Joseph Donkor Appiah

Dr. Joseph Donkor Appiah is a Lecturer in the Department of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering at the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), Ghana. He is a Chemical and Petroleum Engineer with interdisciplinary expertise spanning thermochemical conversion, petroleum and natural gas technologies, carbon materials, biomass and waste valorisation, and low-carbon industrial processes.

His research focuses on the conversion and valorisation of coal, petroleum-derived materials, biomass, and waste plastics, with particular interest in pyrolysis, cokemaking, metallurgical coke quality, carbon structure evolution, sustainable fuels, and the development of cleaner processes for the energy and iron and steel industries. His work seeks to bridge fundamental materials and process science with practical industrial applications, contributing to improved resource efficiency, environmental sustainability, and the transition toward low-carbon energy and industrial systems.

Dr. Appiah has extensive experience in advanced materials characterization and process analysis, employing techniques including Raman spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and BET surface-area analysis. He also has experience in process modelling and simulation using Aspen Plus and MATLAB. His research has involved multidisciplinary collaborations with academic and industrial partners in coal conversion, carbon materials, petroleum-related processes, and clean energy technologies.

Dr. Appiah holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering and Technology, a Master’s degree in Petroleum Chemistry and Refining, and a Bachelor’s degree in Petroleum Engineering. He has published in peer-reviewed scientific journals and presented his research at international conferences. He also serves as a contributor to Advanced Biofuel, USA, contributing articles and insights on advanced biofuels and sustainable energy technologies.

His broader research interests include biomass and petroleum pyrolysis, advanced biofuels, cokemaking, waste-plastic conversion, carbon materials, clean coal technologies, low-carbon ironmaking, and integrated energy and sustainability systems. He is particularly interested in multidisciplinary research that translates scientific knowledge into technically feasible and economically viable solutions to emerging energy and industrial challenges.

Through teaching, research, industry engagement, and international collaboration, Dr. Appiah aims to contribute to the development of innovative, sustainable, and economically viable energy and process technologies for Ghana and the wider global energy community.