Ehsaan Yousf
Director stresses interdisciplinary research and innovation
Srinagar, Sept: 23: The National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar organised a special lecture on “Interface Engineering of 2D Hybrid Materials: From Energy Technologies to Sustainable Geopolymer Nanocomposites”, bringing together researchers, faculty members and students to explore emerging developments in advanced functional materials and sustainable technologies.
The lecture was jointly organised by the Departments of Physics, Chemistry and Civil Engineering. Dr. Vijay Kumar from the Department of Physics, Dr. Ravi Kumar from the Department of Chemistry, and Dr. Parameshwar from the Department of Civil Engineering coordinated the programme.
The lecture was delivered by Dr. Jayaramulu Kolleboyina, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Dean, International Relations, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jammu.
The programme was attended by Director NIT Srinagar Prof. Anurag Misra, Dean R&C Prof. Roohie Naaz, Dean International and Academic Affairs Dr. M. A. Shah, Head Chemistry, Prof Kowsar Majeed, senior faculty members, research scholars and students.
Director NIT Srinagar Prof. Anurag Misra said the lecture reflected the institute’s emphasis on strengthening academic interaction and research collaboration with leading institutions.
“Emerging materials science has applications across several important areas, including clean energy, environmental protection and sustainable construction. Lectures by researchers working at the forefront of these fields give our students and scholars an opportunity to understand current research challenges and explore new possibilities for interdisciplinary collaboration,” Prof. Misra said.
During his lecture, Dr. Jayaramulu Kolleboyina discussed the potential of two-dimensional materials in developing advanced functional materials, highlighting their high surface area, tunable surface chemistry and distinctive electronic, mechanical and physicochemical properties.
He explained that practical applications of 2D materials can often be constrained by challenges such as restacking, poor dispersion and weak interfacial interactions.
He emphasised the role of interface engineering and interfacial chemistry in overcoming these limitations.
The first part of the lecture focused on hybrid 2D porous materials developed by integrating two-dimensional materials with metal-organic frameworks, metal-organic polyhedra and other functional porous components.
Such hybrid systems can enhance properties including porosity, charge transport, stability and surface reactivity, with potential applications in catalysis, CO₂ conversion, water purification and energy technologies.
Dr. Kolleboyina also discussed the development of 2D-material-reinforced geopolymer nanocomposites. He explained how surface chemistry, material dispersion and interfacial bonding can influence geopolymerisation and the resulting mechanical performance of these sustainable materials.
Dean International and Academic Affairs Dr. M. A. Shah said such programmes contribute to strengthening the institute’s academic ecosystem and international and inter-institutional research linkages.
“Knowledge exchange is an essential part of a vibrant academic environment. Interaction with researchers from premier institutions allows our faculty and students to engage with contemporary scientific developments, identify potential areas of collaboration and develop a broader perspective on research and innovation,” Prof. Shah said.
Earlier Dr. Vijay Kumar, Assistant Professor of Physics welcomed the guest and highlighted the growing importance of interdisciplinary research in addressing contemporary challenges in energy, environment and sustainable infrastructure.
“Research today increasingly requires us to bring together knowledge from different disciplines and translate fundamental scientific understanding into technologies that can address real-world challenges. Advanced materials, particularly emerging two-dimensional materials, offer significant opportunities in this direction. Such academic interactions provide our students and researchers with exposure to new ideas and help strengthen a culture of collaborative research,” Dr. Vijay said.
The lecture demonstrated how interface engineering can be used to design multifunctional materials with applications spanning energy, environmental technologies and sustainable construction.
The interaction also provided students and researchers an opportunity to engage with the speaker and discuss emerging research directions in advanced materials, nanocomposites and sustainable technologies.
The programme concluded with an interactive session, during which faculty members, research scholars and students raised questions related to material design, interfacial chemistry, energy applications and sustainable construction materials.
