Otmane Kharbouch Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry

Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry. IDI laboratory, ENSCK, Ibn Tofaïl University, Kénitra.

Otmane Kharbouch

My research covers materials protection, metal air batteries and green hydrogen in strongly acidic and alkaline media, combining electrochemistry, surface analysis and computational chemistry.

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Portrait of Otmane Kharbouch

Figure 1. Where the experiments happen

15 % HCl · pH ≈ −0.6 Industrial pickling baths: protecting mild steel 1 M HCl · pH 0 Screening new N-heterocyclic inhibitors Acid electrolytes · pH < 1 Cu-Ni-P coatings and catalysts for hydrogen evolution 4 M NaOH · pH ≈ 14.6 Aluminium anodes for Al-air batteries Alkaline electrolysis · pH ≥ 14 HER / OER electrodes for green hydrogen
Colours follow a universal indicator from pH 0 to 14; the hatched ends lie beyond the indicator chart. pH values for 15 % HCl and 4 M NaOH are nominal, computed from concentration at 25 °C.

53 publications, 611 citations and an h-index of 15 on Scopus (October 2026). Two patents filed with OMPIC, and 88 peer reviews for 23 journals.

From corrosion to hydrogen

The three topics share one reaction. Hydrogen evolution is a side reaction in a pickling bath, a loss in an Al-air battery and the product of an electrolyser.

Corrosion inhibitors

Fe → Fe2+ + 2e−

In pickling acid, steel dissolves and its electrons reduce protons to hydrogen. Organic inhibitors adsorb on the surface and slow both reactions.

Al-air batteries

Al + 4OH− → Al(OH)4− + 3e−

In an Al-air battery the aluminium should dissolve, but its electrons belong in the external circuit, not in hydrogen at its own surface. Electrolyte additives suppress that self-corrosion.

Green hydrogen

2H2O + 2e− → H2 + 2OH−

In an electrolyser, hydrogen is the product. Electrode materials, operating conditions and the power supply decide what each kilogram costs.

News

  1. 2026–2027 Guest Editor of the Coatings special issue “Smart Surface Engineering and Coatings for Corrosion Mitigation”.
  2. 2026 New paper in Journal of Power Sources on how additives slow the corrosion of aluminium anodes in alkaline Al-air batteries.
  3. April–June 2026 Four oral talks on green hydrogen, at IC2EM-SDT (Al Hoceïma), I2CNP, ISMC2E and ECOSMARTTECH (Kénitra).
  4. In preparation A techno-economic study of a PEM electrolyser powered by solar and wind at Jorf Lasfar, with R. Aman-Lkhoukh, A. Lahmidi, K. Charafeddine and Y. Chhiti.
  5. 23 July 2025 Ph.D. defended at Ibn Tofaïl University, with the highest distinction (Très Honorable).

Open to collaborations and new projects.

otmane.kharbouch@uit.ac.ma Or write through the contact form