Biomass is being explored in India as a sustainable alternative for the production of energy and chemicals. The fuel demands are being met through sugar, grains, and agricultural residue, while power and chemicals demands are expected to be met by agricultural residue. The sustainability of biomass as a resource, however, needs to be ascertained.

In order to achieve the net-zero target by 2070, India needs to aggressively plan the reduction of CO2 emissions from sectors such as power, refining, steel, and cement. Transition planning for reducing carbon emissions is required. This project will focus on developing an optimization-based strategy for planning this reduction over the next 2-3 decades. The work will involve developing an optimization model for carbon capture, transport, storage, and utilization options. The cost and emission-related details related to these activities will be considered.

Antibiotic resistance often arises not from single mutations, but from specific combinations of mutations that together change how proteins and genes function. This project will study how such mutation combinations shape the evolution of essential bacterial proteins and gene regulatory DNA. Using existing experimental data and new analyses, the student will examine how mutations interact to enable or block resistance, focusing on enzymes involved in drug response and bacterial promoter regions that control gene expression.

The by-products generated during the processing of vegetable oils such as sunflower and soybean contain vitamin E along with other compounds. The goal of this project is to study a few routes for the extraction of vitamin E of high purity, and develop conceptual process flow diagrams for the routes. Later, the most feasible route is to be studied in detail. Supercritical CO2 is one of the agents to be considered for extraction of vitamin E. The project involves theoretical studies of the routes and then doing necessary experimental work.

Here, molecular dynamics simulations are performed using open source software package GROMACS to investigate the use of phase change materials for capture of carbon dioxide.

(Computational)

We will perform MD simulations to study the stability of HOFs in different environments and for different applications such as gas storage and separation; molecular recognition, etc. (DOI https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SC02628D).

(Computational)

Here, molecular dynamics simulations are performed using open source software package GROMACS to study the microscopic mechanisms involved in the nucleation and growth of hydrophobic guest molecule aggregates and the solid hydrate phase. Analyses of the trajectories generated will involve determination of critical nucleus size, growth rates, temperature of supercooling and type of seed.

(Computational)

A successful potentiostat has been built in-house albeit with low current ratings. The student is expected to take it up and increase both the current rating (up to 200 mA) and the compliance upto 20 V. An interest in Arduino and device making is desired. The student is expected to be self-motivated. 

(Experimental)

This project focuses on advancing a zinc–iron battery developed in the laboratory to large-format cells. At present, a master's student is working on iron-based battery systems, and the incoming student is expected to develop a large-format zinc–iron battery without the graphite support currently in use. The work is primarily experimental and will involve careful and systematic electrochemical experimentation. Prior knowledge of electrochemistry is not required.

(Experimental)

Recently, a novel CO₂ electrolysis cell has been developed in the laboratory in which pure water can be used instead of an alkali metal or iron-based electrolyte. While the cell offers several distinct advantages, it has been found to be highly susceptible to variations in temperature and humidity.