Research Projects

Projects Overview


The Consortium for a Sustainable Future at KFUPM supports innovative research initiatives addressing critical sustainability challenges through Directed, Generic, and Partially Funded Internal funding schemes.

Explore our Directed, Generic, and Partially Funded Internal research projects, highlighting their research teams, project timelines, and contributions toward a more sustainable future.

 

 

Research Portfolio

Explore Our Research Projects

23
Total Projects
6
Directed Projects
10
Generic Projects
7
Partially Funded Internal Projects

Project Status Overview

An overview of the recorded status of the consortium's 23 research projects.

16
Active Projects
7
Ongoing Projects

Project status distribution | 23 total projects

Research & Innovation Insights

Our Research Pillars

01 | Circular Carbon Economy

Closing the loop on carbon through resource recovery, carbon utilization, and sustainable industrial processes.

02 | Environmental Sustainability

Enhancing resource efficiency and reducing environmental impacts through innovative materials and technologies.

03 | Critical Minerals

Advancing sustainable recovery and supply chains for essential minerals and critical materials.

04 | Energy Transition

Developing advanced materials and energy solutions to support the transition toward cleaner energy systems.

Research Funding Pathways

The consortium supports collaborative research through funding pathways tailored to shared priorities and specific industry needs.

Generic Research Projects

GRP | Collaborative Research

Addressing shared pre-competitive research challenges relevant to consortium members through collaborative resources and expertise.

Directed Research Projects

DRP | Industry-Driven Research

Addressing specific member-defined priorities through dedicated research initiatives, targeted funding, and focused execution.

From Research to Impact

Connecting scientific discovery with practical solutions and industrial implementation.

Research
Laboratory Discovery
Development
Prototyping & Validation
Deployment
Industrial Application

Our Impact Priorities: Research Impact | Technology Advancement | Talent Development | Operational Efficiency | Industry & Community Engagement

Directed Projects

Explore the six research projects supported under the Directed funding scheme.

DIRECTED PROJECT | CONS 2673

Organic-Based Redox Flow Battery for Electrochemical Energy Storage

Principal Investigator (KFUPM): Mohammad Qamar

Project Manager: Mohamed Abdrabuh Masad Hussain

PI (Aramco): Mona Otaibi

Start Date: 1 December 2025

Expected Completion: 30 November 2027

DIRECTED PROJECT | CONS 2672

PHASE I: Recovery of Battery-Grade Metals from Battery Black Mass

Principal Investigator (KFUPM): Muhammad Ihsan

Project Manager: Ime Bassey Obot

PI (Aramco): Mohammed Albuali

Start Date: 1 December 2025

Expected Completion: 30 May 2027

DIRECTED PROJECT | CONS 2674

In vivo CO2 Enhanced Conversion (CO2 Utilization)

Principal Investigator (KFUPM): Yahya Gambo

Project Manager: Saviour Alphonsus Umoren

PI (Aramco): Mohamed Halabi

Start Date: 1 January 2026

Expected Completion: 31 December 2027

DIRECTED PROJECT | CONS 2680

Functional Carbon Materials from Biochar for Industrial Wastewater

Principal Investigator (KFUPM): Khalid Hooshani

Project Manager: Rami Suleiman

PI (Aramco): Bandar Fadhel

Start Date: 1 January 2026

Expected Completion: 31 December 2026

DIRECTED PROJECT | CONS 2681

Air to Ethanol: Integrated Direct Air Capture with Electrochemical CO2 Conversion for Sustainable Fuel Production

Principal Investigator (KFUPM): Fatma Ismail

Project Manager: Arumugam Madhan Kumar

PI (Aramco): Hussain Naji/Wajdi Sadat

Start Date: 1 January 2026

Expected Completion: 31 December 2027

DIRECTED PROJECT | CONS 2683

Biochar-HDPE-Gypsum Composite Board for Interior Application

Principal Investigator (KFUPM): Saviour Alphonsus Umoren

Project Manager: Saviour Alphonsus Umoren

PI (Aramco): Bandar Fadhel

Start Date: 1 January 2026

Expected Completion: 31 December 2026

Generic Projects

Explore ten collaborative research projects supported under the Generic funding scheme, addressing key challenges in sustainability, advanced materials, water technologies, and energy efficiency.

GENERIC PROJECT | CONS 2689

Brine to Value: Closed-Loop Recovery via Electro-Driven Pathways

Principal Investigator (KFUPM): Billel Salhi

Project Manager: Mohamed Abdrabuh Masad Hussain

Start Date: 1 September 2026

Expected Completion: 31 August 2028

GENERIC PROJECT | CONS 2690

Polyelectrolyte Complex Membranes for Desalination

Principal Investigator (KFUPM): Muhammad Irshad Baig

Project Manager: Rami Suleiman

Start Date: 1 September 2026

Expected Completion: 31 August 2028

GENERIC PROJECT | CONS 2691

Bio-Inspired Hybrid Ceramic-Polymer Membranes for Oily Wastewater

Principal Investigator (KFUPM): Nadeem Baig

Project Manager: Rami Suleiman

Start Date: 1 September 2026

Expected Completion: 31 August 2028

GENERIC PROJECT | CONS 2692

Recovery of Magnesium and Calcium from Desalination Brine

Principal Investigator (KFUPM): Isam Aljundi

Project Manager: Mouheddin Tahseen Alhaffar

Start Date: 1 September 2026

Expected Completion: 31 August 2028

GENERIC PROJECT | CONS 2693

Functionalized Porous Carbon for High-Surface-Area CO₂ Capture

Principal Investigator (KFUPM): Jiabao Yi

Project Manager: Arumugam Madhan Kumar

Start Date: 1 September 2026

Expected Completion: 31 August 2028

GENERIC PROJECT | CONS 2694

Development of Green Amine-Based Protic Ionic Liquids for CO₂ Capture

Principal Investigator (KFUPM): Muhammad Shahzad Kamal

Project Manager: Ime Bassey Obot

Start Date: 1 September 2026

Expected Completion: 31 August 2028

GENERIC PROJECT | CONS 2695

Novel Composite Adsorbent for Sustainable Adsorption Cooling

Principal Investigator (KFUPM): Rached Ben Mansour

Project Manager: Mouheddin Tahseen Alhaffar

Start Date: 1 September 2026

Expected Completion: 31 August 2029

GENERIC PROJECT | SUFC2301

Development of a Solar Driven Cooling-Desalination MOF Adsorption system

Principal Investigator (KFUPM): Rached Ben Mansour

Project Manager: Rached Ben Mansour

Start Date: 15 June 2023

Expected Completion: 31 December 2026

GENERIC PROJECT | SUFC2302

Potential role of conducting polymers-functionalized boron-based nanosheets in metal-ion batteries: A hybrid density functional theory (DFT) - machine learning (ML) approach

Principal Investigator (KFUPM): Abdulaziz Alsaadi

Project Manager: Abdulaziz Alsaadi

Start Date: 1 September 2023

Expected Completion: 31 March 2026

GENERIC PROJECT | SUFC2303

Production of Urea from Nitrogen, Carbon Dioxide and Water Microdroplets

Principal Investigator (KFUPM): Basheer Chanbasha

Project Manager: Basheer Chanbasha

Start Date: 15 June 2023

Expected Completion: 30 September 2026

Partially Funded Internal Projects

Explore seven partially funded internal research projects spanning sustainable materials, energy technologies, resource recovery, and industrial applications.

PARTIALLY FUNDED INTERNAL PROJECT | SUFC2601 Ongoing

Development of Carbon-Based Material from Petroleum coke for Carbon Capture Applications

Principal Investigator (KFUPM): Mohamed Abdrabuh Masad Hussain

Project Manager: Mohamed Abdrabuh Masad Hussain

Start Date: 3 March 2024

Expected Completion: N/A

PARTIALLY FUNDED INTERNAL PROJECT | SUFC 2602 Ongoing

Understanding Localized Corrosion in Super Duplex Stainless Steels using Scanning electrochemical techniques

Principal Investigator (KFUPM): Arumugam Madhan Kumar

Project Manager: Arumugam Madhan Kumar

Start Date: 1 June 2026

Expected Completion: N/A

PARTIALLY FUNDED INTERNAL PROJECT | SUFC2603 Ongoing

Development of metallic thin films for the surface protection of metallic components

Principal Investigator (KFUPM): Arumugam Madhan Kumar

Project Manager: Arumugam Madhan Kumar

External collaborator (as recorded): Mohammad Kamal Hossain, University of Nizwa, Oman

Start Date: 1 June 2026

Expected Completion: N/A

PARTIALLY FUNDED INTERNAL PROJECT | SUFC2604 Ongoing

Sustainable Integrity Assessment and Life Extension of Curved Pipelines under Combined Bending and Internal Pressure

Principal Investigator (KFUPM): Rami Suleiman

Project Manager: Rami Suleiman

Start Date: 1 June 2026

Expected Completion: N/A

PARTIALLY FUNDED INTERNAL PROJECT | SUFC2605 Ongoing

Engineering Thiourea-Derived Anode Additives for Long-Life, High-Efficiency Alkaline Aluminum–Air Batteries

Principal Investigator (KFUPM): Ime Bassey Obot

Project Manager: Rami Suleiman

Start Date: 1 January 2025

Expected Completion: N/A

PARTIALLY FUNDED INTERNAL PROJECT | SUFC2606 Ongoing

Development of Sustainable Polyol-Modified Electrolytes for Improved Efficiency, Durability, and Anode Utilization in Magnesium–Air Batteries

Principal Investigator (KFUPM): Ime Bassey Obot

Project Manager: Saviour Alphonsus Umoren

Start Date: 1 January 2026

Expected Completion: N/A

PARTIALLY FUNDED INTERNAL PROJECT | SUFC2607 Ongoing

Upcycling Waste Residues into Carbon Quantum Dot–Enhanced Biodegradable Polymer Films for Sustainable Food Packaging

Principal Investigator (KFUPM): Saviour A. Umoren

Project Manager: Saviour A. Umoren

Start Date: 1 September 2026

Expected Completion: N/A