Our group uses the techniques of density functional theory to understand why the properties of matter change at the nanoscale. This understanding is then leveraged to design novel nanomaterials designed for specific applications.

Density functional theory: This is a very powerful computational technique for solving the quantum many body problem  'ab initio' or from  'first principles'. The only empirical input to the calculation is atomic numbers and atomic masses. For developing this technique, Walter Kohn was given the Nobel Prize in 1998.

• Just as in other more complex organisms, sleep is modulated both by the circadian clock and sleep homoestatic mechanisms even in flies.

Hydrogen, having largest energy density over any other fuel in the world, came up as a rising star towards the replacement of diminishing fossil fuel because of not only its broad application as fuel in renewable energy sources but also the ease to produce.

Electrochemical water-splitting has been considered as one of the most promising approaches to store renewable electricity in the form of hydrogen fuel. Hydrogen can be generated in a water electrolyzer consisting of a hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) cathode and an oxygen evolution reaction (OER) anode. However, due to the distinctly different catalytic mechanisms, active HER catalysts are often found to be poor OER catalysts, and vice versa. The current benchmark electrolyzer utilizes Pt-based cathode and RuO₂/IrO₂ anodes to expedite HER and OER, respectively.

Power production from combustion of fossil fuels releases CO