Dr Jibran Khaliq

Associate Professor

School: Engineering, Physics and Mathematics

Dr. Jibran Khaliq is an Associate Professor in the School of Engineering, Physics and Mathematics at Northumbria University. Dr. Khaliq joined Northumbria University in September 2017 after successful postdoctoral experience gained at the Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands. From 2011 to 2013, Dr. Khaliq was involved in developing Ultra-hard ceramics for body armours at one of the most successful spin-out companies in London (Nanoforce technology ltd.).

Dr. Khaliq was awarded Doctor of Philosophy, (Ph.D.) in Advanced Energy Materials from the Queen Mary University of London in late 2014. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Engineering and Technology Lahore, Pakistan in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, followed by an MS in materials and surface engineering from the National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan. His research interests lie in the area of Smart Materials, ranging from ceramics (synthesis and characterisation) to Polymers and Composites. He has collaborated actively with researchers in several countries focusing on developing state-of-the-art material for sensing and actuation applications.

Dr. Khaliq has published several papers on the synthesis of advanced materials in reputed peer-reviewed international journals and holds four patents. Dr. Khaliq has also given invited talks at several national and international conferences.

His current research programme focuses on clean energy from agricultural waste, industrial decarbonisation through circular economy principles, and the thermochemical conversion of biomass for developing economies. He leads a UK Pakistan research programme that has secured over £1.87 million across five Innovate UK and British Council funded projects since 2021, advancing torrefaction technology from early feasibility to commercial scale demonstration. His work spans feedstock characterisation, composite fuel formulation, and techno-economic analysis for torrefied bio coal production from South Asian agricultural residues.

He is Principal Investigator at Northumbria University on SAFER PLUS (Innovate UK Energy Catalyst Round 11, £1.25 million), building Pakistan's first integrated torrefaction demonstrator producing coal grade fuel, electricity, process heat, and organic pesticide from crop waste. He also leads research on activated carbon production from post fibre extraction biomass residues and solar electrolysis integration with thermochemical conversion systems.

Innovate UK (Energy Catalyst round 10 early Statege): worth £1.25M (PI)
Innovate UK (Energy Catalyst round 10 early Statege): worth £285,991 (PI)
The Royal Society: worth £12,000 (PI)
The Royal Society: worth £12,000 (PI)
The Royal Society: worth £12,000 (PI)
Innovate UK (Knowledge Transfer Partnership): worth £291,919 (PI)
Innovate UK (Knowledge Transfer Partnership): worth £228,223 (Co-I)
Northumbria University Research and Development Fund (RDF): worth 100,000 (PI)
British Council Institutional Link: worth £297,286 (Co-I)
Postdoctoral Fellowship: The Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands, worth €350,000 (PI)
Ph.D. Fellowship: Queen Mary University of London, UK worth ~£100,000 (PI)

Secured approximately £2.9 million in research funding as Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator from Innovate UK, The Royal Society, British Council and other national and international funding schemes.

Email Jibran

Research Themes and Scholarly Interests

Dr. Khaliq’s research is primarily focused on improving functional properties of SMART engineering materials using fillers and compositional design. Recently, his focus has been in developing advanced functional materials (ceramics, polymers and composites).

Key Publications

Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
Advances in textile-based supercapacitors: Materials, design, and performance for wearable electronics, Azam, F., Sarwar, A., Sarwar, R., Mushtaq, B., Ahmad, F., Rasheed, A., Ahmad, S., Khaliq, J., Rasul, S. 30 Aug 2026, In: Journal of Energy Storage
Alginate hydrogel yarn-based wound dressing: a high-performance alternative to fabric-coated dressings, Azam, F., Ahmad, F., Ahmad, S., Rasheed, A., Nawab, Y., Zafar, M., Khaliq, J. Apr 2026, In: Cellulose
Applications of Aerogels in Protective Clothing, Salam, A., Azam, F., Nawab, Y., Khaliq, J. 20 Mar 2026, Hydrogels and Aerogels for Functional Textiles, Wiley
Comparative catalyst screening of polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene degradation over Cu-SSZ-13 using thermogravimetric analysis, Quan, L., Huang, M., Liu, L., Rehan, M., Yarlagadda, R., Khaliq, J. 1 Jun 2026, In: International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer
Energy Efficiency and Environmental Nexus: An Assessment for the Efficient Reduction of Carbon Dioxide Emissions, Raza, M., Aman, M., Farooq, M., Nizami, A., Khaliq, J., Imran, M., Rashid, M., Rehan, M. 2026, In: International Journal of Energy Research
Innovative Climate Resilient Geothermal Transition Pathways for Global Energy Sustainability, Raza, M., Asam, Z., Farooq, M., Nizami, A., Khaliq, J., Khan, M., Rehan, M. 23 Sep 2026, In: International Journal of Energy Research
Sustainable power generation using indigenous energy sources to reduce reliance on imported fossil fuel, Raza, M., Aman, M., Nizami, A., Shahzad, K., Khaliq, J., Mohammad, R. 3 Jun 2026, In: Discover Sustainability
Types of Hydrogels and Aerogels in Textiles, Siddique, T., Ahmad, F., Khaliq, J. 20 Mar 2026, Hydrogels and Aerogels for Functional Textiles, Wiley
Microstrip Dielectric Patch Antenna Fabrication and Characterization Using Ultra Low Permittivity and Low Temperature Co-Fired LiAlSiO4 Ceramics, Xiong, S., Zhu, G., Zhu, X., Chen, D., Wang, Z., Khaliq, J., Cui, H., Liu, L., Li, C. 1 Feb 2025, In: Journal of the European Ceramic Society
Phase-Driven Property Modulation in BiVO ₄ Ceramics via Multi-ion Substitution for Next-Generation Wireless Communication, Khaliq, J., Zhu, G., Chen, D., Li, C. 10 Dec 2025, In: ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces

Current and Recent Projects

Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
Demonstrator for High-Energy Bio-Coal and Other Carbon-Negative Products in Rural South Punjab using Sustainable Agro-waste (SAFER Plus), Khaliq, J. (Principal Investigator), Innovate UK, 01/08/26 - 31/07/28, £280,542.00
Improving access to sustainable energy in rural Pakistan using food and fiber agro-waste as a renewable fuel (SAFER), Khaliq, J. (Principal Investigator), Innovate UK, 01/05/24 - 30/04/25, £240,991.00
Using Waste to Treat Waste: Manufacturing of Sustainable and Biodegradable Hybrid Composites Membranes for Wastewater Treatment Using Additive Manufacturing, Khaliq, J. (Principal Investigator), The Royal Society, 01/11/23 - 31/10/25, £11,952.00
Enhanced catalytic activity of zeolite nano-structures synthesised through environment friendly and low temperature ball milling, Khaliq, J. (Principal Investigator), The Royal Society, 01/11/22 - 31/10/24, £11,999.00
Enhancement of microwave dielectic properties of Ag2O-CaO-V2O5 based systems using ultra low temperature synthesis, Khaliq, J. (Principal Investigator), The Royal Society, 11/03/22 - 10/03/24, £12,000.00
Development and manufacture for sale, using supply chain integration and order fulfilment, of a SMART wearable device to support patients with taking routine medication, Khaliq, J. (Principal Investigator), Innovate UK, 04/01/21 - 03/01/23, 0.00