Kalaivanan Nagarajan | Chemistry | Young Scientist Award

Published on by Young Scientists Awards

Dr. Kalaivanan Nagarajan | Chemistry | Young Scientist Award

Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai | India

Dr. Kalaivanan Nagarajan research focuses on exploring the fundamental and applied aspects of light–matter strong coupling, particularly vibrational strong coupling (VSC), to understand and manipulate chemical reactivity and material properties within optical cavities. By integrating principles from physical chemistry, quantum electrodynamics, and materials science, the work investigates how molecular vibrations interact coherently with confined optical modes in Fabry–Perot cavities to form hybrid light–matter states known as vibrational polaritons. These studies reveal how strong coupling conditions can reshape potential energy surfaces, influence molecular structure, dynamics, and reaction kinetics, and ultimately enable control of chemical transformations without the need for external photoexcitation. A key highlight of this research is the demonstration that VSC can modulate phase transition behaviors, such as the glass transition temperature of polymers like polyvinyl acetate and polystyrene, providing experimental evidence of cavity-modified thermomechanical properties. Through systematic spectroscopic, thermodynamic, and theoretical investigations, the research establishes how vacuum electromagnetic fields play an active role in determining material behavior and chemical outcomes. This pioneering approach contributes to the emerging field of polariton chemistry, offering new pathways for designing energy-efficient reactions, reactivity control strategies, and material innovations driven by quantum light–matter interactions.

Featured Publications

Thomas, A., Lethuillier-Karl, L., Nagarajan, K., Vergauwe, R. M. A., George, J., & Ebbesen, T. W. (2019). Tilting a ground-state reactivity landscape by vibrational strong coupling. Science, 363(6427), 615–619. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aau7742

Nagarajan, K., Thomas, A., & Ebbesen, T. W. (2021). Chemistry under vibrational strong coupling. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 143(41), 16877–16889. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.1c07487

Sharma, P., Damien, D., Nagarajan, K., Shaijumon, M. M., & Hariharan, M. (2013). Perylene-polyimide-based organic electrode materials for rechargeable lithium batteries. The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, 4(19), 3192–3197. https://doi.org/10.1021/jz401590t

Vergauwe, R. M. A., Thomas, A., Nagarajan, K., Shalabney, A., George, J., & Ebbesen, T. W. (2019). Modification of enzyme activity by vibrational strong coupling of water. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 58(43), 15324–15328. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201906346

 Nagarajan, K., Mallia, A. R., Muraleedharan, K., & Hariharan, M. (2017). Enhanced intersystem crossing in core-twisted aromatics. Chemical Science, 8(3), 1776–1782. https://doi.org/10.1039/C6SC04791E

 Banda, H., Damien, D., Nagarajan, K., Hariharan, M., & Shaijumon, M. M. (2015). A polyimide-based all-organic sodium ion battery. Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 3(19), 10453–10458. https://doi.org/10.1039/C5TA01921B

Thomas, A., Jayachandran, A., Lethuillier-Karl, L., Vergauwe, R. M. A., Nagarajan, K., George, J., & Ebbesen, T. W. (2020). Ground state chemistry under vibrational strong coupling: Dependence of thermodynamic parameters on the Rabi splitting energy. Nanophotonics, 9(2), 249–255. https://doi.org/10.1515/nanoph-2019-0357

Banda, H., Damien, D., Nagarajan, K., Raj, A., Hariharan, M., & Shaijumon, M. M. (2017). Twisted perylene diimides with tunable redox properties for organic sodium-ion batteries. Advanced Energy Materials, 7(20), 1701316. https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201701316

Anamika | Polymer Materials | Women Researcher Award

Published on by Young Scientists Awards

Ms. Anamika | Polymer Materials | Women Researcher Award

Banaras Hindu University | India

Anamika is a dedicated and accomplished researcher in the field of chemistry, currently pursuing her PhD at the Department of Chemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. She completed her Master of Science in Physical Chemistry from the University of Allahabad with excellent academic performance and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry Honors from B M Memorial Degree College, Dr. Rammanohar Lohia Avadh University, Ayodhya. Anamika’s research focuses on the design and synthesis of functional monomers and their polymerization, particularly linear conjugated polymers and conjugated polymer networks for applications in optoelectronics, electrochromic devices, sensing, and photocatalysis. She has extensive experience with polymerization techniques including Kumada and Suzuki condensation, ATRP, and RAFT, and is proficient in characterizing materials through advanced instrumental techniques such as NMR, FTIR, XPS, UV-Vis spectroscopy, TCSPC, FESEM, TEM, AFM, and electrochemical analysis. Her work also involves electronic device fabrication, including photodetectors, OLEDs, and solar cells, alongside DFT studies to predict optoelectronic properties. Anamika has made significant scholarly contributions with multiple publications in reputed journals like ACS Applied Polymer Materials, Nanoscale Advances, and Catalysis Science & Technology, exploring photoluminescence, charge transfer, and functional applications of conjugated polymer networks. She has also presented her research at national and international conferences, including the European Polymer Congress. Recognized for her excellence, she has received prestigious fellowships such as the Senior Research Fellowship from the University Grants Commission and qualified the CSIR-NET for JRF with a notable all-India rank. Fluent in Hindi and English, Anamika combines rigorous research expertise with hands-on experience in modern chemistry techniques and device fabrication. Her work reflects a strong commitment to advancing functional polymer materials for sustainable technological applications, demonstrating innovation, academic excellence, and a dedication to contributing to the field of materials chemistry.

Featured Publications

Gupta, N., Nagar, M. R., Anamika, Gautam, P., Maiti, B., Jou, J. H., & Kuila, B. K. (2022). Triazine and thiophene-containing conjugated polymer network emitter-based solution-processable stable blue organic LEDs. ACS Applied Polymer Materials, 5(1), 130–140.

Anamika, Gupta, N., Sharma, D., Maurya, A., Kumar, A., Jou, J. H., & Kuila, B. K. (2025). Side-chain polarity-dependent photoluminescence and deep blue electroluminescence in fluorene-based conjugated polymer networks. ACS Applied Polymer Materials, 7(9), 5672–5683.

Anamika, Gupta, N., Maurya, A., & Kuila, B. K. (2025). Highly fluorescent conjugated polymer network as reversible and colorimetric probe for ultrafast detection of BF3 and amine. ACS Applied Polymer Materials, 7(4), 2584–2594.

Gupta, N., Anamika, Maurya, A., Hazra, S., Pal, B. N., & Kuila, B. K. (2025). Efficient photoinduced charge transfer between linear conjugated polymer and polymer network for light harvesting application. ACS Applied Polymer Materials, 7(10), 5874–5883.

Trehan, M., Malviya, U., Tiwari, A., Kumar, A., Anamika, & Bamal, R. (2025). Influence of vitamin D and calcium on the development of malocclusion: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Indian Orthodontic Society.