@article{pirzada_khan_opperman_affokpon_2023, title={Banana-paper seed wrap increases yam crop yield and quality in Africa}, volume={2}, ISSN={["2662-1355"]}, DOI={10.1038/s43016-023-00718-9}, journal={NATURE FOOD}, author={Pirzada, Tahira and Khan, Saad A. and Opperman, Charles H. and Affokpon, Antoine}, year={2023}, month={Feb} }
 @article{sohail_pirzada_guenther_barbieri_sit_menegatti_crook_opperman_khan_2023, title={Cellulose Acetate-Stabilized Pickering Emulsions: Preparation, Rheology, and Incorporation of Agricultural Active Ingredients}, volume={11}, ISSN={["2168-0485"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.3c02428}, DOI={10.1021/acssuschemeng.3c02428}, abstractNote={We report the use of cellulose acetate (CA) nanoparticles (NPs) to produce oil in water Pickering emulsions. The CA NP can emulsify various oils and form stable emulsions at concentrations as low as 0.5 wt %. Rheological and microscopic analyses show evidence of interconnected NP aggregate networks between droplets. Yield stress measurements display evidence of “double” yielding. We postulate that the presence of the NP aggregates provides a secondary network between droplet clusters resulting in such behavior. We demonstrate the suitability of the emulsions as agriculture formulations by incorporating an agrochemical, abamectin (Abm), and a plant-growth-promoting microbe (PGPM) in the emulsions. Release assays exhibit sustained Abm release, promising higher efficacy at lower usage volumes. Incorporation of nonsporulating PGPM Pseudomonas simiae in the emulsions shows significantly higher microbe viability compared to controls after 70 days of storage. By demonstrating the application of CA NPs as a sustainable Pickering emulsifier, this study introduces the use of CA as a platform technology for the delivery of diverse agriculture cargos. A comprehensive evaluation of the system is articulated in a fundamental microstructure analysis and a demonstration of practical on-site attributes, including shelf-life stability and functional performance, verified through bioassays and plant growth studies.}, number={42}, journal={ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING}, author={Sohail, Mariam and Pirzada, Tahira and Guenther, Richard and Barbieri, Eduardo and Sit, Tim and Menegatti, Stefano and Crook, Nathan and Opperman, Charles H. and Khan, Saad A.}, year={2023}, month={Sep}, pages={15178–15191} }
 @article{rahmanian_pirzada_barbieri_iftikhar_li_khan_2023, title={Mechanically robust, thermally insulating and photo-responsive aerogels designed from sol-gel electrospun PVP-TiO2 nanofibers}, volume={32}, ISSN={["2352-9407"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmt.2023.101784}, DOI={10.1016/j.apmt.2023.101784}, abstractNote={We present a robust approach for fabricating polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-titania (TiO2) nanofibrous aerogels (NFA) with multifunctional and triggered performances. These low density (∼ 10 mg cm−3) 3D self-supported aerogels having an intrinsically lamellar porous structure (> 99% porosity) are created via solid templating of sol-gel electrospun PVP-TiO2 hybrid nanofibers. The photocatalytic activity of TiO2 allows for on-demand application wherein the aerogel exhibits antibacterial properties upon UV exposure to bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica. Significantly, while the aerogel sorbs common volatile organic components (VOCs) or oil due to its innate porosity, exposure of the aerogel to ultraviolet (UV) radiation leads to their decomposition. The PVP-TiO2 NFA exhibits a low thermal conductivity (0.062 W m−1 K−1) together with considerable mechanical flexibility up to strains of 50% with >90% recovery, without the need for post-processing. The photo-responsive attributes combined with mechanical resilience, oleophilicity and thermal insulation properties render these aerogels viable candidates for a diverse range of applications. We discuss such property enhancements in terms of the interaction between PVP and TiO2 and aerogel microstructure.}, journal={APPLIED MATERIALS TODAY}, author={Rahmanian, Vahid and Pirzada, Tahira and Barbieri, Eduardo and Iftikhar, Sherafghan and Li, Fanxing and Khan, Saad A.}, year={2023}, month={Jun} }
 @article{pirzada_affokpon_guenther_mathew_agate_blevins_byrd_sit_koenning_davis_et al._2023, title={Plant-biomass-based hybrid seed wraps mitigate yield and post-harvest losses among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa}, volume={4}, ISSN={2662-1355}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s43016-023-00695-z}, DOI={10.1038/s43016-023-00695-z}, abstractNote={Abstract}, number={2}, journal={Nature Food}, publisher={Springer Science and Business Media LLC}, author={Pirzada, Tahira and Affokpon, Antoine and Guenther, Richard H. and Mathew, Reny and Agate, Sachin and Blevins, Aitana and Byrd, Medwick V. and Sit, Tim L. and Koenning, Stephen R. and Davis, Eric L. and et al.}, year={2023}, month={Feb}, pages={148–159} }
 @article{rahmanian_ebrahim_razavi_abdelmigeed_barbieri_menegatti_parsons_li_pirzada_khan_2023, title={Vapor phase synthesis of metal-organic frameworks on a nanofibrous aerogel creates enhanced functionality}, volume={11}, ISSN={["2050-7496"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1039/D3TA05299K}, DOI={10.1039/D3TA05299K}, abstractNote={Vapor-phase synthesis of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) on nanofibrous aerogels provides a hierarchically porous and mechanically robust material platform for use in a multitude of applications, from carbon dioxide capture to heavy metal removal.}, journal={JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A}, author={Rahmanian, Vahid and Ebrahim, Muhammed Ziauddin Ahmad and Razavi, Seyedamin and Abdelmigeed, Mai and Barbieri, Eduardo and Menegatti, Stefano and Parsons, Gregory N. and Li, Fanxing and Pirzada, Tahira and Khan, Saad A.}, year={2023}, month={Nov} }
 @article{wang_pirzada_xie_barbieri_hossain_opperman_pal_wei_parsons_khan_2022, title={Creating hierarchically porous banana paper-metal organic framework (MOF) composites with multifunctionality}, volume={28}, ISSN={["2352-9407"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmt.2022.101517}, DOI={10.1016/j.apmt.2022.101517}, abstractNote={We report a robust approach to integrate metal-organic frameworks (MOF) via vapor phase synthesis on a cost-effective and mechanically durable fibrous banana paper (BP) substrate developed from lignocellulosic biomass. The unique hollow fibrous structure of BP combined with the methodology used produces MOF-fiber composites with uniform MOF distribution and enhanced functionalities, with minimal use of organic solvents. The BP-MOF composites demonstrate a high surface area of 552 m2/g and uniform surface growth of MOF on them. Mechanical strength and bending flexibility of the substrate is well retained after the MOF growth, while the hollow tubular nature and hierarchical porosity of the BP facilitate gas diffusion. The BP-MOF composites demonstrate strong antibacterial activity with 99.2% of E.coli destroyed within the first hour of incubation. Preliminary studies with smartphone-based volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor show enhanced 1-octen-3-ol vapor absorption on BP-MOF, indicating its potential for VOC capture and sensing. We believe that the sustainable nature and flexibility of the lignocellulosic BP substrate taken together with uniform growth of MOF on the hierarchically porous BP impart impressive attributes to these composites, which can be explored in diverse applications.}, journal={APPLIED MATERIALS TODAY}, publisher={Elsevier BV}, author={Wang, Siyao and Pirzada, Tahira and Xie, Wenyi and Barbieri, Eduardo and Hossain, Oindrila and Opperman, Charles H. and Pal, Lokendra and Wei, Qingshan and Parsons, Gregory N. and Khan, Saad A.}, year={2022}, month={Aug} }
 @article{hosseini_rahmanian_pirzada_frick_krissanaprasit_khan_labean_2022, title={DNA aerogels and DNA-wrapped CNT aerogels for neuromorphic applications}, volume={16}, ISSN={["2590-0064"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtbio.2022.100440}, DOI={10.1016/j.mtbio.2022.100440}, abstractNote={Nucleic acids are programmable materials that can self-assemble into defined or stochastic three-dimensional network architectures. Various attributes of self-assembled, cross-linked Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) hydrogels have recently been investigated, including their mechanical properties and potential biomedical functions. Herein, for the first time, we describe the successful construction of pure DNA aerogels and DNA-wrapped carbon nanotube (CNT) composite (DNA-CNT) aerogels via a single-step freeze-drying of the respective hydrogels. These aerogels reveal highly porous and randomly branched structures with low density. The electrical properties of pure DNA aerogel mimic that of a simple capacitor; in contrast, the DNA-CNT aerogel displays a fascinating resistive switching behavior in response to an applied bias voltage sweep reminiscent of a volatile memristor. We believe these novel aerogels can serve as a platform for developing complex biomimetic devices for a wide range of applications, including real-time computation, neuromorphic computing, biochemical sensing, and biodegradable functional implants. More importantly, insight obtained here on self-assembling DNA to create aerogels will pave the way to construct novel aerogel-based material platforms from DNA coated or wrapped functional entities.}, journal={MATERIALS TODAY BIO}, author={Hosseini, Mahshid and Rahmanian, Vahid and Pirzada, Tahira and Frick, Nikolay and Krissanaprasit, Abhichart and Khan, Saad A. and LaBean, Thomas H.}, year={2022}, month={Dec} }
 @article{sohail_pirzada_opperman_khan_2022, title={Recent advances in seed coating technologies: transitioning toward sustainable agriculture}, volume={7}, ISSN={["1463-9270"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1039/D2GC02389J}, DOI={10.1039/d2gc02389j}, abstractNote={This review provides a sustainability perspective on existing seed coating research through comparing potential agricultural benefits with the associated energy, chemical and environmental footprints.}, journal={GREEN CHEMISTRY}, publisher={Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)}, author={Sohail, Mariam and Pirzada, Tahira and Opperman, Charles H. and Khan, Saad A.}, year={2022}, month={Jul} }
 @article{ochola_cortada_mwaura_tariku_christensen_ng'ang'a_hassanali_pirzada_khan_pal_et al._2022, title={Wrap-and-plant technology to manage sustainably potato cyst nematodes in East Africa}, volume={2}, ISSN={["2398-9629"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-022-00852-5}, DOI={10.1038/s41893-022-00852-5}, abstractNote={Abstract}, journal={NATURE SUSTAINABILITY}, author={Ochola, Juliet and Cortada, Laura and Mwaura, Onesmus and Tariku, Meklit and Christensen, Shawn A. and Ng'ang'a, Margaret and Hassanali, Ahmed and Pirzada, Tahira and Khan, Saad and Pal, Lokendra and et al.}, year={2022}, month={Feb} }
 @article{rahmanian_pirzada_wang_khan_2021, title={Cellulose-Based Hybrid Aerogels: Strategies toward Design and Functionality}, volume={33}, ISSN={["1521-4095"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202102892}, DOI={10.1002/adma.202102892}, abstractNote={Abstract}, number={51}, journal={ADVANCED MATERIALS}, publisher={Wiley}, author={Rahmanian, Vahid and Pirzada, Tahira and Wang, Siyao and Khan, Saad A.}, year={2021}, month={Oct} }
 @article{rutkevicius_pirzada_geiger_khan_2021, title={Creating superhydrophobic, abrasion-resistant and breathable coatings from water-borne polydimethylsiloxane-polyurethane Co-polymer and fumed silica}, volume={596}, ISSN={["1095-7103"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcis.2021.02.072}, DOI={10.1016/j.jcis.2021.02.072}, abstractNote={The high surface area and branched structure of fumed silica (FS) can be exploited in concert with the hydrophobic properties of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and robustness of polyurethane (PU) to create PDMS-PU and FS grafted coatings with hierarchical structures and enhanced functionalities. The structural features of FS would add to superhydrophobicity; its open-branchlike characteristics would provide air permeability; the use of a tiered coating approach involving a FS-only layer on top of the PDMS-PU coat would create interlocking and strong abrasion-resistance, leading to a multifunctional coating with potential application in filtration and personal protection equipment (PPE). PDMS-PU and PDMS-PU-Si copolymer dispersions are synthesized with different monomer molecular weights and FS concentration. Hydrophobicity is measured via water contact angle and wetting resistance measurements. Abrasion resistance is compared by investigating the fiber morphology and hydrophobicity of the coated fabrics after various abrasion cycles. Air flow versus pressure drop experiments are used to measure breathability. Interaction mechanism between substrate/components are explored using infrared spectroscopy. The interactions between the substrate, FS, and PDMS-PU can be manipulated to create a novel, tiered coating that exhibits superhydrophobicity, strong abrasion resistance together with desirable air-permeability, thereby providing a versatile and unique coating platform.}, journal={JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE}, publisher={Elsevier BV}, author={Rutkevicius, Marius and Pirzada, Tahira and Geiger, Mackenzie and Khan, Saad A.}, year={2021}, month={Aug}, pages={479–492} }
 @article{pirzada_sohail_tripathi_farias_mathew_li_opperman_khan_2021, title={Toward Sustainable Crop Protection: Aqueous Dispersions of Biodegradable Particles with Tunable Release and Rainfastness}, volume={11}, ISSN={["1616-3028"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202108046}, DOI={10.1002/adfm.202108046}, abstractNote={Abstract}, journal={ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS}, publisher={Wiley}, author={Pirzada, Tahira and Sohail, Mariam and Tripathi, Anurodh and Farias, Barbara V and Mathew, Reny and Li, Chunying and Opperman, Charles H. and Khan, Saad A.}, year={2021}, month={Nov} }
 @article{pirzada_ashrafi_xie_khan_2020, title={Cellulose Silica Hybrid Nanofiber Aerogels: From Sol–Gel Electrospun Nanofibers to Multifunctional Aerogels}, url={https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201907359}, DOI={10.1002/adfm.201907359}, abstractNote={Abstract}, journal={Advanced Functional Materials}, author={Pirzada, Tahira and Ashrafi, Zahra and Xie, Wenyi and Khan, Saad A.}, year={2020}, month={Jan} }
 @article{pirzada_farias_mathew_guenther_byrd_sit_pal_opperman_khan_2020, title={Recent Advances in Biodegradable Matrices for Active Ingredient Release in Crop Protection: Towards Attaining Sustainability in Agriculture}, volume={48}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cocis.2020.05.002}, DOI={10.1016/j.cocis.2020.05.002}, abstractNote={Climate changes, emerging species of plant pests, and deficits of clean water and arable land have made availability of food to the ever-increasing global population a challenge. Excessive use of synthetic pesticides to meet ever-increasing production needs has resulted in development of resistance in pest populations, as well as significant ecotoxicity, which has directly and indirectly impacted all life-forms on earth. To meet the goal of providing safe, sufficient, and high-quality food globally with minimal environmental impact, one strategy is to focus on targeted delivery of pesticides using eco-friendly and biodegradable carriers that are derived from naturally available materials. Herein, we discuss some of the recent approaches to use biodegradable matrices in crop protection, while exploring their design and efficiency. We summarize by discussing associated challenges with the existing approaches and future trends that can lead the world to more sustainable agricultural practices.}, journal={Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface Science}, author={Pirzada, Tahira and Farias, Barbara V. and Mathew, Reny and Guenther, Richard H. and Byrd, Medwick V. and Sit, Tim L. and Pal, Lokendra and Opperman, Charles H. and Khan, Saad A.}, year={2020}, month={May}, pages={121–136} }
 @article{pirzada_mathew_guenther_sit_opperman_pal_khan_2020, title={Tailored Lignocellulose-Based Biodegradable Matrices with Effective Cargo Delivery for Crop Protection}, volume={8}, ISSN={2168-0485 2168-0485}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.9b05670}, DOI={10.1021/acssuschemeng.9b05670}, abstractNote={Controlled release and targeted delivery of agrochemicals are crucial for achieving effective crop protection with minimal damage to the environment. This work presents an innovative and cost-effective approach to fabricate lignocellulose-based biodegradable porous matrices capable of slow and sustained release of the loaded molecules for effective crop protection. The matrix exhibits tunable physicochemical properties which, when coupled with our unique “wrap-and-plant” concept, help to utilize it as a defense against soil-borne pests while providing controlled release of crop protection moieties. The tailored matrix is produced by mechanical treatment of the lignocellulosic fibers obtained from banana plants. The effect of different extents of mechanical treatments of the lignocellulosic fibers on the protective properties of the developed matrices is systematically investigated. While variation in mechanical treatment affects the morphology, strength, and porosity of the matrices, the specific composition and structure of the fibers are also capable of influencing their release profile. To corroborate this hypothesis, the effect of morphology and lignin content changes on the release of rhodamine B and abamectin as model cargos is investigated. These results, compared with those of the matrices developed from non-banana fibrous sources, reveal a unique release profile of the matrices developed from banana fibers, thereby making them strong candidates for crop protection applications.}, number={17}, journal={ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering}, publisher={American Chemical Society (ACS)}, author={Pirzada, Tahira and Mathew, Reny and Guenther, Richard H. and Sit, Tim L. and Opperman, Charles H. and Pal, Lokendra and Khan, Saad A.}, year={2020}, month={Mar}, pages={6590–6600} }
 @article{farias_pirzada_mathew_sit_opperman_khan_2019, title={Electrospun Polymer Nanofibers as Seed Coatings for Crop Protection}, volume={7}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.9b05200}, DOI={10.1021/acssuschemeng.9b05200}, abstractNote={Ineffective delivery of pesticides leads to multiple application cycles of active ingredients (AIs), resulting in increased cost while endangering the environment via soil, water, and air contamina...}, number={24}, journal={ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering}, publisher={American Chemical Society (ACS)}, author={Farias, Barbara V. and Pirzada, Tahira and Mathew, Reny and Sit, Tim L. and Opperman, Charles and Khan, Saad A.}, year={2019}, month={Nov}, pages={19848–19856} }
 @article{pirzada_farias_chu_khan_2019, title={Fabrication of Guar-Only Electrospun Nanofibers by Exploiting a High- and Low-Molecular Weight Blend}, volume={4}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85067668513&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1021/acsomega.9b00902}, abstractNote={We present a facile approach to electrospin nanofibers of guar galactomannan by blending high- and low-molecular weights (MWs) of guar. We discover that while neither native high MW guar nor hydrolyzed low MW guar is electrospinnable on its own, their combination leads to synergism in producing defect-free nanofibers. Such an approach of fabricating nanofibers from blending multiple MWs of the same polymer may provide an easy route to produce nanofibers of biopolymers which are typically hard to electrospin. Rheological studies reveal that a limiting amount of native guar is needed for electrospinnability, and for those systems that have the proportionate amount of native guar, there is a critical total concentration above which fibers form. Interestingly, a plot of blend viscosity versus guar concentration reveals two power-law regimes with an inflection point, above which fiber formation can be achieved akin to the behavior observed for pure (i.e., nonblend) polymers.}, number={6}, journal={ACS Omega}, publisher={American Chemical Society (ACS)}, author={Pirzada, Tahira and Farias, Barbara V. and Chu, Hsiao Mei Annie and Khan, Saad A.}, year={2019}, pages={10767–10774} }
 @article{biodegradable matrix for sustained release of pesticides for crop protection_2017, url={https://publons.com/publon/11419296/}, journal={Abstracts of Papers of the American Chemical Society}, year={2017} }
 @article{pva silica composite nanofibers via sol gel electrospinning_2017, url={https://publons.com/publon/11419297/}, journal={Abstracts of Papers of the American Chemical Society}, year={2017} }
 @article{pirzada_shah_2015, title={Florescent silica PVA hybrids via sol–gel processing}, volume={293}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84947617864&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1007/s00396-015-3742-1}, number={11}, journal={Colloid and Polymer Science}, author={Pirzada, T. and Shah, S.S.}, year={2015}, pages={3361–3368} }
 @article{pirzada_arvidson_saquing_shah_khan_2014, title={Hybrid Carbon Silica Nanofibers through Sol–Gel Electrospinning}, volume={30}, ISSN={0743-7463 1520-5827}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/LA503290N}, DOI={10.1021/la503290n}, abstractNote={A controlled sol-gel synthesis incorporated with electrospinning is employed to produce polyacrylonitrile-silica (PAN-silica) fibers. Hybrid fibers are obtained with varying amounts of silica precursor (TEOS in DMF catalyzed by HCl) and PAN. Solution viscosity, conductivity, and surface tension are found to relate strongly to the electrospinnability of PAN-silica solutions. TGA and DSC analyses of the hybrids indicate strong intermolecular interactions, possibly between the -OH group of silica and -CN of PAN. Thermal stabilization of the hybrids at 280 °C followed by carbonization at 800 °C transforms fibers to carbon-silica hybrid nanofibers with smooth morphology and diameter ranging from 400 to 700 nm. FTIR analysis of the fibers confirms the presence of silica in the as-spun as well as the carbonized material, where the extent of carbonization is also estimated by confirming the presence of -C═C and -C═O peaks in the carbonized hybrids. The graphitic character of the carbon-silica fibers is confirmed through Raman studies, and the role of silica in the disorder of the carbon structure is discussed.}, number={51}, journal={Langmuir}, publisher={American Chemical Society (ACS)}, author={Pirzada, Tahira and Arvidson, Sara A. and Saquing, Carl D. and Shah, S. Sakhawat and Khan, Saad A.}, year={2014}, month={Dec}, pages={15504–15513} }
 @article{pirzada_shah_2014, title={Water-Resistant Poly(vinyl alcohol)-Silica Hybrids through Sol-Gel Processing}, volume={37}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84897028659&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1002/ceat.201300295}, abstractNote={Abstract}, number={4}, journal={Chemical Engineering and Technology}, author={Pirzada, T. and Shah, S.S.}, year={2014}, pages={620–626} }
 @article{a green chemistry approach to synthesize ctab templated silica xerogels from sodium silicate_2012, url={https://publons.com/publon/11419303/}, journal={Journal of Chemical Society of Pakistan}, year={2012} }
 @article{pirzada_demirdoogen_shah_2012, title={A green chemistry approach to synthesize CTAB templated silica xerogels from sodium silicate}, volume={34}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84856982578&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, number={1}, journal={Journal of the Chemical Society of Pakistan}, author={Pirzada, T. and Demirdoogen, R.E. and Shah, S.S.}, year={2012}, pages={177–183} }
 @article{pirzada_arvidson_saquing_shah_khan_2012, title={Hybrid Silica–PVA Nanofibers via Sol–Gel Electrospinning}, volume={28}, ISSN={0743-7463 1520-5827}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/la300049j}, DOI={10.1021/la300049j}, abstractNote={We report on the synthesis of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)-silica hybrid nanofibers via sol-gel electrospinning. Silica is synthesized through acid catalysis of a silica precursor (tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) in ethanol-water), and fibers are obtained by electrospinning a mixture of the silica precursor solution and aqueous PVA. A systematic investigation on how the amount of TEOS, the silica-PVA ratio, the aging time of the silica precursor mixture, and the solution rheology influence the fiber morphology is undertaken and reveals a composition window in which defect-free hybrid nanofibers with diameters as small as 150 nm are obtained. When soaked overnight in water, the hybrid fibers remain intact, essentially maintaining their morphology, even though PVA is soluble in water. We believe that mixing of the silica precursor and PVA in solution initiates the participation of the silica precursor in cross-linking of PVA so that its -OH group becomes unavailable for hydrogen bonding with water. FTIR analysis of the hybrids confirms the disappearance of the -OH peak typically shown by PVA, while formation of a bond between PVA and silica is indicated by the Si-O-C peak in the spectra of all the hybrids. The ability to form cross-linked nanofibers of PVA using thermally stable and relatively inert silica could broaden the scope of use of these materials in various technologies.}, number={13}, journal={Langmuir}, publisher={American Chemical Society (ACS)}, author={Pirzada, Tahira and Arvidson, Sara A. and Saquing, Carl D. and Shah, S. Sakhawat and Khan, Saad A.}, year={2012}, month={Mar}, pages={5834–5844} }
 @article{pirzada_shah_2012, title={Surfactant templated silica xerogels as adsorbents for Rhodamine 6G}, volume={59}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84863582425&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1002/jccs.201100574}, abstractNote={Abstract}, number={7}, journal={Journal of the Chinese Chemical Society}, author={Pirzada, T. and Shah, S.S.}, year={2012}, pages={891–898} }
 @article{pirzada_shah_2011, title={Potential of P VA templated silica xerogels as adsorbents for Rhodamine 6G}, volume={55}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84855440030&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.5012/jkcs.2011.55.6.1024}, abstractNote={PVA/silica hybrid xerogels were synthesized by sonohydrolysis of a mixture of 2-way catalyzed TEOS and water solution of PVA. PVA was successfully removed from the xerogels through calcination and its removal was confirmed through TGA analysis of the calcined gel. Microstructure of the gels was studied through SEM, XRD and FTIR. Nitrogen sorption studies were conducted to find out surface area of different samples. It was found out that the samples having PVA removed through calcinations have higher surface area (411.64 m 2 /g) than the samples (353.544 m 2 /g) synthesized without any PVA. Adsorption properties of these xerogels synthesized by using different ratios of components were studied by taking Rhodamine G6 as a model adsorbate. The experiments were conducted at room temperature (25 o C). UV visible spectroscopy was used to measure the concentration of the dye before and after adsorption. The adsorption data of Rhodamine G6 on PVA modified silica is described by the Freundlich's adsorption model.}, number={6}, journal={Journal of the Korean Chemical Society}, author={Pirzada, T. and Shah, S.S.}, year={2011}, pages={1024–1029} }
 @article{saleem_pirzada_qadeer_2007, title={Sorption of acid violet 17 and direct red 80 dyes on cotton fiber from aqueous solutions}, volume={292}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-33845483355&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1016/j.colsurfa.2006.06.035}, abstractNote={Sorption of acid violet 17 and direct red 80 azo dyes on locally available cotton fiber from aqueous solution has been investigated as a function of shaking time, pH, dyes concentration and temperature. Maximum sorption of acid violet 17 and direct red 80 on cotton fiber was achieved within 30 and 60 min of shaking time and at pH 8 and 8.5, respectively. Sorption isotherms for acid violet 17 and direct red 80 dyes were obtained at pH 8 and 8.5, respectively, at constant temperature. These isotherms are L-3 types having small plateaus, and the upward trends in sorption capacity after the plateaus points towards the possibility of multilayer formation. The increasing temperature induces a negative effect on the sorption of acid violet 17 (exothermic) and positive effect on the sorption of directs red 80 (endothermic). Isosteric heat of adsorption (qst) have also been calculated at different surface coverage indicating that cotton fiber possessed heterogeneous surface with site of different activity. The results also indicate that initial sorption, whether chemical or physical means, occurs first on the most active sites and then on the sites of lesser activity.}, number={2-3}, journal={Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects}, author={Saleem, M. and Pirzada, T. and Qadeer, R.}, year={2007}, pages={246–250} }
 @article{saleem_pirzada_qadeer_2005, title={Sorption of some azo-dyes on wool fiber from aqueous solutions}, volume={260}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-20444498547&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1016/j.colsurfa.2005.03.007}, abstractNote={Sorption of some azo-dyes (acid violet 17, acid blue 90, acid red 1 and direct red 80) on locally available wool fiber from aqueous solution has been investigated as a function of shaking time, pH and dyes concentration as a function of temperature. Sorption isotherms for dyes on wool fiber were obtained. It was found that the increasing temperature induces positive effect on the sorption process. Isosteric heat of adsorption (qst) have also been calculated at different surface coverage indicating that wool fiber used possessed heterogeneous surface with site of different activity. The results also indicate that initial sorption whether chemical or physical means, occurs first on the most active sites and then, as the concentration of dyes is increased, on sites of lesser activity.}, number={1-3}, journal={Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects}, author={Saleem, M. and Pirzada, T. and Qadeer, R.}, year={2005}, pages={183–188} }