Faheem earned his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of the Punjab, Pakistan, and M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Engineering & Technology, Lahore Pakistan, in 2008 and 2010 respectively. In 2015 he joined AMPM Center as a Ph.D. student.

Faheem research interest is membrane development for gas and water vapor separation, which is crucial for many industrial processes such e.g., air conditioning, and gas dehydration.

 

“The focus of my thesis is to evaluate new directions for the development and use of materials for membrane-based dehumidification processes. It shows advances in the synthesis of new copolymers, a surprising boost in performance with the addition of 2-D materials, propose the use of polybenzimidazole for challenging dehumidification applications, and show how by tuning the nanostructure of a commercially available block copolymer is possible to improve the performance,” he explains.

His research at the AMPM Center has resulted in five publications as a first author, four as a co-author, and a patent application. This is the excellent result of research with great potential for industrial application.

 

“We have already proved that our membranes could significantly reduce the energy consumption of process streams. Now I would like to prototype and scale-up my research to test its efficacy in energy-intensive processes,” he notes.

 

 

Teamwork has been a key factor in the success of his projects. He proudly remembers the long discussions with his colleagues or working hard in the lab with Prof. Peinemann late at night.

 

“If I had worked alone during these three and a half years, I would not have been so productive. I am very grateful to my colleagues, Prof. Peinemann for his invaluable support, and all members of the center who have always helped me achieve my goals,” Faheem concludes.

AMPM Center warmly congratulates Dr. Akhtar on his accomplishments and wishes him continues success.