(6ga) Multifunctional Soft-Nano Interfaces for Energy, Environment, and Healthcare

My research interests are in micro/nano fabrication of functional materials, colloids and interfaces of soft nanostructures, self and directed assembly, nano/micro-electronics, microfluidics, 3D printing, photovoltaics, polymer thin-films, carbon nanomaterials, carbon composites, soft elastomers, liquid metals, flexible electronics, stretchable transistors, carbon MEMS/NEMS in security, health, energy and environmental applications.

Teaching Interests:

In addition to research, I would also like to teach Chemical Engineering, Materials Engineering and Physics based on my interdisciplinary academic background and experiences.

I would like to help with the country’s emerging problems in healthcare, agriculture and security sectors to benefit a broad spectrum of society while using minimal resources. Multifunctional nanointerfaces can be used to develop sensor and detection devices such as biosensors, explosives trace detectors, mechanical-stress sensors, wastewater management and energy storage owing to their nanoscopic surface properties. During my doctoral study in Chemical Engineering at Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, I have performed research on synthesis of various nanostructured materials and their application towards electrochemical biosensing, waste water treatment, Li-ion batteries and supercapacitors. I have used electrospun carbon nanofibers and nanocomposites with metal and metal-oxide nanophase to fabricate sensors for enzymatic detection of cholesterol, breast cancer, food toxin and soil nutrient. Catalytic and photocatalytic properties of those nanostructures were used to degrade industrial and agricultural wastes. The pseudo capacitance of carbon nanomaterials was integrated with metal oxides to store electrochemical energy in supercapacitors and Li-ion batteries. At present in my postdoctoral research here at NC State University, I am focusing on flexible electronics such as soft stretchable transistors, strain and pressure sensors. I have used microfluidic and 3D printing approaches to pattern liquid metal alloy on soft elastomers to create stretchable conducting electrodes. I am also working with Eastman Chemical Company, USA on automotive coating formation and impact resistive coating on glass windshields.