Recent News

In the growing need for clean energy solutions, Dr Sabyasachi Chakrabortty, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, Dr Uday Kumar Ghorui (Post Doctoral Scholar) and Mr Gokul Sivaguru (PhD scholar) have filed and published the invention of “Electrode material” with Application Number: “202441075507” in the Patent Office Journal, on developing a low-cost, eco-friendly electrode material using a simple hydrothermal process. The research team has developed a pioneering Ternary Transition Metal Oxide (TTMO) nanocomposite electrode for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Their work focuses on creating a sustainable alternative to fossil fuel-based hydrogen production methods, which currently generate significant CO₂ emissions.

Abstract

This disclosure focuses on developing a low-cost, earth-abundant Ternary Transition Metal Oxide (TTMO) nanocomposite electrode for efficient, clean hydrogen production, addressing the depletion of fossil fuels and the CO₂ emissions from current methods like methane reforming and coal gasification. Using a simple hydrothermal process, the TTMO electrode demonstrates excellent electrochemical HER performance, with low overpotential and 100-hour stability, despite challenges in cost, infrastructure, and safety for hydrogen energy generation.

Practical Implementation/ Social Impact of the Research

Practical Implementation

• The research develops a cost-effective TTMO nanocomposite electrode using a scalable hydrothermal method
• Enables efficient hydrogen production with low overpotential
• Offers a practical, sustainable alternative to fossil-fuel-based methods
• Achieves 100 hours of stable hydrogen generation while minimizing CO₂ emissions
• Enables efficient hydrogen production with low overpotential

Social Implications

• Addresses the critical need for clean, renewable energy sources
• Provides a sustainable solution for hydrogen production without carbon emissions
• Makes green hydrogen technology more accessible through cost-effective materials
• Contributes to global efforts in reducing dependence on fossil fuels

Future Research Plans

• Optimising the TTMO nanocomposite’s composition and synthesis to boost HER efficiency
• Improving stability for industrial-scale hydrogen production
• Exploring integration into real-world energy systems
• Investigating other earth-abundant materials to advance affordable, green hydrogen technologies

Mr Pilla Teja Vardhan, a second-year B.Sc. Chemistry student, has been selected for the highly prestigious IASc-INSA-NASI Summer Research Fellowship 2025. This esteemed fellowship is jointly offered by the Indian Academy of Sciences (IASc), Indian National Science Academy (INSA), and The National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI) India’s premier scientific institutions committed to nurturing research talent across the country.

As part of this elite program, Teja Vardhan will spend eight weeks at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mandi, under the expert mentorship of Dr Amit Jaiswal, engaging in cutting-edge research in the field of Nanomatter and advanced material chemistry. This opportunity will enable him to gain valuable hands-on research experience, deepen his scientific insight, and contribute to ongoing investigations in frontier areas of science.

The IASc-INSA-NASI Summer Research Fellowship is known for its rigorous selection process and generous support. Selected students receive a monthly stipend of ₹12,500. The fellowship ensures a fully supported and immersive research experience at some of India’s leading scientific institutions.

About the Fellowship
The IASc-INSA-NASI Summer Research Fellowship Program is one of India’s most competitive undergraduate research initiatives, designed to provide meritorious students with exposure to advanced scientific research. Fellows work closely with leading researchers across academic and national laboratories, fostering a strong foundation for future scientific careers.

In an attempt to recycle industrial mineral waste into useful products, Dr Jaidev Kaushik from the Department of Chemistry has worked on synthesising copper-based particles that use light to convert carbonate-rich materials like marble dust into acetic acid, a valuable chemical used in industry and fuel production. He has published his research in a paper titled “Photocatalytic Upcycling of Marble Waste into Acetic Acid” in the prestigious Journal of Materials Chemistry A, having an impact factor of 10.7.

The particles drive the reaction efficiently by illuminating the green light on a mixture of the material and hydrogen peroxide solution. He has also tested the method on other carbonate wastes like chalk dust and scale, showing its potential for recycling industrial mineral waste into useful products.

Abstract

In this study, disk-shaped copper sulfide nanoparticles (CuS-NPs) were synthesised via a simple co-precipitation method and used as a photocatalyst for the reduction of carbonate species derived from marble dust into acetic acid (AcOH), an important industrial and biofuel precursor. The photocatalytic reaction was carried out under monochromatic light (525 nm) in a hydrogen peroxide–water mixture, which served as an electron and radical-rich medium. Key parameters such as solvent composition, light source, catalyst concentration and reaction time were optimised to get the maximum yield of AcOH. The reaction mechanism was investigated using radical scavenging experiments. The practical applicability of the approach was further tested on two additional real-life carbonate waste materials, i.e. chalk dust and scale.

Practical Implementation/ Social Implications of the Research

This research offers a sustainable method to convert carbonate-rich industrial wastes like marble dust, chalk dust, and scale into acetic acid, which is widely used in the chemical, pharmaceutical, and biofuel industries. By using light-driven reactions with safe, low-cost materials, the process reduces environmental pollution, supports waste valorisation, and contributes to a circular economy. It can be implemented in industries that generate carbonate waste, promoting green chemistry and lowering dependence on fossil-based raw materials.

Collaborations

Dr Sumit Kumar Sonkar (MNIT Jaipur, India)

Future Research Plans

1. The adsorption/photodegradation-assisted quick and efficient removal of next-generation advanced pollutants such as microplastic, pesticides, pharmaceutical waste, etc., by hydrophobic carbon aerogel and their doped and functionalised versions.
2. Utilising waste-derived heterogeneous catalysts in organic transformation reactions.
3. Selective sensing of toxic metal ions/biomarkers/biomolecules using fluorescent nanomaterials.
4. Upcycling of carbonates/CO2 via photo/thermal assisted catalysed reactions to get C1 and C2 hydrocarbons (green fuel).
5. Reduction of nitrates/N2 via photo/thermal-assisted catalysed reactions to ammonia.

Link to the article

Department of Chemistry is proud to announce that Mr M V R Akshay Sampath, 3rd year BSc. Chemistry student has been selected for the HEST Scholarship, India’s largest Higher Education Scholarship Test powered by WeMakeScholars, an organisation funded and supported by the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), Govt. of India under the ‘Digital India’ campaign. Through this scholarship, Mr Sampath is eligible for scholarship funding of ₹3 lakhs, which can be utilized towards tuition fees, academic expenses, or travel costs for higher education.

Along with academics, Akshay is working in the functional nanomaterials laboratory under the supervision of Dr Sabyasachi Chakrabortty and in computational chemistry research under the supervision of Dr Baswanth V S Oruganti, Chanakya University, Bangalore. This opportunity significantly supports his aspirations for higher education and research in the branches of bio-photonics and material science in the top research-intensive universities globally in countries like Germany, UK, Ireland, and the USA.