Dr. Rawdah Whba | Taiz University & Inonu University | Yemen
Dr. Rawdah Abduh Ghaleb Whba is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the Faculty of Applied Sciences, Taiz University, Yemen, and currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at İnönü University, Malatya, Türkiye. She specializes in energy storage and conversion, with a strong research focus on polymer electrolytes, electrode materials, and advanced electrochemical systems including solid-state lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries, and supercapacitors. Dr. Whba completed two bachelor’s degrees in Chemistry from Taiz University with first-class honours, earning two Presidential Awards of Yemen for academic excellence (2006, 2008). She received an English and computer diploma from NODS (2007) and joined Taiz University as a lecturer in 2009. She obtained her MSc (2017) and PhD (2022) in Chemistry from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) under prestigious scholarships from the Yemeni Government and the Islamic Development Bank. She later served as a research assistant at UKM before receiving the Türkiye Scholarships Postdoctoral Award (2023–2024), completing a fellowship at Istanbul Medeniyet University. Currently, Dr. Whba works on Na-ion full-cell development, specializing in high-performance cathode materials, pre-sodiation strategies, interfacial engineering, operando analysis, and DFT-supported materials optimization. Her broader expertise includes polymer synthesis, grafted polymers, thin-film membrane fabrication, organic/inorganic materials synthesis, electrochemical characterization, kinetic studies, and materials evaluation for next-generation rechargeable batteries. Dr. Whba has authored numerous Q1 and Q2 Web of Science journals, including publications in Journal of Power Sources, Electrochimica Acta, Ionics, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, Langmuir, Advanced Sustainable Systems, Energy Technology, and International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. She has also published impactful review articles and collaborative works involving operando XAS, DFT studies, and biomass-derived electrode materials. She is an active scientific reviewer, contributing to Springer, Elsevier, ACS, Ionics, Carbon Letters, and multiple high-impact journals, reviewing more than 30 manuscripts, book chapters, and conference submissions. Dr. Whba has also provided academic service at Taiz University as Secretariat of the Department and Examination Committee Member and has represented academic staff in the University Syndicate since 2014. A dedicated educator, she has taught a wide range of undergraduate chemistry courses—General, Inorganic, Organic, Analytical, Physical, Biochemistry, and Pharmaceutical Analysis—at Taiz University and other institutions in Yemen. Dr. Whba is a member of several professional bodies including the American Chemical Society (ACS), the International Society of Electrochemistry (ISE), the Polymer Ionic Group (Malaysia), and the Taiz University Staff Syndicate. Her research continues to make significant contributions in polymer chemistry, electrochemistry, and sustainable energy materials, with ongoing work advancing the performance, stability, and scalability of sodium- and lithium-ion energy storage technologies.
Featured Publications
Dogan, E., Maiga, A., Whba, R., Harfouche, M., Ozturk, Z. R., Farhan, A., Altin, E., Duygulu, Ö., Ipek, S., Kartal, R., et al. (2026). Influence of iron doping on α-NaMnO₂ lattice symmetry: Insight from operando X-ray absorption, ex-situ structural analysis, and electrochemical performance using chestnut shell-derived hard carbon. Journal of Power Sources. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2025.238602
Ateş, M. N., Zengin, F., Whba, R., Tunaboylu, B., Aydemir, U., Peighambardoust, N. S., Karslıoğlu, N. G., Malkoç, H. C., Demiryürek, R., Güleryüz, Ö., et al. (2025). Mechanistic insights into cathode-driven capacity degradation of NMC111/graphite pouch cells under long-term cycling. Electrochimica Acta. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2025.147611
Whba, R., Altın, S., Serin, S., Whba, F., Nakir, M. Y., & Sahinbay, S. (2025). Synergistic behavior of epoxidized natural rubber grafted di(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate-based solid polymer electrolytes: Experimental and density functional theory (DFT) study. Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jiec.2025.11.038
Whba, R., Sahinbay, S., Whba, F., Nakir, M. Y., & Altin, S. (2025). Unlocking the potential of epoxidized natural rubber (ENR)-based polymer electrolytes: Key strategies, bibliometric insights, and future directions. Langmuir. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.5c00631
Dogan, E., Whba, R., Altin, E., Moeez, I., Chung, K. Y., Stoyanova, R., Koleva, V., Aktas, A., Altin, S., & Sahinbay, S. (2025). Optimized performance of Na₀.₆₇Mn₀.₅Fe₀.₅O₂@TiO₂ and presodiated hard carbon (Pre-SHC) full-cells using direct contact method. Journal of Power Sources. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2025.236327
Whba, R., Su’ait, M. S., Whba, F., & Ahmad, A. (2024). Research progress on polyacrylonitrile-based polymer electrolytes for electrochemical devices: Insight into electrochemical performance. Journal of Power Sources. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2024.234539