UAN:111-000-010
GC University, Lahore
info@gcu.edu.pk

GCU Faculty

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Raja Shahid Ashraf

Prof. Dr. Raja Shahid Ashraf

Professor
Department: Chemistry
Email: rajashahid@gcu.edu.pk
Research Interests: Materials and Polymer Chemistry
Biography

With over a decade of experience in research, I have consistently excelled in the development, synthesis, and analysis of conjugated materials dedicated to the advancement of energy conversion and storage technologies. Collaboratively working with esteemed academic and industrial partners, I have actively pursued the practical application of my research, thereby contributing significantly to the betterment of society.
My professional journey has been enriched by remarkable positions at renowned institutions such as Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Germany, Technical University Eindhoven (TU/e) The Netherlands, Imperial College London, UK and KAUST in Saudi Arabia. Currently, I hold the esteemed role of Research Coordinator at the Department of Chemistry within Government College University (GCU) Lahore, while also serving as Professor.
I am humbled to be acknowledged as a Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry, in recognition of my remarkable accomplishments as a researcher in my field. Through my extensive research, I have published over 80 peer-reviewed scientific articles, garnering over 12,000 citations and an impressive h-index of 50, solidifying my position as a leading authority in my field.

Education
2005  PhD in Organic Polymer Chemistry, Friedrich-Schiller University Jena Jena, Germany
2001  MS/MPhil in Organic Chemistry, Quaid-e-Azam University Islamabad Islamabad, Pakistan

Teaching Areas

Polymer Chemistry, Materials Chemistry, Organic Synthesis and Organic Spectroscopy
Experience
From To Designation Firm/Institution
Oct 2023 Continue Professor Department Of Chemistry/Government College Univesity Lahore
May 2018 Oct 2023 Associate Professor Department Of Chemistry/Government College Univesity Lahore
May 2016 May 2018 Research Scientist KAUST Solar Center/King Abdullah University Of Science And Technology (KAUST) Saudi Arabia
Jun 2009 Apr 2016 Post Doctoral Researcher Department Of Chemistry/Imperial College London, UK
Oct 2006 Jun 2009 Post Doctoral Researcher Eindhoven University Of Technology, The Netherlands
Jul 2005 Sep 2006 Post Doctoral Researcher Friedrich-Schiller University Jena, Germany

Journal Papers

S. A. Haider, T. Mushtaq, B. Sajjad, M. Shahid, M. Altaf, A. Nafady, G. A. Chotana, M. Sohail, S. Rasul, R. S. Ashraf* (2025). "Bimetallic metal-organic frameworks as versatile electrocatalysts for water splitting in neutral and alkaline environments." Fuel, 397 , 135488. DOI: Volume 397, 2025, , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2025.135488 | Impact Factor: 7.5 [Link]
M. Javed, W. Akram, Z. Ali, N. Shahzad, M. Shahid, G. A. Chotana, J. Khan, J. Min, M. Altaf, C. Nielsen, R. S. Ashraf* (2025). "Molecular engineering, synthesis, and atomistic structure–property relationship of indoloquinoxaline-capped small donors for efficient organic solar cells." Journal of Materials Chemistry C, 13 (42), 21528-21543. DOI: doi.org/10.1039/D5TC02318A | Impact Factor: 5.2 [Link]
S. A. Haider, B. Sajjad, M. Shahid, M. Altaf, G. A. Chotana, M. Sohail, S. Rasul, R. S. Ashraf* (2025). "Porphyrin-based metal–organic frameworks: Advanced materials for the oxygen evolution reaction." Journal of Molecular Structure, 1348 , 143503. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molstruc.2025.143503 | Impact Factor: 4.7 [Link]
Z. Abid, W. Akram, R. M.-Hernandez, D. Gunturkun, M. Shahid, M. Altaf, J. Min, J. I. Khan, J. Iqbal, S. Rasul, C. B. Nielsen, R. S. Ashraf* (2025). "Strategic Design, Synthesis, and Computational Characterization of Hole Transport Materials for Lead-Free Perovskite Solar Cells." ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 13 (2), 867-880. DOI: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acssuschemeng.4c07415 | Impact Factor: 7.3 [Link]
M. Chen, S. Wang, R. Sun, X. Yang, X. Wu, Y. Gao, B. Xiao, L. -Y. Xu, Y. Shao, B. Xiao, J. Wan, M. Zhang, R. Yang, R. S. Ashraf, J. Min (2024). "High-performance binary all-polymer solar cells enabled by a Y-derivative pendant random-copolymerized polymer acceptor with a broad donor–acceptor matching tolerance." Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 12 (13), 7754-7764. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/D4TA00533C | Impact Factor: 10.7 [Link]
H. K. Zafar, S. S. A. Shah, M Sohail, R. S. Ashraf, A. Nafady, G. Will, M. A. Wahab (2024). "Optimizing electrochemical power generation: Harnessing synergies and surface innovation in NiTe-modified MOF nanoarchitectures." Journal of Power Sources, 612 , 234827. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2024.234827 | Impact Factor: 7.9 [Link]
Z. Abid, L. Ali, M. Shahid, C. B. Nielsen, M. Altaf, J. Min, R. S. Ashraf* (2024). "Quantum modelling of multi-directional fused-ring electron acceptors for organic photovoltaics." Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids, 187 , 111837. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpcs.2023.111837 | Impact Factor: 4.3 [Link]
X. Yang, Y. Gao, R. Sun, M. Chen, Y. Wang, S. S. Wang, Y. Shao, L.-Y. Xu, M. Zhang, Y. Fu, X. Lu, R. S. Ashraf, Y. N. Luponosov, S. A. Ponomarenko, J. Min (2024). "The Application of Y Series Acceptor-Based Double-Cable Polymers in Single-Material Organic Solar Cells." Macromolecules, 57 (3), 1011-1020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.3c02277 | Impact Factor: 5.2 [Link]
S. Iqbal, A. A. Khan, N. Z. Butt, R. S. Ashraf, B. Yameen (2023). "All organic double cable polymers of a polythiophene donor with rhodanine and perylene diimide acceptors and evaluation of photocurrent generation." Journal of Materials Chemistry C, 11 (45), 16037-16048. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/D3TC03572G | Impact Factor: 5.0 [Link]
X. Yang, M. Chen, S. Wang, Y. Gao, Y. Shao, L. Xu, Y. Wu, Y. Wang, R. S. Ashraf, S. Ponomarenko, Y. Luponosov, J. Min (2023). "The application of chlorine substituted conjugated block copolymers in the single-component organic solar cells." Giant, 16 , 100191. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giant.2023.100191 | Impact Factor: 4.9 [Link]
M. Bilal, A. Altaf, N. Baig, G. A. Chotana, R. S. Ashraf, S. Rasool, A. Nafady, A. Ul-Hamid, and M. Sohail (2022). "Crystalline and porous CoSe dendrimeric architectures for efficient oxygen evolution reaction." Fuel, 323 , 124324. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2022.124324 | Impact Factor: 7.2 [Link]
M. Khan, A. Hameed, A. Samad, T. Mushiana, M. I. Abdullah, A. Akhtar, R.S. Ashraf, N. Zhang, B. G. Pollet, U. Schwingenschlögl and M. Ma (2022). "In situ grown oxygen-vacancy-rich copper oxide nanosheets on a copper foam electrode afford the selective oxidation of alcohols to value-added chemicals." Communications Chemistry, 2022, 5, 5 (1), 109. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-022-00708-1 | Impact Factor: 6.5 [Link]
J. I. Khan, M. A. Alamoudi, N. Chaturvedi, R. S. Ashraf, M. N. Nabi, A. Markina, W. Liu, T. A. D. Peña, W. Zhang, O. Alévêque, G. T. Harrison, W. Alsufyani, E. Levillain, S. D. Wolf, D. Andrienko, I. McCulloch, F. Laquai (2021). "Impact of Acceptor Quadrupole Moment on Charge Generation and Recombination in Blends of IDT‐Based Non‐Fullerene Acceptors with PCE10 as Donor Polymer." Advanced Energy Materials, , 2100839. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202100839 | Impact Factor: 27.8 [Link]
D. Ohayon, A. Savva, W. Du, B. D. Paulsen, I. Uguz, R. S. Ashraf, J. Rivnay, I. McCulloch and S. Inal (2021). "Influence of Side Chains on the n-Type Organic Electrochemical Transistor Performance." ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, 13 , 4253-4266. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.0c18599 | Impact Factor: 9.4 [Link]
S. Iftikhar, S. Aslam, N. Z. Butt, R. S. Ashraf and B. Yameen (2020). "Prato reaction derived polythiophene/C60 donor–acceptor double cable polymer, fabrication of photodetectors and evaluation of photocurrent generation." Journal of Materials Chemistry C, 8 , 17365-17373. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/D0TC03344H | Impact Factor: 5.1 [Link]
A. Wadsworth, H. Bristow, Z. Hamid, M. Babics, N. Gasparini, C. W. Boyle, W. Zhang, Y. Dong, K. J. Thorley, M. Neophytou, R. S. Ashraf, J. R. Durrant, D. Baran and I. McCulloch (2019). "End Group Tuning in Acceptor–Donor–Acceptor Nonfullerene Small Molecules for High Fill Factor Organic Solar Cells." Advanced Functional Materials, 29 (47), 1808429. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201808429 | Impact Factor: 16.8 [Link]
J. I. Khan, R. S. Ashraf, M. A. Alamoudi, M. N. Nabi, H. N. Mohammed, A. Wadsworth, Y. Firdaus, W. Zhang, T. D. Anthopoulos, I. McCulloch and F. Laquai (2019). "P3HT Molecular Weight Determines the Performance of P3HT:O-IDTBR Solar Cells." Solar RRL, 3 (8), 1900023. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/solr.201900023 | Impact Factor: 8.58 [Link]
W. Du, D. Ohayon, C. Combe, L. Mottier, I. P. Maria, R. S. Ashraf, H. Fiumelli, S. Inal and I. McCulloch (2018). "Improving the Compatibility of Diketopyrrolopyrrole Semiconducting Polymers for Biological Interfacing by Lysine Attachment." Chemistry of Materials, 30 , 6164-6172. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.8b02804 | Impact Factor: 10.1 [Link]
A. Wadsworth, Z. Hamid, M. Bidwell, R. S. Ashraf, J. I. Khan, D. H. Anjum, C. Cendra, J. Yan, E. Rezasoltani, A. A. Y. Guilbert, M. Azzouzi, N. Gasparini, J. H. Bannock, D. Baran, H. Wu, J. C. de Mello, C. J. Brabec, A. Salleo, J. Nelson, F. Laquai and I. (2018). "Progress in Poly (3-Hexylthiophene) Organic Solar Cells and the Influence of Its Molecular Weight on Device Performance." Advanced Energy Materials, 8 , 1801001. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201801001 | Impact Factor: 24.8 [Link]
A. Wadsworth, R. S. Ashraf, M. Abdelsamie, S. Pont, M. Little, M. Moser, Z. Hamid, M. Neophytou, W. Zhang, A. Amassian, J. R. Durrant, D. Baran and I. McCulloch (2017). "Highly Efficient and Reproducible Nonfullerene Solar Cells from Hydrocarbon Solvents." ACS Energy Letters, 2 , 1494-1500. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsenergylett.7b00390 | Impact Factor: 12.2 [Link]
D. Baran, R. S. Ashraf*, D. A. Hanifi, M. Abdelsamie, N. Gasparini, J. A. Röhr, S. Holliday, A. Wadsworth, S. Lockett, M. Neophytou, C. J. M. Emmott, J. Nelson, C. J. Brabec, A. Amassian, A. Salleo, T. Kirchartz, J. R. Durrant and I. McCulloch (2017). "Reducing the efficiency-stability-cost gap of organic photovoltaics with highly efficient and stable small molecule acceptor ternary solar cells." Nature Materials, 16 , 363-369. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat4797 | Impact Factor: 39.7 [Link]
M. S. Vezie, S. Few, I. Meager, G. Pieridou, B. Dörling, R. S. Ashraf, A. R. Goñi, H. Bronstein, I. McCulloch, S. C. Hayes, M. Campoy-Quiles and J. Nelson (2016). "Exploring the origin of high optical absorption in conjugated polymers." Nature Materials, 15 , 746–753. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat4645 | Impact Factor: 39.7 [Link]

Books (Complete)

M. Altaf, R. S. Ashraf, M. Sohail (Eds.) (2023). Photoelectrochemical Bioanalysis: Fundamentals and Emerging Applications. "Elsevier". 9780443189562. [Link]

Projects

Title Role Funded by Amount Year Status
Conjugated materials-based MOFs and COFs for energy storage applications Principal Investigator Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) UK 1832260.00 2025 Ongoing
Functional Materials for Emerging Photovoltaic Applications Principal Investigator HEC 7150500.00 2025 Ongoing
Fused (hetero)ArylPyrazines for Potential Applications in Material and Biological Sciences Co-Principal Investigator HEC 14952000.00 2025 Completed
Organic and inorganic hybrid Materials for Energy Conversion and Storage Principal Investigator HEC/World Bank 26800000.00 2023 Completed

Thesis/Research Supervisions

Syed Arfan Haider (2025), Ph.D.. Thesis: "Synthesis and Characterization of Functionalized Conjugated Materials for Energy Conversion and Storage" (Completed)
ZEESHAN ABID (2024), Ph.D.. Thesis: "Modeling, Synthesis and Characterization of Conjugated Materials for Energy Conversion" (Completed)