The overall focus of the group relates to
materials science and engineering of sol-gel-derived
systems. This group's focus is more towards applied
aspects, where the
ultimate relevance and success of a project is gauged
in terms of its workability and practical utility.
The
sol-gel group is an eclectic research group. As such,
we devote our time designing novel materials and devices
that can find utility in several areas of pure and
applied
science.
We focus on rational design and development of novel
molecular materials and devices based on a systematic
evaluation of desired biological, chemical, and
engineering requirements. These needs can only
be satisfied if the molecular entities can be modified
into advanced materials. An approach to utilize molecules
for technological applications is via structural organization
in a solid state sol-gel framework. This method of
integration
into a structural matrix that retains the rigidity,
addressability, and stability provides a technologically
feasible approach for using different molecules including
biomolecules such as proteins and enzymes in device
applications. Using the sol-gel method of integration,
a designer approach that employs specific molecules
for specific applications can be pursued. Such an approach
is quite unique and enables us to tailor and engineer
the properties of a material. More importantly, it
also
provides means to design devices from a molecular perspective.
The principal goals of this research are 1) to design
materials with novel structural, functional, and operational
responses, and 2) to generate these responses by using
molecular chemistry approaches. This research is quite
interdisciplinary and encompasses both fundamental as
well as applied aspects. Based on this approach,
we have been able to desing new materials with applications
in areas such as molecular electronics and photonics,
biocatalysis, biomedical device technology, drug delivery,
biocompatible tissue engineering, analytical separation,
molecular recognition, intelligent systems processing,
and robotics. These materials will ultimately be the
building blocks for the next generation of smart materials
to be used in sensor-, transducer-, and actuator-device
technology.
The ability to sense, respond, and
adapt to environmental stimuli are the basic requirements
of intelligent materials. The properties of the sol-gels
can be engineered molecularly and the strategies currently
being pursued in our work will ultimately yield materials
that will be capable of performing all the essential functions
of an intelligent system such as sensing, signal transduction,
and actuation. In the long-range, the methods pursued
in this research will enable design of materials and devices
with a molecularly programmed intelligence.
For design of advanced materials, the advantage
of using sol-gel derived glasses is that the parent SiO2
material is structurally inert, functionally inactive,
and operationally nonresponsive. Additionally, the sol-gel
process begins from molecular precursors, and a chemical
modification of the product materials is feasible. Moreover,
it is also possible to prepare multicomponent systems
by mixing more than one precursors. Therefore, by selectively
integrating specific response-active entities into the
glass, it is possible to introduce desired structural,
functional, and operational properties in a modular fashion.
This structural-functional-operational modularity allows
a sequential modification of the parent material and facilitates
rational design of new advanced materials with control
of their physical, mechanical, and functional properties.
