Prof. Gopinathan Sankar, Thursday, 19 July 2012, 14.00-15-00, Department of Chemistry, University College London, United Kingdom
NANO STRUCTURED MATERIALS
Abstract
Nano structured materials have found several applications ranging from catalysis to
medical applications. Majority of the nano structured materials are prepared through
bottom-up approach. Although successful in the controlled preparation, developed
primarily through trial and error methods, in situ techniques are beginning to provide
unique information which may provide unique information that enable the precise control
of the production of nano materials. In this presentation, nanoporouos materials, nano
metal and metal oxide materials will be discussed. In situ characterisation of formation nano
materials and structure-catalytic properties of nano structured materials will be presented
here. In addition a brief overview of the research in the area of inorganic and materials
chemistry section at the Department of Chemistry, University College London will be
presented.
Short Biography of Professor Gopinathan Sankar
Educated in India – until 1986 and his PhD work was carried out Indian Institute of Science
Bangalore under the supervision of Professor C.N.R. Rao FRS. Briefly worked as Scientific
Officer at the Solid State and Structural Chemistry Unit, Indian Institute of Science between
1987 to 1990. 1990 joined Professor John Thomas group at the Royal Institution of GB,
London where he held several positions, which includes PDRA, Assistant Director of DFRL,
Leverhulme Senior Research Fellow and Professor of Materials Chemistry. In 2007 he
moved to Department of Chemistry, University College London as Professor of Solid-State
Chemistry where he continue his research in the following areas.
We have been involved in designing catalytic reaction based on the structure determined
from various characterisation techniques. Some of the recent examples include (a) the
development of iron containing nanoporous aluminophosphate catalysts for the selective
oxidation of benzene to phenol in presence of nitrous oxide and (b) supported nano gold
clusters for the selective oxidation of hydrocarbon. Nanoporous materials: In addition to the
above, we have been involved in developing in situ methods for following the crystallisation
process of (a) nanoporouos materials, (b) multi-component mixed metal oxide catalysts and
(c) nano materials. Majority of the characterisation is carried out using Synchrotron
Radiation techniques.
Sankar was awarded a Royal Society Industry Fellowship and he closely work with
scientists at Johnson Matthey in 2007. His current H-Index is 46.
