Vivek Polshettiwar
Profesor 'H'
Department of Chemical Sciences
Office
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B-131
Department of Chemical Sciences,
Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Colaba, Mumbai 400005, INDIA
Phone
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+91 022 2278 2792
Fax
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+91 22 2280 4610/4611
Email
:
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Academic Profile
Doctoral Degree
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PhD (Chemistry) 2005, DRDE, Gwalior (MP) India.
Postdoctoral Experience
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2005 – 2006, l'Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Montpellier (ENSCM) France.
Other Experience
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2007-2009 : ORISE Research Associate, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, USA.

2009-2010 : Visiting Researcher, LCOMS, Institut de Chimie de Lyon, France.

2009-2013 : Ass. Professor/Sr. Scientist, Catalysis Center, KAUST, Thuwal, KSA.

June 2013-June 2017 : Reader, Division of Chemical Sciences, TIFR, Mumbai.

July-2017- December 2022: Associate Professor, Division of Chemical Sciences, TIFR, Mumbai.

January 2023 - Till date: Professor, Division of Chemical Sciences, TIFR, Mumbai.
 
 
Group Page
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  • Current Research
  • Selected Publications
  • Awards

Prof. Vivek Polshettiwar’s NANOCAT group works on the development of novel nanomaterials for catalysis, solar energy harvesting, and CO2 capture-conversion to tackle “climate change”. They have developed next-generation nanocatalysts via the morphological control of nanomaterials, dendritic fibrous nanosilica (DFNS). The uniqueness of DFNS is its high surface area is produced by its fibrous structure instead of the formation of pores, making the large surface area easily accessible (Nature Protocol. 2019, 14, 2177-2204, Indian Patent Appl. 201621004089). DFNS is now being used for various applications, such as catalysis, photocatalysis, CO2 capture-conversion, RNA extraction from viruses, energy harvesting & storage, drug delivery, etc.

By using the techniques of nanotechnology, they have transformed DFNS based yellow gold to black gold by changing the size and gaps between gold nanoparticles. Similar to the real trees, the developed black gold acts like an artificial tree that uses CO2, sunlight, and water to produce fuel. This work on “Black (nano)Gold” is one-of-its-kind and a way forward to develop “Artificial Trees” which captures and converts CO2 to fuel and useful chemicals and CO2 may then become our main source of clean energy (Chemical Science, 2019, 10, 6694-6603, Indian Patent Appl. 202021001441).

His group also showed that “Defects in DFNS” convert CO2 to fuel with excellent productivity and selectivity (an entirely new concept in the field). Neither metal nor complex organic ligands were required, and the defect alone acted as catalytic sites. Surprisingly, the catalytic activity for methane production increased significantly after every regeneration cycle, which they explained by a detailed mechanistic study. (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A 2020, 117, 6383-6390, Indian Patent Appl. 202021001440).

They also developed “Acidic Amorphous Aluminosilicates (AAS)”, which possess Brønsted acidic sites like in zeolites and porous textural properties and were used for catalysis, plastic degradation and CO2 to fuel conversion. Conventional and DNP-enhanced SS NMR provided a molecular-level understanding of these materials (Nature Commun. 2020, 11, 3828, Indian Patent Appl. 202021040554.).

Their work on “Capturing CO2 before its Release” using lithium silicates nanosheets with excellent capture capacity, kinetics and stability can provide a novel path to capture CO2 inside the reactor itself and stopping their release to the environment (Chem. Sci., 2021, 12, 4825, Indian Patent Appl. 202021008717).

Recently they showed that "Bubble the Air in Water with a pinch of Magnesium and you will get Fuel (methane, hydrogen) and green cement". No heat, electricity, or light energy was required; simply the use of water and magnesium in just a few minutes. This protocol can even be used for hydrogen production (940 liter per kg of Mg), which is nearly 420 times more than hydrogen produced by the reaction of Mg with water alone (2.24 liter per kg of Mg). (Chem. Sci., 2021, 12, 5774, PCT App. No. PCT/IN2020/50458).

Prof. Polshettiwar’s group has developed their own research field on “Fibrous Nanosilica based Catalysis” and more than 150 groups worldwide are now working in the field that Vivek started. This is one of the very few examples of such widespread use of material invented by Indian researchers. In addition to fundamental research on DFNS, group is also trying to commercialize it with the help of industries to create a real societal impact of his research; a step towards “Atmanirbhar Bharat”.

Nanocat group’s work is recently summarized in Acc. Chem. Res.  2022, 55, 1395–1410.

More details about the group’s research is at https://www.nanocat.co.in/

  • Dendritic Fibrous Nano-Silica (DFNS): Discovery, Synthesis, Formation Mechanism, Catalysis, and CO2 Capture-Conversion. Vivek Polshettiwar* ACS Accounts of Chemical Research, 2022, 55, 1395–1410.
  • Direct CO2 Conversion to Fuels on Magnesium Nanoparticles at Ambient Conditions Simply Using Water. S. A. Rawool, R. Belgamwar, R. Jana, A. Maity, A. Bhumla, N. Yigit, A. Datta, G. Rupprechter, Vivek Polshettiwar* Chemical Science, 2021, 12, 5774-5786.
  • Lithium Silicates Nanosheets with Excellent Capture Capacity and Kinetics with Unprecedented Stability for High-Temperature CO2 Capture. Rajesh Belgamwar, Ayan Maity, Tisita Das, Sudip Chakraborty, C. P. Vinod, Vivek Polshettiwar* Chemical Science, 2021, 12, 4825-4835.
  • Catalytic Nanosponges of Acidic Aluminosilicates for Plastic Degradation and CO2 to Fuel Conversion. Ayan Maity, Sachin Chaudhari, Jeremy J. Titman, Vivek Polshettiwar* Nature Communications 2020, 11, Article number: 3828.
  • Defects in Nanosilica Catalytically Convert CO2 to Methane without Any Metal and Ligand. Amit K. Mishra, Rajesh Belgamwar, Rajkumar Jana, Ayan Datta, and Vivek Polshettiwar* Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A 2020, 117, 6383-6390.
  • Plasmonic Colloidosomes of Black Gold for Solar Energy Harvesting and Hotspots Directed Catalysis for CO2 to Fuel Conversion. M. Dhiman, A. Maity, A, Das, R. Belgamwar, B. Chalke, Y. Lee, Kyunjong Sim, Jwa-Min Nam and Vivek Polshettiwar* Chemical Science, 2019, 10, 6594-6603.
  • Facile Synthesis Protocol to Tune Size, Textural Properties & Fiber Density of Dendritic Fibrous Nanosilica (DFNS): Applications in Catalysis and CO2 Capture. A. Maity, R. Belgamwar, Vivek Polshettiwar*, Nature Protocol, 2019, 14, 2177-2204.
  • Scalable and Sustainable Synthesis of Size Controlled Monodisperse DFNS Quantified by E-Factor. Ayan Maity, Vivek Polshettiwar,* ACS Applied Nanomaterials, 2018, 1, 3636-3643.
  • Unraveling the Formation Mechanism of Dendritic Fibrous Nanosilica. Ayan Maity, A. Das, D. Sen, S. Mazumder, Vivek Polshettiwar*, Langmuir, 2017, 33, 13774-13782.
  • Atomic Layer Deposited (ALD) TiO2 on Fibrous Nano-Silica (KCC-1) for Photocatalysis: Nanoparticle Formation and Size Quantization Effect. Rustam Singh, Rudheer Bapat, L. Quen, H. Feng,* and Vivek Polshettiwar* ACS Catalysis 2016, 6, 2770−2784.
  • Design of CO2 Sorbents using Functionalized Fibrous Nanosilica (KCC-1): Insights into the Effect of the Silica Morphology (KCC-1 vs MCM-41). Baljeet Singh and Vivek Polshettiwar* J. Mat. Chem. A. 2016, 4, 7005-7019.
  • SBA-15-Oxynitrides as a Solid-Base Catalyst: Effect of Nitridation Temperature on Catalytic Activity. Baljeet Singh, K. R. Mote, C. S. Gopinath, P. K. Madhu,* Vivek Polshettiwar*, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2015, 54, 5985-5989.
  • Insights Into the Catalytic Activity of Nitridated Fibrous Silica (KCC-1) Nanocatalysts from 15N and 29Si NMR Enhanced by Dynamic Nuclear Polarization. A. S. L. Thankamony, C. Lion, F. Pourpoint, B. Singh, A. J. Perez Linde, D. Carnevale, G. Bodenhausen, H. Vezin, Olivier Lafon,* Vivek Polshettiwar* Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2015, 54, 2190-2193.
Please visit for updated list https://www.nanocat.co.in/articles.html
2022
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CHEMRAWN VII Prize by The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC)
2022
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National Prize for Research on Environmental Chemistry, including CO2 reduction and Green Hydrogen by CNR Rao Foundation, JNCASR, Bangalore.
2022
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Appeared in World’s Top-2% (Top-1%) List in Chemistry
2021
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Advisory Board Member, Wiley Chemistry Select
2021
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Advisory Board Member, RSC Materials Horizons
2021
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Silver Medal by Society for Materials Chemistry (SMC), BARC, Mumbai.
2021
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Selected as a Fellow under "The (Late) Shri. G. D. Gokhale Lectureship Endowment” by ICT, Mumbai
2020
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Elected as a Fellow National Academy of Sciences, India (NASI)
2020
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Young Career Award in Nano Science & Technology by Department of Science & Technology, Gov. India
2020
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Prof. S. S. Sandhu Award, by Indian Chemical Society
2020-2022
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Early Carrier Advisory Board Member, ACS Materials Letters
2020
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Member of International Advisory Board, Journal of the Indian Chemical Society
2019
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Fellow Maharashtra Academy of Sciences
2019
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Fellow Chemical Society of India
2019
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Materials Research Society of India (MRSI) Medal
2017
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Prof. B.D. Tilak Distinguished Lectureship.
2017
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Prof. A. V. Karnik Endowment Lecture
2017
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Associate Fellow of Asia-Pacific Academy of Materials (APAM)
2017
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Chemical Research Society of India (CRSI) Bronze Medal
2017
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Selected as a fully funded participant in Royal Society’s Commonwealth Science Conference 2017, Singapore, under “Established Scientists” category
2016
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Emerging Investigator by RSC J. Mat. Chem. A
2015
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Fellow of Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC), United Kingdom
2015
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Selected as one of the 175 Faces of Chemistry Worldwide by Royal Society of Chemistry
2015
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Award Membership by the American Chemical Society (ACS)A
2014
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Young Associate of Maharashtra Academy of Sciences (MASc)
2013
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Member of Global Young Academy (GYA)
2013
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“Asian Rising Stars” at 15th Asian Chemical Congress (ACC), Singapore, from Nobel Laureate Professor Ei-ichi Negish
2012
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Top 25 Cited Authors in Tetrahedron in 2010-2011.
2012
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Young Scientist Award (at DSL 2012, in Special Session of Nanomaterials Synthesis, Characterization, Modeling and Applications, sponsored by Springer Verlag GmbH, Germany)
2009
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Scientific and Technology Achievement Award (Special Mention) (for exceptional technical achievement in green chemistry, by US-EPA) .
Please visit for updated list https://www.nanocat.co.in/prof-vivek-polshettiwar.html