Our contribution to the area of nanoscience is to develop new methodologies to fabricate different hybrid nanomaterials and study their new advanced properties. Hybrid nanomaterials – a unique class of materials that are formed by the integration of two or more materials at the molecular or nanometer length scale – are well known to exhibit fundamentally new properties and phenomena. Our group is interested in preparing hybrid nanostructures based on organic-inorganic, metal-metal and metal-semiconductor nanomaterials.  Also, we are interested in studying the new improved properties that are most likely expected to emerge from these nanohybrid systems. Some of the studies that we are examining are:

 

• Light harvesting studies:  One-dimensional materials

               Our fundamental aim is to develop an optimum geometry of nanohybrid system that would exhibit efficient electron transport behavior. The first part of the project is focused on the fabrication of one-dimensional nanostructures based on metal and semiconductor nanomaterials. In the second part, we study various photophysical properties such as electron transport, charge separation, charge recombination etc., in these nanohybrid structures. The ultimate goal is to utilize these optimized geometries for the fabrication of low cost-high efficient third generation solar cells.

 

• Biotargeting studies: Biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles

                   Ability of a nanomaterial to target various biological systems with high specificity is a requisite to reduce the unwanted side effects of nanoparticles. Our group is interested in developing nanohybrid systems that will interact with various biological systems in a specific manner.  This is achieved by controlling and tuning the surface chemistry of individual hybrid nanoparticles. We are also interested in examining the cellular uptake and cell viability properties of these hybrid nanomaterials. One of the most important aspects of this project is the use of a biodegradable polymeric nanoparticle system, which is expected to disintegrate with time after its course of action.

 

• Self-assembly studies: Higher order nanostructures

                     We are interested in developing general and simple strategies to integrate individual nanocomponents into higher order nanostructures. Our efforts involve the tuning of surface properties of individual nanoparticles, so that their inter-particle interactions can be controlled. Another desire is to achieve a fundamental understanding, and thereby a better control on the various forces involved in the process of nanoparticle self-assembly. We are also interested in utilizing these higher order nanostructures for sensing and electrical studies.