Supramolecular and Life-Like Systems Lab
Department of Chemical Sciences
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Berhampur
Odisha, India
Life-Like Soft Materials and Systems
Most synthetic materials are designed to exist in a stable state and perform a predefined function. Living systems, however, operate on fundamentally different principles. Living systems operate far from equilibrium, continuously consuming energy to adapt, communicate, and generate emergent behaviour. A central question in materials science is therefore how these characteristics of living systems can be translated into synthetic materials. In this research programme, we aim to uncover and implement the fundamental principles underlying such behaviour in living systems by developing redox-driven and enzyme-mediated chemical reaction networks and integrating them with polymeric and self-assembled systems. Through this approach, we seek to create soft materials capable of autonomous operation, adaptation, communication, temporal regulation, and emergent behaviour.
Functional Organic Materials via Supramolecular
Polymerization
Supramolecular polymers are dynamic, non-covalent coumterparts of conventional polymers. Their reversible interactions enable adaptive and stimuli-responsive behaviour, but also make it challenging to control features such as morphology, topology, sequence, and dispersity with the precision routinely achieved in covalent polymer chemistry. In this context, the bottom-up self-assembly of π-conjugated molecules through supramolecular polymerization offers exciting opportunities for the programmable fabrication of functional organic materials. Our research aims to understand how molecular-level supramolecular engineering can be used to control the structure, morphology, topology, and dispersity of supramolecular polymers. We seek to establish fundamental structure–assembly–function relationships and use this understanding to develop advanced supramolecular materials with tailored optical, electronic, and catalytic properties.
Research Mission and DirectionsÂ