Director: Professor N. K. Renuka

Associated faculty members

1. Dr. Yahya A. I.
2. Prof. Binitha N. N.
3. Prof. P. Raveendran
4. Dr. Roymon Joseph
5. Dr. Fazalurahman K.
6. Dr. Derry Holaday M. G.

Established with an aim of boosting research in the design, synthesis and potential applications of advanced functional materials, the center focuses on the thrust areas, energy, environment and health, for meeting sustainable development.

Highly specific and sensitive sensors for ions of environmental and biological significance, biomolecules and explosives are developed, based on carbon nanoforms, graphene, and carbon dots via optical methods. Another area of focus is metal oxide nanoparticles.  Designed morphologies of nanoparticles are realized through fine-tuned synthesis strategies, which are screened for their catalytic and gas sensing properties. Metal oxide and carbon based systems are used also for addressing water pollution issue by developing photocatalysts, adsorbents and superhydrophobic materials for water remediation.

For the last three decades, technological world is trying to develop smart sensing stations that test their surrounding by themselves, thus mimicking the natural sensing systems. One of the associated faculty member focuses on the nano structured electroactive polymer (EAP) based materials and their composites with graphene and CNTs for developing actuators including bio artificial muscles, simultaneous sensors and super capacitors.

Another team concentrates on rational design of supramolecular based nanomaterials for the futuristic development of therapeutic agents and drug delivery systems in the areas of biomedical and diagnostic applications.

Sustainable and “low-carbon” energy supplies are the most promising solutions for both current global energy demands and environmental concerns. Among various candidates to solve these issues, solar energy is undoubtedly the most probable candidate to be focused, that lead to a sustainable society and green-environment. Recent activity of the centre includes solar fuel production, significant in view of increasing energy demand.

Some of the recent publications related to the center are given below:

1. VA Ansi, NK Renuka, Sensors and Actuators B:Chemical, Table sugar derived Carbon dot–a naked eye sensor for toxic Pb2+ ions, Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical,2018, 264, 67
2. Roymon Joseph, Selective Detection of Fe³⁺, F^–, and Cysteine by a Novel Triazole-Linked Decaamine Derivative of Pillar[5]arene and Its Metal Ion Complex in Water, ACS Omega, 2020, 5, 6215.
3. Roymon Joseph, Pillar[n]arene Derivatives as Sensors for Amino Acids, Chemistry Select, 2021, 6, 3519.
4. Marine macroalgae biofabricated silver nanoparticles as naked-eye colorimetric and turn-on fluorescent sensor for cyanide ions in aqueous media Princy, Derry Holaday M G, Anu Gopinath. Environmental Nanotechnology, Monitoring & Management, 2020, 15,100399
5. Siby Mathew, Abin Sebastian, Fazalurahman Kuttassery, Shinsuke Takagi, Hiroshi Tachibana, Haruo Inoue, Acid-base equilibria of axial ligand and peripheral pyridyl group with stepwise formation of nine species of aluminum (III) tera(4-pyridyl) porphyrin, Inorganica Chimica Acta, 2021, 120529. 
6. Ultralong and Millimeter-Thick Graphene Oxide Supercapacitors with High Volumetric Capacitance, Chang Su Yeo,Young-Jung Heo, Min Kyoon Shin, Jong-Hoon Lee,Yong Yeol Park,Seong-Jun Mun, Yahya A. Ismail, ,Le Hoang Sinh,Soo-Jin Park, and Sang Yoon Park. ACS Applied Energy Materials, 2021, 4, 8, 8059–8069