Research

Fine chemicals are pure, profit-bearing high value chemicals that of mostly manufactured in multipurpose plants. The industry is predominantly a forte of the chemists and use of chemical engineering is often found inadequate. As the world experiences a contemporary paradigm shift towards sustainable chemical manufacturing, finding green(er) alternatives for the conventionally practiced processes become the need-of-the-hour. In Ψ-Lab, we plan to provide circular economy and heterogeneous catalysis based front-end turnkey solutions and/or suggestions to organizations that are looking for sustainable solutions to their manufactring process(es). 

For the time being, our focus is to perform techno-enviro-economic analyses of various reaction-separation frameworks (RSFs) we ideate. In future, as the lab grows, we plan to perform experiemental studies to generate reaction kinetics and sometimes, fundamental thermophysical/thermochemical properties of fine chemicals (perfumery chemicals, agrochemicals, cosmeceuticals, etc.) 

Plasma, the fourth state of matter, essentially is excited species possessing a lot of energy. Plasma can be broadly bifurcated into categories like thermal plasma and nonthermal (a.k.a., cold) plasma. Nonthermal plasma can be engineered and controlled in a more efficient way and have gained elevated attention of the researchers of late. In Ψ Lab we try to hone the kinetic energy of the cold plasma constituents to activate adjacent molecules at near ambient conditions which are otherwise either inert or get activated under harsh thermodynamic conditions. This is achieved by depositing electrical power over narrow discharge gaps. If only 20 watt power can break nitrogen molecules into nitride radicals at near-ambient conditions, that too using renewable energy, that would be really worth, isn't it? 

For the time being our focus is to perform CFD-based simulations of various nonthermal plasma-assisted reaction systems, escpecially plasma-liquid systems. In future, as the lab grows, we plan to perform experiemental studies to generate reaction kinetics, perform in-operando radical analysis, develop novel spectroscopic methods, and innovative plasma-liquid/solid contactor design. 

Can be ANYTHING related to (but not limited to) engineered nanomaterial synthesis and characterization, batch-to-continuous, plasma-assisted metallurgy, geochemistry, etc. We, at the Ψ Lab, are always open to all sorts of collaborations and joint ventures that has a common goal of sustainable decarbonization.