Pr. Abdelilah BENYOUSSEF

Hassan II Academy of Science & Technology, Mohammed V University, Materials & Nanomaterials Center (MAScIR), Morocco.

Density functional theory (DFT) is one of the most effective and widely used simulation methods in the field of materials. It is a quantum mechanical approach, which does not use experimentally derived parameters. The crystal structure of the material is the only input into these DFT calculations, but even this structure can also be calculated by the DFT. Currently, Density functional theory, helped to make huge advances in the design of emerging materials and nanomaterials for energy conversion and storage. The discovery of 2D materials has generated a new era of materials science with applications in energy and spintronics. New thin materials, stable mechanically, thermally and electronically, are available and used for the fabrication of ultrathin flexible devices. The understanding of the properties of, 2D materials, is based on the electronic properties. Density Functional theory is a Powerful Quantum mechanics method for the design of 2D Materials. Recently, phosphorene, a two dimensional phosphorus analogue of graphene, has been discovered. It is suitable as a metal-free water splitting photocatalyst. In addition, it is a promising anode material for (Li/Na/Mg)-ion batteries. The solid-state hydrogen storage is based on the interaction between the hydrogen and the surface of the storage material. The storage capabilities of nanostructured materials is high due to their enormous surface area. 2D Phosphorene is a promising material for solid-state hydrogen storage.

Prof. Abdelilah BENYOUSSEF received his (Doctorat d’état) degree from the Paris-Sud University in 1983. He is a permanent member of the Moroccan Hassan II Academy of Science and Technology, since 2006. He is associate professor in the materials and nanomaterials center of the Moroccan Foundation for Advanced Science, Innovation and Research. He is National coordinator of the Competences Pole of Condensed Matter and Systems Modeling. He is also an editor in chief of the Moroccan Journal of Condensed Matter. He is President of the Moroccan Society of Statistical Physics and Condensed Matter. He has been visiting professor in many research centers, laboratories and Universities. The main interest topics of Abdelilah Benyoussef are Ab initio calculation and Monte carlo method in modeling and simulation of new materials for renewable energy; Magnetism and phase transition in condensed matter; complex systems and critical self-organization in statistical physics. He is a co-author of more than 400 research publications and book chapters and about 100 conference presentations including numerous invited papers and talks. He has co-chaired or co-organized several international conferences. He holds a number of patents and supervised 40 postgraduate research candidates.