News

Dr Nimai Mishra, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, SRM University-AP, Andhra Pradesh, accompanied by his research group encompassing students pursuing PhD under him, Mr. Syed Akhil and Ms. V.G.Vasavi Dutt have published a comprehensive mini-review titled “Amine-Free Synthesis of Colloidal Cesium Lead Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals” in the Journal “ChemNanoMat” (Wiley-VCH) with an Impact Factor of 3.4.

Colloidal cesium lead halide (CsPbX₃) perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs) are emerging disciplines in research aided by their exceptional optical properties and remarkable colour tunability. Oleic acid and oleylamine are the frequently used surface capping ligands in colloidal CsPbX3 synthesis. The oleylamine plays an important role in surface passivation and maintaining colloidal stability. However, in the long run, it is accountable for poor colloidal stability because of the facile proton exchange. This heralds to the formation of labile oleylammonium halide, which removes the halide ions from the Nanocrystals’ surface.

Leveraging on the synthetic toolboxes developed from decades of research into more traditional semiconductor nanocrystals, lately, researchers are focusing on creating various amine‐free synthesis approaches to improve the colloidal and photostability of CsPbX₃ perovskite NCs. In this paper, Dr Mishra and his team encapsulated various amine‐free based synthetic routes of CsPbX₃ (X=Cl, Br, I) PNCs that have been reported so far. They reviewed this progress in terms of their underlying synthetic approaches, and post‐synthetic treatment steps.

Furthermore, Dr Mishra and his group analyzed the prospects of these perovskite nanocrystals in terms of their photo‐luminescence properties and device performances. Advancing, a deeper understanding of the role of precursors and ligands will significantly bolster the versatility of these amine‐free PNC materials.

To read the full paper: Please Click Here

Prof C Durga Rao (Principal Investigator), Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, and Associate Dean, Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, SRM University-AP, Andhra Pradesh has received a total outlay of Rs. 1,10,52,941/- from the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, to work on the project titled “Understanding the molecular basis for the extreme differential level of expression of genes from human and animal rotaviruses in gene-transfected cells: Implications for improving the growth of human vaccine strains”. Using the grant, the professor will be spawning the appropriate facilities to perform cell culture and virus-related research at SRM University-AP.

Understanding how a virus overpowers the host resistance mechanisms and seizes the host cellular processes for its own growth is very challenging and is essential for the development of not only efficient viral vaccines but also for antiviral therapeutic strategies. Prof Durga Rao informs, “Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe and acute dehydrating diarrhoea in infants and children below 5 years of age. Efforts by us and Dr Bhan, former Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, led to the discovery and development of the first made in India rotavirus vaccine, produced by Bharat Biotech, Hyderabad.”

In the earlier project, the professor Rao observed that while some human rotaviral proteins could be expressed at high levels when the cloned genes were introduced into mammalian cells, other proteins could not be expressed at detectable levels. However, the virus expresses copious amounts of all its proteins when it infects the cells. Prof Durga Rao further shares, “Within a few hours of infection, each virus employs several ploys in the infected cell to subvert the cellular defence and regulatory mechanisms and captures the host for its own progeny production.”

Based on the earlier observations, this project will advance to unravel the tricks employed by the virus, and viral transactions in the infected cells. The outcome of the project will have implications for genetically engineering the poorly growing human vaccine strains for their efficient growth in cell culture, leading to reduced cost of not only rotavirus vaccines, but also other viral vaccines.

Prof Ranjit Thapa, Professor, Department of Physics, SRM University – AP, Andhra Pradesh has been awarded a first-year grant of Rs 28 Lakhs by the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM), supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeITy), Government of India. Prof Ranjit will be working on the project titled “Catalysts for CO2 Reduction to C2 Product: Descriptor to Database” as the project leader. He has started the work to search for the best catalyst to convert CO2 into useful product and hence solving the problem of climate change due to large production of CO2 through different sources.

CO2 is a known greenhouse gas and key reason for global warming and climate change. Can we challenge mother nature by converting CO2, a greenhouse gas into energy with the required efficiency? This is a mystery and a mammoth problem and a much-needed problem to be solved with a fundamental approach. Prof Ranjit Thapa believes that metal nanocatalyst on support materials can solve the problem and can increase the efficiency of CO2 reduction to C2 products, viz., ethylene (C2H4) and ethanol (C2H5OH). An experimental approach to find the best catalyst for CO2 reduction needs enormous funds and trials, and a long time is required to develop the exact catalyst for industry application. The mammoth task is to find the suitable composition, shape, and size of metal nanoparticle (MNP) on an appropriate surface for the catalytic reactions. Prof. Ranjit proposes that this can be achieved by computational modelling using Density Functional Theory (DFT) through finding and estimating the electronic descriptor and revealing active sites through structure-activity relations. Recent progress in Machine Learning (ML) for materials with DFT modelling drives towards rational design of catalysts. The electronic descriptor, storage of MNP/support information in the database followed by prediction using Machine Learning (using predictive model equation) will help to narrow down the search for the best catalyst for CO2 reduction to C2 species.

Further, Dr Mahesh Kumar Ravva, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, SRM University – AP, Andhra Pradesh received Rs 19.92 Lakhs as the first instalment from DST-National Supercomputing Mission (NSM). His project’s primary focus will be on understanding the critical factors that influence the performance of organic solar cells. Using the supercomputer, his research group will model the electronic process that occurs during solar cell operation. The outcome of this project will guide experimentalists to develop organic solar cells with higher efficiency. Organic solar cells are flexible, lightweight, and low-cost and have many exciting applications in wearable electronic devices, smart windows, etc.

Prof V S Rao, Vice-Chancellor, SRM University – AP, and Prof D Narayana Rao, Pro Vice-Chancellor, SRM University – AP congratulated Prof Ranjit Thapa and Dr Mahesh Kumar Ravva. Prof Narayana Rao said, “Necessary facilities and support will be provided by the University to effectively carry out the two projects.”