DR. Zakir Hussain is currently working as an Assistant Professor in Chemical Engineering & HOD at Loyola Academy and as a Scientific Advisor at ProSam Bioscience Pvt. Ltd., Hyderabad.
DR. Zakir is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Strategy and Leadership from O P Jindal Global University (An Institute of Eminence), and a Master of Science (M.Sc.) Psychology from Dr. B. R. Ambedker Open University (State Government University), Hyderabad, and Master of Arts (MA) Entrepreneurship from Indira Gandhi National Open University (Central Government University).
DR. Zakir obtained PG Diploma in Cyber Laws and Intellectual Property Rights from The University of Hyderabad (An Institute of Eminence) after Obtaining a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology (An “Institute of National Importance” along the Lines of IIT’s Established by Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India), Jais, Uttar Pradesh.
EDUCATION
1. Master of Business Administration (MBA), Strategy & Leadership
Institute: Jindal Global Business School, O P Jindal Global Institute of Eminence, Haryana
2. Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Psychology (Pursuing)
Institute: Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Open University (BRAOU), Hyderabad
3. Master of Arts (MA) in Entrepreneurship (Pursuing)
Institute: School of Vocational Education and Training, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)
4. Post Graduate Diploma in Cyber Laws and Intellectual Property Rights, Distinction
University: The University of Hyderabad (An “Institute of Eminence”)
5. Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Engineering
Institute (s): Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology (An “Institute of National Importance” along the Lines of IIT Established by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India), Jais, Amethi, Uttar Pradesh and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Chemical Engineering, Catalysis, Chemical Health and Safety
Optimized energy management of PV-Powered lighting system for smart cities using perfumer optimization algorithm and graph ensemble neural network Zakir Hussain, Prabu Selvam, M. Sivaramkrishnan, M. Siva Ramkumar, Sivaprakash Paramasivam, Mohamed Ghouse, T. M. Yunus Khan, Md Amir Khan, Amanuel Zewdie Scientific Reports, 2025 Energy Management of PV-powered lighting systems for smart cities integrates RES, such as PV panels, WT, battery ESS, and the grid to optimize energy utilization, enhance sustainability, and reduce reliance on conventional energy sources. At the same time, the system has to address problems in balancing costs and efficiency, because the rise in RE like PV and wind, and the need for ESS and grid integration, can make it harder to match supply and demand. To address these issues, this paper proposes a hybrid strategy for EM in PV-powered lighting systems for smart cities. The hybrid method integrates the POA and GENN. The main aim is to reduce operational costs and improve the energy efficiency of the PV-powered lighting system. POA is utilized to optimize energy allocation among RES, the grid, and energy storage, enhancing resource utilization and maintaining supply-demand balance. While GENN is utilized to predict energy generation and consumption patterns, it enhances the accuracy of forecasting for improved system performance. By then, the proposed method is implemented on the MATLAB platform and evaluated with various existing approaches. The POA-GENN approach achieves an operational cost of 365.24 €ct and an efficiency of 99.2%, demonstrating its effectiveness in optimizing the EM of PV-powered lighting systems for smart cities.
Microstructural and elemental evolution of directed energy deposited inconel 825 under hot corrosion Ilangovan Arun, Sarange Shreepad Marotrao, Vipin Sharma, Sivakumar Karthikeyan, Zakir Hussain, P. Veeramanikandan, M. Venkatesulu, Rajendiran M., T.S. Senthil Journal of Alloys and Metallurgical Systems, 2025 This study investigates the hot corrosion behaviour of Inconel 825 wall under high-temperature environments using a eutectic mixture of sodium sulphate (Na₂SO₄) and vanadium pentoxide (V₂O₅). The wall was fabricated using cold metal transfer (CMT)-based directed energy deposition (DED) process. Specimens were exposed to temperatures of 700°C and 900°C to simulate conditions encountered in industrial applications such as marine engineering and power generation. At 700°C, the alloy exhibited a weight gain of approximately 0.15 mg/cm² over 50 hours, attributed to the formation of a dense and adherent Cr₂O₃ oxide layer. SEM/EDS analysis confirmed a uniform chromium-enriched oxide scale with limited incorporation of vanadium and sulphur, maintaining parabolic corrosion kinetics. At 900°C, the weight gain increased significantly to 0.7 mg/cm², reflecting a shift to linear kinetics. SEM/EDS analysis at this temperature indicated extensive incorporation of vanadium and sulphur into the oxide layer, forming non-protective compounds such as NiV₂O₆, CrVO₄, Cr₂S₃, and Ni₃S₂. Elemental mapping demonstrated chromium depletion in the oxide scale and substrate, compromising the formation of a continuous Cr₂O₃ layer. This study emphasizes the temperature-dependent nature of hot corrosion mechanisms of Inconel 825 and highlights the need for surface engineering techniques to enhance its performance in aggressive environments.
Novel Corncob-Based Catalytic Biodiesel Production Process: Experiments, Modeling, and Simulation Zakir Hussain, Joji Reddy Lingareddy, Nazleen Sulthana, Shashi Kanth Boddu Chemical Engineering and Technology, 2024 A functionalized catalyst for catalyzed biodiesel production via a heterogeneous route is a highly focused area to lower the cost of production and mitigate the drawbacks of homogeneously catalyzed reactions. Production aspects such as parameter study, kinetics modeling, and simulation of continuous process flowsheets incorporating kinetic parameters are scarce in the literature. In the current work, a sulfonic group‐functionalized porous carbonaceous catalyst based on corncob was used for the esterification of oleic acid. The Langmuir‐Hinshelwood‐Hougen‐Watson (LHHW) kinetic model was found to best fit to correlate the experimental data and thus applied to deduce the kinetic parameters. The obtained kinetic parameters were incorporated into the Aspen Plus simulator to simulate the continuous biodiesel production process. The catalyst showed a strong affinity for oleic acid which enhances the reaction rate.
A comprehensive review on the novel approaches using nanomaterials for the remediation of soil and water pollution T. Sathish, N. Ahalya, M. Thirunavukkarasu, T.S. Senthil, Zakir Hussain, Md Irfanul Haque Siddiqui, Hitesh Panchal, Kishor Kumar Sadasivuni Alexandria Engineering Journal, 2024 While urbanisation has numerous advantages, it causes greater risks to the environment and human health because of the release of heavy metals, various organic and inorganic contaminants, personal care products, and pharmaceuticals. Though several actions are being taken daily to lessen the release of harmful substances, there is still an immediate need to find a suitable solution to protect the environment. Nanotechnology has multifaceted applications, and there is extensive evidence of the emerging applications of nanoremediation, especially for soil and water pollution. Iron nanoparticles showed outstanding removal efficiency towards hexavalent chromium (100 %). Likewise, several publications on soil and water remediation employ nanomaterials based on metals, carbon, and polymers. However, most of the previously conducted works present the key nanoremediation results without depicting each nanomaterial's advantages and disadvantages. Hence, this work critically reviews the pros and cons of each nanomaterial with a special focus towards novel approaches using green synthesised nanomaterials that are completely eco-friendly and hence preferred for the removal of various contaminants without producing harmful effects. However, some bottlenecks exist in fully implementing the green nanoparticles for Nanoremediation. Thus, the review discusses the limitations of green nanomaterials that need to be addressed soon to maintain environmental sustainability. Finally, this review presents opportunities for future work in assessing the eco-safety of each nanomaterial that boosts the further utilisation of nanotechnology in the sustainable remediation of contaminated soil and water.
Optimizing biomass-to-biofuel conversion: IoT and AI integration for enhanced efficiency and sustainability Zakir Hussain, M. Babe, S. Saravanan, G. Srimathy, H. Roopa, Sampath Boopathi Circular Economy Implementation for Sustainability in the Built Environment, 2023 This chapter explores the integration of IoT and AI technologies to optimize biomass-to-biofuel conversion processes. AI algorithms can be used to optimize process parameters such as temperature, pressure, and enzyme dosage, leading to increased biofuel yields, reduced energy consumption, and improved quality control. Sustainability assessment is also highlighted, with IoT and AI playing a crucial role in monitoring and analyzing sustainability metrics. Companies such as Pacific Ethanol, Renmatix, IOCL, and GranBio have achieved significant improvements in biofuel yield, energy efficiency, quality control, and sustainability by leveraging IoT and AI technologies. These advancements inspire potential applications and strategies in different biomass feedstock scenarios, enabling organizations to drive the transition towards cleaner and more sustainable energy sources while improving operational efficiency and competitiveness.
Catalytic and non-catalytic methods for biodiesel production Zakir Hussain, Mohd Belal Haider, Mata Mani Tripathi, Rakesh Kumar Catalysis for Clean Energy and Environmental Sustainability Biomass Conversion and Green Chemistry Volume 1, 2021
Esterification of free fatty acids: experiments, kinetic modeling, simulation & optimization Zakir Hussain, Rakesh Kumar International Journal of Green Energy, 2018 The development of the process which can mitigate the drawbacks of catalytic esterification and handles high free fatty acid (FFA) containing oils is the highly focused area in biodiesel production. In view of attaining the cleaner biodiesel production, the present research efforts are focused on studying the methyl esterification of FFA present in Karanja oil non-catalytically in a batch reactor. Kinetics of the reaction was modeled as the pseudo first order in the forward direction & second order bimolecular type in the backward direction to deduce kinetic parameters. The obtained parameters were used to simulate the process in Aspen plus®. Experimental results show that 96% conversion of FFA can be achieved at 220°C and 1:6 (w/v) oil to methanol ratio. The calculated activation energy and rate constant are 48.53 kJ/mol and 0.641 min−1, respectively, for the forward reaction and 18.74 kJ/mol and 4.18E−4 (g)/(mgKOH.min) respectively, for the backward reaction. Simulation results showed a little higher conversion (99.85%) of oleic acid compared to the experimentally observed conversion (96%) at similar reaction conditions. The optimal process parameters were estimated using sensitivity analysis of Aspen Plus along with heat integration.
Synthesis and characterization of novel corncob-based solid acid catalyst for biodiesel production Zakir Hussain, Rakesh Kumar Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, 2018 In the present study, highly efficient catalysts based on corncob were synthesized for the esterification process. The synthesized catalysts were characterized by BET, XRD, and FT-IR. The effect of catalyst impregnation, carbonation, and sulfonation was studied in detail. The highest conversion of oleic acid (∼94.4%) was observed using a catalyst synthesized at H3PO4 impregnation ratio = 1 and time = 5 h; carbonization temperature = 723 K and time = 8 h; sulfonation temperature = 393 K and time = 15 h. Further, the performance of the catalyst was studied for the esterification of fatty acids (FAs) and free fatty acids (FFAs) present in Karanja oil. The catalyst showed ∼90% conversion of FAs/FFAs within 2 h at 338 K using a molar ratio of 1:10 (FA to methanol)/1:20 (Karanja oil to methanol) and a catalyst loading of 10 wt %. Furthermore, the reusability test of the catalyst revealed that it can be used for 20 times in a batch reactor to give ∼90% conversion of the oleic acid.
Desalination studies on two single-sloped solar stills with heat-absorbing materials as coating material on aluminum basin Emerging Trends in Engineering Science and Technology for Society Energy and Environment Proceedings of the International Conference in Emerging Trends in Engineering Science and Technology Icetest 2018, 2018
