Seminars

Abstract: Zeolites are microporous crystalline materials with well-defined structures. Recently much emphasis has been accorded to the synthesis characterization and application of nanocrystalline zeolites driven by a wide choice of applications and the multitude of challenges they present to materials scientists. They are promising materials for the preparation of a variety of new and existing applications as in catalysts ion exchangers sensors optical devices etc.. The particle size of zeolites used for these applications is an important parameter.

Abstract: The mechanics of motility of single microorganisms has held the fascination of physicists and engineers for a very long time. It is however only in 2005 that Hatwalne and Ramaswamy noted in a landmark article that self-propulsion of single cells must have interesting consequences for the overall mechanical behaviour of their suspensions. Since then there has been an explosion of work on materials consisting of self-propelled particles or ``active matter". And with good reason: understanding their properties appears to hold the key to understanding many complex biological processes.

Abstract: Several energy and environmental technologies require the advance of highly stable porous/nanostructures to enhance the performance of core devices such as in chemical energy storage purification/separation of gaseous molecules and pollutant removal in water and air.

Abstract : The emergence of collective motion on large length scales is the hallmark of a wide variety of active living matter. Bird flocks fish schools bacterial swarms and etc are a few examples. The origin of this robust behavior lies in the microscopic interactions at the individual level. Due to complexity of the systems it is often challenging to measure and describe them theoretically. Here we have developed a model system of active colloidal rollers that allows a quantitative description of microscopic interactions between the particles.

Abstract: The liquid phase in a supercooled state (i.e. at a temperature below the melting temperature) eventually relaxes towards the stable crystal phase. The estimation of the properties of the supercooled liquid close to the limit of metastability could be challenging because of the fast relaxation process. The properties of the supercooled tetrahedral liquids (such as silicon and water) show unusual behaviour. One such well known anomaly is the increase in heat capacity as the temperature is reduced.

Abstract: DNA apart from being the molecule of life has recently emerged as an excellent material for construction at nanoscale. Due to appropriate persistence length and sequence specific self association we can make various static and dynamic nano-architectures from DNA. This field called Structural DNA Nanotechnology has recently displayed emerging applications in biological sciences like biosensing diagnosis and therapeutics.

Abstract: The Wacker oxidation of olefines to carbonyl compounds by an oxidizing agent under aqueous acidic conditions in the presence of PdCl2/CuCl2 catalyst mixture is considered as an example of dualhomogeneous catalysis and catalyst regeneration until continuous supply of olefines CuCl2 and oxidizing agent. Moreover this reaction is the starting point for the development of catalytic palladium compounds.

Abstract: One of the greatest issues facing mankind is the development of economic and sustainable systems and processes to meet the growing demand for energy. The challenges are twofold: reducing greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate global warming and finding a renewable replacement for fossil fuels that is being depleted at an increasing rate. Therefore the production of fuels from renewable resources is of great interest.

Abstract: Even with today's depressed crude oil prices the refineries across the world process about 2 Trillion USD worth of crude annually i.e. economic size close to India's GDP ! In an endeavor to maximize useful products from a very complex and widely boiling mixtures of hydrocarbons that are called crude oils hundreds of processes have been developed over last 150+ years of refining history. The main objective of the talk is to provide a quick overview of the prominent refinery processes.

Abstract: A safe and secure future for humanity depends to a large extent on the development of sustainable and economic energy resources and will require fundamental science and engineering contributions. In this talk I will present some of my work on the advancement of energy systems in electronics oil and gas and solar energy sectors. Cooling of electronic systems particularly high performance data centers is a highly energy intensive process. In 2013 data centers consumed about 100 billion kWh of electricity in the U.S.