Plenary Speaker
Laurance Fuller Professor,
College of Engineering, Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
Bio: Yong Lak Joo is the BP Amoco/H. Laurance Fuller Professor in the Smith School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at Cornell University. He is currently Senior Associate Dean of Masters Programs in the College of Engineering. He received his B.S. degree at Seoul National University in Korea in 1989, and received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at Stanford University in 1993. From 1993 and 1999, he was a senior research engineer at Hanwha Chemical Corporation in Korea. Prior to joining Cornell in 2001, Yong Lak Joo did two years of a postdoctoral research in the Department of Chemical Engineering at MIT.
His research focuses on the integration of molecular details into a macroscopic level in scalable nanomaterials processes. He is a fellow of American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). He received a 3M Faculty Award and is a recipient of a National Science Foundation CAREER Award and a DuPont Young Professor Award. He also received an Excellence in Teaching Award in College of Engineering, Cornell University.
Title: “Safety Enhanced Nanomaterials for High Capacity, High Rate Capable Batteries: Applications to Li-ion to Li-Sulfur Batteries and Flow Batteries”
Abstract:
Li-ion and next generation batteries offer both high energy and power density, making them the technology of choice for portable electronics, power tools, and electric vehicles. Despite such promise and opportunities, current and next generation battery systems have proven to be difficult to achieve great performance at high rates, while operating them safely. In this talk, I’ll present recent development of safety enhanced nanomaterials via scalable nanomanufacturing processes, which also allow the improved performance at high rates. First, thermally stable, non-flammable, and high rate capable polymer/ceramic hybrid separators fabricated via gas-assisted electrospinning which offer superior performance at high rates with enhanced safety to Li-ion and Li-sulfur batteries will be presented. To make these batteries safter and perform better at high rates, we also devise the gel ceramic electrolyte as well as high rate capable electrodes, utilizing cost-effective graphene obtained from the water-based exfoliation process and scalable air-controlled electrospray process. Finally, we also apply this modification of separator and electrodes to flow batteries, which not only improves the capacity for energy storage systems (ESS) but also allows high power flow batteries to develop self-propelling robots in water.
Keynote Speakers
Professor, School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Global Food Security
Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, UK
Bio: Katrina Campbell is a Professor in Food Security and Diagnostics within the Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences at Queen’s University Belfast. Her research focuses on the examination of food systems for the identification and recognition of known and emerging threats within the food supply chain from “environment to farm to fork to waste” and to determine any consequential effects to plant, animal and human health. A key element of this research is the development of (bio) analytical approaches that can be used for the rapid detection of natural toxins, chemical contaminants, allergens and harmful organisms, as tools to enhance food safety and sustainability. These state-of-the-art scientific techniques and next generation biosensor tools as multiplex detection systems may create a new facet in rapid food safety monitoring and traceability for the benefit of plant, animal and human health with an outlook to increasing food security. Her research also involves examining the impact of the effects of contamination and the implementation of these new diagnostic tools in the food supply chain to all stakeholders including academia, industry, policy makers & consumers. She is extremely interested in the development and implementation and communication of citizen science diagnostics for the future. She is the Chairperson for the NI Royal Society Biology, a committee member for the NI Royal Society of Chemistry, a member of the International Society for the study of Harmful Algae (ISSHA) and a member of the FSA Joint expert group on animal feeds and feed additives (AFFAJEG). She has >100 publications, H-Index 36 and extensive network within EITFOOD & EU projects.
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5994-2524
Title:
Abstract:
Distinguished Research Professor and Head
Research Centre for Nanomaterials and Energy Technology (RCNMET), School of Engineering and Technology,
Sunway University, 47500, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Bio: Professor Saidur Rahman is currently working as a Distinguished Research Professor and Head of the Research Centre for Nano-Materials and Energy Technology (RCNMET), School of Engineering and technology, Sunway University, Malaysia. He is also working with Lancaster University as a full Professor. Previously, he worked as a Chair Professor at the Center of Research Excellence in Renewable Energy at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Saudi Arabia. Prior to joining KFUPM, Prof. Saidur worked 18 years in University of Malaya. Clarivate Analytics/Thomson Reuters awarded him highly cited researcher for being among the top 1% researchers for most cited documents in his research field for the eight consecutive years (2014-2021). In 2019, Prof. Saidur won Vice Chancellor’s award for achievement in Research from Sunway University. Prof. Saidur published more than 550 journal papers, mostly in top ranking high impact journals. He is ranked #1 by Web of Science on “nanofluids” research related topic. He has more than 51,800 citations with an h-index of 118 according to Google Scholar citation. He has supervised more than 80 postgraduate students so far and has secured and managed more than 25 million ringgit (~US$5.5 Million) research grants as a PI and member. Prof. Saidur is working in the area of emerging nano-materials (MXenes) and their applications in energy storage, heat transfer, solar energy harvesting and environmental remediation.
Title: Emerging nano-materials MXene in energy storage and heat transfer applications
Abstract:
Professor, Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials (IMRAM),
Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-0877 JAPAN
Bio: Tadahiro Komeda is currently a professor of Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials (IMRAM, Tagen) at Tohoku University, Japan. He received a bachelor’s degree and a PhD from Kyoto University, Japan. His thesis theme is the angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy for adsorbed molecules on metal surfaces. He was a post-doctoral fellow with Prof. John H. Weaver at University of Minnesota. After working as a research staff in Texas Instruments, he jointed Riken, Japan, starting low temperature STM for the studies of 'nano chemistry' using tunneling electrons. He joined Tohoku University as a full professor at 2003. His research group works on developing chemical-analysis techniques for molecular electronic and spintronic device materials to enable a single molecule characterization using scanning probe microscopes.
Title:
Development of Chemical Recognition Function for MoS2 Field-Effect-Transistor (FET) Sensor
Abstract:
A miniaturized sensor suitable for operating in vivo conditions has attracted great demand for past decades. For such an application field-effect-transistor (FET) sensor, the atomically thin MoS2 channel material can be a promising candidate. Due to the thin atomic layer, the MoS2 channel can be more sensitive to the adsorption of different organic molecules when used in FET. Molecular identification using FET devices has been performed by the drain current change that can be attributed to the charge exchange or the polarization of molecules. This technique, however, has no significant chemical sensitivity to the molecules. In this talk, utilizing the MoS2-FET devices, a molecule sensor with chemical recognition capability has been developed. Visible light was injected into the deposited channel, and the electronic property of the FET observed molecular identification. In addition, π-electron molecules with broadband photo response properties, such as phthalocyanine, methylene blue, di-carbocyanine iodide, and many more organic molecules, were used as adsorbates for MoS2 channel and detected by light injection.1-3
Prof. Sangaraju Shanmugam, PhD
Professor, Department of Energy Science & Engineering, DGIST, Daegu, Korea.
Bio: Prof. Sangaraju Shanmugam obtained his doctorate in 2004 from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India in the field of heterogeneous catalysis. Thereafter, in 2005, he joined the Department of Chemistry, Bar-Ilan University, Israel as a Postdoctoral Fellow, where he investigated “Sonoelectrochemical Synthesis of metal nanoparticles”. In late 2007, he joined as a JSPS postdoctoral fellow at Waseda University and continued his research in “Catalysis for energy applications”. In 2011, he was appointed as an Assistant Professor at DGIST and promoted to a Tenured Full Professor in 2019.
Shanmugam currently has 143 refereed publications to his credit, 5 Indian Patents, and filed 12 Korean patents. His technical contributions have been recognized by many awards including JSPS Fellow from Japan, Samuel and Helene Soref Young Scientist from Bar-Ilan University, Israel, and Prof. Langmuir Prize for the Best Thesis, IIT Madras.
Shanmugam’s current research interests focus on the development of cost-effective, durable electrode materials for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. His areas of research encompass synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials and their applications towards energy conversion and storage, biosensors and biomedical applications.
Title:
Electrochemical Production of Sustainable Carbon-Free Fuels
Abstract:
The increasing demand for energy and environmental concerns has induced global efforts to find and explore alternative energy sources for fossil fuels. Electrocatalysts have been played a key role in a wide range of electrochemical energy devices such as Polymer electrolyte fuel cells, and electrolyzers [1]. As an ideal candidate, hydrogen produced from water splitting is an attractive green approach for the next-generation energy conversion devices.
Innovative design for highly efficient and durable catalysts has been considered. Replacing noble metal or metal oxides is a promising approach to overcome high-cost and elemental scarcity, greatly hindering their widespread applications. First, I will describe our recent research on developing low-cost, efficient, and robust electrocatalysts catalysts for water splitting to store sustainable energy resources. The new Co@NC electrode shows the OER overpotential of 330 mV with an ultra-stability over the noble electrode. The long-term water electrolysis cell stability testing using alloy core-carbon shell catalysts shows over 760 h stable activity (voltage loss of 4%) and outperformed the commercial (noble) catalysts [2].
Electrochemical ammonia synthesis by N2 fixation has proven to be a promising alternative to the energy-consuming, befouling Haber-Bosch process. Considering the low faradaic efficiency and sluggish kinetics of nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR), it is significant to design a robust and selective catalyst. A hybrid nanocatalyst fabricated by a single-step in-situ nitridation method is a potential cost-effective electrocatalyst for NRR will be discussed [3]. For the stable electrochemical reduction of nitric oxide (NO) to value-added chemicals such as ammonia (NH3) with high selectivity and efficiency, the catalyst design strategy is crucial to circumvent the electrocatalyst reconstruction during electroconversion. We developed a core-shell catalyst in which Ni nanoparticles are wrapped by a porous nitrogen-doped carbon shell (Ni@NC) for the stable electrosynthesis of NH3[4].
UGC Professor, University Grants Commission of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Bio:
Title:
From Jute Genes to Genomics: Bangladesh Learns to Speak Genome
Abstract:
For Bangladeshis jute is linked with its pursuit for economic liberation. It is our national icon, our individuality. Many of our age-old folklore is based on the golden colored jute fibres from where the country got its maxim, Sonar Bangla. The primary use of jute fibre is in making fabrics for packaging a wide range of agricultural and industrial products that require bags, sacks, packs, and wrappings. Because of its low-cost jute is used when bulky, strong fabrics and twines resistant to stretching are required. In the backdrop of a declining acreage of jute cultivation and the phenomenal rise in the use of synthetic fibers over the past few decades the importance of research on the molecular mechanisms at work in this cash crop cannot be overemphasized. However, studies on understanding the molecular biology of jute were not undertaken until the beginning of the new millennium. Significant achievements in jute molecular biology in terms of identifying germplasm biodiversity and its utilization, genetics of important agronomic traits, molecular markers and genomics have been made in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dhaka University. Besides conventional breeding methods, the biotechnologies of transgenic technology and molecular marker-assisted selection have made significant contributions to jute breeding. The first jute transformation technique was developed in this department. The assessment of germplasm variome, breeding and cultivation genomics are expected to bring revolutions in jute improvement. Whole genome sequencing of C. olitorius and C. capsularis carried out by students trained in the department has not only advanced the genetic improvement of jute but has allowed Bangladesh to become fluent in life’s molecular language as reflected in the whole genome sequencing of a number of commercially important species of the country. The researchers in the country are now harnessing the advances in omics technology and using the same for the improvement of crop yield and stress resilience.
Professor (Associate), Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Materials and Chemical Technology,
Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
Bio: Tomohiro Hayashi completed his bachelor’s course at Waseda University in 1997. Then, he graduated master’s course at the University of Tsukuba in 2000. He received his Ph.D. from Ruprecht-Karls Universität Heidelberg in 2003. He worked as a postdoctoral researcher in Tokyo TECH and then as a permanent researcher at AIST in Tsukuba (2006). After that, he joined Tokyo TECH as an assistant professor in 2007 and was promoted to associate professor in 2010. Eleven awards have so far been given to him. (Asahi Kasei Award (2011), JSPS Young Researchers’ Award (2018), Tokyo TECH Education Award (2019), etc.). His recent scientific focus is on developing surface and interfacial analytical techniques to explore biointerfaces (atomic force microscopy combined with laser spectroscopy and high-speed signal processing spectroscopy), single-molecule dynamic force measurements, and materials informatics for the design of biomaterials. All scientific activities and achievements are summarized in http://lab.spm.jp/.
Title: Molecular processes at biointerfaces explored by experiments and informatics
Abstract: Molecular processes at interfaces of materials with biomolecules, cells, tissues (bio interfaces) govern the responses of the cells and tissues after contact with the materials. To develop materials with desired functions, we inevitably understand the interactions and molecular behavior at the biointerfaces. In this talk, I will overview the history of this research field and introduce our recent research achievements. In particular, the role of water in blood compatibility, nanoscale imaging of cell-recognizing sites, and the designs of biomaterials using informatics.
Prof. Brajadulal Chattopadhyhay, PhD
Professor & Coordinator of Condensed Matter Physics Research Center (CMPRC),
Department of Physics, Jadavpur University, 188 Raja S.C.Mullick Road Kolkata-700032, India
Bio:
Dr. Brajadulal Chattopadhyhay, born in 13th January of 1962, is currently working as a Professor of Physics in the Department of Physics of Jadavpur University, India. Prof. Chattopadhyay received his Master degree (1987) and PhD (1994) degree from the University of Calcutta, India and worked at Bose Institute, India and Technical University of Delft, the Netherlands as postdoctoral researcher. The basic scientific field of Prof. Chattopadhyhay lies mainly in the field of Bio-concrete development by using hot spring anaerobic bacteria to enhance the strength and durability of structural materials. He is engaged in this filed since 2001 and published his work in many internationally reputed journals. He is also working in the field of management of Diabetes by herbal agents, Amelioration of Nicotine toxicity by curcumin and nanocurcumin and Nano-biotechnology. He has already supervised more than 25 PhD students and he is holding two National and two International patents in his research career.
Title: Nano-based Bio-engineered self-healing composite for future construction material
Abstract:
Microbiologically incorporated cementitious composite or fly ash geopolymer recuperate the activities and toughness of the construction materials are a new aspect of research work in the current era. The uses of different chemicals and additive in construction materials sometimes are environmentally unacceptable because of their health-related problems. This study has designed an eco-friendly bio-engineered technology which can be used to develop a higher strength and more durable construction material by using different hot spring bacteria. A novel thermo-stable and highly pH tolerant nano-silica leaching protein (M.W. ~ 28 kDa) isolated from a hot springs bacterium BKH2 of Bakreshwar, West Bengal has been utilized for production of high performance construction materials. The corresponding gene of the protein has been identified and cloned into E. coli and B. subtilis etc. bacterial strains to develop bio-concrete material. Improvement of compressive strength (> 30 – 40%), tensile and flexural strengths, ultrasonic pulse velocity, sulphate and chloride ions resistant, thermal stability and decrement of water absorption capacity are noted in the bacteria amended concrete/geopolymer specimens. Micro-structural analyses confirmed the formation of a novel Gehlenite (Ca2Al2SiO7) phase besides calcite deposition inside the matrices of the transformed bacteria-amended composite materials. This development significantly increases the true self-healing property and aims towards the production of greener cement-alternative for sustainable concrete or composite structures. This technology may help to reduce cement consumption and certainly minimise the Green House effect caused by cement production.