Dr Joseph Kolawole Ogunjobi

Background

Iobtained my Bachelor of Technology degree (First Class Honour) and Master of Technology degree (Distinction) in Industrial Chemistry from the Federal University of Technology Akure, Nigeria in 2008 and 2012 respectively, after which I proceeded to the Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence University of York, York, United Kingdom where I obtained a PhD degree in Green Chemistry in 2016.  My doctoral study at the Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence, University of York, focused on two diverse projects, which I successfully married together. The first project involved developing a green and sustainable synthetic route for the delivery of a 100% bio-based polyethylene terephthalate. The project also compared this route with other existing bio-based routes using standard green metrics. The Unilever PLC patented findings from this project. In the second project, novel bio-based polymeric surfactants were synthesised from oleo chemicals with physicochemical measurements carried out on them. Both projects entailed synthesis of esters of mono and diacids using both homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts, microwave and ultrasound reactors and safer alternative solvents.  The project equally afforded me a hands-on experience with the state-of-the-art facilities at the Unilever R&D Centre, Port Sunlight for material performance testing. Additionally, as a small project, I developed for Biome Bioplastic some novel aromatic bio-based diesters as monomers for biodegradable polymers while also mentoring junior researchers and exchange students in the laboratory.

Thereafter, I returned to Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria where I had teaching and research experience at different capacities as a co-investigator, an independent researcher and supervisors in many projects. In 2021, I played a major role in my research team securing a National Research Fund (NRF) grant to refine the ubiquitous plastic wastes in Nigeria into value-added chemicals.

Prior to my present position, I was a Humboldt Georg Forster Research Fellow at DWI-Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, RWTH Aachen University, Germany where I developed and formulated novel dispersants from bio-based chemicals for application in oil spill remediation and Home and Personal Care (HPC) products via sustainable synthetic routes involving controlled esters from tricarboxylic acids. This study holds prospects to deliver a new class of target compounds that can replace those currently existing in the industry. 

Membership

I a member of Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) and Chemical Society of Nigeria (CSN).

Review Roles

Currently, I serve as a reviewer for the following journals:

1. Heliyon (Elsevier) (2024)
2. Polymer Bulletin (2024)
3. Journal of Polymers and the Environment (Springer Nature) (2023 – to date).
4. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (JACS) (2023 – to date).
5. ChemistrySelect (Wiley) (2023 – to date).
6. Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery (Springer Nature) (2023).
7. Biochar (Springer Nature) (2022 – to date).
8. Current Research in Green and Sustainable Chemistry (Elsevier) (2021 – to date).
9. Combustion Science and Technology (Taylor and Francis) (2019 – to date).
10. African Journal of Food Science (Academic Journals) (2015 – to date).

Collaborations/Networks

I am open to global collaborative efforts from anyone interested in my research.

My research interests are in the areas of green chemistry and clean technology. I apply green chemistry principles to develop bio-based materials (importantly polymers and surfactants) from platform molecules; waste valorisation into fuels and other value-added chemicals having application as bio-based adsorbents for metals, dyes and endocrine disrupting chemicals; heterogeneous catalysts and formulations of green pharmaceuticals, antimicrobial agents and agrochemicals. Recently, my research interest also covers nanotechnology, self-assembly and development of greener macromolecules from agricultural residues that will be applied in the oil and gas industries to tackle oil spills remediation challenges.