Dr. Priyadarshini's Research Group

Department of Chemistry, School of Science and Humanities

Shiv Nadar University-Chennai

Critical  Metals  Recovery  Lab -  Our Focus

Our research group is dedicated to the development of advanced functional materials for the selective recovery of critical and strategically important metals, including Platinum Group Metals (PGMs), Rare Earths, heavy radionuclides such as Uranium and Thorium, from secondary resources such as spent catalytic converters, electronic waste (e-waste), and nuclear waste. We focus on designing sustainable and environmentally friendly materials, including tailored organic ligands, nanostructures, heterostructures, and multifunctional composite materials, with high selectivity and efficiency for target metal recovery. Our research integrates solvent extraction and adsorption techniques to investigate the separation performance, adsorption mechanisms, and recyclability of these materials. Beyond metal recovery, we explore value-added applications of the recovered metals in areas such as gas sensing, hydrogen (H₂) enrichment and separation, and other advanced functional technologies, thereby promoting resource circularity and sustainable materials engineering