Behnam Ghalei
Assistant Professor, Chemical & Materials Engineering
222 York Center (YORK)
About Me
I am an Assistant Professor of Chemical and Materials Engineering at NJIT and the Principal Investigator of the RAMP Lab (Reactive & Adaptive Membrane Processes Lab). My research focuses on next-generation membrane materials and separation processes for water treatment, CO₂ capture, gas purification, hydrogen recovery, and biopharmaceutical processing.
At RAMP, we engineer intelligent membranes that not only separate but also react — integrating nanozymes, photocatalysts, electrocatalysts, and porous materials into polymer, inorganic, and hybrid platforms. Our goal is to tackle global challenges in environment, energy, and life sciences by shaping the future of separation and conversion.
Before joining NJIT in Fall 2025, I served as Principal Scientist and R&D Manager at Vandstrom Inc. (2023–2025), where I led membrane innovation projects bridging fundamental research and industrial application. Prior to that, I conducted postdoctoral research at iCeMS, Kyoto University (2013–2016), and later served as Assistant and Associate Professor at Kyoto University (2016–2023).
I earned my Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Tarbiat Modares University (2013). To date, I have published 50+ peer-reviewed papers, contributed to patents and book chapters, and served on editorial boards of journals in membrane, polymer, and materials science.
At RAMP, we engineer intelligent membranes that not only separate but also react — integrating nanozymes, photocatalysts, electrocatalysts, and porous materials into polymer, inorganic, and hybrid platforms. Our goal is to tackle global challenges in environment, energy, and life sciences by shaping the future of separation and conversion.
Before joining NJIT in Fall 2025, I served as Principal Scientist and R&D Manager at Vandstrom Inc. (2023–2025), where I led membrane innovation projects bridging fundamental research and industrial application. Prior to that, I conducted postdoctoral research at iCeMS, Kyoto University (2013–2016), and later served as Assistant and Associate Professor at Kyoto University (2016–2023).
I earned my Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Tarbiat Modares University (2013). To date, I have published 50+ peer-reviewed papers, contributed to patents and book chapters, and served on editorial boards of journals in membrane, polymer, and materials science.
Education
Post-Doctoral Fellow
; Kyoto University,
; iCeMS
; 2016
Ph.D. ; Tarbiat Modares University ; Chemical Engineering ; 2013
M.Eng. ; Tarbiat Modares University ; Polymer Engineering ; 2006
B.Eng. ; Tehran Polytechnic ; Polymer Engineering ; 2003
Ph.D. ; Tarbiat Modares University ; Chemical Engineering ; 2013
M.Eng. ; Tarbiat Modares University ; Polymer Engineering ; 2006
B.Eng. ; Tehran Polytechnic ; Polymer Engineering ; 2003
Website
Teaching Interests
Separation Processes
Membrane Separation
Physical Chemistry of Porous Materials
Membrane Separation
Physical Chemistry of Porous Materials
Past Courses
CHE 791: GRADUATE SEMINAR
Research Interests
Separation processes
Reactive and responsive membranes
Nanomaterials and polymers for molecular separation
Biomimetic Membranes
Reactive and responsive membranes
Nanomaterials and polymers for molecular separation
Biomimetic Membranes
Journal Article
Zaoming Wang, Idaira Pacheco-Fernández, James E. Carpenter, Takuma Aoyama, Guoji Huang, Ali Pournaghshband Isfahani, Behnam Ghalei, Easan Sivaniah, Kenji Urayama, Yamil J. Colón, Shuhei Furukawa.
2024. "Pore-networked membrane using linked metal-organic polyhedra for trace-level pollutant removal and detection in environmental water."
Communications Materials , vol. 5 , no. 1 .
Somaye Nilouyal, Ali Pournaghshband Isfahani, H. Enis Karahan, Ansori Muchtar, Ikumi Joko, Habib Al-Aziz, Detao Qin, Masateru M. Ito, Easan Sivaniah, Behnam Ghalei. 2024. "Exploring the potential of fluorinated polyurethane membranes in hydrocarbon separation." Materials Letters , vol. 357 , pp. 135653.
Somaye Nilouyal, Ali Pournaghshband Isfahani, H. Enis Karahan, Ansori Muchtar, Ikumi Joko, Habib Al-Aziz, Detao Qin, Masateru M. Ito, Easan Sivaniah, Behnam Ghalei. 2024. "Exploring the potential of fluorinated polyurethane membranes in hydrocarbon separation." Materials Letters , vol. 357 , pp. 135653.
Somaye Nilouyal, H. Enis Karahan, Ali Pournaghshband Isfahani, Detao Qin, Masateru M. Ito, Easan Sivaniah, Behnam Ghalei. 2024. "Nanocellulose‐Incorporated Composite Membranes of PEO‐Based Rubbery Polymers for Carbon Dioxide Capture." Advances in Polymer Technology , vol. 2024 , no. 1 .
Qi Guo, Behnam Ghalei, Detao Qin, Daizu Mizutani, Ikumi Joko, Habib Al-Aziz, Tomohiro Higashino, Masateru M Ito, Hiroshi Imahori, Easan Sivaniah. 2023. "Graphene oxide-fullerene nanocomposite laminates for efficient hydrogen purification." Chemical Communications , vol. 59 , no. 66 , pp. 10012-10015.
Somaye Nilouyal, Ali Pournaghshband Isfahani, H. Enis Karahan, Ansori Muchtar, Ikumi Joko, Habib Al-Aziz, Detao Qin, Masateru M. Ito, Easan Sivaniah, Behnam Ghalei. 2024. "Exploring the potential of fluorinated polyurethane membranes in hydrocarbon separation." Materials Letters , vol. 357 , pp. 135653.
Somaye Nilouyal, Ali Pournaghshband Isfahani, H. Enis Karahan, Ansori Muchtar, Ikumi Joko, Habib Al-Aziz, Detao Qin, Masateru M. Ito, Easan Sivaniah, Behnam Ghalei. 2024. "Exploring the potential of fluorinated polyurethane membranes in hydrocarbon separation." Materials Letters , vol. 357 , pp. 135653.
Somaye Nilouyal, H. Enis Karahan, Ali Pournaghshband Isfahani, Detao Qin, Masateru M. Ito, Easan Sivaniah, Behnam Ghalei. 2024. "Nanocellulose‐Incorporated Composite Membranes of PEO‐Based Rubbery Polymers for Carbon Dioxide Capture." Advances in Polymer Technology , vol. 2024 , no. 1 .
Qi Guo, Behnam Ghalei, Detao Qin, Daizu Mizutani, Ikumi Joko, Habib Al-Aziz, Tomohiro Higashino, Masateru M Ito, Hiroshi Imahori, Easan Sivaniah. 2023. "Graphene oxide-fullerene nanocomposite laminates for efficient hydrogen purification." Chemical Communications , vol. 59 , no. 66 , pp. 10012-10015.
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Chapter
Mitra Abbaspour, Ofélia de Araújo, M.A.A. Aziz, Ali Behrad Vakylabad, Enrico Bocci, Hudson Bolsoni Carminati, José Luiz de Medeiros, Silvio de Oliveira Junior, Andrea Di Carlo, Meire Ellen Domingos, Moisés Teles dos Santos, Alberto Figoli, Daniel A. Flórez-Orrego, Xingyuan Gao, Behnam Ghalei, Mohsen Ghasemian, Kamran Ghasemzadeh, Foroogh Mohseni Ghazi, Jonathan Harding, C.N.C. Hitam, Adolfo Iulianelli, Baishali Kanjilal, H. Enis Karahan, Sibudjing Kawi, Hadiseh Khosravani, Parvin Kiani, Matteo Manisco, Arameh Masoumi, Stéphanie Mathieu, Maryam Meshksar, Rafael Nogueira Nakashima, Iman Noshadi, Hasancan Okutan, Shuxian Qiu, Hamid Reza Rahimpour, Mohammad Reza Rahimpour, Maryam Koohi Saadi, Alper Sarıoğlan, Elisa Savuto, Kambiz Taghaddom, Ş. Birgül Tantekin-Ersolmaz, Xin Tu, Abdullah Z. Turan, Sadiye Velioğlu, Cansu Yıldırım, Shabnam Yousefi.
"Contributors."
"Advances in Synthesis Gas : Methods, Technologies and Applications,"
pp. xiii-xv. Elsevier, 2023.
Cansu Yıldırım, H. Enis Karahan, Sadiye Velioğlu, Alper Sarıoğlan, Ş. Birgül Tantekin-Ersolmaz, Behnam Ghalei. "Molecular sieving membrane development for syngas purification." "Advances in Synthesis Gas : Methods, Technologies and Applications," pp. 341-358. Elsevier, 2023.
Alper Sarıoğlan, Abdullah Z. Turan, H. Enis Karahan, Hasancan Okutan, Ş. Birgül Tantekin-Ersolmaz, Behnam Ghalei. "Zeolites and molecular frameworks for adsorption-based syngas purification." "Advances in Synthesis Gas : Methods, Technologies and Applications," pp. 203-228. Elsevier, 2023.
Minoo Mosadegh, Rokhsare Kardani, Amir Dashti, Morteza Asghari, Behnam Ghalei. "Applications of Metal−Organic Frameworks in Wastewater Treatment and Gas Separation and Purification." "ACS Symposium Series," pp. 271-337. American Chemical Society, 2021.
Cansu Yıldırım, H. Enis Karahan, Sadiye Velioğlu, Alper Sarıoğlan, Ş. Birgül Tantekin-Ersolmaz, Behnam Ghalei. "Molecular sieving membrane development for syngas purification." "Advances in Synthesis Gas : Methods, Technologies and Applications," pp. 341-358. Elsevier, 2023.
Alper Sarıoğlan, Abdullah Z. Turan, H. Enis Karahan, Hasancan Okutan, Ş. Birgül Tantekin-Ersolmaz, Behnam Ghalei. "Zeolites and molecular frameworks for adsorption-based syngas purification." "Advances in Synthesis Gas : Methods, Technologies and Applications," pp. 203-228. Elsevier, 2023.
Minoo Mosadegh, Rokhsare Kardani, Amir Dashti, Morteza Asghari, Behnam Ghalei. "Applications of Metal−Organic Frameworks in Wastewater Treatment and Gas Separation and Purification." "ACS Symposium Series," pp. 271-337. American Chemical Society, 2021.