• Shape controlled synthesis of noble metals and nanostructures and its properties
• Growth of Crystals from Chemical Reactions and Thermodynamics.
• Solvothermal Coating of Noble Metals and Semiconductors on Different Substrates
• Synthesis of Metals and Ceramics Porous structures
• Synthesis and Characterization of Bioceramics
• Surfaces and Interfaces in Ceramics and Metals
• Template Approach to Synthesis Ordered Arrays of Nanostructures
• Patterning of Soft and Hard Thin Films
• Crystallization of metals and ceramics in earth and space to study the effect of gravity

Research in brief:

Our research is centred around the bottom-up paradigm for the synthesis and assembly of nanostructures. The first step is the synthesis of building blocks that will be subsequently assembled in to different mesostructures. In synthesis, the primary emphasis is on obtaining a detailed mechanistic understanding of morphology evolution for anisotropic nanostructures. We synthesize structures in the form of 1-D structures (wires and rods), 2-D form (platelets or nanoprisms) and 3-D structures with intricate shapes (primarily porous structures). In addition, we also synthesize hybrid structures based on metal nanostuctures tethered to polymer beads, silica spheres or multiwalled carbon nanotubes for various applications. The second step involves assembling the nanostuctures produced on a suitable substrate or template for various applications. We have developed a new solvothermal method to integrate synthesis and assembly in a single step process. In addition, we use the template approach to directly synthesize patterned structures on a template in a single step. We also explore the top-down approach to produce nanopatterns by controlled dewetting of continuous thin films on substrates. We owe much of our success in these areas to our capabilities for examining the structures formed at various stages, at different length scales using a combination of advanced microscopy techniques. We use the visible-light microscope, scanning electron microscopes, transmission electron microscopes and the atomic force microscope to interrogate various aspects of the structures formed.