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Avneesh Kumar

Muroran Institute of Technology, Technische Universität Darmstadt Fachbereich Chemie, Max-Planck-Institut für Polymerforschung, Pukyong National University

ORCID iD 0000-0002-1258-0933
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About

Prof. Avneesh Kumar was born in Uttar Pradesh, India, and earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Mainz, Germany, under the supervision of the renowned polymer scientist Klaus Müllen. He currently serves as a Research Professor at Pukyong National University and maintains research affiliations with Muroran Institute of Technology and Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research. His interdisciplinary research spans the design and engineering of one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) functional nanomaterials, encompassing both polymeric and non-polymeric systems for advanced energy, environmental, and biomedical technologies.

Among his notable scientific contributions is the development of a new class of hybrid proton-conducting copolymers, termed SulPhos polymers, which integrate sulfonated and phosphonated domains within a single macromolecular framework. This work established the concept of “cooperative proton conductivity,” wherein distinct proton-transport mechanisms—vehicular transport within sulfonated domains and Grotthuss-type hopping through phosphonated domains—operate synergistically to achieve enhanced proton conduction under low-humidity and anhydrous conditions. Published in Journal of Materials Chemistry A (2020, 8, 22632–22636), this pioneering concept has stimulated subsequent international efforts toward the development of next-generation proton exchange materials capable of operating beyond the limitations of conventional hydrated systems.

In the field of two-dimensional materials, Prof. Kumar has pioneered synthetic strategies for the controlled fabrication of anisotropic phosphorene nanostructures, including nanoribbons and nanoneedles with tunable dimensions and morphologies. These advances have enabled the systematic exploration of structure–property relationships and anisotropy-dependent device functionalities. He further demonstrated the integration of phosphorene nanosheets within stimuli-responsive polypeptide architectures, resulting in hybrid nanoplatforms with enhanced stability and sensing performance. These studies established new directions for the application of 2D materials in chemical and biological sensing and have contributed significantly to the broader understanding of nano–bio interfaces and functional nanomaterial design (ACS Applied Nano Materials, 2019, 2, 2397–2404; Journal of Materials Research, 2020, 35, 141–152).

Through his contributions to proton-conducting polymers and low-dimensional nanomaterials, Prof. Kumar has advanced fundamental understanding in materials chemistry while creating innovative platforms for sustainable energy conversion, sensing technologies, and bioinspired functional materials.

Employment

  • Muroran Institute of Technology Visiting Faculty/Scientist
    2019 - Present
  • Technische Universität Darmstadt Fachbereich Chemie Scientist
    2011 - Present
  • Pukyong National University (Research) Professor

Education

  • Max-Planck-Institut für Polymerforschung PhD
    2007 - 2011

Projects & Funding

Projects & funding information is unavailable.

Publications (26)