RESEARCH THEME 1
Nanoporous borocarbonitrides and their hybrids for energy-storage applications
This research focuses on the rational design of nanoporous borocarbonitride (BCN) and BCN-based hybrids incorporating electrochemically active materials such as reduced graphene oxide, fullerene (C60), and iron sulfides. The combination of hierarchical porosity, high specific surface area, tunable electronic structure, and excellent chemical and mechanical stability enables efficient electrolyte infiltration, rapid ion transport, and improved charge-transfer kinetics. Interface and defect engineering further strengthens electronic coupling between the hybrid components. These characteristics establish BCN-based nanoarchitectures as versatile electrode platforms for supercapacitors, lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries, and hybrid-ion capacitors.
Selected publications:
Ordered mesoporous borocarbonitride-reduced graphene oxide heterostructure for quasi solid-state supercapacitors and sodium-ion batteries, Rohan Bahadur, Swapnil Deshpande, Barkha Singh, Nithya S. George, P. A. Aleena, Wei Li, Dong-Chen Qi, Rohit Srivastava, Sudip Chakraborty, and Ajayan Vinu, Nano Energy 146 (2025) 111495. DOI: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2025.111495.
Nanohybrids of BCN-Fe1-xS for sodium and lithium hybrid ion capacitors, Rohan Bahadur, Ian Jason J, Yasuhiro Sakamoto, Shery Chang, Xiaojiang Yu, Mark BH Breese, Suresh K. Bhargava, Jang Mee Lee, Puspamitra Panigrahi, and Ajayan Vinu, Small 20 (2024) 2311945. DOI: 10.1002/smll.202311945.
Hybrid nanoarchitectonics of ordered mesoporous C60-BCN with high surface area for supercapacitors and lithium-ion batteries, Rohan Bahadur, Gurwinder Singh, Zhixuan Li, Barkha Singh, Rohit Srivastava, Yasuhiro Sakamoto, Shery Chang, Ramaswamy Murugavel, and Ajayan Vinu, Carbon 216 (2024) 118568. DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2023.118568.
BCN nanostructures conjugated nanoporous carbon with oxygenated surface and high specific surface area for enhanced CO2 capture and supercapacitance, Rohan Bahadur, Gurwinder Singh, Mengyao Li, Dewei Chu, Jiabao Yi, Ajay Karakoti, and Ajayan Vinu, Chemical Engineering Journal 460 (2023) 141793. DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2023.141793.
Nanoporous borocarbonitrides and their hybrids for energy-storage applications
This research focuses on the rational design of nanoporous borocarbonitride (BCN) and BCN-based hybrids incorporating electrochemically active materials such as reduced graphene oxide, fullerene (C60), and iron sulfides. The combination of hierarchical porosity, high specific surface area, tunable electronic structure, and excellent chemical and mechanical stability enables efficient electrolyte infiltration, rapid ion transport, and improved charge-transfer kinetics. Interface and defect engineering further strengthens electronic coupling between the hybrid components. These characteristics establish BCN-based nanoarchitectures as versatile electrode platforms for supercapacitors, lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries, and hybrid-ion capacitors.
Selected publications:
Ordered mesoporous borocarbonitride-reduced graphene oxide heterostructure for quasi solid-state supercapacitors and sodium-ion batteries, Rohan Bahadur, Swapnil Deshpande, Barkha Singh, Nithya S. George, P. A. Aleena, Wei Li, Dong-Chen Qi, Rohit Srivastava, Sudip Chakraborty, and Ajayan Vinu, Nano Energy 146 (2025) 111495. DOI: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2025.111495.
Nanohybrids of BCN-Fe1-xS for sodium and lithium hybrid ion capacitors, Rohan Bahadur, Ian Jason J, Yasuhiro Sakamoto, Shery Chang, Xiaojiang Yu, Mark BH Breese, Suresh K. Bhargava, Jang Mee Lee, Puspamitra Panigrahi, and Ajayan Vinu, Small 20 (2024) 2311945. DOI: 10.1002/smll.202311945.
Hybrid nanoarchitectonics of ordered mesoporous C60-BCN with high surface area for supercapacitors and lithium-ion batteries, Rohan Bahadur, Gurwinder Singh, Zhixuan Li, Barkha Singh, Rohit Srivastava, Yasuhiro Sakamoto, Shery Chang, Ramaswamy Murugavel, and Ajayan Vinu, Carbon 216 (2024) 118568. DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2023.118568.
BCN nanostructures conjugated nanoporous carbon with oxygenated surface and high specific surface area for enhanced CO2 capture and supercapacitance, Rohan Bahadur, Gurwinder Singh, Mengyao Li, Dewei Chu, Jiabao Yi, Ajay Karakoti, and Ajayan Vinu, Chemical Engineering Journal 460 (2023) 141793. DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2023.141793.
RESEARCH THEME 2
Two-dimensional materials and their zero-dimensional analogues for cancer theranostics
This research explores two-dimensional materials, including graphene derivatives, WS2, MoS2, and MXenes, together with their zero-dimensional analogues for biomedical and cancer-theranostic applications. Surface engineering is used to improve aqueous dispersibility, colloidal stability, biocompatibility, and biological interactions. Their high surface area, strong optical absorption, photothermal activity, and size-dependent physicochemical properties support multifunctional biomedical use. Quantum dots smaller than 10 nm, generated through controlled fragmentation or bottom-up synthesis, provide additional advantages arising from quantum confinement, fluorescence, and potential renal clearance. These platforms integrate biosensing, bioimaging, targeted delivery, and photothermal therapy while enabling systematic evaluation of cellular uptake, therapeutic mechanisms, and in vivo safety.
Selected publications:
Influence of PEGylation on WS2 nanosheets and its application in photothermal therapy, Rohan Bahadur, Barkha Singh, Deepika Rai, and Rohit Srivastava, ACS Applied Bio Materials 6 (2023) 4740-4748. DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.3c00506.
Preclinical safety assessment of red emissive gold nanocluster conjugated crumpled MXene nanosheets: a dynamic duo for image-guided photothermal therapy., Barkha Singh, Rohan Bahadur, Priyanka Maske, Mayuri Gandhi, Dipty Singh, and Rohit Srivastava, Nanoscale 15 (2023) 2932-2947. DOI: 10.1039/D2NR05773E.
Hydrothermal-assisted synthesis and stability of multifunctional MXene nanobipyramids: structural, chemical, and optical evolution, Barkha Singh, Rohan Bahadur, Suditi Neekhra, Mayuri Gandhi, and Rohit Srivastava, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 13 (2021) 3011-3023. DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c18712.
Preclinical toxicity assessment of Ti-based MXene nanomaterials for advanced theranostic applications, Barkha Singh, Rohan Bahadur, Deepika Rai, and Rohit Srivastava, Advanced Therapeutics 7 (2024) 2300268. DOI: 10.1002/adtp.202300268.
Two-dimensional materials and their zero-dimensional analogues for cancer theranostics
This research explores two-dimensional materials, including graphene derivatives, WS2, MoS2, and MXenes, together with their zero-dimensional analogues for biomedical and cancer-theranostic applications. Surface engineering is used to improve aqueous dispersibility, colloidal stability, biocompatibility, and biological interactions. Their high surface area, strong optical absorption, photothermal activity, and size-dependent physicochemical properties support multifunctional biomedical use. Quantum dots smaller than 10 nm, generated through controlled fragmentation or bottom-up synthesis, provide additional advantages arising from quantum confinement, fluorescence, and potential renal clearance. These platforms integrate biosensing, bioimaging, targeted delivery, and photothermal therapy while enabling systematic evaluation of cellular uptake, therapeutic mechanisms, and in vivo safety.
Selected publications:
Influence of PEGylation on WS2 nanosheets and its application in photothermal therapy, Rohan Bahadur, Barkha Singh, Deepika Rai, and Rohit Srivastava, ACS Applied Bio Materials 6 (2023) 4740-4748. DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.3c00506.
Preclinical safety assessment of red emissive gold nanocluster conjugated crumpled MXene nanosheets: a dynamic duo for image-guided photothermal therapy., Barkha Singh, Rohan Bahadur, Priyanka Maske, Mayuri Gandhi, Dipty Singh, and Rohit Srivastava, Nanoscale 15 (2023) 2932-2947. DOI: 10.1039/D2NR05773E.
Hydrothermal-assisted synthesis and stability of multifunctional MXene nanobipyramids: structural, chemical, and optical evolution, Barkha Singh, Rohan Bahadur, Suditi Neekhra, Mayuri Gandhi, and Rohit Srivastava, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 13 (2021) 3011-3023. DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c18712.
Preclinical toxicity assessment of Ti-based MXene nanomaterials for advanced theranostic applications, Barkha Singh, Rohan Bahadur, Deepika Rai, and Rohit Srivastava, Advanced Therapeutics 7 (2024) 2300268. DOI: 10.1002/adtp.202300268.
RESEARCH THEME 3
Functionalised carbon materials for environmental and energy applications
This research develops sustainable porous carbon materials from biomass, low-value carbonaceous resources, and molecular precursors. The resulting materials combine high specific surface area with tunable micro-, meso-, and macroporous architectures. Functionalisation with nitrogen, boron, sulfur, oxygen, and carbon nitride domains introduces chemically and electrochemically active sites, modifies surface polarity, and regulates electronic structure. These features enhance adsorption, ion accessibility, charge storage, and catalytic behaviour. The materials are therefore applicable to CO2 capture and conversion, oxygen-reduction electrocatalysis, supercapacitors, lithium-ion batteries, and zinc-ion capacitors, while supporting waste valorisation and scalable production of high-performance functional materials.
Selected publications:
Functionalised carbon materials for environmental and energy applications
This research develops sustainable porous carbon materials from biomass, low-value carbonaceous resources, and molecular precursors. The resulting materials combine high specific surface area with tunable micro-, meso-, and macroporous architectures. Functionalisation with nitrogen, boron, sulfur, oxygen, and carbon nitride domains introduces chemically and electrochemically active sites, modifies surface polarity, and regulates electronic structure. These features enhance adsorption, ion accessibility, charge storage, and catalytic behaviour. The materials are therefore applicable to CO2 capture and conversion, oxygen-reduction electrocatalysis, supercapacitors, lithium-ion batteries, and zinc-ion capacitors, while supporting waste valorisation and scalable production of high-performance functional materials.
Selected publications:
Multiple heteroatom doped nanoporous biocarbon for supercapacitor and zinc-ion capacitor, Rohan Bahadur, Binodhya Wijerathne, and Ajayan Vinu, ChemSusChem (2024) e202400999. DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202400999.
Versatile N,S,O tri-heteroatom doped porous biocarbons for high-performance supercapacitors and zinc ion capacitors, Ajanya Maria Ruban, Gurwinder Singh, Rohan Bahadur*, Sanje Mahasivam, Vipul Bansal, Thi Thuy Kieu Tran, Antonio Tricoli, and Ajayan Vinu, Nano Energy 155 (2026) 112097. DOI: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2026.112097.
B, N, and O co-doped nanoporous activated carbon with high surface area and hierarchical porous structure for enhanced Li-ion battery and supercapacitor performance, P. A. Aleena, Rohan Bahadur*, Vibin Perumalsamy, Solomon Ansah, R. K. Singh Raman, D. Sajan, and Ajayan Vinu, Small 22 (2026) e13011. DOI: 10.1002/smll.202513011.
Carbon nitride incorporated nanoporous carbon nanoarchitectonics derived from Victorian brown coal for supercapacitor and oxygen reduction reaction, Nithya S. George, Rohan Bahadur*, Mohammed Fawaz, Sara Tahery, Paul Munroe, Arun Aravind, D. Sajan, Gurwinder Singh, and Ajayan Vinu, Carbon 246 (2026) 120857. DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2025.120857.
Versatile N,S,O tri-heteroatom doped porous biocarbons for high-performance supercapacitors and zinc ion capacitors, Ajanya Maria Ruban, Gurwinder Singh, Rohan Bahadur*, Sanje Mahasivam, Vipul Bansal, Thi Thuy Kieu Tran, Antonio Tricoli, and Ajayan Vinu, Nano Energy 155 (2026) 112097. DOI: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2026.112097.
B, N, and O co-doped nanoporous activated carbon with high surface area and hierarchical porous structure for enhanced Li-ion battery and supercapacitor performance, P. A. Aleena, Rohan Bahadur*, Vibin Perumalsamy, Solomon Ansah, R. K. Singh Raman, D. Sajan, and Ajayan Vinu, Small 22 (2026) e13011. DOI: 10.1002/smll.202513011.
Carbon nitride incorporated nanoporous carbon nanoarchitectonics derived from Victorian brown coal for supercapacitor and oxygen reduction reaction, Nithya S. George, Rohan Bahadur*, Mohammed Fawaz, Sara Tahery, Paul Munroe, Arun Aravind, D. Sajan, Gurwinder Singh, and Ajayan Vinu, Carbon 246 (2026) 120857. DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2025.120857.