Role
Dr. Nazmul Karim is a Professor of Advanced Textiles and EPSRC Researcher in Residence Fellow.
Career overview
Nazmul Karim has been a Professor of Advanced Textiles at Nottingham Trent University, UK since 2023. Previously (2019-23), he was an Associate Professor at the Centre for Print Research, UWE Bristol (UK), where he led the establishment of the brand-new "Graphene Applications Laboratory" and the new research theme 'New Materials: Towards Sustainable Technologies'. Before that, Prof Karim led graphene-based wearable electronic textiles (e-textiles) research activities at the National Graphene Institute (NGI) of the University of Manchester (UK) with Nobel Laureate Professor Sir Kostya S Novoselov (2015-19). He completed his PhD (2015)and MSc (2011) at the University of Manchester (UK).
Prof Karim also worked for BASF (2008-10), the world-leading chemical company, after graduating from Bangladesh University of Textiles (BUTex) in 2008. He has academic and industry experience in fundamental research, innovation, and entrepreneurship, with a passion for getting research out of the lab into real-world applications. He is also passionate about sustainable and digital manufacturing of wearable e-textiles, and the introduction of sustainable materials and artificial intelligence (AI) to e-textiles, fibre-reinforced smart composites, and functional clothing.
Research areas
Prof Karim’s research interests lie in the area of advanced materials (e.g., graphene, other materials) and sustainable digital technologies (e.g., inkjet printing), aimed at developing future textiles for the next generation of smart wearable electronic textiles (e-textiles), sustainable clothing, and smart fibre-reinforced composites. Prof Karim has led several groundbreaking research projects, including the world’s first fully inkjet-printed graphene e-textiles, highly scalable methods to produce graphene textiles and 2D hetero structure-based textiles, and sustainable and multifunctional fibre-reinforced composites.
Prof Karim's lab is always looking for highly motivated, curious, and skilled individuals who are interested in pursuing PhDs and post-docs and who want to carry out adventurous research on novel and innovative wearable e-textiles, sustainable functional clothing, and smart fibre-reinforced composites.
His multidisciplinary work offers exciting opportunities to work in state-of-the-art laboratories in several high-profile areas:
- Wearable electronic textiles (sensors, energy-generating and storage devices)
- Inkjet-printed graphene and other 2D heterostructure-based wearables
- Sustainable and functional textiles
- Recycled materials-based textiles and composites
- Smart fibre-based composites
- Natural fibre composites
Before applying, you are strongly encouraged to contact nazmul.karim@ntu.ac.uk, stating your interests and funding circumstances.
External activity
- Academic Adviser, Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) UK
- Editorial Board Member, Research Journal of Textiles and Apparel.
- Technical Editor, Textiles Today.
- Member, EPSRC Peer Review College.
- External PhD examiner: UNSW (Australia), University of Manchester (UK) and University of Leeds
Sponsors and collaborators
- NUS Singapore
- UCLA
- University of Manchester
- University of Leeds
- University of Bristol
- University of Southampton
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- KAIST Korea
- NHS
- CPI
Publications
Journal publications
2023
32. Islam, M. R.; Afroj, S.; Karim, N; Scalable Production of 2D Material Heterostructure Textiles for High-Performance Wearable Supercapacitors. ACS Nano 2023.
31. Dulal, M.; Islam, M. R.; Maiti, S.; Islam, M.H.; Ali, I.; Abdelkader, A. M; Novoselov, K. S.; Afroj, S.; Karim, N.; Smart and Multifunctional Fibre-Reinforced Composites of Two-Dimensional Heterostructure-Based Textiles. Advanced Functional Materials 2023.
30. Islam, M.H.; Afroj, S.; Karim, N.; Towards Sustainable Composites: Graphene-Modified Jute Fibre Composites with Bio-Based Epoxy Resin. Journal: Global Challenges, 2023.
29. Tan, S.; Afroj, S.; Li, D.; Islam, M.R.; Wu, J.; Cai, G.; Karim, N.; Zhao, Z.; Highly Sensitive and Extremely Durable Wearable E-Textiles of Graphene/Carbon Nanotube Hybrid for Cardiorespiratory Monitoring. iScience, 2023
28. Dulal, M.; Afroj, S.; Ahn, J.; Cho, Y.; Carr, C.; Kim, I. D.; Karim N, Toward Sustainable Wearable Electronic Textiles. ACS Nano 2022 16 (12), 19755-19788
27. Islam, M. R.; Afroj, S.; Novoselov, K. S.; Karim, N., Smart Electronic Textile-Based Wearable Supercapacitors. Advanced Science 2022, 9 (31), 2203856.
26. Tan, S.; Islam, M. R.; Li, H.; Fernando, A.; Afroj, S.; Karim, N., Highly Scalable, Sensitive and Ultraflexible Graphene-Based Wearable E-Textiles Sensor for Bio-Signal Detection. Advanced Sensor Research, 2022.
25. Islam, M. H.; Afroj, S.; Uddin, M. A.; Andreeva, D. V.; Novoselov, K. S.; Karim, N., Graphene and CNT-Based Smart Fiber-Reinforced Composites: A Review. Advanced Functional Materials 2022, 32 (40), 2205723.
24. Wijerathne, D.; Gong, Y.; Afroj, S.; Karim, N.; Abeykoon, C., Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Graphene Nanoplatelets-Reinforced Recycled Polycarbonate Composites. International Journal of Lightweight Materials and Manufacture 2023, 6 (1), 117-128.
2022
23. Maiti, S.; Islam, M. R.; Uddin, M. A.; Afroj, S.; Eichhorn, S. J.; Karim, N., Sustainable Fiber-Reinforced Composites: A Review. Advanced Sustainable Systems 2022, 2200258.
22. Islam, M. R.; Afroj, S.; Beach, C.; Islam, M. H.; Parraman, C.; Abdelkader, A.; Casson, A. J.; Novoselov, K. S.; Karim, N., Fully Printed and Multifunctional Graphene-Based Wearable E-Textiles for Personalized Healthcare Applications. iScience 2022,
25 (3), 103945. 21. Zhang, M.; Hu, H.; Kamrul, H.; Zhao, S.; Chang, Y.; Ho, M.; Karim, N., Three-Dimensional Composites with Nearly Isotropic Negative Poisson's Ratio by Random Inclusions: Experiments and Finite Element Simulation. Composites Science and Technology 2022, 218, 109195.
20. Uddin, M. A.; Afroj, S.; Hasan, T.; Carr, C.; Novoselov, K. S.; Karim, N., Environmental Impacts of Personal Protective Clothing Used to Combat COVID- 19. Advanced Sustainable Systems 2022, 6 (1), 2100176.
19. Islam, M. H.; Islam, M. R.; Dulal, M.; Afroj, S.; Karim, N., The Effect of Surface Treatments and Graphene-Based Modifications on Mechanical Properties of Natural Jute Fiber Composites: A Review. iScience 2022, 25 (1), 103597.
2021
18. Afroj, S.; Britnell, L.; Hasan, T.; Andreeva, D. V.; Novoselov, K. S.; Karim, N., Graphene-Based Technologies for Tackling COVID-19 and Future Pandemics. Advanced Functional Materials 2021, 31 (52), 2107407.
17. Zhu, J.; Abeykoon, C.; Karim, N., Investigation into the Effects of Fillers in Polymer Processing. International Journal of Lightweight Materials and Manufacture 2021, 4 (3), 370-382.
16. Ashadujjaman, M.; Saifullah, A.; Shah, D. U.; Zhang, M.; Akonda, M.; Karim, N.; Sarker, F., Enhancing the Mechanical Properties of Natural Jute Yarn Suitable for Structural Applications. Materials Research Express 2021, 8 (5), 055503.
15. Karim, N.; Sarker, F.; Afroj, S.; Zhang, M.; Potluri, P.; Novoselov, K. S., Sustainable and Multifunctional Composites of Graphene-Based Natural Jute Fibers. Advanced Sustainable Systems 2021, 5 (3), 2000228.
14. Chen, M.; Goh, S. M.; Yang, K.; Nikitina, A. A.; Chen, S.; Leng, X.; Karim, N.; Hanson, L.; Gleeson, H. F.; Novoselov, K. S.; Andreeva, D. V., Robust and Flexible Optically Active 2D Membranes Based on Encapsulation of Liquid Crystals in Graphene Oxide Pockets. Advanced Materials Interfaces 2021, 8 (22), 2101432.
2020
13. Karim, N.; Afroj, S.; Lloyd, K.; Oaten, L. C.; Andreeva, D. V.; Carr, C.; Farmery, A. D.; Kim, I. D.; Novoselov, K. S., Sustainable Personal Protective Clothing for Healthcare Applications: A Review. ACS Nano 2020, 14 (10), 12313-12340.
12. Afroj, S.; Tan, S.; Abdelkader, A. M.; Novoselov, K. S.; Karim, N., Highly Conductive, Scalable, and Machine Washable Graphene-Based E-Textiles for Multifunctional Wearable Electronic Applications. Advanced Functional Materials 2020, 30 (23), 2000293.
11. Ergoktas, M. S.; Bakan, G.; Steiner, P.; Bartlam, C.; Malevich, Y.; Ozden-Yenigun, E.; He, G.; Karim, N.; Cataldi, P.; Bissett, M. A.; Kinloch, I. A.; Novoselov, K. S.; Kocabas, C., Graphene-Enabled Adaptive Infrared Textiles. Nano Letters 2020, 20 (7), 5346-5352.
2019
10. Karim, N.; Afroj, S.; Tan, S.; Novoselov, K. S.; Yeates, S. G., All Inkjet-Printed Graphene-Silver Composite Ink on Textiles for Highly Conductive Wearable Electronics Applications. Scientific Reports 2019, 9 (1), 8035.
9. Sarker, F.; Potluri, P.; Afroj, S.; Koncherry, V.; Novoselov, K. S.; Karim, N., Ultrahigh Performance of Nanoengineered Graphene-Based Natural Jute Fiber Composites. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2019, 11 (23), 21166-21176.
8. Afroj, S.; Karim, N.; Wang, Z.; Tan, S.; He, P.; Holwill, M.; Ghazaryan, D.; Fernando, A.; Novoselov, K. S., Engineering Graphene Flakes for Wearable Textile Sensors via Highly Scalable and Ultrafast Yarn Dyeing Technique. ACS Nano 2019, 13 (4), 3847-3857.
2018
7. Sarker, F.; Karim, N.; Afroj, S.; Koncherry, V.; Novoselov, K. S.; Potluri, P., High-Performance Graphene-Based Natural Fiber Composites. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2018, 10 (40), 34502-34512.
6. Karim, N.; Zhang, M.; Afroj, S.; Koncherry, V.; Potluri, P.; Novoselov, K. S., Graphene-Based Surface Heater for De-Icing Applications. RSC Advances 2018, 8 (30), 16815-16823.
2017
5. Karim, N.; Afroj, S.; Tan, S.; He, P.; Fernando, A.; Carr, C.; Novoselov, K. S., Scalable Production of Graphene-Based Wearable E-Textiles. ACS Nano 2017, 11 (12), 12266-12275.
4. Abdelkader, A. M.; Karim, N.; Vallés, C.; Afroj, S.; Novoselov, K. S.; Yeates, S. G., Ultraflexible and Robust Graphene Supercapacitors Printed on Textiles for Wearable Electronics Applications. 2D Materials 2017, 4 (3), 035016.
3. Karim, N.; Afroj, S.; Malandraki, A.; Butterworth, S.; Beach, C.; Rigout, M.; Novoselov, K. S.; Casson, A. J.; Yeates, S. G., All Inkjet-Printed Graphene-Based Conductive Patterns for Wearable E-Textile Applications. Journal of Materials Chemistry C 2017, 5 (44), 11640-11648.
2015
2. Karim, M. N.; Afroj, S.; Rigout, M.; Yeates, S. G.; Carr, C., Towards UV-Curable Inkjet Printing of Biodegradable Poly (Lactic Acid) Fabrics. Journal of Materials Science 2015, 50 (13), 4576-4585.
2014
1. Karim, M. N.; Rigout, M.; Yeates, S. G.; Carr, C., Surface Chemical Analysis of the Effect of Curing Conditions on the Properties of Thermally-Cured Pigment Printed Poly (Lactic Acid) Fabrics. Dyes and Pigments 2014, 103, 168-174.
Book Chapters
1. Karim, N.; Afroj, S.; Leech, D.; Abdelkader, A. M., Flexible and Wearable Graphene-Based E-Textiles. In Oxide Electronics, 2021; pp 21-49. (3)
Conference Proceedings
1. Afroj, S.; Islam, M. H.; Karim, N., Multifunctional Graphene-Based Wearable E-Textiles. Proceedings 2021, 68 (1), 11.
2. Beach, C.; Karim, N.; Casson, A. J. In Performance of Graphene ECG Electrodes under Varying Conditions, 2018 40th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), 18-21 July 2018; 2018; pp 3813-3816.
3. Karim, M.; Rigout, M.; Yeates, S.; Carr, C. In Development of UV-Curable Inkjet Printing onto Poly (Lactic Acid) Fabrics, International Conference on Digital Technologies for Textile Industries, 2013.
4. Karim, M. N.; Rigout, M.; Yeates, S. G.; Carr, C. In Analysis of UV-Cured and Thermally-Cured Inkjet Printed Poly (Lactic Acid) Fabrics, NIP & Digital Fabrication Conference, Society for Imaging Science and Technology: 2014; pp 92-95.
Patent Applications
1. Yeates S G and N Karim, Electrically Conductive Materials Comprising Graphene, 2015 (PCT GB2015/052309) (WO 2017025697)
2. Karim N, C Woods and K Novoselov, Graphene-Based Sensors, 2017 (PCTGB2017/051777) (WO2017220979A1)
Press expertise
- New materials
- Wearable e-textiles
- Sustainable textiles
- Smart composites
- Digital printing