PhD Advisor: Professor Himanshu Mishra

Abstract:
Aqueous interfaces are ubiquitous in natural and engineered environments, yet the fundamental mechanisms governing their chemical reactivity remain poorly understood. In this PhD research, I investigated the origins and mechanisms of redox reactions in water microdroplets, microbubbles, and soap films, focusing on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) formation, hydroxyl radical (HO•) generation, and metal-ion reduction. Combining advanced spectroscopic techniques with systematic experimental controls, we demonstrate that H₂O₂ accumulation in water microdroplets originates from oxygen reduction at solid–water interfaces rather than spontaneous water oxidation at air–water interfaces. We further elucidate how dissolved oxygen, pH, salts, and the chemical nature of solid surfaces influence these transformations. Investigations of electrogenerated microbubbles reveal distinct pathways governing H2O2 accumulation and HO• generation, highlighting the critical role of electrode materials and interfacial reactions. Complementary studies of spontaneous metal-ion reduction and nanoparticle formation uncover additional redox pathways in aqueous environments. Finally, investigations of soap films provide insights into the influence of gas–water interfacial area on chemical reactivity. Collectively, these findings challenge prevailing assumptions about aqueous interfacial chemistry, clarify the underlying mechanisms of reactive species formation, and establish a framework for understanding redox transformations in water, with broader implications for atmospheric chemistry, corrosion, and sustainable chemical synthesis.

Bio:
Muzzamil Ahmad Eatoo is a PhD candidate in Environmental Science and Engineering at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia, under the supervision of Prof. Himanshu Mishra. He holds an M.Tech. in Corrosion Science and Engineering from IIT Bombay and a B.Tech. in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from National Institute of Technology Kashmir, India.

His research spans aqueous interfacial chemistry, electrochemistry, corrosion science, and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. His doctoral research has challenged prevailing interpretations of spontaneous hydrogen peroxide formation at aqueous interfaces, providing new mechanistic insights into redox chemistry in water microdroplets, microbubbles, and soap films. His research has resulted in publications in leading journals, including the Journal of the American Chemical Society, Chemical Science, and the Journal of The Electrochemical Society, as well as two invention disclosures submitted concerning spontaneous ammonia production from molecular nitrogen and gas-dependent reactive species generation in water.

He received the KAUST BESE Best Research Publication Award (2026) and has delivered an invited talk at the International Conference on Chemical Reactivity in Droplets and at Air–Water Interfaces in Shanghai, China (2026). He also served as an invited Discussion Leader at the Gordon Research Seminar on Water and Aqueous Solutions (2026) in New Hampshire, USA, and presented his research at Gordon Research Conferences. His current research interests include sustainable nitrogen fixation, ozone–water chemistry, and aqueous corrosion.