The Cellulose Group @ IITH
Group Lead:
Dr. Mudrika Khandelwal
Associate professor
Department of Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering, IIT Hyderabad
mudrika@msme.iith.ac.inPh.D. University of Cambridge, UK (2013)
M.Tech, B.Tech, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (2009)
Research Focus:
Relatively young (established in 2013), our group has aimed on finding solutions to some of the technologically and scientifically challenging societal concerns through materials intervention, with a special emphasis on sustainability. The interdisciplinary work carried out by our group is enabled by knowledge of multiple disciplines, materials at different length scales (nano, micro) and inspirations from nature. The primary focus areas (but not limited to) are highlighted below.
Glimpse of Recent Projects
Funded Projects
Ongoing:
SERB Core research grant on ‘Bacterial cellulose derived nanostructured carbon materials with tunable porosity as high performance anode for lithium ion battery’ 2019-2022.
Collaborator: Dr. Chandra Shekhar Sharma (Chemical Engineering, IITH)
Completed:
1. DST-UKIERI Project on 'Polymer and Carbon based Three Dimensional Micropatterned Nanofabric with Enhanced Wettability Contrast’ 2015-2017
Collaborators -
Dr. Chandra Shekhar Sharma (Chemical Engineering, IITH)
Prof. Stephen Eichhorn (Head, Engineering,Chair in Materials Science within the College of Engineering, Maths and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter)
2. SERB Fast Track for Young Scientists/Start-Up Research Grant (Young Scientists) titled ‘Novel low cost antifouling materials for healthcare and food packaging industry.’ 2015-2018
Sponsored and Consultancy Projects:
- LDS Pvt. Ltd. - antimicrobial food packaging
- Malai Biomaterials Pvt. Ltd. - artificial leather
- Eaton Pvt. Ltd. - depth filters
CSR grant by AT&T incorporation for 'Herbal antimicrobial pantyliners for mitigation of vaginal candidiasis'
Publication
Patents
- Pharmaceutical Compositions and Delivery Systems for Prevention and Treatment of Candidiasis
- Mudrika Khandelwal, Shivakalyani Adepu
- Indian Patent 201841034939, Date of filing: Sept 17 2018
- PCT application: PCT/IB2019/057802
Publication
- In situ synthesized hydro-lipophilic nano and micro fibrous bacterial cellulose: polystyrene composites for tissue scaffolds.
Anju P, Khandelwal M*, Subahan MP, Kalle AM, Mathaparthi S.
Journal of Materials Science. 2020:1-10. - Bacterial cellulose with microencapsulated antifungal essential oils: a novel double barrier release system
Adepu S, Khandelwal M*
Materialia. 2020:100585. 2019 - Recycling of thermoplastic polystyrene waste using citrus peel extract for oil spill remediation.
Yadav S, Mattaparthi S, Sreenivasulu K, Khandelwal M, Majumdar S, Sharma CS.
Journal of Applied Polymer Science. 2019;136(33):47886. - Wetting Transition from Lotus Leaf to Rose Petal using Modified Fly Ash.
Mahanta U, Khandelwal M, Deshpande AS.
ChemistrySelect. 2019;4(27):7936-42. - Tuning the physiochemical properties of bacterial cellulose: effect of drying conditions. Illa MP, Sharma CS, Khandelwal M*.
Journal of Materials Science. 2019;54(18):12024-35. - Modulated Dehydration for Enhanced Anodic Performance of Bacterial Cellulose derived Carbon Nanofibers
Illa MP, Khandelwal M, Sharma CS.
ChemistrySelect. 2019;4(21):6642-50. - Bacterial cellulose-derived carbon nanofibers as anode for lithium-ion batteries.
Illa MP, Khandelwal M, Sharma CS.
Emergent Materials. 2018;1(3-4):105-20. - Cultured meat: state of the art and future.
Gaydhane MK, Mahanta U, Sharma CS, Khandelwal M*, Ramakrishna S. Biomanufacturing Reviews. 2018;3(1):1. - Broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity of bacterial cellulose silver nanocomposites with sustained release.
Adepu S, Khandelwal M*.
Journal of Materials Science. 2018;53(3):1596-609. - Three‐dimensional electrospun micropatterned cellulose acetate nanofiber surfaces with tunable wettability.
Kakunuri M, Wanasekara ND, Sharma CS, Khandelwal M, Eichhorn SJ.
Journal of Applied Polymer Science. 2017;134(15). - Fabrication of bio-inspired hydrophobic self-assembled electrospun nanofiber based hierarchical structures.
Kakunuri M, Khandelwal M, Sharma CS, Eichhorn SJ.
Materials Letters. 2017;196:339-42. - Effect of micropatterning induced surface hydrophobicity on drug release from electrospun cellulose acetate nanofibers
Adepu S, Gaydhane MK, Kakunuri M, Sharma CS, Khandelwal M*, Eichhorn SJ.. Applied Surface Science. 2017;426:755-62. - Three-dimensional bioprinting for bone tissue regeneration.
Adepu S, Dhiman N, Laha A, Sharma CS, Ramakrishna S, Khandelwal M*.
Current Opinion in Biomedical Engineering. 2017;2:22-8. - Synthesis time and temperature effect on polyaniline morphology and conductivity
Maity PC, Khandelwal M*.
American Journal of Materials Synthesis and Processing. 2016;1(4):37-42. - In situ tunability of bacteria produced cellulose by additives in the culture media.
Khandelwal M*, Windle AH, Hessler N.
Journal of materials science. 2016;51(10):4839-44. - Small angle X-ray study of cellulose macromolecules produced by tunicates and bacteria.
Khandelwal M*, Windle AH.
International journal of biological macromolecules. 2014;68:215-7. - Origin of chiral interactions in cellulose supra-molecular microfibrils.
Khandelwal M*, Windle A.
Carbohydrate polymers. 2014;106:128-31. - Self-assembly of bacterial and tunicate cellulose nanowhiskers.
Khandelwal M, Windle AH.
Polymer. 2013;54(19):5199-206 - Correlation between microstructure and electrical conductivity in composite electrolytes containing Gd-doped ceria and Gd-doped barium cerate.
Khandelwal M, Venkatasubramanian A, Prasanna T, Gopalan P.
Journal of the European Ceramic Society. 2011;31(4):559-68.
Papers on pedagogy
- Khandelwal, M*. and K. Aggarwal, Contextualising engineering education to 21st century-MBA style education for engineering. Journal of Engineering Education Transformations, 2016
- Ramakrishna, P.S. and M. Khandelwal, Attributes of engineers and engineering education for the 21st-century world. Journal of Engineering Education Transformations, 2014. 27(4): p. 17-28.
Peer-reviewed Conference proceedings
- Cellulose Acetate Derived Free-Standing Electrospun Carbon Nanofibrous Mat as Anode Material for Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery
Kakunuri M, Araga R, Khandelwal M, Sharma C.S..
ECS Transactions. 2017;80(10):419. - Effect of modification in cellulose microstructure on liquid crystallinity
Khandelwal M, Hessler N, Windle AH..
MRS Online Proceedings Library Archive. 2013; 1498:221-6. - Structure and Low Concentration Self Assembly of Food Grade Bacterial Cellulose Nano-Whiskers.
Khandelwal M, Windle AH.
MRS Online Proceedings Library Archive. 2012;1420. - Hierarchical Organisation in the Most Abundant Biopolymer–Cellulose.
Khandelwal M, Windle AH. MRS Online Proceedings Library Archive. 2013;1504.
Conferences (recent)
- Bacterial cellulose with microencapsulated antifungal essential oils: Novel double barrier release system”
Shivakalyani Adepu, Mudrika Khandelwal
Oral presentation in ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo, March 2020 Philadelphia, USA. - “Tuning the physio-electro-chemical properties of bacterial cellulose derived carbon nanofibers: Effect of drying conditions on electrochemical properties”,
Mani Pujitha Illa, Chandra S. Sharma, Mudrika Khandelwal,
oral presentation in ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo, March 2020 Philadelphia. - “Nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbon derived from bacterial cellulose-polyaniline composite as high-performance anode for lithium-ion batteries”,
Mani Pujitha Illa, Chandra S. Sharma, Mudrika Khandelwal,
oral presentation in ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo, March 2020 Philadelphia. - “Bacterial Cellulose-Polyaniline Nanocomposite derived Multiscale Porous Carbon as High Performance Anode for Lithium-ion Batteries”,
Mani Pujitha Illa, Chandra S. Sharma, Mudrika Khandelwal,
poster presentation in Conference on Carbon Materials 2019, November 2019 New Delhi. - “Tunable 3D Nanofibrous Carbon Anodes from Bacterial Fermentation”,
Mani Pujitha Illa, Mudrika Khandelwal, Chandra S. Sharma,
poster presentation in Carbon MEMS: New Horizons 2018, December 2018 Hyderabad. - “Bacterial cellulose based composites for healthcare”
Shivakalyani Adepu, Mudrika Khandelwal
Oral presentation during MRS Fall symposium, December 2017 at Boston, USA - “Cellulose from Fermented Beverages - Kombucha and Wine”,
Mani Pujitha Illa, Chandra S. Sharma, Mudrika Khandelwal,
poster presentation in International Conference on Advances in Polymer Science and Technology, November 2017 New Delhi. - “Bacterial cellulose silver nanocomposites for food packaging”
Shivakalyani Adepu, Mudrika Khandelwal
Oral presentation during International Conference on Nanomedicine and Tissue Engineering, August 2016 at Kottayam, Kerala, India
Recognition
Awards
- Divya Anand bagged the GYTI (Gandhian Young Technological Innovation) award for conducting composites, in the year 2016.
- Shivakalyani Adepu received BIRAC BIG grant 14th call, 2019
- Shivakalyani secured "Excellence in Research award" during Ph.D at IIT Hyderabad in 2018
- Shivakalyani secured GYTI (Gandhian Young Technological Innovation) award for developing a novel drug delivery coating for cardiac stent, in the year 2016.
Tweets about us
Lab in news
People
Post-Doctoral Fellows
Dr. Siju C. R.
PhD: BITS Pilani
Depth filters and conducting composites for actuation
Dr. Shiva kalyani Adepu
PhD: IIT Hyderabad
Drug delivery and antimicrobial materials
PhD
Illa Mani Pujitha
Bacterial Cellulose derived carbon for Li ion Batteries, Cellulose synthesis and in situ tuning
Najathulla Bc
Conducting composites for actuator, drug delivery
Urbashi Mahanta
Wettability tuning, Hydrophobic coatings, antimicrobial surfaces
Vikram
Bacterial Cellulose derived carbon for energy storage
M.Tech
Pintu Maity
Artificial Muscles and actuators
Research Fellow
Peddapappanagari Kalyani
Bacterial cellulose composites and in situ modifications
Alumni
Dr. Shivakalyani Adepu
Contribution to group: Ph.D (Drug delivery, antimicrobial materials)
Current Affiliation: Project Investigator, BIRAC Biotechnological Ignition Grant
Incubated i-TIC, IIT Hyderabad
Dr. Divya Anand
Contribution to group: M.Tech (conducting composites)
Current Affiliation: Technological Environment Maintenance Specialist,
Nippon Paint Holdings Co Ltd, Japan
Dr. Manohar Kakunuri
Contribution to group: Post-Doc Fellow (electrospun materials for energy, health & environment)
Current Affiliation: Assistant Professor, Dept of Chemical Engineering
National Institute of Technology, Warangal
Mr. Palash Chandra Maity
Contribution to group: M.Tech (conducting composites)
Current Affiliation: Pursuing PhD at IIT Roorkee
Mr. Debabrata Palai
Contribution to group: M.Tech (depth filters)
Current Affiliation: Pursuing PhD at Tokyo Institute of Technology
Ms. Anju P. V.
Contribution to group: M.Tech (in situ composites for scaffolds, packaging, filtration)
Current Affiliation: Offered PhD at Hokkaido University
Collabarators
Dr. Atul S. Deshpande
Associate Professor, Dept. of Materials science and Metallurgical Engineering
IIT Hyderabad
Dr. Chandra Shekhar Sharma
Associate Professor, Dept. of Chemical Engineering
IIT Hyderabad
Dr. Arunasree M. Kalle
Associate Professor, School of Life Sciences
University of Hyderabad
Prof. Stephen Eichhorn
Bristol, Composites Institute
University of Bristol, UK
Dr. Bharat B. Panigrahi
Associate Professor, Dept. of Materials Science And Metallurgical Engineering
IIT Hyderabad
Prof. Seeram Ramakrishna
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
National University of Singapore
Prof. Peter Kingshott
Professor of Surface Engineering
Swinburne University, Australia
Industry Collaborators
Facilities
Our lab is equippied with the following
- Autoclave
- Incubator maintained at 25 ℃ and 37 ℃
- Biosafety Cabinet
- Vortexer
- UV-vis spectrophotometer
- Freeze Dryer
- Stability Chamber
- Weighing balance
- Hot air oven
Teaching
Course
Credits
Suitable for
Science and Engineering of Materials
1 credit
UG
Polymers
1 credit
3 credit
UG
Structural and functional polymers
1 credit
3 credit
UG, PG
Soft matter science
1 credit
3 credit
UG, PG
Nature inspired materials engineering
1 credit
2 credit
UG, PG
Hierarchical and Supramolecular materials
1 credit
UG, PG
Antifouling and antimicrobial materials (TBI)
1 credit
UG, PG
Life cycle assessment (TBI)
1 credit
UG, PG
Opportunities
Our lab is equippied with the following
- Autoclave
- Incubator maintained at 25 ℃ and 37 ℃
- Biosafety Cabinet
- Vortexer
- UV-vis spectrophotometer
- Freeze Dryer
- Stability Chamber
- Weighing balance
- Hot air oven
| Course | Credits | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|
| Science and Engineering of Materials | 1 credit | UG |
| Polymers | 1 credit 3 credit |
UG |
| Structural and functional polymers | 1 credit 3 credit |
UG, PG |
| Soft matter science | 1 credit 3 credit |
UG, PG |
| Nature inspired materials engineering | 1 credit 2 credit |
UG, PG |
| Hierarchical and Supramolecular materials | 1 credit | UG, PG |
| Antifouling and antimicrobial materials (TBI) | 1 credit | UG, PG |
| Life cycle assessment (TBI) | 1 credit | UG, PG |
If you believe ‘materials enable better life’
We invite you to apply with us @ Cellulose Group
We can work together through
- Internships
- e-Internships (especially during this pandemic)
- External bachelor and master projects
- PhD
- Post-Doctoral Fellow
- Project Staff
You may reach us at cellulosegroup@iith.ac.in
COVID
