Research Interests

Our focus is on the design/development of various Metal oxide nanostructures in particular oxygen-deficient/non-stoichiometric/Magnéli oxides. Crystallographic understanding of the phase transformations and growth mechanisms. Our current research interest lies in developing the combinations of Magnéli oxides with diverse morphologies for energy storage and other functional applications.

Tungsten oxides:

  • Nanocrystallinity induced bandgap tuning in WO3. The reason behind the bandgap differences in WO3 powder formed via the heat treatment of milled and unmilled tungsten powder.

  • Crystallographic origin of high-energy ball milling induced monoclinic-WO3 to triclinic-WO3 transformation. The transformation is understood to be milling pressure-induced cooperative tilting of WO6 octahedron.

  • Understanding the formation pathways, and growth mechanisms of W18O49 nanowires, and nanocrystalline H0.5WO3 obtained via the heat treatment of unmilled and milled W powders respectively in a water vapor atmosphere. The diversity in the final phase formation with respect to the nanocrystalline nature of the precursor W powder is thoroughly investigated.

  • Growth mechanisms of solvothermally prepared WO3.1/3H2O nanorods/plates were investigated and the materials were further explored for the CO2adsorption.

Hematite:

  • Hematite nanoparticles were synthesized via facile chemical precipitation followed by thermal treatment

  • The formation pathway was evaluated to be Lepidocrocite -> Maghemite -> Hematite.

  • The actual growth was understood to be during the Maghemite->Hematite transformation.

  • Further, the simultaneous occurrence of transformation and growth were crystallographically explained

Graphene (from waste):

  • A sustainable approach to synthesizing graphene waste dry cell battery graphite electrodes was proposed.

  • The same graphene was further utilized to prepare iron oxide and titanium oxide nanocomposites for bio and gas sensing applications respectively.

Vanadium Oxide Nanostructures:

  • Our current interest is in the design and development of vanadium oxide nanostructures with unique morphologies for energy storage applications.

  • Also, the work is in progress for designing the Magnéli oxide heterostructures with diverse morphologies.