2D Semiconductors for Environmental Remediation

Honey John obtained her Ph.D. from Cochin University of Science and Technology (Kerala, India) in 2004. She joined the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Trivandrum, in 2007, as a reader and worked to the grade of Associate Professor. In 2015, she re-joined the Department of PS&RT, CUSAT as a professor. In 2017, she became the honorary Director of Inter University Centre for Nanomaterials and Devices, CUSAT. Her current research areas are triboelectric and piezoelectric nanogenerators, 2D nanoscrolls with magnetic nanoparticles, photocatalytic self-cleaning materials, hydrogen production, aerogels for supercapacitors and pollutant removal, magnetoplasmonics and green tires. Prof. Honey has a strong research background in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, and Polymer Technology, for over 18 years. Her research team has recently innovated novel materials as energy-harvesting triboelectric nanogenerators, alongside developing a novel wet chemical approach to synthesize 2D nanoscrolls. Her research interests also critically span over the development of magnetic hybrids, supercapacitors from functional materials, semiconductors for photocatalytic/ electrocatalytic hydrogen production and CO2 reduction to value-added fuels, self-cleaning materials and coatings, conducting polymers, development of green tires, synthesis of polymeric aerogels for pollutant removal, and organic/inorganic nanohybrids for optical/electrical/sensor applications. She has one granted patent (three filed and under evaluation), 65 high-impact refereed journal publications, 15 international book chapters, and more than 70 international/national conference papers to her credit. She has received about ₹ 1.65 Cr. research grants to support her work. Currently, she is also the principal coordinator of CUSAT for the advanced research in “Tactical Oceanography, Modern Sensors, Signal Processing and Telemetry”—a funded project (₹ 1.83 Cr.) by DRDO, India. She is a reviewer of many international journals, including ACS, RSC, Elsevier, Wiley, and Taylor and Francis. She has signed MoU with different autonomous bodies of Govt. of Kerala and many polymer industries. Prof. Honey is a resource person for many international/ national conferences, refresher courses, and expert member/chairperson of many Ph.D. evaluation committees of many central/Kerala universities, University exam/interview boards, etc. She holds many administrative responsibilities in CUSAT and is a Board of Studies Member of many colleges and the departments in CUSAT. Nisha T. Padmanabhan Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry and Centre for Research, St. Teresa’s College (Autonomous), Ernakulam, pursued her doctorate in 2021 from Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT), Kerala, India. She earned her Masters in Chemistry from Mahatma Gandhi University in 2012, and Bachelors in Education in 2014. Her interests are on developing 2D nanomaterials, especially graphene, borophene, MoS2, and MXenes, for energy and environment-related applications. She is focused to develop, evaluate and demonstrate the performance of cost-effective electrodes or/and photoelectrodes for electrocatalytic/ photoelectrocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production and conversion of CO2 to desired chemical feedstocks, along with the development of photocatalytic membranes and aerogels for water purification, crystal/phase engineering, and electrospun nanofibers for triboelectric nanogeneration. Jith C. Janardhanan obtained bachelor and master degree in Chemistry from the University of Calicut, India. He received Ph.D. in Chemistry (Organic Chemistry) at Cochin University of Science and Technology, India in 2019. After a short stay at CSIR-NIIST, he joined CUSAT as a postdoctoral researcher. His current research interest focus on the development of novel methods for the synthesis of small organic molecules and heterocycles, development of color-tunable fluorescent organic dyes and its applications, development of 2D-layered materials for supercapacitor, hydrogen evolution, and heavy metal adsorption studies. Sona Stanly pursued her doctoral degree in Polymer Technology from Cochin University of Science and Technology in 2021. She was an ad-hoc faculty member in the Department of Polymer Science and Rubber Technology, CUSAT, from 2010 to 2017 and joined the Department of Technical Education, Government of Kerala in 2019 as a lecturer in Polymer Technology. She is presently Assistant Professor at Govt. Polytechnic College, Koratty, Thrissur. Her research interests are in 2D materials, especially graphene, clays, hybrids, and polymer composites for environmental remediation.