DESAL RESEARCH GROUP

Sustainable technologies for a water-secure future

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KEY VALUES

Committed to excellence

We aim to be at the forefront of global efforts to contribute to a water-secure future. We envision a world where sustainable desalination technologies and water treatment solutions are pivotal in providing clean and safe water to communities and fostering economic growth. Through continuous innovation and collaboration, we aspire to set new standards for excellence in the field, leaving a long-lasting effect on the well-being of societies and the health of our planet.

About
DESAL team at the lab
RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY

Driven by innovation, recognized by impact

The DESAL Research Group pioneers advancements in desalination and wastewater treatment, prioritizing excellence, innovation, and sustainability. Our focus on cutting-edge research and efficiency aims to address global water challenges and support sustainable development goals.

NEWS & UPDATES 

Discover the latest breakthroughs from our team

27 March, 2026

DESAL spotlighted in Filtration + Separation for breakthrough in low‑energy desalination

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15 February, 2026

DESAL summer intern Imran Alturkistani wins national awards at Ibdaa Science and Engineering Fair

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02 February, 2026

New DESAL research published in Nature Communications advances energy-efficient desalination

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ADVANCING SCIENCE

Scientific Contributions

Through research papers, patents, and PhD dissertations, we push the boundaries of knowledge, driving innovation in desalination and water treatment.

Engineering edge-rich, highly dispersed, and stable MoS₂ sites for the catalytic splitting of H₂S for H₂ production

by Pedro Castaño, Hend Omar Mohamed, Vijay K.Velisoju, Mohammed Obaid, Rafia Ahmed, Yuma Hirayama, Mohamed Hassine, Gontzal Lezcano, Ildar Mukhambetov, Zainab Alaithan, Muhammad Shafarifky, Ali Almofleh, Polina Tolstova, Omar El Tall, Takato Mitsudome, Huabin Zhang, Luigi Cavallo, Noreddine Ghaffour, Hassan Aljama
Year: 2026 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8597696/v1

Abstract

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) decomposition offers a carbon-neutral route for hydrogen production, but it remains limited by sluggish kinetics and catalyst deactivation. Here, we report an electrospinning–sulfidation strategy to engineer a confined molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) catalyst with stable edge-rich active sites. During electrospinning, confined Mo–S4²⁻ complexes are dispersed within the nanofibers, which then nucleate into MoS2 during calcination. The sulfidation stage induces exfoliation, forming highly dispersed MoS₂ domains that interact strongly with the carbon nanofibers. The prepared catalyst has a high surface area (~ 180 m2 g⁻1), abundant sulfur-vacancy edge sites, and strong support interactions, stabilized by coordinated Mo atoms. In-situ spectroscopy and ab-initio calculations reveal that these interfaces facilitate H2S dissociation, leading to a 3-fold higher intrinsic rate and improved long-term stability (> 50 h at 973 K) compared to bulk analogues. This work establishes design principles for fabricating grafted, stable, and highly dispersed sulfide catalysts.

Keywords

MoS2 H2S decomposition electrospinning Water resources Hidrogen Nanofiber

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