Dr. Zulfirdaus Zakaria is a Senior Lecturer at the Institute for Advanced Studies, Universiti Malaya (UM), specializing in Fuel Cell and Electrolyzer Technologies. He holds a PhD in Fuel Cell Engineering from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), conferred in 2018 under the supervision of Prof. Ir. Dr. Siti Kartom Kamarudin, who is the Director of the Fuel Cell Institute, UKM. His doctoral dissertation, titled “Development of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Based on Poly (Vinyl Alcohol) and Graphene Oxide for Micro Direct Ethanol Fuel Cell Application,” laid the foundation for his pioneering research in polymer-based fuel cell membranes.

During his postgraduate tenure, Dr. Zulfirdaus demonstrated exceptional academic rigor by converting his Master's program to a PhD, publishing 7 scientific articles in high-impact journals as the first author, which included 6 Q1/Q2 WoS indexed journals, and earning the “Graduate on Time” award from the Fuel Cell Institute, UKM.

Academic and Research Appointments:

Prior to his current role at UM, Dr. Zulfirdaus served as a Senior Lecturer at the School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), for two years. His four-year tenure postdoctoral researcher at the Fuel Cell Institute, UKM, and at Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN), where he contributed to significant advancements in fuel cell and electrolyzer technologies.

Research Focus and Contributions:

Dr. Zulfirdaus’s primary research interests encompass the development of polymer electrolyte membranes for both fuel cells and electrolyzers, focusing on:

• Proton Exchange Membranes (PEMs) and Anion Exchange Membranes (AEMs)
• Utilization of synthetic polymers (e.g., Polyvinyl Alcohol) and biopolymers (e.g., Sodium Alginate and Carrageenan)
• Applications in renewable energy generation and green hydrogen production

He has been actively involved in the research, development, and optimization of various fuel cell and electrolyzer systems, including:

1. Direct Methanol Fuel Cells (DMFCs)
2. Direct Ethanol Fuel Cells (DEFCs)
3. Alkaline Fuel Cells (AFCs)
4. Intermediate Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (IT-SOFCs)
5. Alkaline Anion Exchange Membrane (AEM) Electrolyzers

His work extends to the synthesis of advanced materials, such as:

• Polymer Modifications for enhanced membrane performance
• Graphene-based Nanomaterials for conductivity improvements
• Catalyst Development for both fuel cells and electrolyzers

Research Grants and Funding:

Dr. Zulfirdaus has led and contributed to numerous high-impact research projects, including:

1. Project Leader: Development of Novel Polymer Electrolyte Membrane for Fuel Cells. Universiti Malaya Research Excellence Grant 2025 (RM 97,614; 2025-2027) 
2. Project Leader: Biomass to Fuel Cells: Leave to Energy. Universiti Malaya Living Labs 2025 (RM 30,000; 2025-2026)
3. Project Leader: The Effect of Incorporating Epoxidized Natural Rubber on the Performance of Quaternized Polyvinyl Alcohol Membrane in Direct Ethanol Fuel Cells, USM Short-term Grant (RM 39,000; 2023-2025)
4. Researcher: Development of Alkaline AEM Electrolyzer with Novel Nanocomposite Membrane, UKM PAKARUNDING-NanoMalaysia Berhad (RM 539,125; 2022–2023)
5. Postdoctoral Researcher: New Biodegradable Membrane Based on a Hybrid Polymer Carrageenan/Poly (Vinyl Alcohol) for Direct Alcohol Fuel Cells, DANA MODAL INSAN (UKM) (RM 100,000; 2019–2020)
6. Postdoctoral Researcher: Fabrication and Performance Study of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC), 1kW Stack, TNB Seeding Fund (UNITEN) (RM 1,698,100.70; 2018–2020)

Intellectual Property and Publications:

Dr. Zulfirdaus has registered multiple intellectual properties with MyIPO, including:

• Carrageenan Biopolymer Membrane for Passive DEFC Applications (LY2022P05229) – First Author
• Cross-Sectional Properties of 7% MN-Doped ZnO Thin Films (LY2023P00617) – Co-author
• Strategy on How to Write a Review Paper Module (LY2022E00215) – Co-author

He has also authored the book “Membran Hijau Polivinil Alkohol: Aplikasi Sel Fuel Ethanol Langsung” published by Penerbit UKM.

With 50 publications in high-impact journals—24 in Q1, 15 in Q2, and 2 in Q3 categories—Dr. Zulfirdaus has established himself as a leading scholar in his field, serving as the first author in 24 of these publications.

Awards and Recognition:

• Top Downloaded Paper (2018-2019) – International Journal of Energy Research (Q1, IF 4.6)
• Top Downloaded Paper (2022-2023) – Journal of Applied Polymer Science (Q2, IF 2.7)
• World's Top 2% Scientists 2025 by Elsevier and Stanford University.

Editorial and Peer Review Activities:

Dr. Zulfirdaus actively contributes to the scholarly community as a peer reviewer for prestigious journals such as:

• Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews (Q1, IF 16.3)
• International Journal of Hydrogen Energy (Q1, IF 8.1)
• Applied Energy (Q1, IF 10.1)

To date, he has reviewed over 80 high-impact manuscripts across various leading journals in the field of energy research.

Invited Speaker and Outreach:

As an expert in academic writing, Dr. Zulfirdaus has been invited to deliver talks on “How to Write a High-Impact Review Paper” at multiple Malaysian higher education institutions, including UiTM, UKM, USM, UNIMAS and UniKL.

He is open to academic collaborations and can be contacted at zulfirdaus@um.edu.my.