Dr. Abul Kalam Azad

Check out Dr. Abul Kalam’s Google Scholar Profile

About

I am working as a senior lecturer in Energy System Engineering in the Faculty of Integrated Technologies. Before joining UBD, I was working with Professor John TS Irvine in the University of St Andrews, UK on solid oxide fuel cell materials development. I did my PhD in the University of Gothenburg, Sweden under supervision of Professor Sten G Eriksson on materials preparation and characterization for magnetic memory applications. I did my undergrad and graduation in Physics from Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh.

Teaching Area

Engineering Chemistry; Materials Science & Engineering; Engineering Physics; Mechanics; Crystallography & Diffraction; Fuel Cell Materials & Devices; Materials Characterization and Processing; Electronic, Optical, Magnetic and Thermal Properties of Materials

Current Research

Design, preparation and characterization of energy materials and functional ceramics is my main interest.  Present research work involves the preparation and characterization of novel solid electrodes for hydrocarbon fuels and test in real operating conditions. Specifically, sulfur tolerant and natural gas fueled SOFC is one of the interests. Design and preparation of solid electrolytes exhibiting fast oxide ion, proton, lithium ion, and sodium ion conduction and mixed ionic-electronic conduction based on inorganic crystal structures (e,g., perovskite, perovskite-related layered structure, spinel) and construction and characterization of SOFCs, PEMFCs, and sensors. Combined cooling, heat and power (CCHP) with hybrid solar-SOFC is one of the things I am looking for.

Materials are prepared by employing solid-state synthesis techniques that include high temperature ceramic, low-temperature chemical (e.g., precipitation, precursor, polymerization, and sol-gel) and wet-chemistry (e.g., co-precipitation) methods. These materials are characterized by using various solid-state techniques such as powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), neutron powder diffraction (NPD), elemental analysis (EDAX and ICP), thermal analysis (TGA, DTA/DSC, dilatometry), and physical spectroscopy. Electrical transport properties are investigated employing AC impedance and DC polarization technique as a function of temperature and oxygen partial pressures. Fuel cells are tested in two- and three-electrode mode.

Research Interests

Dr. Azad’s research interests are in the area of solid-state ionic technologies. In particular, materials development for energy conversion, storage and environmental applications that include solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), Solid Oxide Proton Conductors (SOPCs), solid state batteries, sensors for chemical species (e.g., oxygen, hydrogen, ammonia, hydrocarbon), solar cells, Li-ion batteries and displays. The fundamental investigation on the structure-composition-electrical transport properties relationship is required for the development of advanced solid electrolytes and electrodes with desired functional properties for the above mentioned applications.

Publications

• C.N.K Patabendige, A. K. Azad_, P. Connor, A. Rolle, J.T.S Irvine “Remarkable transition from rocksalt/perovskite layered structure to fluorite/rocksalt layered structure in rapidly cooled Ln₂CuO₄” Scientific Reports, 3 (2013) 1504.( ISSN (online): 2045-2322, Nature Publishing group)
• A.K. Azad, J. Sanchez-Benitez, J.T.S. Irvine, “Spin-glass transition in La_0.75Sr_0.25Mn_0.5Cr_0.5-xAl_xO_3-dperovskites” Materials Research Bulletin, 48 (2013) 2482-2490. (ISSN: 0025-5408, IF 2.098).
• X. Xu, A.K. Azad, J.T.S. Irvine, “Photocatalytic H₂ generation from spinels ZnFe₂O₄, ZnFeGaO₄ and ZnGa₂O₄”, Catalysis Today, 199 (2013) 22-26. (ISSN: 0920-5861, IF 3.476).
• Y. Zhang, Z. Su, A.K. Azad, W. Zhou, J.T.S. Irvine, “Directly imaging interstitial oxygen in silicate apatite” Advanced Energy Materials, 2 (2012) 316-321(ISSN: 1614-6840, IF 8.00).
• A.K. Azad, J.H. Kim, J.T.S. Irvine, “Structure property relationship in layered-type cathode materialsLnBa_0.5Sr_0.5Co₂O_5+d (Ln = Pr, Nd) for SOFCs” Journal of Power Sources 196 (2011) 7333-7337. (ISSN: 0378-7753. IF 4.95).