Mohammad Amdad Ali

Education

• B.S. Chemistry, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh (2008)
• M.S. Advanced Materials Engineering, Kookmin University, South Korea (2010)
• Ph.D. Materials Chemistry, University of Queensland, Australia (2015)

Academic Positions

• 2019 – Present MRL Staff, Illinois Materials Research Lab, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• 2015 – 2019 Postdoctoral Research Associate, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• 2012 – 2015 Graduate Research Assistant, Centre for Organic Photonics & Electronics, University of Queensland, Australia
• 2011 – 2012 Lecturer in Chemistry, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Bangladesh
• 2008 – 2010 Graduate Research Assistant, Center for Materials and Processes of Self-Assembly, Kookmin University, South Korea

Research Statement

My research interests are focused on the things that happen at interfaces between molecules and how molecules pack into thin films. I have extensive experience to probe and model the diffusion of small molecules or ions within thin films and elucidate the diffusion coefficient. I mostly work with stimuli-responsive soft materials (e.g. polymers, colloids, and gels) system. To gain spatial correlations between local structure and material properties, I perform various characterization techniques, such as spectroscopic (ellipsometry, UV-Vis, Raman, FTIR, DRIFTS, ATR, fluorescence), x-ray analysis (XPS, XRD, XRF, SAXS), thermal analysis (TGA, DSC), light scattering (zetasizer) and mechanical analysis (DMA, rheology). This structure-property relationship of materials is crucial to guide the design of emergent soft materials.

Selected Articles in Journals

• Ali, MA; Kim, HH; Lee, CY; Soh, HS; Lee, JG; Effects of the FeCl3 concentration on the polymerization of conductive poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene) thin films on (3-aminopropyl) trimethoxysilane monolayer-coated SiO2 surfaces Metals and Materials International 15 6 977-981 2009 Springer
• Ali, Mohammad Amdad; A Study on Growth Mechanism of Conductive poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene)(PEDOT) nanofilms formed by Vapor Phase Polymerization 2010 국민대학교 대학원
• Ali, MA; Kim, HH; Jeong, KH; Soh, HS; Nam, HS; Lee, JG; Lee, EG; Application of tosylate-doped poly (3, 4ethylenedioxythiophene)(PEDOT) films into bottom contact pentacene organic thin film transistors (OTFTs) Thin Solid Films 518 22 6315-6319 2010 Elsevier
• Mohammad Amdad, Ali; Hyunho, Kim; Kyunghoon, Jeong; Hoesup, Soh; Jaegab, Lee; Effects of solvents on Poly (3, 4-Ethylenedioxythiophene)(PEDOT) thin films deposited on a (3-Aminopropyl) Trimethoxysilane (APS) monolayer by vapor phase polymerization Electron Mater Lett 6 1 17-22 2010
• Ali, Mohammad Amdad; Kim, Hyunho; Jeong, Kyunghoon; Soh, Hoesup; Lee, Jaegab; Effects of solvents on poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene)(PEDOT) thin films deposited on a (3-aminopropyl) trimethoxysilane (APS) monolayer by vapor phase polymerization Electronic Materials Letters 6 1 17-22 2010 Springer
• Ali, Mohammad Amdad; Kim, Hyunho; Lee, Chiyoung; Nam, Hoseok; Lee, Jaegab; Effects of iron (III) p-toluenesulfonate hexahydrate oxidant on the growth of conductive poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene)(PEDOT) nanofilms by vapor phase polymerization Synthetic metals 161 13-14 1347-1352 2011 Elsevier
• Sultana, F; Ali, MA; Jahan, I; Growth performance meat yield and profitability of broiler chickens fed diets incorporating cassava tuber meal Journal of Environmental Science and Natural Resources 5 1 47-53 2012
• Seal, Hari Pada; Ali, Mohammad Amdad; Ali, Md Usuf; Akhter, Mosammat Hasina; Sultana, Fowzia; Thin layer chromatographic analysis of food colorants from three morphotypes of annatto (Bixa orellana L.) International Journal of Agricultural Research, Innovation and Technology (IJARIT) 2 1 12-Jul 2012
• Ali, Mohammad Amdad; Rahman, Mohammad Arifur; Alam, AM Shafiqul; Use of EDTA-grafted anion-exchange resin for the separation of selective heavy metal ions Analytical Chemistry Letters 3 3 199-207 2013 Taylor & Francis
• Ali, Mohammad Amdad; Idris, Mahmudur Rahman; Quayum, Md Emran; Fabrication of ZnO nanoparticles by solution-combustion method for the photocatalytic degradation of organic dye Journal of Nanostructure in Chemistry 3 1 36 2013 Springer
• Ali, MA; Geng, Y; Cavaye, H; Burn, PL; Gentle, IR; Meredith, P; Shaw, PE; Molecular versus exciton diffusion in fluorescence-based explosive vapour sensors Chemical Communications 51 98 17406-17409 2015 The Royal Society of Chemistry
• Ali, Mohammad A; Chen, Simon SY; Cavaye, Hamish; Smith, Arthur RG; Burn, Paul L; Gentle, Ian R; Meredith, Paul; Shaw, Paul E; Diffusion of nitroaromatic vapours into fluorescent dendrimer films for explosives detection Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical 210 550-557 2015 Elsevier
• Geng, Yan; Ali, Mohammad A; Clulow, Andrew J; Fan, Shengqiang; Burn, Paul L; Gentle, Ian R; Meredith, Paul; Shaw, Paul E; Unambiguous detection of nitrated explosive vapours by fluorescence quenching of dendrimer films Nature communications 6 1 8240 2015 Nature Publishing Group UK London
• Ali, Mohammad Amdad; Diffusion of analyte molecules into fluorescence-based explosives sensors 2015
• Wu, Kuang-Hsu; Cheng, Han-Hao; Mohammad, Ali Amdad; Blakey, Idriss; Jack, Kevin; Gentle, Ian R; Wang, Da-Wei; Electron-beam writing of deoxygenated micro-patterns on graphene oxide film Carbon 95 738-745 2015 Elsevier
• Ali, Mohammad A; Shoaee, Safa; Fan, Shengqiang; Burn, Paul L; Gentle, Ian R; Meredith, Paul; Shaw, Paul E; Detection of Explosive Vapors: The Roles of Exciton and Molecular Diffusion in Real‐Time Sensing ChemPhysChem 17 21 3350-3353 2016 Wiley Online Library
• Ali, MA; Shoaee, S; Fan, SQ; Burn, PL; Gentle, IR; Meredith, P; Shaw, PE; Detection of explosive vapours with a porous polymer film: the roles of vapour and exciton diffusion ChemPhysChem 17 3350 2016
• Sultana, Fowzia; Khatun, Hafiza; Ali, Mohammad Amdad; Use of potato as carbohydrate source in poultry ration Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture 3 1 30 2016 Springer
• Tsai, Tsung‐Han; Ali, Mohammad A; Jiang, Zhelong; Braun, Paul V; Dynamic gradient directed molecular transport and concentration in hydrogel films Angewandte Chemie International Edition 56 18 5001-5006 2017 Wiley Online Library
• Ali, Mohammad A; Tsai, Tsung-Han; Braun, Paul V; Amplified detection of chemical warfare agents using two-dimensional chemical potential gradients ACS omega 3 11 14665 2018
• Ali, Mohammad Amdad; Wu, Kuang-Hsu; McEwan, Jake; Lee, Jaegab; Translated structural morphology of conductive polymer nanofilms synthesized by vapor phase polymerization Synthetic Metals 244 113-119 2018 Elsevier
• Wu, Kuang‐Hsu; Zhang, Qingran; Lin, Yangming; Ali, Mohammad A; Zhao, Shenlong; Heumann, Saskia; Centi, Gabriele; Real‐Time Carbon Monoxide Detection using a Rotating Gold Ring Electrode: A Feasibility Study ChemElectroChem 7 21 4417-4422 2020 Wiley Online Library
• Ali, MA; Rise in single-use plastic pollution amid COVID-19 pandemic: Bangladesh perspective Journal of Agriculture, Food and Environment| ISSN (Online Version): 2708-5694 2 2 80-84 2021
• Ali, Mohammad A; Volmert, Brett; Evans, Christopher M; Braun, Paul V; Static and dynamic gradient based directional transportation of neutral molecules in swollen polymer films Angewandte Chemie International Edition 61 41 e202206061 2022 Wiley Online Library
• Ahmed, Md Sabbir; Maniruzzaman, Md; Al-Mamun, Md Rubel; Ali, Mohammad Amdad; Badal, Md Mizanur Rahman; Aziz, Md Abdul; Jafar Mazumder, Mohammad A; Hakeem, Abbas Saeed; Yousuf, Mohammad Abu; Jute stick-derived cellulose-based hydrogel: synthesis, characterization, and methylene blue removal from aqueous solution ACS omega 8 50 47856-47873 2023 American Chemical Society
• Wu, Kuang-Hsu; Zhang, Jiayun; Ali, Mohammad Amdad; Zhao, Shenlong; Rotating ring-disc electrode method: Assessing transient chemical interaction of redox intermediate with electrode surface Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry 939 117317 2023 Elsevier
• Ali, Mohammad Amdad; Wu, Kuang-Hsu; Lee, Jaegab; Solid-state synthesis of conductive polymer PEDOT whiskers Synthetic Metals 292 117239 2023 Elsevier
• Ali, Mohammad A; Fan, Shengqiang; Burn, Paul L; Gentle, Ian R; Shaw, Paul E; Real-time detection of TNT analogues in water using fluorescent dendrimer films Sensors & Diagnostics 3 4 640-647 2024 The Royal Society of Chemistry
• Won, Juyeon; Gutierrez-Amigo, Martin; Mattapalli, Akhila; Ali, Mohammad A; Shoemaker, Daniel P; Chemical substitution and band gap tunability in chiral Ag3Au (Se, Te) 2 solid solutions The Journal of Physical Chemistry C 129 12 6015-6020 2025 American Chemical Society
• Gayen, Tarun Kumar; Ali, Mohammad Amdad; Warkar, Sudhir G; Environmentally friendly superabsorbent bio-hydrogel for agricultural soil conditioning and plant micronutrient release Available at SSRN 5257915 2025
• Gayen, Tarun Kumar; Ali, Mohammad Amdad; Warkar, Sudhir G; Synthesis of cellulose microfibrils embedded carboxymethyl tamarind kernel gum hydrogels for water retention and controlled urea release in agricultural applications International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 319 145414 2025 Elsevier
• Gayen, Tarun Kumar; Warkar, Sudhir G; Ali, Mohammad Amdad; Valorization of Biomass-Derived Lignin into Hydrogels for Soil Hydration and Slow-Release Fertilization Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research 64 49 23661-23671 2025 ACS Publications
• Gayen, Tarun Kumar; Ali, Mohammad Amdad; Warkar, Sudhir G; Carboxymethyl tamarind kernel gum bio-hydrogel for soil amendment and micronutrient release in sustainable agricultural technologies Polymer Bulletin 82 17 11857-11883 2025 Springer
• Gayen, Tarun Kumar; Ali, Mohammad Amdad; Warkar, Sudhir G; Cellulose microfibers-embedded carboxymethyl tamarind kernel gum hydrogels as soil conditioners and plant nutrients carriers ACS Agricultural Science & Technology 5 6 1132-1144 2025 ACS Publications
• Gayen, Tarun Kumar; Warkar, Sudhir G; Ali, Mohammad Amdad; Lignin–Carrageenan Biohydrogel‐Coated Urea Granules for Controlled Nutrient Release in Soil Systems Polymer Engineering & Science 2026 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Hoboken, USA
• Gayen, Tarun Kumar; Warkar, Sudhir G; Ali, Mohammad Amdad; Mustard stalk cellulose and carboxymethyl tamarind kernel gum-based green hydrogel for slow release of diammonium phosphate Journal of the Indian Chemical Society 102956 2026 Elsevier
• Gayen, Tarun Kumar; Ali, Mohammad Amdad; Warkar, Sudhir G; Lignin from mustard stalks as a reinforcing scaffold for multifunctional bio-hydrogels with enhanced water retention and controlled nutrient release International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 152494 2026 Elsevier
• Gayen, Tarun Kumar; Ali, Mohammad Amdad; Warkar, Sudhir G; Lignin–alginate biohydrogels for controlled release of triple superphosphate in circular agroecosystems Process Biochemistry 2026 Elsevier
• Gayen, Tarun Kumar; Ali, Mohammad Amdad; Warkar, Sudhir G; Agricultural and food wastes derived cellulose hydrogels for water reservoirs and dye sorption Polymer Bulletin 83 6 319 2026 Springer
• Guan, Zhenhao; Rahman, Arifur; Ali, Mohammad Amdad; Islam, Khandakar Rafiq; Zhang, Ning; Nedunuri, Krishna Kumar; Solar-Driven Degradation of Microcystin-LR in Water Using a TiO₂/Zn-Activated Charcoal/Soil Composite Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 237 10 575 2026 Springer
• Gayen, Tarun Kumar; Ali, Mohammad Amdad; Warkar, Sudhir G; Mustard stalk-derived cellulose bio-hydrogels for soil amendment and plant nutrients carriers Journal of the Indian Chemical Society 102528 2026 Elsevier
• Gayen, Tarun Kumar; Ali, Mohammad Amdad; Warkar, Sudhir G; Agricultural Waste-Derived Lignin and Chitosan Blend Biohydrogels for Controlled Release of Muriate of Potash for Sustainable Agricultural Applications Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research 65 6 3083-3093 2026 American Chemical Society

Patents

• P. V. Braun and M. A. Ali “Potential Gradient Amplified Detection of Chemical Agents". U.S. Patent No. US 10,775,337 B2, Sep 15, 2020

Honors

• University of Queensland Centennial Scholarship awarded by University of Queensland (2012)
• International Postgraduate Research Scholarship awarded by Australian Government (2012)
• Korea Science and Engineering Foundation fellowship awarded by Ministry of Science and Technology, Republic of Korea (2008)