20192021

Research activity per year

Personal profile

Research Interests

1- Energy Convection and Storage in Batteries (Li, Al, K-ion and Zn-air batteries)

2- Electrocatalysis (HER, OER, ORR, CoRR)

3- DFT and ML for functional materials design, discovery and synthesis

4- Materials Characterisation 

Teaching Interests

Laboratory Calculations (CH4021)

Biography

Ibrahim is a Materials Scientist and Principal Investigator (PI) at the Bernal Institute/UL, where his research focuses on the synthesis and development of advanced nanomaterials for Next-Generation Metal-Ion Battery Energy Storage Systems and Electrocatalysis (HER, OER, ORR, and CoRR processes). Ibrahim earned his BSc in Materials Engineering from KNUST-Ghana, in 2008, and PhD in Materials Science and Engineering, specializing in New Energy Materials and Devices, from Wuhan University of Technology (WHUT)-China in 2017. Following a brief postdoctoral fellowship at WHUT, he joined the Bernal Institute/UL as a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellow, obtaining €197K in EU research funding to investigate porous graphitic cathodes for aluminum-ion batteries (GAIBs: 2018–2020).

In 2021, Ibrahim was awarded an SFI-Industry Research & Innovation Fund (€160K) to lead the "FAMASES" project on “Selective Delayering of Low-Geometry Materials by Plasma FIB Dx Chemistry for Failure Analysis of Magnetic Sensors” at Analog Devices International, Limerick, leading to the First in Industry Development of FIB-based Polyfuse Delayering Process. In 2023, he secured €566K for an SFI-IRC Pathway Project to develop functionalized carbon nanofibers for aluminum-ion batteries and related applications (CANFIBAT). He also received €57K in Enterprise Development funding from the Nexus Innovation Centre/KBS, Enterprise Ireland and SFI for further research and entrepreneurship training. Beyond independent funding, Ibrahim has contributed to major collaborative projects, including supporting Prof. Kevin M Ryan (Project Lead & Coordinator) in securing €8 million in Horizon Europe funding for the SiGNE project on the development of composite Si NW/Graphite Anodes for EV batteries(2022) and €700K in 2021 from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) for the project on "Closing the energy loop through reuse, recover and recycle for the continuous use of battery energy" (R-CUBE).

Complementing his scientific expertise, Ibrahim pursued advanced studies, obtaining PGD in Data Science and Analytics from Data Science Institute, Cork (2024) and  Computer Vision and Artificial Intelligence from the University of Limerick (2025 ip). In addition to his research, Ibrahim is involved in teaching, serving as a module leader for Laboratory Calculations (CH4021) in the Department of Chemical Sciences/UL. He has published extensively with an h-index of 44 (Google Scholar ).

Ibrahim's current research focuse on the synthesis of advanced functional nanomaterials for battery energy storage systems, with an emphasis on leveraging Data-driven Methods and Machine Learning (ML) to drive innovation in addressing complex research challenges. 

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 4 - Quality Education
  • SDG 6 - Clean Water and Sanitation
  • SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy
  • SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
  • SDG 13 - Climate Action

Related documents

Education/Academic qualification

Computer Vision and Artificial Intelligence

Award Date: 31 Oct 2025

Data Science and Analytics

Award Date: 16 Aug 2024

PhD, Materials Science and Engineering

Award Date: 30 Oct 2017

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