Ahmed Elrefaey,
Assistant Professor – Environmental Sciences
Contact : aelrefaey[at]g.ecc.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Website : https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ahmed-El-Refaey-4/research
Profile
Dr. Ahmed serves as an Assistant Professor at the International Organization for Environmental Studies at The University of Tokyo. He launched his academic career in 2013 as a faculty member at Kafrelsheikh University, Egypt, where he engaged in both research and teaching. He subsequently joined RIKEN's Center for Emergent Matter Science in Japan (2019-2023) as an International Program Associate. He obtained his Ph.D. in Science from Saitama University (2023), complemented by his M.Sc. (2017) and B.Sc. (2013) in Physical Chemistry from Kafrelsheikh University. Boasting more than ten years of research experience, he has cultivated specialized knowledge in organic synthesis, carbon nanomaterials, and supramolecular photochemistry. His contributions have earned him distinguished honors including the ACS Applied Nano Materials Cover Award (2023), RIKEN IPA Fellowship (2019-2022), and Kafrelsheikh University's Best Master's Thesis Award (2018).
Research Interests
My research focuses on designing functional organic and carbon-based materials for optoelectronic and energy applications, employing supramolecular chemistry and nanomaterial engineering approaches. Specifically, I investigate light-harvesting donor-acceptor systems for solar energy conversion, solution-processing for single-walled carbon nanotubes using conjugated materials for nanoelectronics, and engineering graphene-polymer nanocomposites with enhanced mechanical properties. My work also explores photoresponsive supramolecular assemblies for OFETs and develops solution-processable aligned SWCNT systems for photoenergy conversion. By combining organic synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, and device fabrication, I aim to create innovative materials that bridge fundamental science with applications in electronics, energy harvesting, and nanotechnology.
Selected Publications
1. Ahmed El-Refaey, Daichi Kozawa, Tomoshi Kameda, Yuichiro K. Kato, Yoshihiro Ito, and Masuki Kawamoto. Diameter-selective sorting of single-walled carbon nanotubes using π-molecular tweezers. ACS Appl. Nano Mater. 2023, 6, 1919–1926.
2. Ahmed El-Refaey, Yoshihiro Ito, and Masuki Kawamoto. Nanocomposite hydrogels containing few-layer graphene sheets prepared through noncovalent exfoliation show improved mechanical properties. Nanomaterials 2022, 12, 3129.
3. Hamdy El-Sheshtawy, Ahmed El-Refaey, Mohamed E. El-Khouly. Supramolecular off-on-off fluorescent biosensor for total Free thyroid hormones detection based on their differential binding with cucurbit[7]uril to fluorescent perylene derivative. J. Photochem. Photobiol A: Chem. 2019, 382, 111945.
4. Mohamed E. El-Khouly, Ahmed El-Refaey, Shaban Y. Shaban, Maged A. El-Kemary. Optical properties and structural morphology of one-dimensional perylenediimide derivatives. Journal of Luminescence 2018, 196, 455-461.
5. Ahmed El-Refaey, Shaban Y. Shaban, Maged El-Kemary, Mohamed E. El-Khouly. Spectroscopic and thermodynamic studies of light harvesting perylene diimide derivative - zinc porphyrin complex in aqueous media. Spectrochimica Acta Part A. 2017, 186, 132-139.