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Research Interest

1. Nanofibers by Electrospinning:

Electrospinning is a simple technique of preparing nanometer sized polymer fibers using a very high electrostatic field. Our research interests are in obtaining very well aligned fibers. We have developed a technique independently which is now popular all over the world. This is to employ a rotating drum collector for the counter electrode. The simple apparatus and a few examples of fibers obtained with and without rotation of the drum are shown below. Our main interests are on the following areas:
- Polymer CNT nano composite fibers have good potential for applications as sensors, nanowires, electrodes for fuel cells, supercapacitors, etc. We are also interested in nanocomposite fibers with metal nanoparticles and other conducting polymers like Polyanilines(PANi) and Polypyrroles (Ppy).
- Another area of applications of polymer nanofibers is in Membrane technology. Here, we are working closely with different groups of Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute, Bhavanagar, one of the first CSIR Laboratory in the country.
- Applications of biodegradable and biocompatible polymer nanofibers in medicine and tissue engineering is another area of research we are engaged in at present (IIT Gawahati, Lifeline Institute).
Recent Publications :

Collaborators:

Dr.Mathias Ulbricht, Professor, Lehrstuhl fur Technische Chemie II, Universitat Duisburg-Essen, Germany ( Nano Membranes)

Dr.Vinod K Shahi, Scientist, Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute, Bhavnagar (Ion Selective Nano membranes).

Dr.Sandhya Mishra, Scientist, Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute, Bhavnagar ( Poly Hexyl Alkoanate polymer fibers from Marine sources).

Dr. Damodharan, Professor, Department of Chemistry, IIT Madras (Magnetite and other metal- polymer composite fibers).

Dr.Vasantha Kumari, Professor& Head, Department of Polymer Technology, Crescent Engineering College, Chennai (Polyanilene-polymer composite polymer fibers).

Dr.DC Trivedi, Deputy Director, Central Electro Chemical Research Institute (Polyanilene polymer composites).

Dr.Utpal Bora, Assistant Professor, Department of Biotechnology, IIT Guwahati (Bio-polymers for tissue engineering).

Dr. Sujatha, Scientist, Central Glass & Ceramics Research Institute, Calcutta (Magnetic alloy nanoparticles based nanocomposite fibers).

Dr.Palaniappan, Scientist, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad (Sensors based on Nanocompsoite fibers).

Dr.Soma Guhathakurta, Director & Co-ordinator Research, FRONTIER TISSUELINE PVT.LTD, Chennai (Bio nano fibers in medical applications).

Foundations of physics
I am also one of those who are not very happy about the status of theoretical physics at this juncture. Theory people have alienated themselves from the mainstream physics by making their theories more and more mathematical and complicated ( String theory, etc.). But the fundamental questions like, why such a fundamental equation of Einstein’s E=mc² did not come explicitly from Quantum Mechanics and has to enter physics through an exercise on transformation equations of relativity, OR how do we understand “spin” of an electron and its “precession” in Electron Spin Resonance experiments without a model (even though many physicists still talk about “up” spin and “down” spin), what is the reason the wave functions in quantum mechanics are complex, etc., remain unanswered in a straightforward way! In my earlier days I was very much disturbed by such questions and recorded my own theory on these questions and published them in an international journal after nearly two decades of struggle.(Physics Essays, V9,n2,p302 - 310,1996). There are several references in the NET about my ideas. Some say it is good and others say it is nonsense. Of course, I no more work in this area.

Important Links and mirror sites :

http://superluminalquantum.org/STAIF-2007article.pdf
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6510382465200639493
http://www.wbabin.net/physics/laster.pdf
http://www.wbabin.net/tsnd/tsn.htm

Schematic

Electrospinning is one of the methods to prepare nanofibers of polymer or polymer composite materials from corresponding solutions or melt. Electrospinning process is almost similar to extrusion spinning used in textile industries. As compared to extrusion spinning,

Apparatus

Electrospinning is a simple and versatile method to produce polymer nanofibers by accelerating a charged polymer jet in a very high electric field. The diameter of the fibers are in the range of 10µm to 10 nm, which is typically 1-3 orders less than that obtained by the conventional spinning process.

Samples

To obtain polymer fibres in micro and nano ranges.the above smple shows the EM image of a typical electrospun membrane.

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