R&D Activities
Advanced Polymer Materials and Technologies for leather and other industries
The Research activities of the Department are mainly focused on the fundamental and innovative technologies for developing high performances polymeric materials and polymer related technologies to leather, leather and other industries. The department conducts its main research into the chemistry and synthesis of novel monomers and polymers, the chemical modification of polymers and nanomaterials, liquid crystalline polymers, conjugated polymers, polymer nanocomposites, interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) and many advanced areas.
Thrust area of Research
- Development of novel polymeric materials for tanning and retanning applications of leather.
- Plastic electronics.
- Conjugated polymers for solar cell device fabrication.
- Synthesis of liquid crystalline molecules using multi-step synthetic approach.
- Single-walled carbon nanotubes based research.
- Ionic liquid crystalline polyurethane blends, composites and foam composites.
- Supramolecular polymers and polyurethane-drug conjugates in drug delivery.
- Thermoresponsive polymers for catalysis and leather-based research.
- Nanoclays for filling cum retanning in leather processing.
- Functionalization of leather, and non-metallic surfaces.
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Present Activities / ongoing projects and research
- Free radical copolymersiation (graft copolymersiation) of inorganic materials such as bentonite, kaoline, Mica with water soluble synthetic polymers such as acrylics.
- Water soluble natural polymers like sodium carboxy methyl cellulose, guar gum, tragacanth gum, sodium alginate , collagen hyrolysate are used for grafting inorganic polymers to impart bio-degradability in the retanning agent for processing bio-degradable leather
- Elecro deposition methods like powder coating for non-conducting surfaces like leather
- Plastic electronics
- Synthesis of liquid crystalline molecules using multi-step synthetic approach.
- Synthesis and characterization of side chain and main chain liquid crystalline monomers and polymers.
- Carbon nanotubes research.
- Ionic liquid crystalline polyurethane blends and composites.
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