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SPS organises a seminar by Michael A. Pope

SPS organises a seminar by Michael A. Pope

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SPS organises a seminar by Michael A. Pope
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School of Physical Sciences
Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi


Title : Engineering High Surface Area Electrodes and Impervious Membranes from 2D Nanomaterials


Speaker: Michael A. Pope
(University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada)


Date: 27– April -2018
Time: 4 p.m, Friday
Venue: Seminar Room, SPS


Abstract : Graphene and related 2D nanomaterials are expected to revolutionize many applications due to their unique optical, electronic and mechanical properties. These atomically thin sheets are typically micron to submicron-sized in lateral extent when exfoliated from bulk precursors and must be controllably assembled into large area films or coatings to form functional nanocomposites. Graphene-based materials hold significant promise for applications such as rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors which require electrodes with high surface area and controlled porosity while, on the other hand, they can also be processed into non-porous or selectively permeable membranes for applications such as water desalination. Engineering materials which traverse these seemingly conflicting abilities depend largely on how we manipulate their colloidal assembly and aggregation behavior during processing.
In this talk, I will discuss some of the innate processing challenges associated with the fabrication of porous and non-porous films from 2D nanomaterials obtained by the exfoliation of bulk precursors. I will then describe several new methods being developed in my laboratory to address or by-pass these challenges in the context of enabling both higher performance energy storage devices as well as improved thin film membranes which can be used in applications ranging from lithium anode protection to desalination. Towards the development of improved supercapacitors and lithium-sulfur batteries, I will highlight recent work that uses colloidal co-assembly strategies to intimately combine active materials into dense, high surface area graphene networks. On the other hand, to create dense blocking layers, membranes and heterostructures, I will discuss a new monolayer film deposition method which utilizes the air-water interface and liquid-liquid spreading to enable continuous film growth and transfer.
Finally, I will discuss recent work that investigates the use of laser-conversion of commercial and custom-designed polymers to make laser-induced graphene for miniaturized and flexible electrochemical devices.

A warm welcome to the modified and updated website of the Centre for East Asian Studies. The East Asian region has been at the forefront of several path-breaking changes since 1970s beginning with the redefining the development architecture with its State-led development model besides emerging as a major region in the global politics and a key hub of the sophisticated technologies. The Centre is one of the thirteen Centres of the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi that provides a holistic understanding of the region.

Initially, established as a Centre for Chinese and Japanese Studies, it subsequently grew to include Korean Studies as well. At present there are eight faculty members in the Centre. Several distinguished faculty who have now retired include the late Prof. Gargi Dutt, Prof. P.A.N. Murthy, Prof. G.P. Deshpande, Dr. Nranarayan Das, Prof. R.R. Krishnan and Prof. K.V. Kesavan. Besides, Dr. Madhu Bhalla served at the Centre in Chinese Studies Programme during 1994-2006. In addition, Ms. Kamlesh Jain and Dr. M. M. Kunju served the Centre as the Documentation Officers in Chinese and Japanese Studies respectively.

The academic curriculum covers both modern and contemporary facets of East Asia as each scholar specializes in an area of his/her interest in the region. The integrated course involves two semesters of classes at the M. Phil programme and a dissertation for the M. Phil and a thesis for Ph. D programme respectively. The central objective is to impart an interdisciplinary knowledge and understanding of history, foreign policy, government and politics, society and culture and political economy of the respective areas. Students can explore new and emerging themes such as East Asian regionalism, the evolving East Asian Community, the rise of China, resurgence of Japan and the prospects for reunification of the Korean peninsula. Additionally, the Centre lays great emphasis on the building of language skills. The background of scholars includes mostly from the social science disciplines; History, Political Science, Economics, Sociology, International Relations and language.

Several students of the centre have been recipients of prestigious research fellowships awarded by Japan Foundation, Mombusho (Ministry of Education, Government of Japan), Saburo Okita Memorial Fellowship, Nippon Foundation, Korea Foundation, Nehru Memorial Fellowship, and Fellowship from the Chinese and Taiwanese Governments. Besides, students from Japan receive fellowship from the Indian Council of Cultural Relations.