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Research Activities

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We are broadly interested in heterogeneous catalysis and materials for energy, chemicals and environment. Our efforts are towards 1) elucidating active sites and reaction mechanisms, 2) identifying complex reaction pathways and kinetic modelling, 3) deriving structure-property relations for different classes of catalytic materials, 4) understanding and exploiting solvent effects in liquid phase reactions, 5) rapid screening of potential catalytic materials, and 6) design and development of materials for selective gas separation. 

Current Research Interests and Directions

Methane partial oxidation to methanol

Alkane oxidative dehydrogenation to alkenes

Collaboration: Dr. Niket S Kaisare (CH), Dr. P Selvam (CY)

CO2 conversion to fuels and chemicals

Collaboration: Dr. Niket S Kaisare (CH), Dr. Preeti Aghalayam (CH), Sotacarbo, Italy

  1. Methane oxidation to methanol with hydrogen peroxide on atomically dispersed metals on metal oxides

  2. Methane oxidation to methanol on atomically dispersed metals in zeolites

  1. Alkane oxidative dehydrogenation on ceria based catalysts

  2. Alkane oxidative dehydrogenation on molybdenum carbide based catalysts

  1. CO2 reduction to methanol on inverse Cu/ZnOx based catalysts

  2. CO2 reduction to methane on Ni based catalysts

  3. CO2 cycloaddition with epoxide to cyclic carbonates on metal organic framework catalysts 

Hydrodeoxygenation of bio-derivatives to chemicals

Collaboration: Dr. R Vinu (CH)

Materials for CO2 separation from gases

Collaboration: Dr. Niket S Kaisare (CH), Dr. Tarak Patra (CH), Dr. P Selvam (CY)

NOx oxidation and selective catalytic reduction

Collaboration:  Dr. Preeti Aghalayam (CH), Daimler India

  1. Selective hydrodeoxygenation of polyols to high value alcohols on inverse metal oxide on metal catalysts

  1. CO2 capture and separation from gas mixtures using metal organic framework based sorbents

  1. NOx oxidation with hydrogen peroxide and neutralization to form aqueous salts

  2. NOx selective catalytic reduction with ammonia to N2 on metal oxide catalysts

Funding

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  • "Carbon Capture and Recycling Technologies", IIT Madras under the Partnership Collaboration Awards between University of Sydney, Australia and IIT Madras, March 2023-March 2025 (Co-PI)

  • "Energy Consortium", Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) under the Institute of Eminence  (IoE) scheme, Feb 2023-Jan- 2026 (Co-PI)

  • Research Based Industry Project, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles Pvt. Ltd: March 2021- September 2021 , "A novel method for onboard NOx utilization via deep oxidation: Phase 1" (Co-PI)

  • Scientific and Useful Profound Research Advancement, Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB): April 2021- April 2024, "Bridging the gap between surface science studies and catalytic reaction engineering for oxidative dehydrogenation of light alkanes" (PI)

  • Carbon dioxide Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) Lab, Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) under the Institute of Eminence  (IoE) scheme, Dec 2020-Dec- 2022 (Co-PI)

  • Startup Research Grant, Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB): Dec 2019-Dec 2021. "Aqueous-phase Mild Oxidation of Methane to Methanol on Atomically Dispersed Catalysts: Mechanistic Insights and Solvent Effects from First Principles" (PI)

  • New Faculty Seed Grant, IIT Madras: Jun 2019-Jun 2022. "Towards Rational Catalyst Design and Reaction Engineering for Methanol Synthesis from CO2 from First Principles" (PI)

  • Exploratory Research Project, IIT Madras: Feb 2019-Feb 2020. "Solvent effects in aqueous phase mild oxidation of methane to methanol on heterogenous catalysts", (PI)

  • New Faculty Initiation Grant, IIT Madras: Nov 2018-March 2021. "First principles investigation of the catalytic upgradation of light alkanes to value added chemicals" (PI)

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