I am interested in application of electrochemistry in fuel cells, electrolyzers, batteries, molecule detection, pollution control and nanotechnology for process development as well as water treatment. My research agenda focuses on the development of cost-effective and environmentally sustainable processes for energy conversion. Below are some research directions I plan to probe in the coming years.
1. Thin Film Electrodes for Fuel Cells
Hydrogen's potential as a sustainable fuel underscores the importance of reducing costs associated with fuel cell stacks, where platinum serves as a crucial but expensive electrocatalyst. My research will focus on developing nanoporous, electrically conductive, and electrocatalytically active thin films to improve performance and durability in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Key areas of exploration include:
Noble Metal Reduction: Investigating non-precious metal catalysts and platinum alloys to enhance economic feasibility.
Catalyst Support Materials: Developing carbon-free electrocatalysts and Improving the performance of existing supports.
Electrode Structure Optimization: Tailoring electrode morphology for improved mass transport and reaction kinetics.
Understanding Deactivation Mechanisms: Systematically analyzing factors contributing to catalyst degradation, such as environmental stressors and material stability.
Nanoengineering: Designing highly active catalyst nanoparticles with controlled size and shape through advanced fabrication techniques.
Renewable and Sustainable Catalysts: Exploring bio-based and earth-abundant materials to align with sustainability goals.
2. Advancing Electrolyzer Catalysis for Green Hydrogen Production
Electrolyzers are crucial for producing green hydrogen, yet current precious metal catalysts hinder scalability. Following are the thread along which I want to work on.
Developing Novel Catalysts: Synthesizing non-precious metal catalysts to rival precious metals in performance and stability.
Enhancing Catalyst Stability: Investigating degradation mechanisms and developing strategies to mitigate performance loss.
Exploring Bimetallic and Alloy Catalysts: Studying synergistic effects to optimize catalytic properties.
Conducting Long-term Durability Studies: Performing accelerated tests to understand catalyst degradation mechanisms.
Fostering Industry Collaboration: Aligning research with industrial needs to translate findings into commercially viable solutions.
Below are the details of the projects that I have applied for research funding.
SPONSORED RESEARCH PROJECTS:
1. (Submitted a pre-proposal as a Principal Investigator, under review) For Advanced Research Grant (ARG) by the ANRF "Surface-Termination-Guided Electrodeposition: Toward Predictive Design of Earth-Abundant Electrocatalysts for Green Hydrogen"
2. (Submitted as a Co-Principal Investigator, under review) For Wadhwani Centre of Excellence at IIT (ISM) Dhanbad "Deployment of Critical Raw Materials (CRM) based Electro-catalyst for Green-Hydrogen Production for Driving Low-Carbon Mining Systems" (INR 60.0 lakhs)
3. (Submitted as a Principal Investigator, under review) For Wadhwani Centre of Excellence at IIT (ISM) Dhanbad "Self-Terminating Pulsed Electrodeposition for Critical Minerals recovery" (INR 39.5 lakhs)
4. (Submitted as a Principal Investigator, under review) Special Equipment Grant by IIT (ISM) Dhanbad (INR 30,00,000)
5. Special Grant to Establish Advanced Lab (MISC 0282) - INR 30,00,000 by IIT (ISM) Dhanbad - Principal Investigator
6. Development of high-capacity solid-state batteries with long-term stability - Interdisciplinary collloborative research grant project no. (MISC_0278) by IIT (ISM) Dhanbad (INR 79,89,326) - CO- Principal Investigator
7. Nanostructured Thin Film (NSTF) Electrocatalyst for Hydrogen Energy Application - Faculty Research Scheme (FRS) project no. MISC 0251 (INR 20,00,000) by IIT (ISM) Dhanbad - Principal Investigator