Applied Nanostructures Engineering and Nanochemistry (ANEN) Research Group
Our group focuses on developing compositionally complex ceramics (oxides, oxynitrides and nitrides), and nanometals for pursuing functional materials of use for practical devices. In particular, we have home built (ambient, and high pressure) reactors for nitridation of materials, which gives us unique capabilities. We also have started working on electrospinning based quantum nanostructure-polymer composites for water research (say for sensor or remediation applications), in particular. Examples of quantum nanostructures we are studying and using include quantum dots, quantum wires, and nano-carbons.
Problems concerning functional properties of materials (electrical and electronic, optical, magnetic; applied surfaces and interfaces) are of abiding interest to us. In particular work at the nexus of solar energy harvesting, optical property/band gap and interface engineering, and materials in water research have been the group's recent focus. Much of the science we do is easily extensible to sensor materials research. Eco-friendly, green materials engineering perspectives guide the synthetic chemical and fabrication routes that the group develops for fulfilling it goals. Furthermore correlations between chemical synthesis, materials processes, and device performance is an increasingly common theme in the group's activities. We perform theory and computations (molecular dynamics and ab-initio; phenomenological) to this effect.
Because of our inter-disciplinarity, we do experiments, theory and computation. We also welcome students from diverse backgrounds. The group is extremely diverse and inclusive; we enjoy that and welcome everyone! We have students from chemistry, materials engineering, pharmacy, and allied engineering/technology backgrounds working with us.
Philosophy and Academic Orientation
Our approach tends to be very student-centric and welcoming of all, and we consistently succeed in engaging with students with diverse academic backgrounds. This allows the students to make the best of her/his stay with us. We tend to be very sensitive to the long and short term goals of our students, and try our best to help her/him achieve all that s/he wishes for.
Because of our inter-disciplinarity, we tend to work with students and collaborate with faculty members from very diverse backgrounds. In the recent past we have worked extensively with professional chemists, physicists, electrical engineers, chemical and polymer engineers, materials and metallurgical engineers, mechanical engineers. Our engagement with industry and other scientific/technology agencies is on the up-swing. An "applied" approach to materials science makes this trans- and inter-disciplinary work possible.
Creative Approach
Being a highly interdisciplinary and collaborative research group, we naturally tend to encourage our students to be both analytic and creative. We are constantly urging our students to think big, and aim high. Disruptive science and technology that will have global impact is what we aim at working on.
Please do not hesitate to contact me in case you are interested in joining ANEN or knowing more about us, and the work we do.
Wishing you the very best
Tiju Thomas (tijuthomas@iitm.ac.in ; +91 8056456442)
Our team
Dr. Tiju Thomas
Associate Professor
Head of the "Applied Nanostructure Engineering and Nanochemistry" lab in the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
Bhuvanasundari S.
Ph.D. scholar
M.Sc. Materials Science, Anna University, CEG campus, Chennai
B.Sc. Applied Science, PSG Tech, Coimbatore
Research area: Photocatalysis for wastewater treatment
Email ID: bhuvanasundarisiva@gmail.com
S Jenifer
Ph.D. scholar (also advised by Prof. T. Pradeep, Chemistry, IITM)
M.Tech Nanoscience and technology, Anna University.
B.Tech Biotechnology, Veltech University (Dr. RR Dr. SR College of Engineering).
Research area: (a) Nanomaterials for Arsenometry, and (b) in-situ Arsenometry/ As concentration mapping in water and cells using non-contact phosphometry.
Email ID: jenyivy@gmail.com
Ragulkrishnan V
Ph.D. scholar (also advised by Prof. Somnath Chandra Roy, Physics, IITM)
M.Tech. Nano Science and Technology, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry.
B.E. Electronics and Communication Engineering, University College of Engineering Dindigul, Tamil Nadu
Reseach area: (a) Photoelectrochemical nano-cataysts for CO2 sequestration, (b) development and use full solar spectrum absorbers for (a), and (c) suitable functionalization and electrochemical investigation of photoanode.
Email ID: krishnanragul@gmail.com
Ramesh Kumar
M.S. scholar (also advised by Prof. T. Pradeep, Chemistry, IITM)
B.Tech. SRM University, Chennai, TamilNadu
Reseach area: Micro-nanostructured surfaces for atmospheric water collection
Email ID: rameshsoni2100@gmail.com
Manchala Venkatesh
Ph.D. Scholar (MS+Ph.D) External (Junior Research Fellow at ARCI Chennai; Co-Guide at ARCI: Dr. Bijoy Kumar Das)
B.Tech. Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, RGUKT Nuzvid, Nuzvid, Andhra Pradesh
Reseach area: Development of Layered Sodium transition metal oxides for Sodium ion battery as a cathode material
Email ID: venkatesh.mmesklm@gmail.com
Smarak Rath
Ph.D. scholar
B.Tech. Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, NIT Rourkela, Rourkela, Odisha
Reseach area: Electronic properties of perovskite ceramics
Email ID: niksrath@gmail.com
Vedasri Bai Khavala
Ph.D. Scholar (MS + Ph.D) (also advised by Prof. B.S.Murty, Director, IITH )
B.Tech. Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur, Maharashtra
Research area: Development of compositionally complex nitrides as bifunctional electrocatalysts for PV powered electrolysers
Email ID: vkhavala97@gmail.com
Aneela Perumalla
Ph.D. scholar (Also advised by Dr. Sreeram Kalpathy, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, IITM)
B.Tech. RGUKT Nuzvid, Nuzvid, Andhra Pradesh
Research area: Polymer encapsulants for organic perovskite solar cells
Email ID: mm21d404@smail.iitm.ac.in
Adithyan T.R
Ph.D. scholar
B.Tech. Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design and Manufacturing (IIITDM), Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu
M.Tech. Mechanical Engineering (specialisation in Additive Manufacturing), IIITDM, Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu
Research area: Solar thermal devices, solar distillation
Email ID: adithyantr.mail@gmail.com
Sandeep Kumar
M.S. scholar
B.Tech. Electronics and Communication Engineering, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Research area: Hybrid energy storage devices
Email ID: sandeep.ec72@gmail.com
Akhil P
M.S. scholar
B.Tech. Chemical Engineering, Amal Jyothi College of Engineering, Kanjirapally, Kerala
Research area: Water splitting and hydrogen evolution using oxynitride/metal oxide heterojunction based photocatalysts
Email ID: mm21s029@smail.iitm.ac.in
Dr. Anit Joseph
DST Women Scientist (Post Doctoral Fellow)
B.Sc. Electronics, IHRD Vadakkenchery, Palakkad, Kerala
M.Sc. Electronics, BPC College, Piravom, Kerala
M.Phil. Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala
Ph.D. Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz University, Germany
Research area: Metal oxynitrides and 2D materials as electrodes for supercapacitor applications
Email ID: anitjoseph3@gmail.com
Saisupriyalakshmi J S
M.S. scholar (also advised by Sreeram Kalpathy, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, IITM)
B.E. Materials Science and Engineering, Anna University, Chennai
Research area: Defect energetics of transition metal doped bi-metallic oxynitrides: computation and experiments
Email ID: 63saisupriya@gmail.com
Sai Teja Banala
M.S. scholar (also advised by Dr. Sreeram Kalpathy, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, IITM)
B.E. Mechanical Engineering, Vasavi College of Engineering, Hyderabad, Telengana
Research area: Nanofluids for heat exchanging applications
Email ID: saitejasreenivas@gmail.com
Suvitha S. Kumar
Ph.D. scholar (also advised by Sreeram Kalpathy, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, IITM)
B.Sc. Chemistry, Payyanur College, Kerala
M.Sc. Environmental Technology, CUSAT, Kerala
Research area: Bio-polymers and derivatives for use in environmental sensing and clean energy technologies
Email ID: suvithaskumar@gmail.com
Sonu Kumar Singh
Ph.D. scholar (also advised by Dr. Prathap Haridoss, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, IITM)
B.Tech. Mechanical Engineering, Punjab Technical University
M.Tech. Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Aryabhatta Knowledge University
Research area: Transition metal based electrocatalyst for aqueous ammonia decomposition for H2 production
Email ID: sonusingh0950@gmail.com
Alumni
Dr. Bhusankar Talluri
Ph.D. IIT Madras
M.Sc. Organic chemistry, Nagarjuna University, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh
B.Sc. Nagarjuna University, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh
Research area: Digestively ripened quantum nanostructures and their polymer/liquid crystal (LCs) composites for liquid/gas phase sensing and energy applications
Email ID: bhusankartalluri@gmail.com
Dr. A. Malek
Ph.D. IIT Madras
M.Sc Chemistry, IIT Madras
B.Sc University of Calcutta, West Bengal
Research area: (a) Hydrogen evolution from water using chemical, photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical splitting
(b) Heavy metal sensing, their removal and beneficiation
Email ID: amalek472@gmail.com
Dr. G. Sudha Priyanga
Ph.D. Physics (Computational Material Science), Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, Tamil Nadu.
Reseach area: First principles study of structural, electronic, magnetic, mechanical and optical properties of perovskite structured materials for solar energy applications.
Email ID: sudhapriyanga24@gmail.com
Dr. Santosh Kumar Behara
Ph.D. IIT Madras
M.S. IIT Madras
B.Tech RGUKT Nuzvid, Nuzvid, Andhra Pradesh
Research area: (a) Synthesis of complex functional ceramics and analyzing their sintering behavior using bond valence method enabled moldecular dynamics simulation.
(b) Developing ceramic-device materials for functional properties (dielectrics, multiferroics, photoluminescence, photoelectrochemistry etc.)
Email ID: santosh223.iiitn@gmail.com
Dr. Tanvi Gupte
Ph.D. IIT Madras
MS (Pharm) Department of Medical Devices, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research-Ahmedabad (NIPER-A), Gujarat
B.Pharm. SAL Institute of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Research area: Electrochemical sensors for Arsenic detection in water and understanding effect of Arsenic at cellular level (pathophysiology).
Email ID: tanvi.gupte@yahoo.com
Dr. U. Naveen Kumar
Ph.D. IIT Madras
M.S. IIT Madras
B.Tech. Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, RGUKT RK Valley, Andhra Pradesh.
Research area: Nanomaterials including oxynitrides and their derivatives for energy storage and catalytic applications.
E-mail ID naveenmm.iitm@gmail.com
Dr. Ankit Nagar
Ph.D. IIT Madras
M.Tech. Materials Science and Engineering, IIT Kanpur
B.Tech. Materials Science and Engineering, IIT Kanpur
Reseach area: Building atomically precise solids via additive manufacturing
Email ID: ankitnr19@gmail.com
Dr. Sourav Ghosh
Ph.D. IIT Madras
M.Tech. Nanotechnology, VIT, Vellore, Tamil Nadu
B.Tech. Electronics and Communication Engineering, Kalyani Government Engineering College, Kalyani, West Bengal
Research area: (a) Synthesis and electrochemical characterization of nanomaterials
(b) Appropriate optimization of nanomaterials based on charge transfer characteristics and equivalent circuit modelling (c) packaging of optimized material for supercapacitor device and module
Email ID: sourav@smail.iitm.ac.in
Dr. Debashis Mahato
Ph.D. IIT Madras
M.Tech Materials science and Engineering, IIT Kharagpur, West Bengal
M.Sc. M.Sc. Physics (Specialization Electronics), S.K.B. University, West Bengal
B.Sc. Physics, Burdwan University, West Bengal
Reseach area: Development of ceramic membrane and oxynitride catalyst for PEM fuel cell.
Email ID: debaphy961@gmail.com
Dr. M L Aparna
Ph.D. IIT Madras
M.Tech Nanotechnology, VIT, Vellore, Tamil Nadu
B.Tech. Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Mar Athanasious College of Engineering, Kothamangalam
Reseach area: Synthesis and characterisation of nanomaterials for application in energy storing devices mainly supercapacitors. Experimental and computational realization followed by the fabrication of supercapacitor devices
Email ID: ammu592@gmail.com
Parth Mehta
M.S. IIT Madras
B.Tech. Mechatronics, JNTU Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telengana
Research area: Hydrogen generation and fuel cell application on surface water vehicles
Email ID: parthmehta107@gmail.com
Subrahmanyam Gantasala
M.S. IIT Madras
B.Tech. Electronics and Communication Engineering, JNTU Kakinada, Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh
Research area: Design and fabrication of phononic crystals for energy harvesting and sensor applications
Email ID: shivagantasala702@gmail.com
Dr. Kuruva Harish
Ph.D. IIT Madras
B.Tech. Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, RGUKT- RK Valley, Andra Pradesh
Research area: TiO2 Anti-Bacterial Self-Cleaning Coatings
Email ID: harishkuruva5@gmail.com
Dr. Vikrant Trivedi
Ph.D. IIT Madras
B Tech. Materials science and metallurgical engineering , University Institute Of Engineering And Technology (UIET), CSJM University Kanpur Uttar Pradesh
Research area : (a) Synthesis and processing of Nanostructured CoSb3 type Skutterudites thermoelectrics materials for Automotive waste heat recovery application (b) Thermoelectrics module fabrication and conditions optimization (c) Metallization of ceramic substrate for Thermoelectrics leg assembly
Email ID: trivedi.vikrant501@gmail.com
Mohammad Zaid
M.S. IIT Madras
B.Tech. Electronics and Communication Engineering, Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi
Research area: Photonics and sensors
Email ID: ed20s025@smail.iitm.ac.in