Degree: B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D 
Email: dare3160@hotmail.com
Telephone: +234-706-391-7311
Department: Chemistry
Academic Rank: Professor of Nanotechnology and Materials (First Nigerian Professor of Nanotechnology)
Current Position:
Research Interest: Industrial Material Chemistry and Nanotechnology.
(Alexander Von Humboldt (George Forster) Fellowship) @ Regensburg University, Germany
Alternative URL: www-oc.chemie.uni-regensburg.de/diaz/members.php
ACHIEVEMENT /CITATION
Enock Olugbenga Oladepo DARE is presently the first Professor of Nanotechnology in Nigeria. He is a seasoned chemist, distinguished scholar and researcher of high repute. He holds a Ph.D in Chemistry of the University of Ilorin, Nigeria and Advanced Research Diploma in Chemical Engineering of Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan. A postdoctoral training at Princeton University, NJ, USA.
Professor Dare is an outstanding international scholar and widely travelled to all continents of the world through international cooperation, having visited more than 20 different countries. He is a UNESCO and MONBUSHO fellow (Japan); USAMI fellow (Princeton University, USA); Taiwanese National Science Foundation fellow (Taiwan); A regular associate of ICTP, Trieste, Italy e.t.c. To crown it all, he recently got the world most prestigious Alexander von Humboldt (AvH) – Georg Forster fellowship. He is presently AvH fellow, an awardee and a Professor at University of Regensburb, Germany
Prof. Dare is a kingpin of Nanotechnology research in Africa. He remain a major player in the Nigeria Nanotechnology Initiatives of 2006 that brought Nanotechnology into limelight in Nigeria. He has made excellent research output in Hybrid nanocomposites based on POSS, nanoporous membrane technology, transdermal drug delivery, nanobimetallic for sensor and catalysis, green nanotechnology, nanobiotechnology, e.t.c. His most current research lies on “nano-enabled materials for anti-counterfeiting, fingerprinting for criminality detection, the concept for which he is exporting to Germany presently. Prof. Dare successfully deployed the concept of nanotechnology in translating “discarded waste product via surface nanochemistry to prototype and technology leading to an international “Patent”. The technology has the full capability for petroleum fingerprinting, crude oil/water separation and promotes enhanced oil recovery.
Furthermore, he is the brain behind the invention of a point-of-use nanoporous water purification technology that accorded him a national award as the 2nd best at the National Universities Research and Development Fair (NURESDEF 2012) which attracted all Universities in Nigeria. It was on this note that Prof. Dare feature occasionally in an NUC-sponsored “voyage of discovery” on AIT and NTA as he demonstrate the new technology.
It is worth of note that several other awards, grants and commendations are to his credit. He was “Innovation and Invention” awardee of NASENI. The governing council of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta commended him “for breaking new grounds in Chemistry” in the year 2014.
He is the author/co-author of over 100 scientific publications and has given more than 30 invited lectures ( plenary and keynotes) at various conferences world-wide. Professor Dare has produced 8 Doctors (Ph.Ds), some of which has gained tenure at prestigious institutions nationally and internationally.
Administratively, he was former Acting Director of Academic Planning, Federal University, Lafia. As well, he was former Head of Department of Chemistry, FUNAAB.
Prof. Enoch Olugbenga Dare is everly grateful to (1) Almighty God that gave him “Grace” to do the unexpected (2) his late parents, Bishop & Mrs Amos Sobalaje Dare (3) Prof. G.A. Olatunji, DVC, UNILORIN who mentored him academically (4) Prof. Wole Soboyejo who gave him clues on membrane technology and who remain the bedrock of nanotechnology program in Nigeria (5) Chief (Dr.) Chris Ogunbanjo who monitored his steps in life by virtue of his sharing same parentage style (clergyman’s son) with him.
- Membership of Professional Bodies
- Awards Received
- Courses Taught
- Research
- Publications
- Conferences Attended
2nd BEST INNOVATION & INVENTION RESEARCH AWARDEE – NUC 2012
NANOPOROUS WATER FILTER FOR POINT OF USE IN NIGERIA HOMES.
DEVELOPED BY DARE E. O.
IN CLOSE DISCUSSION WITH ONE TIME NOBEL LAURATE IN CHEMISTRY PROFESSOR HARRY KROTO (in sky blue shirt) WON 1996 WORLD CHEMISTRY PRIZE FOR THE DISCOVERY OF FULLERENE ——- C60. I WAS INVITED AND SPONSORED TO ATTEND THE WORLD MATERIAL SUMMIT IN WASHINGTON DC, 2012.
WITH PROFESSOR DAVID GINLEY OF NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LAB COLORADO, USA AND THE EDITOR OF MATERIAL RESEARCH BULLETTIN. DAVID GINLEY IS MY MENTOR AND AN OUTSTANDING WORLD RENOWN SCIENTIST IN ENERGY ——- IN EXTENSIVE RESEARCH COLLABORATION WITH PROF. RICK REGISTER OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, NJ, USA
WITH PROF. A. NAITO, THE PRESIDENT OF TOKYO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (TIT) HELD AT TIT CENTINARY HALL. IT WAS A UNESCO -ORGANIZED PARTY FOR ALL INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARS IN JAPANESE UNIVERSITIES.
13TH COLNAS LEADERSHIP LECTURE
DEDICATED TO MY OVERALL ACADEMIC MENTOR, PROF. GABRIEL A. OLATUNJI, DVC ACADEMIC, UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN, ILORIN, KWARA STATE.
LOCATE THE LECTURE FROM THIS LINK ……………
NIGERIA UNIVERSITIES RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT FAIR (NURESDEF) AWARD
LETTER OF COMMENDATION FROM THE GOVERNING COUNCIL
My Research Focus and Contribution to Knowledge
Since 2005, my research efforts have been directed towards: (1) Synthesis and application of POSS hybrid nanocomposite with applications in various functional industrial and engineering materials (2) Living polymerization of olefins (3) Nanoporous membrane materials for water filtration (4) Synthesis and applications of nanobimetallics (Ag and its allied metals) using wet chemistry (sol gel) (5) Synthesis and application of nanosilver using chemical and “green nanotechnology” (6) Electrospun nanofibrous materials for crude oil separation and spillage remediation. (7) Forensic: Fingerprinting and Anticounterfeiting (8) I have been involved in few other co-opted and collaborated research subjects outside nanotechnology and materials. My major scientific contribution to knowledge and breakthrough lies on:
- Development of novel process for POSS nanocomposite synthesis.
POSS is a hybrid nanocomposite material possessing nanoscopic size with Si – Si distance of 0.5 nm and an R – R distance of 1.5 nm characterized with various reactive groups at the periphery of the cage [Figure 1].
Figure 1: POSS Anatomy
Extensive research on POSS as semiconductors, light emitting diodes and other electronic have been done by many Companies and Universities, including Dow Corning, IBM computer, e.t.c. These materials have been extensively used in semiconductors owing to its tunable periphery functionalities. With electronic getting smaller and smaller, the need for materials that keep these devices from short-circuiting is growing in demands. POSS properties have the ability to prevent short-circuiting by acting as rigid and providing durability for devices — However, in-spite of the aforementioned importance of these great materials, its synthetic process and conversion rate leaves much to be desired in which Octavinyl-POSS and H-POSS were obtainable in yield of 7% and 21% respectively before 2006. Breakthrough: In the years 2006, Prof. Liu, James Peng and I innovatively moved the yields of Octavinyl-POSS and H-POSS to 41% and 72 % respectively by adopting a novel modified synthetic procedure as detailed in a Royal Society of Chemistry, UK Journal (Dalton Transaction) (PAPER NO 12). Since then, several efforts have been put to create functional materials (e.g. hydraulic lubricant for off-road machines, silicon oxycarbide special glass) from POSS nanocomposites as detailed (PAPERS NO. 2 – 12).
- Nanoporous water filter membrane for water purification and its impact on health status of a local community
As you know, a new paradigm for approaching environmental and quality of life is unfolding —– Nanotechnology. Provision of affordable and clean water services to the “unconnected” in rural areas is a prerequisite to poverty alleviation which determines quality of life. I was privileged to be a major contributor to the national and international clarion call for the development of nanoporous water filter from agricultural wastes (saw dust, rice husk ash) and clay. My previous invited research visit to Princeton University, NJ, USA prompted a return visitation of our collaborators to my laboratory in Nigeria. Within one months of their stay in Abeokuta, a program tagged “Grand Challenges Programme on Ceramic Filter for Portable Water” (http://sig.ias.edu/files/pdfs/USAMI-RISE-Presentation.pdf) was organized. A preliminary research in this direction and application of the filter device on a local community in Abeokuta, Ogun state, offered us a value – added – product [PAPER NO 18, 24, 25, 48, 95], which, however, my indigenous research group and I were positively disposed to improve upon. Several improvements have been made leading us to some developmental stages [Figure 2].
Figure Y: Nanoporous Water filter developed [Paper No. 95]
It is noteworthy that effort put towards stage C credited my group with an award as the second best in a National University Commission (NUC) – organized research innovation competition (see attachment).
(C) Nanobimetallic and Green nanotechnology : Using various nanostructuring methods, I have been able to
synthesized and evaluate properties of silver nanoparticles. Many of these nanosilvers found inhibition against
offensive bacterials, virus and fungi.. However, providing synergy to nanosilver via “green nanotechnology” using various medicinal plant extracts vis-à-vis mopholine, potentially, would be a “hopeful future” toward Ebola containment. This, I have started working on with records of success stories [PAPERS NOS 38, 43, 51-56, 71, 94]. I have also synthesized various hybrids-silver nanoparticles using wet chemistry and they have found applications in catalysis and sensors [Papers nos 41, 42, 44, 45, 54].
(D): Surface Science: Crude Oil Spill Remediation vis-à-vis CRUDE OIL SEPARATION
Figure 3: Crude oil separation prototype developed (repacked as boom or pad) [Paper No. 53 – 55 + Patent]
We have objectively achieved this in this project leading us to electrospun nanoporous sorbent boom that is cheap, reusable and sustainably suitable for wider crude oil dewatering/deoiling (figure 3, Paper No. 57-60, 65, 69). Furthermore, we have been able to innovatively create several novel functional POSS, which have proven record of excellent surface properties. The combination of the inorganic group in the hybrid system and the microcrystalinity of the material make it one of the lowest surface energy materials known, imparting hydrophobic and oleophobic properties. Indeed, my research group [Papers No: 43-46] has also developed modified procedure leading to a number of derivatized POSS possessing hydrophobic/oleophobic properties for crude oil purification. Lately, a switchable dual functional nanofibrous sorbent that reversibly switch as it dewatered – deoil crude oil was proposed.
(E) Petroleum fingerprinting: In order to circumvent incidental danger arising from adulterated petroleum products which has led to severe explosion and environmental disorder, we did use the concept above (electrospun nanoporous sorbent) to develop sustainably reuseable materials capable of correlating and differentiate adulterated petroleum via it geochemical fingerprint (Papers no. 60, 65 ). Dr. Samson Alayande and Prof. Msagati are major contributor.
F: FORENSIC SCIENCE: Human Fingerprinting, Anti-counterfeiting and Geochemical fingerprinting: Public, social
and environmental security remain a global phenomenon. The advancement of forensic science has drastically
improved public and environmental security. To contribute in this direction, we have adopted fluorescently labeled
materials for the detection of fingerprints and anti-counterfeiting bar codes in criminality detection.
Environmental security requiring detection of adulterated petroleum products has been mentioned in (E) above
(Papers no: 60, 65) as part of my contribution to knowledge
G: Transdermal Drug Delivery: I have also looked into Transdermal Nanoemulsion (Figure 4) as an effective
controlled insulin delivery system (Papers no: 63, 68, 91) using nanoemulsion as carrier.
Figure 4: Transdermal drug delivery approach
H: Theoretical Chemistry: I am not limited to experimental chemistry (A – G) above. First-principles study of
zinc-blende BxAlyIn1-x-yN quaternary alloy was achieved using Alchemical mixing approximation approach. The
results indicate that Zinc- blende alloys are suitable candidates for deep ultra- violet light emitting diodes (LEDs),
laser diodes (LDs) and modern solar cell since the concentrations x and y make the bandgap and lattice constant of
the quaternary alloys tunable to desirable values (Paper no. 64, 70). Prof. G.A. Adebayo is one of the major
contributor.
Last Updated on December 11, 2019 by FUNAAB
