IIT Postdoctoral Researcher · Center for Sustainable Future Technologies · Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia
Dr. Iqbal's research sits at the intersection of advanced materials chemistry and urgent environmental challenges. His work spans the design and synthesis of Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) and MOF-based Mixed Matrix Membranes (MMMs) for water remediation, heterogeneous electrocatalysts for water splitting, and the characterization of innovative polymers and membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) for next-generation electrolyzers and fuel cells.
MOF-based membranes for removal of heavy metals, antibiotics, and contaminants from aquatic environments.
Heterogeneous catalysts for oxygen evolution (OER), hydrogen evolution (HER), and water splitting applications.
Characterization of innovative polymers, membranes, and MEAs for electrolyzers and fuel cells using operando techniques.
Engineering carbon nitride and composite photocatalysts for CO₂ reduction, environmental decontamination, and solar fuels.
Dr. Iqbal's academic journey spans three countries — Pakistan, China, and Italy — reflecting a consistently international approach to scientific training. His doctoral work culminated in a thesis on Metal-Organic Framework technologies for water remediation, supported by a prestigious EU-funded scholarship.
University of Gujrat, Pakistan
Oct 2011 – Dec 2015
Hazara University Mansehra, Pakistan
Mar 2016 – Feb 2018
Thesis: Co₃O₄-Coated TiO₂ for electrical properties
Soochow University, Suzhou, China
Sep 2018 – Aug 2020
University of Calabria, Italy
Jan 2022 – May 2025
Thesis: MOF Technologies for Water Remediation
Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia
Dec 2025 – Present
At the Center for Sustainable Future Technologies, Dr. Iqbal conducts research within the PROMISERS European Project, developing and characterizing innovative polymers, membranes, and MEAs for electrolyzers and fuel cells using both conventional and operando techniques.
Actively collaborated with M.Phil. and Ph.D. students on synthesis and characterization of heterogeneous electrocatalysts, evaluating their performance for water splitting and production of value-added chemicals.
Focused on secondary-level chemistry instruction while pursuing self-directed learning through scientific literature, online courses, and the development of research proposals in materials science and environmental chemistry.
Institute of Molecular Science (ICMol)
University of Valencia, Spain
July 2023 – December 2023
Dr. Iqbal conducted collaborative research at one of Europe's leading centers for porous materials and MOF chemistry, broadening his expertise in crystallographic and supramolecular approaches to functional framework design.
Calabra Maceri e Servizi SPA
Italy
April 2024 – September 2024
A six-month industry placement that provided hands-on exposure to the real-world challenges of waste management and environmental services — directly informing his applied research in water remediation and sustainable materials processing.
Dr. Iqbal has authored and co-authored peer-reviewed articles in high-impact journals including ACS Applied Nano Materials, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, ACS Catalysis, Applied Energy, and Advanced Science. His publication portfolio spans MOF membrane technology, electrocatalysis, and photocatalysis.
Waseem Iqbal et al. "Membranes Based on Metal–Organic Framework Nanostructures for Recovering Nickel, Cobalt, and Manganese Ions from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries." ACS Applied Nano Materials, 2025. doi:10.1021/acsanm.5c04698
Nour, Iqbal et al. "Efficient Nickel and Cobalt Recovery by MOF-Based Mixed Matrix Membranes." ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 12(32), 12014–12028. doi:10.1021/acssuschemeng
Ahmed, Beauger, Zada, Iqbal et al. "Recent advancements in designing high-performance PEM fuel cells: A comprehensive review." Applied Energy 390, 125753. doi:10.1016/j.apenergy.2025.125753
Negro, Iqbal et al. "(Multivariate)-MOF for Highly Efficient Antibiotic Capture from Aquatic Environmental Matrices." ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 15(2), 3069–3076. doi:10.1021/acsami.2c0458
Qiao, Iqbal et al. "Paired Electrochemical N–N Coupling Employing a Surface-Hydroxylated Ni₃Fe-MOF-OH Bifunctional Electrocatalyst." ACS Catalysis 11(21), 13510–13518. doi:10.1021/acscatal.1c03938
Ali, Wang, Iqbal et al. "Electro-Synthesis of Organic Compounds with Heterogeneous Catalysis." Advanced Science 10(1), 2205077. doi:10.1002/adv.202205077
Waseem Iqbal, Teresa F. Mastropietro, Emilio Pardo, Donatella Armentano. "A Systematic Review on the Application of MOF-based Membranes Towards Wastewater Decontamination: Challenges and Opportunities." Manuscript in preparation.
Percoco, Bruno, Mastropietro, Iqbal et al. "In situ Studies by Single-Crystal X-ray Diffraction of Activation and Isobutane Adsorption in Breathing MIL-53 (Fe) Metal-Organic Framework." Manuscript in preparation.
Peer-reviewed journal articles
International events attended
International research experience
Dr. Iqbal has actively participated in and presented at leading international conferences in crystallography, porous materials, and energy storage — spanning Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
Poster Presentation · Padova, Italy · Aug 2024
Poster Presentation · Lyon, France · Jun 2024
Poster Presentation · Crete, Greece · May 2023
Selected Presenter · University of Calabria, Italy · May 2023
Participation · Virtual / SRMIST, India · Mar 2021
Participation · Suzhou, China · Dec 2018
37th Cycle Italian National Scholarship awarded by the European Union PON Program. Fully funded Dr. Iqbal's Ph.D. research at the University of Calabria from January 2022 to December 2024.
Awarded a laptop by the Government of Pakistan in recognition of outstanding academic performance during M.Phil. Chemistry studies at Hazara University (2018).
Recognized by the Provincial Government of Punjab, Pakistan, for academic excellence during BS Chemistry at the University of Gujrat (2012).
Secured second place in a district-level essay writing competition organized by the Department of Education, Punjab, Pakistan (2009) — an early marker of intellectual distinction.
Full Professor, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technologies, University of Calabria, Italy
donatella.armentano@unical.it
Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technologies, University of Calabria, Italy
teresafina.mastropietro@unical.it
Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, Hazara University, Mansehra, Pakistan
sono_waj@yahoo.com
Institutional Email:
waseem.iqbal@iit.it
Personal Email:
waseemiqbal065@gmail.com
Phone:
+39 351 952 2522
+33 784 676 819
Affiliation:
Center for Sustainable Future Technologies
Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT)
Dr. Waseem Iqbal