discussions on how Germany’s foreign policy has evolved amid geopolitical tensions and how the country aims to strike a balance between values-based and interests-based approaches, particularly in the face of the evolving Sino-U.S. rivalry. Central to these discussions was Germany’s embrace of Zeitenwende, signifying a transformative shift in its foreign and defence policies following the war in Ukraine. German officials highlighted that this philosophy would enable their country to contribute positively to regional and global stability.

Furthermore, the delegation stressed the importance of inter-regional dialogues, trade, and economic cooperation between Germany and Asian countries during their meetings with parliamentarians. Geoeconomics emerged as a key theme, with experts acknowledging its potential to promote interdependence, peace, and stability. However, they also expressed caution, and were mindful of the geopolitical complexities that could hinder its effectiveness.

Dr Ashraf becomes Pakistan’s top and world’s 12th most cited Plant Science researcher

Description

What traits set exceptional academic leaders apart? One is their ongoing commitment to academic excellence. Prof Dr Muhammed Ashraf (Rector, UOL), in an interview with the Press and Publications Cell (PPC) of the University of Lahore (UOL), shared how his commitment to academics and research led him to stand amongst the top-cited Plant Science researchers in the world.

The second edition of Research.com rankings of the best researchers was released recently. According to these rankings, Dr Ashraf stood 12th in the list of top-cited researchers with a massive number of 72,461 citations and 1,169 publications in the field of Plant Science.

While sharing his sentiments with the PPC team, he said, “It is a great honour and privilege for me to be among the world’s top-cited Plant Science researchers. Barely people from third-world countries like Pakistan get such immense acknowledgement for research, but I, hailing from a developing country, take pride in the fact that I was able to garner the limelight along with researchers from advanced countries like America, Germany, etc.”

Motivation for Plant Science Research

For most of his academic life, Dr Ashraf has been conducting research anchored on Plant Science, his field of specialisation for which he has recently been recognised globally. Revealing his motivation behind his research drive, he mentioned that “Research is the key element for institutions and even for academicians to leave an unprecedented imprint on the global academic spectrum. The only sound way to project novel ideas pertaining to your field is through research, and that is what keeps me right on track with research. To make significant contributions to the field of Plant Science, I try to continually explore and conduct impactful research.”

Global Acclamation

In continuing the discussion of his research motivation, on a lighter note, he shared that he received a congratulatory email from Mr Rattan Laal (The Ohio State University, the United States). “To my surprise, Mr Laal, the world’s most cited researcher, shared his congratulatory remarks with me. I am humbled to the core by this global acclamation that I have received so far,” he said.

Catering to Contemporary Plant Science Issues

In every field of study, researchers try to address and explore solutions for the most pressing issues. In Plant Science and Agronomy, the focal point of researchers nowadays is the impact of climate change on plants and, broadly, on the agriculture sector. Upon being asked about the impact of his research, the UOL Rector stated that “Climate change, undoubtedly, has adversely affected the lives of plants, animals, and even humans. My focus is particularly on plants and agriculture. Through my research, I have always tried to address and highlight the pressing issues that are being faced mainly by Asian and African countries, and this is also one of the reasons that my research is getting global acknowledgement because it caters to global issues. Majorly, my work is based on different plant stresses such as drought, salinity, waterlogging, temperature extremes etc.”

Fundamentals of Research, Publications, and Rankings

Not many people are familiar with the Research.com rankings, and in fact, they lack even the most basic knowledge of research rankings. During his interview with PPC, Dr Ashraf summarised the entire research ranking process by saying that “A researcher gets ranked based on his number of publications and citations. Researchers should try to publish their work in international journals, which will increase their chances of maximum citations. The more publications and citations, the higher the H-index, and ultimately, the better the chances of getting ranked at the top.”

Tips for soon-to-be Early-career Researchers

There is no short cut to conduct profoundly organic research, and that is what Dr Ashraf said. “Dedication and hard work are the keys to achieve research goals. Nevertheless, to stand out in the pool of researchers, it is pertinent, especially for Plant Science research aspirants, to focus on technological and digital advancements, keeping oneself up-to-date with international contemporary research trends, and fuelling the urge of discovery by gaining more and more knowledge,” he advised the students.

Dr Tahir explores the role of financial risk-taking attitude in consumer satisfaction

Description

A consumer’s attitude of financial risk tolerance (FRT) plays an important role in his/her financial decisions, thereby determining his well-being. FRT is a consumer’s preference for the amount of risk he undertakes while making investments. Recently, a lot of research studies have been conducted on consumer well-being and FRT. Being motivated by this trend in financial research, Dr Muhammad Tahir (Assistant Professor, Lahore Business School, the University of Lahore (UOL)) and fellow researchers explored the relationship amongst financial literacy, propensity to plan (PTP), FRT, financial satisfaction, and life satisfaction.

Though scholarly acumen for consumer well-being is rapidly developing, not much is known regarding the collective roles of financial literacy, PTP, and FRT. Dr Tahir’s study addressed this gap by showing that financial literacy, risk-taking attitudes, and planning propensities are all interconnected and necessary ingredients to improve financial and life satisfaction.

Dr Tahir’s analytical study titled “Role of financial risk-taking attitude in personal finances and consumer satisfaction: evidence from Australia” revealed a strong partial mediation of FRT between financial literacy and financial satisfaction. Moreover, the analysis showed that a high PTP combined with a high FRT results in high financial satisfaction.

For achieving the main objective of the research, the Household, Income, and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey was taken into consideration. Furthermore, Dr Tahir used the variance-based partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), also known as the PLS path modelling approach, to test the proposed hypotheses of the study empirically.

The findings of Dr Tahir’s research study showed the importance of creating financial plans in accordance with risk tolerance. Considering the relevance of increasing financial literacy, Dr Tahir suggested that the use of tools that could help consumers plan and spent in risky investments might lead them to have a more financial and life satisfaction.

UOL chemist explores an eco-friendly alternative thickening agent for textile printing

Description

Textile printing is the most versatile and vital methodology for introducing colour and design to textile fabrics. Different types of thickeners (chemical compounds) are used for printing, such as polysaccharide thickener, synthetic thickener, and emulsion thickener. Synthetic thickeners are highly criticised for endangering the environment at the manufacturing stages.

Dr Dure Najaf Iqbal (Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, The University of Lahore) and her team of researchers explored an eco-friendly alternative for synthetic thickeners that is effective in the textile printing process. The team revealed that guar gum could serve as an outstanding natural thickener, stabiliser, and gelling agent and could as well be used in various industrial units, including food, cosmetics, textiles, oil fracturing, and mining. Guar gum is one of the most important naturally occurring non-ionic high molecular weight polysaccharides and consists of galactomannan, which has vast applications in various fields.

Dr Iqbal and her team synthesised carboxymethyl guar gum (CMG) via monochloroacetic acid under alkaline conditions. The carboxymethylation of guar gum was accomplished by the Willianson ether technique and the reaction conditions were optimised during the course of the experiment. Guar derivatives with variable degrees of substitution (DS) were prepared and confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The DS was determined quantitatively by the titration method for each derivative.

For this research study, native guar gum was purchased from National Guar Industries, Karachi, with a molecular weight of 1.043 106 g/mol. Whereas, all the chemicals and reagents used were of analytical grade and were purchased from Merck, Germany.

The result proved that the substituted guar gum is an eco-friendly, non-hazardous thickener as compared to synthetic thickeners. Furthermore, the penetration properties, fixation ability, and colour fastness of guar gum were compared with those of commercial alginate thickeners. The printing trial of the thickener CMG also showed that carboxymethyl guar gum could easily replace conventional thickeners without any compromise on printing results and could prevent fabric stiffness. The tested water-holding capacity (a central aspect that determines commercial applications of gums) of guar gum made it ideal for improving the texture of end products in diverse industrial formulations.

Also, it was revealed that the implementation of carboxymethyl guar gum in textile printing can reduce the economic burden associated with exporting alginate and other synthetic thickeners. This, in turn, could enable exporters to offer competitive pricing without compromising on quality.

Faculty / Staff Profiles

Dr. Zahid Ali

Assistant Professor

Chemistry

Biography

Education

Experience

Publications

Conferences

Awards

Courses Taught

Project Supervisor

Services

Books

Research Fundings

Extracurricular Activities

Languages and Skills

Active Collabrations

Consulting Experience

Dr Akhtar represents Pakistan, explores collaboration with Germany on global issues

Dr Ashraf becomes Pakistan’s top and world’s 12th most cited Plant Science researcher

Dr Tahir explores the role of financial risk-taking attitude in consumer satisfaction

UOL chemist explores an eco-friendly alternative thickening agent for textile printing