Summary of Research Activity
Our research interest is focused on transition and inner-transition metal based co-ordination chemistry which includes synthesis of metal-ligand complexes, characterization by single crystal X-ray crystallography and probing these complexes by various spectroscopic methods (SQUID, VSM, μ-SQUID, EPR, XMCD, and cyclic voltammetry etc. ) to understand the electronic and magnetic properties systematically and develop magneto-structural correlation to fine tune the electronic structures in order to use these molecular nanomagnets for potential technological applications such as information storage, molecular Qubits (for Quantum computing) and Molecular Coolants (for magnetic refrigeration)
Coordinately unsaturated organometallic transition metal complexes will be synthesized and their catalytic applications (to activate small molecules such as carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen etc. ) will be investigated in details using various spectroscopic methods.
Molecular Nanomagnets
★ Designing Single-Molecule-Magnets for Information storage
Ligands will be designed to make large paramagnetic clusters and magnetic properties will be studied extensively. Example
★ Molecular Qubits as a solid state device in Quantum computing
Clusters with definite ground state will be targetted and a supramolecular approach will exploited to tether entangled spin Qubits ie. to have controlled interaction between the quantum states. Mainly 4d-transition metal ion based qubits are envisaged as its diffused nature of orbital extremely useful to bring in large super exchange interactions.
★ Magnetic Refrigeration
The Magneto Caloric Effect (MCE), an intrinsic property associated with the large paramagnetic clusters will be exploited to develop magnetic refrigeration devices based on molecular complexes.
Small molecule activation
Various sterically hindered ligands will be synthesized and their co-ordination chemistry will be explored to stabilize unusual oxidation states and coordinatively unsaturated metal complexes. Their catalytic activity against small molecule such as CO2, N2, O2 etc. will be probed in details to convert them into useful small organic molecules. Detailed mechanistic studies will be investigated to fine tune the catalytic activity
Functionalization of molecules on surfaces for electronic device application
This domain of our research activity includes design and synthesis of molecules which can have potential to anchor preferably non-covalently and fine tune electrical property of surfaces like graphene and carbon nano-tubes (CNTs) required for the development of advanced electronic devices.
Our major focus is to reveal new generation of transition or lanthanide metal based stable dopants which is expected to control the electrical transport properties of surfaces such as carrier concentration and mobility. Functional application of these controlled electrical property to develop devices like logic inverter and explosive sensor etc. are the active area of research within our group.
n-doping of Graphene Field-Effect Transistor(GFET) with lanthanide macrocylic Schiff base complex
Integration of n-doped GFET(Functionalized with lanthanide complex) and ambient p-GFET to form a logic interver
Sensors or Electronic Nose Devices
Biological Activity-Probing Amyloid Fibrils
The misfolded proteins (amyloid fibrils) are highly toxic and causes neuro-degenerative disorders in human beings. The normal α- synuclein protein is responsible for the onset of Parkinsion’s disease. Currently there is no early diagnostic test available and finally leads to death. Our research focuses on developing organic/inorganic or hybrid fluorphore to detect, not only the mature fibrils but also the toxic oligomers, which will facilitate to understand the disease progression in its early stage. Besides, we also aim to develop new small-molecule therapeutic strategies against this neurodegenerative disorder."
