Research Interest

Novel Nanomaterials for Energy harvesting & storage, Sensing and other Electronic Applications

Development of low-cost techniques for fabrication of large-area transparent conducting electrodes (TCE) using various physical and chemical processes such as crackle lithography, physical vapor deposition, sputtering.

Development of various prototypes based on TCE which demonstrate daily life applications such as defogger, smart windows, invisible EMI shielder, etc.

Fabrication of hybrid nanostructures (nanowires, nanorods, nanotubes, nanocubes, core-shell nanowires, etc.) and their multifunctional properties (electronic, magnetic, optical, electrochemical, photoelectrochemical, gas sensing, electrochemical sensing, etc.).

As well as developing high-power density, high-energy density, eco-friendly and low-cost energy storage systems such as supercapacitor systems.

Novel Nanomaterials for Energy harvesting & storage

Unique one dimensional (1D) or three dimensional (3D) nano-architectures, core/shell type nanostructures and the nano-heterostructures of functional oxides have been designed in order to efficient absorption of the visible solar light and charge carrier separation required for the harvesting for solar lights in a photo-electrochemical cell. The study of solar water splitting, self-cleaning, photocatalysis, photo-switching and photovoltaic properties of the novel functional oxide nanostructures are the key focus of energy research. Unique nanostructure-based supercapacitor electrodes have also been designed for electrochemical storage to energy with high energy and power density.


Key Publications: Journal of Colloids and Interface Science 621, 110 (2022), ChemCatChem, 11, 1 (2019); Nanoscale, 10, 13130 (2018); Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 5, 21715 (2017); ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 8(32), 20786 (2016); Journal of Applied Physics, 117, 105101 (2015); ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 6, 4684 (2014); Journal of Materials Chemistry A 1,12759 (2013)

Nano-structures for energy conversion and storage

Low-cost Large Area Transparent Conducting Electrodes(TCEs) and their Applications

Development of low-cost techniques for fabrication of large-area transparent conducting electrodes (TCE) using various physical and chemical processes such as crackle lithography, physical vapour deposition, sputtering. Use of such TCE in the development of low-cost smart switchable glasses (electrochromic, thermochromic, etc.) invisible EMI shields, various optoelectronic applications.

Best on these calculation of cost-reduction of hybrid electrodes compare to ITO, one technology project (PI: Prof. G. U. Kulkarni) started with an industrial partner Hind High Vacuum Pvt. Ltd. where we are developing 1 sq. ft. area of hybrid electrodes for various applications demonstrated as prototypes for proof of concept. Market research and dissemination of hybrid electrodes for market sensitization is a major objective of this project.

Key Publications: Materials Letters, 312, 131724 (2022), Advanced Materials Technologies, 2101120 (2021) Materials Chemistry and Physics, 239, 121997 (2020); Journal of Material Chemistry C, 5, 5917 (2017)

Design and development of Smart Window technologies

There is a great demand for smart partitions to serve as wide-area switchable gates for light transactions across defined spaces at offices, public locations as well as homes. Partitions or windows that are in use presently are simply transparent at best and the desired degree of see-through visibility is achieved with permanent fixtures such as screens, curtains or such combinations. We have various new classes of devices with a toggle option between opaque (T~5%) and transparent states (T~ 85%).

Prototypes developed based on Hybrid Transparent Electrodes

Instrumental facilities

Growth and Fabrication units

      • 3D printer (Zmorph 2.0 SX)

      • Automated glass cleaning

      • Spray coater (Spray pyrolysis)

      • Sputtering and evaporation unit (HHV systems)

      • ITO/AZO sputtering unit (Smart Coat 3.0 HHV)

      • Anodization unit

Measurement and Characterization Units

      • Environmental testing chamber (Espeq Japan)

      • Gas sensing (CeNS facility)

      • Solar simulator (Enli Tech)

      • Source measure unit (Keithley 4200 SMU)

      • Probe station Cascade Microtech EPS 150 TRIAX.

      • Optical profiler (Bruker)

      • Electrochemical(with photo) work station (Metrohm AutoLab PGSTAT100N & CHI 660E)

      • FESEM & EDAX (Hitachi SEM S‐3400N and FEI, FESEM) & (TESCAN+Bruker)

      • XRD (Philips, Panalytical)

      • Vibrating sample magnetometer (Lakeshore 7144)

      • UV-vis spectrofluorometer (Horiba Jobin, Fluorolog-3 & Perkin Elmer 750)

      • Vector analyser - Keithley (for EMI shielding measurements)

      • Furnaces