Dr. Thanikaivelan Palanisamy from CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute, India

Research Area:

• Development of new and advanced materials in the field of Nano, Bio and Composite Materials

• Environmental science and technology and Biotechnological applications relevant to leather and allied industries

• Clean technologies and solid waste management

Speech Title: Collagen Derived Advanced Materials for Energy and Environmental Applications

Abstract: Collagen, the most abundant protein on earth, is a fibrous structural protein with intriguing mechanical properties namely high viscoelasticity and large fracture strength. It plays a crucial role in making Nature’s structural materials tough. It is being processed in a variety of industries such as slaughterhouse, meatpacking, leather and related. Nevertheless, these industries generate significant amount of collagen containing co-products (bio-wastes), which can be used as a precursor for the bulk synthesis of nanomaterials and nanocomposites for high-value applications. The talk will feature novel ways of converting these collagen co-products into a range of advanced multifunctional materials such as self-doped carbon nanomaterials, Cr@C / Fe@C core-shell nanomaterials, N-rich carbon nanoonions, magnetic and conducting nanobiocomposites for energy and environmental remediation applications. The proposed new avenues for converting industrial bio-wastes into useful multifunctional advanced materials based on nanoscience approach are scalable and inexpensive thereby minimizing pollution and maximizing environmental sustainability.