Faculty

Chairman

Dr. Irshad Baig is an internationally trained materials scientist and membrane technologist whose research focuses on the development of next-generation, sustainable polymeric membranes for water treatment, desalination, and advanced separation processes. He is widely recognized for his pioneering contributions to aqueous phase separation (APS), a transformative, solvent-free membrane fabrication platform that eliminates the use of hazardous organic solvents and significantly reduces the environmental footprint of membrane manufacturing.

Dr. Baig’s work has helped redefine how high-performance membranes can be designed, fabricated, and scaled using green chemistry principles, while maintaining the performance of conventional systems. His research integrates membrane materials, polymer chemistry, interfacial science, thin-film composite design, and process engineering to establish fundamental structure–property–performance relationships in membranes spanning microfiltration to nanofiltration and reverse osmosis regimes.

He has authored numerous high-impact journal publications in leading venues such as Advanced Functional Materials, Journal of Membrane Science, Chemical Engineering Journal, Journal of Materials Chemistry A, and several ACS journals, and his work is widely cited within the global membrane science community. 
Dr. Baig has conducted research across Europe, East Asia, and the Middle East, bringing together diverse scientific perspectives and research cultures. He currently serves as Principal Investigator on multiple KFUPM-funded projects focused on membranes for desalination and water security, directly aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 sustainability and water-energy nexus goals.

Sustainable Interfaces and Membrane (SIM) Lab

Dr. Baig leads the Sustainable Interfaces and Membrane (SIM) Lab at KFUPM, which advances fundamental and applied research on environmentally responsible membrane materials and interfaces.

As of January 2026, the SIM Lab comprises 2 MSc students, 2 PhD students, and 2 postdoctoral researchers

The lab emphasizes:

• solvent-free and green membrane fabrication,
• thin-film composite and nanocomposite membranes,
• interface engineering and interfacial polymerization,
• membrane stability, fouling resistance, and scalability,
• and translation of laboratory concepts toward industrial relevance.

Professional Experience:

  • Assistant Professor – Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM August 2024 – Present
  • Graduate Coordinator – Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM 2025 – Present
  • Postdoctoral Researcher – Advanced Membranes and Porous Materials Research Center, KAUST, Saudi Arabia 2023 – 2024
  • Postdoctoral Researcher – Twente Membranes, University of Twente, The Netherlands 2021 – 2023
  • Researcher – Low carbon process laboratory, Korea Institute of Energy Research, South Korea, 2016 – 2017
 
Research Interests
• Sustainable polymeric membranes for water treatment and desalination
• Aqueous phase separation (APS) and solvent-free membrane fabrication
• Thin-film composite (TFC) and thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes
• Interfacial polymerization and monomer structure–property relationships
• Membrane surface chemistry, fouling mitigation, and long-term stability
• Scale-up, hollow fiber membranes, and coating technologies


Teaching
• MSE 202 – Materials Laboratory
• MSE 206 – Materials Characterization
• MSE 302 – Polymeric Materials
• CHEM 645 – Modern Techniques for Materials Characterization

Education

PhD, Membrane Science and Technology

University of Twente, The Netherlands

Thesis: Sustainable Polyelectrolyte Complex Membranes Produced via Aqueous Phase Separation

MSc, Advanced Energy Technology

Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), South Korea

Professional Recognition
Dr. Baig has received multiple international awards, including best paper, best presentation, and young academic distinctions from leading membrane and materials science societies. He is a frequent invited and plenary speaker at major international conferences and webinars in membrane science and sustainable materials.


List of publications:
  1. M.I. Baig, R. Hardian, F.A. Alharthi, C.M. Fellows, G. Szekely, Brine separation with polyamide and polyimine thin film composite nanofiltration membranes obtained from biobased monomers, Journal of Membrane Science 713 (2025) 123324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2024.123324. 
  2. L. Li, M.I. Baig, W.M. de Vos, S. Lindhoud, Biocatalytic PEI–PSS membranes through aqueous phase separation: influence of casting solution pH and operational temperature, Soft Matter 20 (2024) 5425–5434. https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SM00311J.
  3. R. Nickisch, W.M. de Vos, M.A.R. Meier, M.I. Baig, Removal of Transition-Metal Ions by Metal-Complexing Polythiosemicarbazone Membranes, ACS Appl. Polym. Mater. 5 (2023) 7240–7251. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.3c01192. 
  4. L. Li, M.I. Baig, W.M. de Vos, S. Lindhoud, Preparation of Sodium Carboxymethyl Cellulose–Chitosan Complex Membranes through Sustainable Aqueous Phase Separation, ACS Appl. Polym. Mater. 5 (2023) 1810–1818. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.2c01901. 
  5. J.J. van Lente, M.I. Baig, W.M. de Vos, S. Lindhoud, Biocatalytic membranes through aqueous phase separation, Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 616 (2022) 903–910. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcis.2022.02.094. 
  6. M.I. Baig, M. Pejman, J.D. Willott, A. Tiraferri, W.M. de Vos, Polyelectrolyte Complex Hollow Fiber Membranes Prepared via Aqueous Phase Separation, ACS Appl. Polym. Mater. 4 (2022) 1010–1020. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.1c01464. 
  7. M.I. Baig, J.D. Willott, W.M. de Vos, Enhancing the Separation Performance of Aqueous Phase Separation-Based Membranes through Polyelectrolyte Multilayer Coatings and Interfacial Polymerization, ACS Appl. Polym. Mater. 3 (2021) 3560–3568. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.1c00457. 
  8. M.I. Baig, P.P.I. Sari, J. Li, J.D. Willott, W.M. de Vos, Sustainable Aqueous Phase Separation membranes prepared through mild pH shift induced polyelectrolyte complexation of PSS and PEI, Journal of Membrane Science 625 (2021) 119114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2021.119114. 
  9. M.I. Baig, J.D. Willott, W.M. de Vos, Tuning the structure and performance of polyelectrolyte complexation based aqueous phase separation membranes, Journal of Membrane Science 615 (2020) 118502. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2020.118502. 
  10. E.N. Durmaz, M.I. Baig, J.D. Willott, W.M. de Vos, Polyelectrolyte Complex Membranes via Salinity Change Induced Aqueous Phase Separation, ACS Appl. Polym. Mater. 2 (2020) 2612–2621. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.0c00255. 
  11. M.I. Baig, E.N. Durmaz, J.D. Willott, W.M. de Vos, Sustainable Membrane Production through Polyelectrolyte Complexation Induced Aqueous Phase Separation, Advanced Functional Materials 30 (2020) 1907344. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201907344. 
  12. M.I. Baig, P.G. Ingole, J. Jeon, S.U. Hong, W.K. Choi, H.K. Lee, Water vapor transport properties of interfacially polymerized thin film nanocomposite membranes modified with graphene oxide and GO-TiO2 nanofillers, Chemical Engineering Journal 373 (2019) 1190–1202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2019.05.122. 
  13. M.I. Baig, P.G. Ingole, J. Jeon, S.U. Hong, W.K. Choi, B. Jang, H.K. Lee, Water vapor selective thin film nanocomposite membranes prepared by functionalized Silicon nanoparticles, Desalination 451 (2019) 59–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2017.06.005. 
  14. P.G. Ingole, M. Sohail, A.M. Abou-Elanwar, M.I. Baig, J.-D. Jeon, W.K. Choi, H. Kim, H.K. Lee, Water vapor separation from flue gas using MOF incorporated thin film nanocomposite hollow fiber membranes, Chemical Engineering Journal 334 (2018) 2450–2458. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2017.11.123. 
  15. P.G. Ingole, M.I. Baig, W. Choi, X. An, W.K. Choi, J.-D. Jeon, H.K. Lee, Synthesis of superhydrophilic Nafion based nanocomposite hollow fiber membranes for water vapor separation, Chemical Engineering Research and Design 127 (2017) 45–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cherd.2017.09.003. 
  16. P.G. Ingole, M.I. Baig, W. Choi, X. An, W.K. Choi, H.K. Lee, Role of functional nanoparticles to enhance the polymeric membrane performance for mixture gas separation, Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry 48 (2017) 5–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiec.2016.09.041. 
  17. M.I. Baig, P.G. Ingole, W.K. Choi, J. Jeon, B. Jang, J.H. Moon, H.K. Lee, Synthesis and characterization of thin film nanocomposite membranes incorporated with surface functionalized Silicon nanoparticles for improved water vapor permeation performance, Chemical Engineering Journal 308 (2017) 27–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2016.09.033. 
  18. P.G. Ingole, R.R. Pawar, M.I. Baig, J.D. Jeon, H.K. Lee, Thin film nanocomposite (TFN) hollow fiber membranes incorporated with functionalized acid-activated bentonite (ABn-NH) clay: towards enhancement of water vapor permeance and selectivity, J. Mater. Chem. A 5 (2017) 20947–20958. https://doi.org/10.1039/C7TA04945E. 
  19. M.I. Baig, P.G. Ingole, W.K. Choi, S.R. Park, E.C. Kang, H.K. Lee, Development of carboxylated TiO2 incorporated thin film nanocomposite hollow fiber membranes for flue gas dehydration, Journal of Membrane Science 514 (2016) 622–635. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2016.05.017. 
  20. M.I. Baig, P.G. Ingole, W.K. Choi, S.R. Park, E.C. Kang, H.K. Lee, Water vapor permeation behavior of interfacially polymerized polyamide thin film on hollow fiber membrane substrate, Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers 60 (2016) 623–635. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtice.2015.11.010. 
  21. P.G. Ingole, M.I. Baig, W.K. Choi, H.K. Lee, Synthesis and characterization of polyamide/polyester thin-film nanocomposite membranes achieved by functionalized TiO2 nanoparticles for water vapor separation, J. Mater. Chem. A 4 (2016) 5592–5604. https://doi.org/10.1039/C6TA00100A. 
Book Chapter:
M.I. Baig, W.M. de Vos, Chapter 11 - Aqueous phase separation technology, in: L.F. Dumée, M. Sadrzadeh, M.M.A. Shirazi (Eds.), Green Membrane Technologies towards Environmental Sustainability, Elsevier, 2023: pp. 295–340.

Dr. Irshad Baig Assistant Professor Building 16 178-2 +966 13 860 5886 +966 13 860 2949 (MSE Dept.) muhammad.baig@kfupm.edu.sa Google Scholar LinkedIn

Professors

Dr. Irshad Baig is an internationally trained materials scientist and membrane technologist whose research focuses on the development of next-generation, sustainable polymeric membranes for water treatment, desalination, and advanced separation processes. He is widely recognized for his pioneering contributions to aqueous phase separation (APS), a transformative, solvent-free membrane fabrication platform that eliminates the use of hazardous organic solvents and significantly reduces the environmental footprint of membrane manufacturing.

Dr. Baig’s work has helped redefine how high-performance membranes can be designed, fabricated, and scaled using green chemistry principles, while maintaining the performance of conventional systems. His research integrates membrane materials, polymer chemistry, interfacial science, thin-film composite design, and process engineering to establish fundamental structure–property–performance relationships in membranes spanning microfiltration to nanofiltration and reverse osmosis regimes.

He has authored numerous high-impact journal publications in leading venues such as Advanced Functional Materials, Journal of Membrane Science, Chemical Engineering Journal, Journal of Materials Chemistry A, and several ACS journals, and his work is widely cited within the global membrane science community. 
Dr. Baig has conducted research across Europe, East Asia, and the Middle East, bringing together diverse scientific perspectives and research cultures. He currently serves as Principal Investigator on multiple KFUPM-funded projects focused on membranes for desalination and water security, directly aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 sustainability and water-energy nexus goals.

Sustainable Interfaces and Membrane (SIM) Lab

Dr. Baig leads the Sustainable Interfaces and Membrane (SIM) Lab at KFUPM, which advances fundamental and applied research on environmentally responsible membrane materials and interfaces.

As of January 2026, the SIM Lab comprises 2 MSc students, 2 PhD students, and 2 postdoctoral researchers

The lab emphasizes:

• solvent-free and green membrane fabrication,
• thin-film composite and nanocomposite membranes,
• interface engineering and interfacial polymerization,
• membrane stability, fouling resistance, and scalability,
• and translation of laboratory concepts toward industrial relevance.

Professional Experience:

  • Assistant Professor – Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM August 2024 – Present
  • Graduate Coordinator – Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM 2025 – Present
  • Postdoctoral Researcher – Advanced Membranes and Porous Materials Research Center, KAUST, Saudi Arabia 2023 – 2024
  • Postdoctoral Researcher – Twente Membranes, University of Twente, The Netherlands 2021 – 2023
  • Researcher – Low carbon process laboratory, Korea Institute of Energy Research, South Korea, 2016 – 2017
 
Research Interests
• Sustainable polymeric membranes for water treatment and desalination
• Aqueous phase separation (APS) and solvent-free membrane fabrication
• Thin-film composite (TFC) and thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes
• Interfacial polymerization and monomer structure–property relationships
• Membrane surface chemistry, fouling mitigation, and long-term stability
• Scale-up, hollow fiber membranes, and coating technologies


Teaching
• MSE 202 – Materials Laboratory
• MSE 206 – Materials Characterization
• MSE 302 – Polymeric Materials
• CHEM 645 – Modern Techniques for Materials Characterization

Education

PhD, Membrane Science and Technology

University of Twente, The Netherlands

Thesis: Sustainable Polyelectrolyte Complex Membranes Produced via Aqueous Phase Separation

MSc, Advanced Energy Technology

Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), South Korea

Professional Recognition
Dr. Baig has received multiple international awards, including best paper, best presentation, and young academic distinctions from leading membrane and materials science societies. He is a frequent invited and plenary speaker at major international conferences and webinars in membrane science and sustainable materials.


List of publications:
  1. M.I. Baig, R. Hardian, F.A. Alharthi, C.M. Fellows, G. Szekely, Brine separation with polyamide and polyimine thin film composite nanofiltration membranes obtained from biobased monomers, Journal of Membrane Science 713 (2025) 123324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2024.123324. 
  2. L. Li, M.I. Baig, W.M. de Vos, S. Lindhoud, Biocatalytic PEI–PSS membranes through aqueous phase separation: influence of casting solution pH and operational temperature, Soft Matter 20 (2024) 5425–5434. https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SM00311J.
  3. R. Nickisch, W.M. de Vos, M.A.R. Meier, M.I. Baig, Removal of Transition-Metal Ions by Metal-Complexing Polythiosemicarbazone Membranes, ACS Appl. Polym. Mater. 5 (2023) 7240–7251. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.3c01192. 
  4. L. Li, M.I. Baig, W.M. de Vos, S. Lindhoud, Preparation of Sodium Carboxymethyl Cellulose–Chitosan Complex Membranes through Sustainable Aqueous Phase Separation, ACS Appl. Polym. Mater. 5 (2023) 1810–1818. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.2c01901. 
  5. J.J. van Lente, M.I. Baig, W.M. de Vos, S. Lindhoud, Biocatalytic membranes through aqueous phase separation, Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 616 (2022) 903–910. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcis.2022.02.094. 
  6. M.I. Baig, M. Pejman, J.D. Willott, A. Tiraferri, W.M. de Vos, Polyelectrolyte Complex Hollow Fiber Membranes Prepared via Aqueous Phase Separation, ACS Appl. Polym. Mater. 4 (2022) 1010–1020. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.1c01464. 
  7. M.I. Baig, J.D. Willott, W.M. de Vos, Enhancing the Separation Performance of Aqueous Phase Separation-Based Membranes through Polyelectrolyte Multilayer Coatings and Interfacial Polymerization, ACS Appl. Polym. Mater. 3 (2021) 3560–3568. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.1c00457. 
  8. M.I. Baig, P.P.I. Sari, J. Li, J.D. Willott, W.M. de Vos, Sustainable Aqueous Phase Separation membranes prepared through mild pH shift induced polyelectrolyte complexation of PSS and PEI, Journal of Membrane Science 625 (2021) 119114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2021.119114. 
  9. M.I. Baig, J.D. Willott, W.M. de Vos, Tuning the structure and performance of polyelectrolyte complexation based aqueous phase separation membranes, Journal of Membrane Science 615 (2020) 118502. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2020.118502. 
  10. E.N. Durmaz, M.I. Baig, J.D. Willott, W.M. de Vos, Polyelectrolyte Complex Membranes via Salinity Change Induced Aqueous Phase Separation, ACS Appl. Polym. Mater. 2 (2020) 2612–2621. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.0c00255. 
  11. M.I. Baig, E.N. Durmaz, J.D. Willott, W.M. de Vos, Sustainable Membrane Production through Polyelectrolyte Complexation Induced Aqueous Phase Separation, Advanced Functional Materials 30 (2020) 1907344. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201907344. 
  12. M.I. Baig, P.G. Ingole, J. Jeon, S.U. Hong, W.K. Choi, H.K. Lee, Water vapor transport properties of interfacially polymerized thin film nanocomposite membranes modified with graphene oxide and GO-TiO2 nanofillers, Chemical Engineering Journal 373 (2019) 1190–1202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2019.05.122. 
  13. M.I. Baig, P.G. Ingole, J. Jeon, S.U. Hong, W.K. Choi, B. Jang, H.K. Lee, Water vapor selective thin film nanocomposite membranes prepared by functionalized Silicon nanoparticles, Desalination 451 (2019) 59–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2017.06.005. 
  14. P.G. Ingole, M. Sohail, A.M. Abou-Elanwar, M.I. Baig, J.-D. Jeon, W.K. Choi, H. Kim, H.K. Lee, Water vapor separation from flue gas using MOF incorporated thin film nanocomposite hollow fiber membranes, Chemical Engineering Journal 334 (2018) 2450–2458. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2017.11.123. 
  15. P.G. Ingole, M.I. Baig, W. Choi, X. An, W.K. Choi, J.-D. Jeon, H.K. Lee, Synthesis of superhydrophilic Nafion based nanocomposite hollow fiber membranes for water vapor separation, Chemical Engineering Research and Design 127 (2017) 45–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cherd.2017.09.003. 
  16. P.G. Ingole, M.I. Baig, W. Choi, X. An, W.K. Choi, H.K. Lee, Role of functional nanoparticles to enhance the polymeric membrane performance for mixture gas separation, Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry 48 (2017) 5–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiec.2016.09.041. 
  17. M.I. Baig, P.G. Ingole, W.K. Choi, J. Jeon, B. Jang, J.H. Moon, H.K. Lee, Synthesis and characterization of thin film nanocomposite membranes incorporated with surface functionalized Silicon nanoparticles for improved water vapor permeation performance, Chemical Engineering Journal 308 (2017) 27–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2016.09.033. 
  18. P.G. Ingole, R.R. Pawar, M.I. Baig, J.D. Jeon, H.K. Lee, Thin film nanocomposite (TFN) hollow fiber membranes incorporated with functionalized acid-activated bentonite (ABn-NH) clay: towards enhancement of water vapor permeance and selectivity, J. Mater. Chem. A 5 (2017) 20947–20958. https://doi.org/10.1039/C7TA04945E. 
  19. M.I. Baig, P.G. Ingole, W.K. Choi, S.R. Park, E.C. Kang, H.K. Lee, Development of carboxylated TiO2 incorporated thin film nanocomposite hollow fiber membranes for flue gas dehydration, Journal of Membrane Science 514 (2016) 622–635. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2016.05.017. 
  20. M.I. Baig, P.G. Ingole, W.K. Choi, S.R. Park, E.C. Kang, H.K. Lee, Water vapor permeation behavior of interfacially polymerized polyamide thin film on hollow fiber membrane substrate, Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers 60 (2016) 623–635. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtice.2015.11.010. 
  21. P.G. Ingole, M.I. Baig, W.K. Choi, H.K. Lee, Synthesis and characterization of polyamide/polyester thin-film nanocomposite membranes achieved by functionalized TiO2 nanoparticles for water vapor separation, J. Mater. Chem. A 4 (2016) 5592–5604. https://doi.org/10.1039/C6TA00100A. 
Book Chapter:
M.I. Baig, W.M. de Vos, Chapter 11 - Aqueous phase separation technology, in: L.F. Dumée, M. Sadrzadeh, M.M.A. Shirazi (Eds.), Green Membrane Technologies towards Environmental Sustainability, Elsevier, 2023: pp. 295–340.

Dr. Irshad Baig Assistant Professor Building 16 178-2 +966 13 860 5886 +966 13 860 2949 (MSE Dept.) muhammad.baig@kfupm.edu.sa Google Scholar LinkedIn

Lecturers

Dr. Irshad Baig is an internationally trained materials scientist and membrane technologist whose research focuses on the development of next-generation, sustainable polymeric membranes for water treatment, desalination, and advanced separation processes. He is widely recognized for his pioneering contributions to aqueous phase separation (APS), a transformative, solvent-free membrane fabrication platform that eliminates the use of hazardous organic solvents and significantly reduces the environmental footprint of membrane manufacturing.

Dr. Baig’s work has helped redefine how high-performance membranes can be designed, fabricated, and scaled using green chemistry principles, while maintaining the performance of conventional systems. His research integrates membrane materials, polymer chemistry, interfacial science, thin-film composite design, and process engineering to establish fundamental structure–property–performance relationships in membranes spanning microfiltration to nanofiltration and reverse osmosis regimes.

He has authored numerous high-impact journal publications in leading venues such as Advanced Functional Materials, Journal of Membrane Science, Chemical Engineering Journal, Journal of Materials Chemistry A, and several ACS journals, and his work is widely cited within the global membrane science community. 
Dr. Baig has conducted research across Europe, East Asia, and the Middle East, bringing together diverse scientific perspectives and research cultures. He currently serves as Principal Investigator on multiple KFUPM-funded projects focused on membranes for desalination and water security, directly aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 sustainability and water-energy nexus goals.

Sustainable Interfaces and Membrane (SIM) Lab

Dr. Baig leads the Sustainable Interfaces and Membrane (SIM) Lab at KFUPM, which advances fundamental and applied research on environmentally responsible membrane materials and interfaces.

As of January 2026, the SIM Lab comprises 2 MSc students, 2 PhD students, and 2 postdoctoral researchers

The lab emphasizes:

• solvent-free and green membrane fabrication,
• thin-film composite and nanocomposite membranes,
• interface engineering and interfacial polymerization,
• membrane stability, fouling resistance, and scalability,
• and translation of laboratory concepts toward industrial relevance.

Professional Experience:

  • Assistant Professor – Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM August 2024 – Present
  • Graduate Coordinator – Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM 2025 – Present
  • Postdoctoral Researcher – Advanced Membranes and Porous Materials Research Center, KAUST, Saudi Arabia 2023 – 2024
  • Postdoctoral Researcher – Twente Membranes, University of Twente, The Netherlands 2021 – 2023
  • Researcher – Low carbon process laboratory, Korea Institute of Energy Research, South Korea, 2016 – 2017
 
Research Interests
• Sustainable polymeric membranes for water treatment and desalination
• Aqueous phase separation (APS) and solvent-free membrane fabrication
• Thin-film composite (TFC) and thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes
• Interfacial polymerization and monomer structure–property relationships
• Membrane surface chemistry, fouling mitigation, and long-term stability
• Scale-up, hollow fiber membranes, and coating technologies


Teaching
• MSE 202 – Materials Laboratory
• MSE 206 – Materials Characterization
• MSE 302 – Polymeric Materials
• CHEM 645 – Modern Techniques for Materials Characterization

Education

PhD, Membrane Science and Technology

University of Twente, The Netherlands

Thesis: Sustainable Polyelectrolyte Complex Membranes Produced via Aqueous Phase Separation

MSc, Advanced Energy Technology

Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), South Korea

Professional Recognition
Dr. Baig has received multiple international awards, including best paper, best presentation, and young academic distinctions from leading membrane and materials science societies. He is a frequent invited and plenary speaker at major international conferences and webinars in membrane science and sustainable materials.


List of publications:
  1. M.I. Baig, R. Hardian, F.A. Alharthi, C.M. Fellows, G. Szekely, Brine separation with polyamide and polyimine thin film composite nanofiltration membranes obtained from biobased monomers, Journal of Membrane Science 713 (2025) 123324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2024.123324. 
  2. L. Li, M.I. Baig, W.M. de Vos, S. Lindhoud, Biocatalytic PEI–PSS membranes through aqueous phase separation: influence of casting solution pH and operational temperature, Soft Matter 20 (2024) 5425–5434. https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SM00311J.
  3. R. Nickisch, W.M. de Vos, M.A.R. Meier, M.I. Baig, Removal of Transition-Metal Ions by Metal-Complexing Polythiosemicarbazone Membranes, ACS Appl. Polym. Mater. 5 (2023) 7240–7251. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.3c01192. 
  4. L. Li, M.I. Baig, W.M. de Vos, S. Lindhoud, Preparation of Sodium Carboxymethyl Cellulose–Chitosan Complex Membranes through Sustainable Aqueous Phase Separation, ACS Appl. Polym. Mater. 5 (2023) 1810–1818. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.2c01901. 
  5. J.J. van Lente, M.I. Baig, W.M. de Vos, S. Lindhoud, Biocatalytic membranes through aqueous phase separation, Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 616 (2022) 903–910. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcis.2022.02.094. 
  6. M.I. Baig, M. Pejman, J.D. Willott, A. Tiraferri, W.M. de Vos, Polyelectrolyte Complex Hollow Fiber Membranes Prepared via Aqueous Phase Separation, ACS Appl. Polym. Mater. 4 (2022) 1010–1020. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.1c01464. 
  7. M.I. Baig, J.D. Willott, W.M. de Vos, Enhancing the Separation Performance of Aqueous Phase Separation-Based Membranes through Polyelectrolyte Multilayer Coatings and Interfacial Polymerization, ACS Appl. Polym. Mater. 3 (2021) 3560–3568. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.1c00457. 
  8. M.I. Baig, P.P.I. Sari, J. Li, J.D. Willott, W.M. de Vos, Sustainable Aqueous Phase Separation membranes prepared through mild pH shift induced polyelectrolyte complexation of PSS and PEI, Journal of Membrane Science 625 (2021) 119114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2021.119114. 
  9. M.I. Baig, J.D. Willott, W.M. de Vos, Tuning the structure and performance of polyelectrolyte complexation based aqueous phase separation membranes, Journal of Membrane Science 615 (2020) 118502. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2020.118502. 
  10. E.N. Durmaz, M.I. Baig, J.D. Willott, W.M. de Vos, Polyelectrolyte Complex Membranes via Salinity Change Induced Aqueous Phase Separation, ACS Appl. Polym. Mater. 2 (2020) 2612–2621. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.0c00255. 
  11. M.I. Baig, E.N. Durmaz, J.D. Willott, W.M. de Vos, Sustainable Membrane Production through Polyelectrolyte Complexation Induced Aqueous Phase Separation, Advanced Functional Materials 30 (2020) 1907344. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201907344. 
  12. M.I. Baig, P.G. Ingole, J. Jeon, S.U. Hong, W.K. Choi, H.K. Lee, Water vapor transport properties of interfacially polymerized thin film nanocomposite membranes modified with graphene oxide and GO-TiO2 nanofillers, Chemical Engineering Journal 373 (2019) 1190–1202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2019.05.122. 
  13. M.I. Baig, P.G. Ingole, J. Jeon, S.U. Hong, W.K. Choi, B. Jang, H.K. Lee, Water vapor selective thin film nanocomposite membranes prepared by functionalized Silicon nanoparticles, Desalination 451 (2019) 59–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2017.06.005. 
  14. P.G. Ingole, M. Sohail, A.M. Abou-Elanwar, M.I. Baig, J.-D. Jeon, W.K. Choi, H. Kim, H.K. Lee, Water vapor separation from flue gas using MOF incorporated thin film nanocomposite hollow fiber membranes, Chemical Engineering Journal 334 (2018) 2450–2458. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2017.11.123. 
  15. P.G. Ingole, M.I. Baig, W. Choi, X. An, W.K. Choi, J.-D. Jeon, H.K. Lee, Synthesis of superhydrophilic Nafion based nanocomposite hollow fiber membranes for water vapor separation, Chemical Engineering Research and Design 127 (2017) 45–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cherd.2017.09.003. 
  16. P.G. Ingole, M.I. Baig, W. Choi, X. An, W.K. Choi, H.K. Lee, Role of functional nanoparticles to enhance the polymeric membrane performance for mixture gas separation, Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry 48 (2017) 5–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiec.2016.09.041. 
  17. M.I. Baig, P.G. Ingole, W.K. Choi, J. Jeon, B. Jang, J.H. Moon, H.K. Lee, Synthesis and characterization of thin film nanocomposite membranes incorporated with surface functionalized Silicon nanoparticles for improved water vapor permeation performance, Chemical Engineering Journal 308 (2017) 27–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2016.09.033. 
  18. P.G. Ingole, R.R. Pawar, M.I. Baig, J.D. Jeon, H.K. Lee, Thin film nanocomposite (TFN) hollow fiber membranes incorporated with functionalized acid-activated bentonite (ABn-NH) clay: towards enhancement of water vapor permeance and selectivity, J. Mater. Chem. A 5 (2017) 20947–20958. https://doi.org/10.1039/C7TA04945E. 
  19. M.I. Baig, P.G. Ingole, W.K. Choi, S.R. Park, E.C. Kang, H.K. Lee, Development of carboxylated TiO2 incorporated thin film nanocomposite hollow fiber membranes for flue gas dehydration, Journal of Membrane Science 514 (2016) 622–635. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2016.05.017. 
  20. M.I. Baig, P.G. Ingole, W.K. Choi, S.R. Park, E.C. Kang, H.K. Lee, Water vapor permeation behavior of interfacially polymerized polyamide thin film on hollow fiber membrane substrate, Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers 60 (2016) 623–635. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtice.2015.11.010. 
  21. P.G. Ingole, M.I. Baig, W.K. Choi, H.K. Lee, Synthesis and characterization of polyamide/polyester thin-film nanocomposite membranes achieved by functionalized TiO2 nanoparticles for water vapor separation, J. Mater. Chem. A 4 (2016) 5592–5604. https://doi.org/10.1039/C6TA00100A. 
Book Chapter:
M.I. Baig, W.M. de Vos, Chapter 11 - Aqueous phase separation technology, in: L.F. Dumée, M. Sadrzadeh, M.M.A. Shirazi (Eds.), Green Membrane Technologies towards Environmental Sustainability, Elsevier, 2023: pp. 295–340.

Dr. Irshad Baig Assistant Professor Building 16 178-2 +966 13 860 5886 +966 13 860 2949 (MSE Dept.) muhammad.baig@kfupm.edu.sa Google Scholar LinkedIn