• Scientist C., SCTIMST, Poojappura, Thiruvananthapuram
• Teaching: Amrita Viswa Vidyapeetam, Bangalore, Govt. Women’s College, Thiruvananthapuram , NICHE, Thuckalay

Education

• PDF UMDNJ, Robertwood Johnson Medical School /Rutgers University, New Jersy, USA
• PDF Raman Research Institute, Bangalore
• Ph.D. (Chemistry) NIIST (Regional Research Laboratory, RRL), Thiruvananthapuram.
• M.Sc. (Chemistry) M. S. University, Tirunelveli.

Joined IIST during February 2009

February 2009- December 2013: Assistant Professor

January 2014-December 2020: Associate Professor

January 2021 onwards: Professor

 Served as Head of the Department, Chemistry: January 2022-December 2024

Played a pivotal role in building the Chemistry department Labs of IIST during the initial years.

Chairperson of Swachh Bharath Abhiyaan Implementation Committee from 2024 onwards

Chairperson of Cultural Committee of IIST from 2024 onwards

LIfe Member

Socitey of Polymer Science India,

Materials Research Society of India (Executive Member)

Teaching Interest

 Materials and methods for Sustainable Energy

Materials Characterization Techniques

Nanoscience & Technology

Area of Interest

Research Interests/Focus:

Synthesis of nanomaterials/structures or select/modify existing 2D materials to nanomaterials for electrochemical (EC) sensing, photocatalysis, and energy storage- supercapacitors and electrodes for battery applications.

EC sensors are attractive because of their remarkable detectability, fast response experimental simplicity, portability, and low cost. Our focus is on the detection and quantification of biomolecules, biomarkers for disease diagnosis, and toxic heavy metal ions (HMIs)/chemicals that pollute water. 

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have the highest energy density among all the secondary battery systems. Nevertheless, current LIB technology is not sufficient to meet the requirements of the future, which demands and requires high performance/large-scale energy storage, and hence, there is a demand for better electrode materials with higher capacity.

Photocatalysis is a green and sustainable method that makes use of semiconductor materials to photodegrade pollutants in water using sunlight. Our interest has been in Titanium dioxide-based materials and modifying TiO2 for better performance.

Material science has a vital role to play in the performance of these methods. In our work, we use chemistry and the advantage of nanomaterials to enhance the efficiency of the methods. 

Patents

1. K. Y. Sandhya*, Mohamed Mukthar Ali, Water soluble complex of fullerenes and process for preparartion, thereof – Patent Awarded in 2017.

License number-299379

Book Chapters

1.  K. Y. Sandhya, A Saritha, Kuruvilla Joseph, Liquid Crystalline Polymers from Renewable Resources: Synthesis and Properties 2016 (Springer) Liquid Crystalline Polymers p273-306.

 2.  KY Sandhya, CKS Pillai, Liquid Crystalline Polymers and Molecules Derived from Cardanol, A Natural Phenol Derivative: A Summary Cashew Nut Shell Liquid, 2017, p93- 108.

My Citations: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=Rv6oi1sAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate

Ph.D. Student Details:

Awarded:
1. Muhammed Mukthar Ali:  Titanium dioxide based Materials for Photocatalysis-2016
2. R. Aswathi Nair: Materials for Electrochemical Sensors & Energy Storage-2018

3. Arya Nair J. S.-2D Materials for Electrochemical Sensors & Environmental Applications

4. Saisree, S. -Graphene Quantum Dot And Metal Nanocluster-Based Nano Functional Materials For Electrochemical Sensing Applications

Ongoing:

1.      Dhrishya, V., Boron nitride-based electrochemical Sensors

2.      Archana, V.S., Photocatalytic materials

3.      Arya S. Nair, Electrochemical sensors for biomarkers and disease diagnostics

4.      Elsa Dais, Supercapacitor materials and Capacitive deionization

5.      Jency, J., Supercapacitor materials

6.      Aparna Vijayakumar, Photocatalysis and Hydrogen evolution reaction

B.Tech/M.Tech Projects

1. Anurudha Shukla (BTech): TiO2-carbon-based composites for dye-sensitized solar cells.

2. Dhanya, C. (ISRO) Corrosion Studies of Copper in the presence of Sulfur and its prevention in collaboration with VSSC

3. Vijendra Kumar (ISRO): Super hydrophobic materials based on polyurethane for coating applications in Collaboration with VSSC.
4. Srinivas Pandey (ISRO)-Nanocomposites

5. Meghana-Polymer composites

6. Chirag-Electrochemical energy storage-Supercapacitors

7. Sourabh Suryavanshi-Water remediation materials

8. Sandip Kumar-Water remediation materials

9. Gaurav Meena -EC sensing of Graphene quantum dot-Copper Nanocluster

9. Kirneshwar, V. -EC sensing materials

Internships:

Supervised 35 + IIST and other Institutes/Universities/Colleges interns