Chemical Engineering

Staff

Dr Preetam Sharma M.Tech., PhD, AFHEA

Photo of Dr Preetam Sharma

Research Associate

Dr Preetam Sharma is a Research Associate in the Department of Chemical Engineering. He is researching electrochemical CO2 reduction for olefins production under The UKRI Interdisciplinary Centre for Circular Chemical Economy (CircularChem). Specifically, he is focusing on the novel catalysts preparation along with reactor development.

He received his PhD in photoelectrochemical water splitting and CO2 reduction from the School of Engineering, Ulster University, UK in 2017. Since completing his PhD, he has been working on a variety of academic and industrial projects focusing on advanced materials for energy, environment and health.

Key awards:

  • Catalysis Today ‘Certificate of outstanding contribution’ in reviewing (2018).
  • Best paper award, Research conference, Ulster University UK (2015).
  • Vice Chancellor's Research Studentship, Ulster University for PhD (2013-2016).
  • Best paper award, International conference on advanced nanomaterials and emerging engineering technologies at Sathyabhama University, India (2013).
  • Project Fellowship from University Grants Commission, India (Feb-Nov 2013).

Outline of main research interests:

  • Catalysts development for electrochemical CO2 reduction
  • Reactor design and development
  • Photo(electrocatalysis)
  • Nanomaterials for energy and environment

Grants and contracts: 

  • 2020, Proof of Concept to Commercialisation proposal on “Eco-Friendly Nanopesticides”, submitted to Invest Northern Ireland (2021) with Dr Nikhil Bhalla, submitted.
  • 2017-2018, Institutional Links STREAM-MENA 2016, British Council grant, under the guidance of Prof J. Anthony Byrne, Ulster University.
  • 2014, SFERA travel grant, European Commission to work at Plataforma Solar de Almería, Spain with Professor J. Anthony Byrne (Ulster University), access to PSA facilities and travel.
  • 2014-2017, UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research, India grant with Prof Somnath Biswas, LNMIIT, India.
  • Multiple UK Solar fuels network travel grants for attending national and international conferences/events.
  • RSC travel grants to attend RSC Photochemistry Meetings (June 2015 and Sept 2017).
  • S. Duraisamy, A. Ganguly, P. K. Sharma, J. Benson, J. Davis, P. Papakonstantinou, One Step Hydrothermal Synthesis of Self-Assembled Metallic MoS2 Nanosheets, ACS Applied Nano Materials, 2021, 4, 2642-2656.
  • P. K. Sharma, J. W. J. Hamilton, J. A. Byrne, Cu clusters modified aligned titania nanotubes for photoelectrochemical water splitting, Materials Today Proceedings, 2021, 42, 1766-1771.
  • I. Salmerón, P. K. Sharma, M. I. Polo-López, A. Tolosana, I. Oller, J. A. Byrne, P. Fernández-Ibañez, Electrochemically assisted photocatalysis for the simultaneous degradation of organic micro-contaminants and inactivation of microorganisms in water, Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 2021, 147, 488-496.
  • M. A. Cortes, S. McMichael, J. Hamilton, P. K. Sharma, A. Brown, J. A. Byrne, Photoelectrochemical reduction of CO2 with TiNT, Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing, 2020, 108, 104900.
  • P. K. Sharma, M. A. Cortes, J. W. J. Hamilton, Y. Han, J. A. Byrne, M. Nolan, Surface modification of TiO2 with copper clusters for band gap narrowing, Catalysis Today,2019, 321, 9-17.
  • M. A. LRM Cortes, J. W. J. Hamilton, P. K. Sharma, A. Brown, J. A. Byrne, Formal quantum efficiencies for the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 in a gas phase batch reactor, Catalysis Today, 2019, 326, 75-81.
  • F. R. Pomilla, M. A. Cortes, J. W. J. Hamilton, R. Molinari, G. Barbieri, G. Marcì, L. Palmisano, P. K. Sharma, A. Brown, J. A. Byrne, An Investigation into the Stability of Graphitic C3N4 as a Photocatalyst for CO2 Reduction, The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 2018, 122, 28727-28738.
  • B. R. Cruz-Ortiz, J. W. J. Hamilton, C. Pablos, L. Díaz-Jiménez, D. A. Cortés-Hernández, P. K. Sharma, M. Castro-Alférez, P. Fernández-Ibañez, P. S. M. Dunlop, J. A. Byrne, Mechanism of photocatalytic disinfection using titania-graphene composites under UV and visible irradiation, Chemical Engineering Journal, 2017, 316, 179-186.
  • J. A. Byrne, P. S. M. Dunlop, J. W. J. Hamilton, P. Fernández-Ibáñez, I. Polo-López, P. K. Sharma, A. S. M. Vennard, A review of heterogeneous photocatalysis for water and surface disinfection, Molecules, 2015, 20, 5574-5615. {equal contribution to all authors}
  • N. Ramgir, P. K. Sharma, M. Kaur, N. Datta, S. Kailasaganapathi, A. K. Debnath, D. K. Aswal, S. K. Gupta. Room temperature H2S sensor based on Au modified ZnO nanowires, Sensors and Actuators B, 2013,186, 718–726.

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