Research Projects

Since the discovery of graphene in 2004, there has been a paradigm shift in materials science, with 2D carbon-based systems taking center stage in electronics, energy, and sensing technologies. However, graphene’s lack of a bandgap and poor solubility restrict its use in semiconducting and optoelectronic applications. This has led to intense global focus on finite, structurally controlled nanographenoids (NGs) with tailored properties that bridge the gap between small molecules and bulk graphene. Among NGs, helically twisted π-systems are particularly appealing due to their unique chiral architecture, tunable electronic structure, and intrinsic optical activity. Yet, the synthesis of such systems remains synthetically challenging, and their integration into devices is still in the early stages globally. Moreover, circularly polarized luminescence (CPL)-active materials with long-lived emission lifetimes (afterglow) are rare but offer immense potential in time-gated security labelling, bioimaging, and data encryption—areas in urgent need of innovation. At present, most Indian efforts are focused on top-down approaches using commercially available graphene derivatives for composite or sensor applications. There are very few serious, indigenous efforts to synthesize π-extended NGs, let alone helically twisted systems with advanced photonic functions. This proposal thus seeks to fill a critical gap by launching an integrated research program offering a molecular-level, bottom-up approach rooted in original synthetic chemistry, with strong translational potential. The proposed project focuses on the design, synthesis, and application of functionally adaptive helical NGs displaying CPL, room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP), and thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF), to excel in emerging spintronic displays, quantum optics, and security technologies. These novel π-conjugated systems are engineered to enable enantioselective data encryption, CPL-organic light emitting diodes, and quantum photonic devices—areas that are central to next-generation technologies in information security, optoelectronics, and quantum science. The outcomes are expected to yield both high-impact scientific advancements and application-ready materials, strengthening India’s position in advanced functional materials and chiral photonic innovation. The novelty and uniqueness of this proposal are listed as follows. 1. Functionally adaptable NGs: Unlike traditional nanographenes, the proposed systems can be modularly tuned at both the core and periphery for desired photonic and electronic responses. 2. Simultaneous CPL, TADF, and RTP activity: Such multifunctional photonic behavior is rare and strategically valuable for time-resolved and polarization-sensitive technologies. 3. Integration into real-world platforms: Instead of remaining a purely academic study, the project explicitly targets device-level outcomes such as CPL-OLEDs and enantioselective security labels. 4. First-of-its-kind effort in India: While global leaders including Itami, Müllen, Martin, Campaña, and Li have advanced nanographene synthesis, no comprehensive indigenous program in India exists on chiral NGs with device-level photonic applications. 5. Collaborative Execution: The project brings together domain expertise from synthetic chemistry (PI, NCL), device engineering (Co-PI, NCL), and quantum photonics (Co-PI, IIT Ropar), ensuring interdisciplinary synergy. This project is timely, innovative, and highly relevant in the evolving global landscape of materials science and information technology. By synthesizing structurally versatile, photofunctional, and chiral nanographenes, and coupling them with application-driven collaborations, this research bridges fundamental molecular design and applied photonics. It is positioned to deliver both scholarly excellence and tangible socio-economic value, making it a compelling case for strategic research funding and national-level support.