Dr. Muhammad Awais
Assistant Professor, IRCBM
Area of Interest: Deposition and Characterization of Bioceramic Coatings
Tel # (Off): 111-001-007   (802)
Served Previously

Dr. Muhammad Awais completed his BSc in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering from University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan in 2003. He has got a diverse experience ranging for thermoforming, apparel and automotive industries prior to obtain a MS degree in Mechanical Engineering from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, South Korea (2004-2006). He worked in a Computer Aided Materials Processing Lab (CAMPLab) on finite element investigations of surface cracking in hot bar rolling process. He designed and developed a laboratory rolling mill setup in order to validate finite element analyses. He worked as an RA in CAMPLAB for a year before starting his PhD in University College Dublin (UCD) Ireland.
His skills ranged from
   
    Technical
                   EQUIPMENT
    Thin films coating depositions
    Magnetron sputtering (UDP 450 Teer coatings)
    Microblasting (Coblast)
    Dip coating
    Electrophoretic coating
    Nanoporous materials and nanoparticles depositions
    Spray depositions (Aerosol)
    Atmospheric pressure plasma treatments (Dow Corning)
    Microwave plasma sintering (CAP)
    Hot bar rolling and die-casting
    Laboratory scaled hot bar rolling
    Low pressure die-casting (LPDC)
    Gravity die-casting
            CHARACTERISATION
    Thickness and optical properties (J. A. Woollam’s spectroscopic ellipsometer)
    Surface roughness (Veeco optical profilometer)
    Surface energy and contact angle (Dataphysics)
    Scanning electron microscopy (Hitachi tabletop)
    X-ray diffraction (Philips and Siemens)
    IV-characteristics by making dye-sensitized solar cells and photoelectrochemical cells
    Particle size analyzer (HELOS Sympatec GmbH)
    Microstructural evaluations using etching
    Mechanical properties evaluations using scratch testing, pin on disk, etc.
           COMMERCIALIZATION
    Assisted in preparation of grant applications to funding agencies
    Patent filing
    Invention disclosure filing
    Research collaborations with industry partners such as POSCO, Celtic catalysts, SolarPrint and Kingspan
             EDUCATIONAL
    Demonstrated labs, examined and marked reports, conducted tutorials and helped in course projects:
    Mechanics for Engineers  (MEEN10030) for 3 semesters
    Materials Science and Engineering I (MEEN10020)
    Nanomaterials (MEEN40180) for 2 semesters
    Key mentoring role in final year undergraduate student projects (related to PVD coatings)
    Assisted new students in learning lab equipments and characterization techniques
    Key MSc courses taken: Manufacturing systems and supply chain, Manufacturing technology and Knowledge based design system
            SCIENTIFIC COMMUNICATION
    Five peer-reviewed journal publications
    Oral and poster presentations in local, national and international (ICMCTF 2009, PSE 2010) conferences
    Participated in BOC presentation arranged for the teachers and postgraduates by UCD School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering
    Presented in SFI cluster annual meetings to international scientific review panel: Prof Michael Grätzel (EPFL), Prof James Durrant (ICL) and Prof Robbie Burch (QUB)
    Presented in UCD Festival of Research and Innovation 2010
to
            COMPUTATIONAL
    Microsoft office, Origin, EndNote, Tecplot, CNC part programming, ANSYS, I-DEAS, CAMPform, CAMProll

AWARDS

  • HEC Apprved Supervisor
  • He had Received full scholarship from Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) including full tuition fees for a three year PhD program.
  • Won NovaUCD prize for the ‘project with the most potential for commercial success’ at UCD Festival of Research and Innovation 2010
  • Received full scholarship from KAIST including full tuition fees exemption for two years research based MS program. He had also Received Korean Research Fund (KRF) for working in CAMPLAB during MS. 
Dr. Awais completed his PhD in Mechanical Engineering (2008-2011) after working on Deposition and evaluation of nickel oxide coatings for dye-sensitized solar cell application and joined IRCBM on 24th August 2011. He has attended several international and national conferences and publishes regularly in high-ranking peer-reviewed journals. He has a sound understanding of deposition and characterization techniques. His research at IRCBM is on deposition of calcium phosphates, their sintering and characterization.

Active Projects
  • Deposition of Bioceramic Coatings onto Metallic Substractes using Dip Coating, Electrophoretic and Blasting Techniques for the Application in Biomedical Implants (PI)
  • Organically Modified HA Particles for Improved Biomedical Coating Adhesion (CoPI)
  • Mechanical Characterizations of Bioceramic coatings (PI)
  • Band gap Reduction of Doped Metal Oxide Coatings (PI)
  • Deposition and Characterization of Dye-sensitized Solar Cells (PI)
  • Depositions of Chitosan-HA-CNTs-Titania Composite Coatings (PI)
  • Depositions of substituted Calcium Phosphates coatings (PI)
 
Research Fundings
  • 0.2 millin CIIT Research Grant (Approved)
  • Two separate 6.9 and 4.37 m HEC NRPU Projects (Submitted)

Publications:

Journal Papers:
1. A.F.Khan, M. Awais, A.S.Khan, S. Tabassum, A.A. Chaudhry, I.U. Rahman (2012), "Raman Spectroscopy of Natural Bone and Synthetic Apatites (Accepted)", Applied Spectroscopy Reviews   
2. M. Awais, M. Rahman, J.M.D. MacElroy, D. Dini, J.G. Vos and D.P. Dowling (2011), "Application of a novel microwave plasma treatment for the sintering of nickel oxide coatings for use in dye-sensitized solar cells", Surface and Coatings Technology, pp: S245-S249, Vol: 205, Issue: supplemt 2, Standard: ISSN: 0257-8972, Impact Factor: 2.135    (External URL)
3. M. Awais, M. Rahman, J.M.D. MacElroy, N. Coburn, D. Dini, J.G. Vos and D.P. Dowling (2010), "Deposition and characterization of NiOx coatings by magnetron sputtering for application in dye-sensitized solar cells", Surface and Coatings Technology, pp: 2729-2736, Vol: 204, Issue: 16-17, Standard: ISSN: 0257-8972, Impact Factor: 2.135    (External URL)
4. H.W. Lee, M. Awais, Y.T. Im (2008), "Experimental study of surface irregularities of low carbon steel in hot bar rolling", Steel Research International, pp: 65-72, Vol: 79, Standard: ISSN: 0177-4832, Impact Factor: 0.453   
5. M. Awais, H.W. Lee, Y.T. Im, H.C. Kwon, S.M. Byon and H.D. Park (2008), "Plastic work approach for surface defect prediction in the hot bar rolling process", Journal of Materials Processing Technology, pp: 73-78, Vol: 201, Issue: 1-3, Standard: ISSN: 0924-0136, Impact Factor: 1.567    (External URL)
6. H.W. Lee, H.C. Kwon, M. Awais, Y.T. Im (2007), "Instability map based on specific plastic work criterion for hot deformation", Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology, pp: 1534-1540, Vol: 21, Issue: 10, Standard: ISSN: 1738-494X (Print) 1976-3824 (Online), Impact Factor: 0.41    (External URL)
Conference Papers:
1. Muhammad Awais and Denis P. Dowling (2011) "Fabrication of nickel oxide coatings for the application in solar to electric and chemical –energy conversions", ESDev 2011   
2. M. Awais, M. Rahman, J.M.D. MacElroy, D. Dini, J.G. Vos and D.P. Dowling (2010) "Application of a novel microwave plasma treatment for the sintering of nickel oxide coatings for use in dye-sensitized solar cells", PSE 2010   
3. M. Awais, M. Rahman, J.M.D. MacElroy, N. Coburn, D. Dini, J.G. Vos and D.P. Dowling (2009) "Deposition and characterization of NiOx coatings by magnetron sputtering for application in dye-sensitized solar cells", ICMCTF    
4. M. Awais, M. Rahman, J.M.D. MacElroy, D. Dini, J G. Vos and D.P. Dowling (2009) "Reactive sputtered NiOx coatings for application in dye-sensitized solar cells", Energy Solutions Conference: Energy to drive the Irish Economy   
5. M. Awais, M. Rahman and D.P. Dowling (2008) "Examination of the mechanical, thermal stability and anti-stick properties of PVD coated steel parts", Annual Conference of the Irish Plasma And Beam Processing Group   
6. N. Coburn, D. Dini, J.G. Vos, M. Awais • M. Rahman, D.P. Dowling, D. MacElroy (2008) "Use of binuclear ruthenium/rhenium complexes as dye-sensitizers for CO2 photoreduction", Royal Society of Chemistry Conference on Inorganic Chemistry   
7. M. Awais, H.W. Lee, Y.T. Im, H.C. Kwon, S.M. Byon and H.D. Park (2007) "Plastic work approach for surface defect prediction in the hot bar rolling process", AMPT   
8. M. Awais, H.W. Lee, H.Y. Kim, Y.T. Im, S.M. Byon, H.D. Park (2006) "Finite element investigation of instability in hot bar rolling process", The proceedings of KSME 2006, spring annual meeting, pp: 461-466   

Qualification

PhD (Mechanical Enginering)
University College Dublin, Ireland
Jan 2008 to Jun 2011
   
MEng (Mechanical Engineering)
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology , South Korea
Sep 2004 to Aug 2006
   
BEng (Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering)
University of Engineering and Technology Lahore, Pakistan
Jan 1999 to Dec 2002
   

Experience

Research Associate
National Research Lab for Computer Aided Materials Processing, KAIST, Korea
Oct 2006 to Sep 2007
   
Assistant Manager Production
ATLAS HONDA LTD., Lahore, Pakistan
Jan 2004 to Aug 2004
   
System Analyst (Assistant Manager)
RPlus Services
Jul 2003 to Dec 2003
   
Automation/Maintenance Engineer
Spel Packaging Industries
Jan 2003 to Jul 2003
   
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