RN

Rahul Narayanan

SRM Institute of Science and Technology, University of illinois, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Mahatma Gandhi University, Fudan University, N.S.S.H.S.S. Kidangoor

ORCID iD 0000-0001-6291-0008
Follow

About

My research interest is to do mass spectrometry at ambient conditions, and we have developed a handheld battery-driven ambient ionization source as a part of my research work. Traditional methods of ionization in mass spectrometry require the demand of high vacuum. Instead, here we do ionization outside the mass spectrometer which is generally known as ambient ionization. There are a number of ambient ionization techniques in use since 2004. My study is about the paper spray, which requires a paper substrate and a high voltage power supply for molecular ionization. In my research work, I have modified the paper spray technique by introducing carbon nanotubes on it, and thereby I have succeeded in avoiding the high voltage power supply which is necessary for the normal paper spray ionization. This method is known as low voltage ionization. This technique has been implemented for the detection of various molecules as well as for other applications. Extension of this technique with other nanostructures has led us in getting anisotropy in molecular ionization by applying the same technique on a Te NWs coated paper. The extreme softness of this technique allowed us to look at various fragile coordination complex ions which are difficult to detect with normal techniques. We have also combined this technique with an electrochemical cell for the study of various electrochemical reactions of relevance. Another area of research that I explore is dropolet ion chemistry which emphasizes on the study of various industrially relevant time-consuming chemical reactions in microdroplet volume. This mainly involves the synthesis of drugs which normally require tedious reaction conditions and more time (hours to days) in bulk phase. The reaction time can be reduced to millisecond time scale by the confinement of chemical reagents in micron sized droplets. There is significant increment in the reaction rate and the research area is very much relevant in the synthesis of many industrially and biologically important systems. In addition, my research work on low voltage molecular ionization (Research publication1: Molecular Ionization from Carbon Nanotube Paper) had made significant revolution in the field of ambient ionization mass spectrometry and the work was rated as a “very important paper” by Angewandte Chemie International Edition. I have received international and national patent for this work and it has made a drastic change in the field of mass spectrometry and many research groups are exploring it at various directions. The summary of this work came out as a backside cover page in Angewandte Chemie International Edition and it got press release at various newspapers including “The Hindu”. Another work on this area (In situ monitoring of electrochemical reactions through CNT-assisted paper cell mass spectrometry) came out as an inside front cover page in Analyst and work has been rated as a very important work. I have attended many national and international conferences and workshops as a part of my research work and received best poster prize award in “17th CRSI National Symposium In Chemistry’’ held in Pune, 2015. Also I have received an independent post-doctoral fellowship from China Postdoctroral Science Foundation for my project proposal on droplet ion chemistry in 2019. I am experienced in mass spectrometric techniques involving various ambient ionization techniques which include paper spray (PS), electrospray ionization (ESI), and desorption electrospray ionization (DESI). I am experienced with a high-resolution linear ion trap quadrupole mass spectrometer (LTQ MS), and LTQ-orbitrap hybrid mass spectrometer. I have also gone through various instruments and their instrumentation, especially UV visible spe trometer, IR spectrometer, LC-MS, GC-MS, etc. during my research period.

Employment

  • SRM Institute of Science and Technology Research assistant professor
    2023 - Present
  • University of illinois Post-doctoral research associate
    2021 - Present
  • Fudan University Post-doctoral research associate
    2018 - 2020
  • Indian Institute of Technology Madras Project associate
    2017 - 2018
  • Indian Institute of Technology Madras Project associate
    2017 - 2017

Education

  • Indian Institute of Technology Madras PhD Student
    2012 - 2017
  • Mahatma Gandhi University M.Sc Analytical chemistry
    2008 - 2010
  • Mahatma Gandhi University B.Sc Chhemsitry
    2005 - 2008
  • N.S.S.H.S.S. Kidangoor Plus two
    2002 - 2004
  • N.S.S.H.S.S. Kidangoor SSLC
    1996 - 2002

Projects & Funding

Projects & funding information is unavailable.

Publications (22)