FeCl3/KOH two steps activated biocarbon with hierarchical porosity and oxygen-rich for enhanced supercapacitor applications Amadou Belal Gueye, Sam John, Martin George Thomas, Jephin K. Jose, Modou Fall, Manoj Balachandran, Sabu Thomas Biomass and Bioenergy, 2026 Biomass waste derived from jackfruit ( Artocarpus heterophyllus ) cores is used to fabricate hierarchical porous activated carbon through chemical activation with Iron(III) chloride (FeCl 3 ) and potassium hydroxide (KOH). Jackfruit is an abundant agricultural by-product in tropical regions, including India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. The activated carbon derived from jackfruit provides a sustainable, low-cost, and high-performance alternative to conventional carbon materials for supercapacitors, thereby aligning with waste valorisation strategies. The prepared carbon displays hierarchical porous structures of both micro and mesopore architectures. They are amorphous and contain functional oxygen groups, as confirmed by X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). A high surface area (1251m 2 g −1 ) was obtained via Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis. The electrochemical performances, via cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and galvanostatic charge/discharge (GCD) show high specific capacitance of 310 F g −1 at 0.8 A g −1 from GCD, 331 F g −1 at 10 mV s −1 from CV, and a charge transfer resistance of 0.1410 Ω cm 2 , in three electrode configuration and showing good cycling stability of 87% over 2500 cycles. These results suggest that the activated carbon offers potential application in low-cost and renewable production of carbon materials for supercapacitors applications. • Jackfruit-derived activated carbon was prepared by two steps chemical activation process using FeCl 3 /KOH. • O-doped hierarchical porous activated carbon (1251 m 2 g −1 ) was fabricated. • The two-step activated carbon exhibited a specific capacitance of 310 F g −1 at 0.8 A g −1 . • High energy (19.12 Wh·kg −1 ) and power (5296.15 W kg −1 ) densities were obtained. • Cycling stability over 2500 cycles was assessed using GCD, with 87 % of capacitance retention.
Monovalent Cation Doping in Cesium Bismuth Bromide Perovskites: Insights into Structure–Property Correlation Fency Sunny, Sam John, Priyakumari Chakkingal Parambil, Nandakumar Kalarikkal, Subila Kurukkal Balakrishnan Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 2026 All-inorganic halide perovskites have emerged as promising candidates for optoelectronic applications with tunable properties. Doping with monovalent alkali metals in perovskites has been proven to be effective in modulating the physical and optical properties. Herein, a lead-free layered cesium bismuth bromide, Cs 3 Bi 2 Br 9, perovskite is doped with potassium, wherein the lower dopant level transpires as a substitutional and the higher level as an interstitial dopant, and the structural, morphological, optical, and electronic modifications are systemically investigated. The structural characterization through XRD analysis specifically revealed anisotropic lattice distortion on doping with a monovalent cation, leading to a conspicuous shift in the (003) plane. The morphology was tuned from hexagonal to rectangular sheets at the optimal dopant concentration. Incorporation of the potassium dopant also reduced the bandgap and increased the photoluminescence quantum yield by 40%. The conductivity of the doped samples showed a considerable increase by 37%. DFT analysis cohesively provided the impact of potassium doping on the electronic states of Cs 3 Bi 2 Br 9, effectively raising the Fermi level and increasing the charge carrier concentration, clearly elucidating the experimental observations. The study provides an integrated view on the impact of monovalent cation doping in lead-free bismuth halide perovskites, underscoring piloted property tuning with potential applications in optoelectronic devices.
MoS2-Scaffolded CsPbBr3Hybrids: In Situ Synthesis and Interfacial Charge Transfer Dynamics Linda Maria Varghese, Fency Sunny, Gaurav Jhaa, Sam John, Nandakumar Kalarikkal, Priyakumari Chakkingal Parambil, Subila Kurukkal Balakrishnan Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 2026 The integration of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides with halide perovskites offers a promising approach to tailoring interfacial charge transfer for optoelectronic and energy applications. MoS2-scaffolded CsPbBr3 hybrids were synthesized via in situ hot-injection, where PbBr2 directed CsPbBr3 nucleation upon Cs-oleate injection, enabling nanocrystals to grow directly on the exfoliated MoS2 layers and promoting quasi-type-II heterojunctions. Unlike physical mixing, which showed negligible interaction, in situ incorporation led to strong photoluminescence quenching and efficient charge transfer. XRD, FESEM, and TEM spectroscopy confirmed the coexistence of CsPbBr3 and MoS2 phases and embedded nanocrystals. Femtosecond transient absorption (fs-TA) spectroscopy revealed ultrafast charge transfer in the hybrids, with a fast component lifetime (τ1) decreasing from 14.77 ps in pristine CsPbBr3 to 8.50 ps in CsPbBr3@1T/2H-MoS2, corresponding to an electron transfer rate of 4.99 × 1010 s–1; notably, a slower decay component (τ2 = 47.90 ps) appeared only in the hybrids, reflecting interfacial electron relaxation and efficient carrier separation. Electrochemical studies demonstrated enhanced interfacial charge transport and low resistance, confirming effective electronic coupling. DFT calculations indicated stronger PbBr2–MoS2 interactions (−26.8 kcal/cell) than CsBr-terminated surfaces (−24.1 kcal/cell), favoring uniform nucleation and intimate interfaces. Together, these results highlight the critical role of in situ interfacial engineering in achieving high-performance CsPbBr3/MoS2 heterostructures.
Revolutionising energy storage: Acoustic modulated flame pyrolysis of sesame oil for enhanced electrocapacitive carbon NanoOnions Savitha K.U, Jayakrishnan B, Sam John, Vinayakan R, Dhanya S, Jayaprabha K.N, Anoop Kumar S Next Materials, 2026 This work presents a cost-effective synthesis method for Carbon Nano Onions (CNOs) by combining flame pyrolysis of sesame oil with acoustic modulation at 432 Hz. XRD and Raman spectra confirm CNO formation. The introduction of acoustic waves serves to influence flame dynamics and carbon nucleation behaviour, promoting desirable structural changes in the resulting CNOs. Structural analysis confirms that acoustic modulation enhances particle sphericity, increases homogeneity, and reduces average particle diameter to 30.54 nm. Cyclic voltametric analysis demonstrated a significant performance enhancement: the specific capacitance at a scan rate of 0.1 V increased from 158 F/g for the unmodulated sample to a remarkable 245 F/g for the acoustically modulated CNOs. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) further supported this, with the modulated CNOs showing a near-vertical plot in the low-frequency region. The GCD analysis shows good cycling stability with 60 % columbic efficiency. This study successfully demonstrates a sustainable and controllable route for CNO fabrication, opening new avenues for advancing robust, high-performance energy storage technologies.
Alkaline-Based Electrolytes’ Impact on MXene-Bismuth Titanate's Capacitive Behavior as an Electrode Material for Energy Storage Applications Anna M. Abraham, Justin J. Kappen, Sreelakshmi Rajeevan, Sam John, Soney C. George Chemistryselect, 2025 MXenes exhibit exceptional capacitive performance due to their layered structure, high electrical conductivity, and large surface area. Their surface functional groups further facilitate rapid, reversible redox reactions, thereby enhancing pseudocapacitive behavior. In this study, a composite electrode material composed of MXene and Bismuth Titanate in a 95:5 ratio (MB5) was synthesized and evaluated under three aqueous electrolytic conditions: 1 M potassium hydroxide (KOH), 1 M Na 2 SO 4 , and a mixed 1 M KOH + 1 M Na 2 SO 4 solution. Electrochemical characterization using cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge–discharge (GCD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) revealed a hybrid charge storage mechanism involving both electric double‐layer capacitance and pseudocapacitance. Among the tested electrolytes, 1 M KOH exhibited the most favorable performance, with quasi‐rectangular CV profiles, high specific capacitance values, and low charge‐transfer resistance, indicating rapid ion transport and excellent reversibility. The mixed electrolyte showed synergistic behavior, improving ion diffusion and interfacial stability, while Na 2 SO 4 offered moderate performance with stable but lower capacitance. These results underscore the role of electrolyte composition in tuning electrochemical response and highlight the MB5 composite as a promising candidate for high‐power‐density supercapacitor applications, particularly in alkaline environments.
Therapeutic profiling of Thespesia populnea seed acetone extract: A mangrove-associated source of antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities James Baben George, Neethu Cyril, Variyattel Paulose Sylas, Laigi Joseph, Bebeto G. Nair, M. S. Sreejith Chemija, 2025 The seeds of Thespesia populnea, a mangrove-associated plant, remain understudied despite their potential bioactivity. Among various extracts, the acetone extract showed the highest polyphenol (186.13 ± 0.06 mg GAE/g) and flavonoid (475.71 ± 8.08 mg QE/g) contents. Antioxidant assays demonstrated a significant free radical scavenging activity. It exhibited strong antimicrobial effects, with inhibition zones of 16–18 mm against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and MIC values of 28 µg/mL (Candida albicans) and 51 µg/mL (Aspergillus niger). The MTT assay revealed selective cytotoxicity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells (IC50 = 76.8 ± 2.1 µg/mL) over L929 normal fibroblasts (IC50 = 286.34 ± 1.8 µg/mL). GC–MS and FTIR analyses confirmed the presence of bioactive phytochemicals responsible for these effects. This is the first comprehensive report highlighting the antioxidant, antimicrobial and anticancer potential of T. populnea seed extract, supporting its relevance as a promising natural candidate for biomedical applications.
Biogenic Silver and Gold Nanoparticles Capped by Thespesia populnea Metabolites: Catalytic Reduction and Antibacterial Potency James Baben George, Neethu Cyril, Remya Radhamony, V P Sylas, Pramod Kumar N, M S Sreejith, Sam John Chemistryselect, 2025 Green synthesis of metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) using plant resources offers a sustainable and biocompatible alternative to conventional methods. In this study, silver (AgNPs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were synthesized using aqueous seed‐kernel extract of Thespesia populnea (TPK), which acted as both reducing and stabilizing agents. The nanoparticles were characterized by UV–vis, FTIR, XRD, HRTEM, and SAED, confirming their crystalline nature. TEM revealed predominantly spherical particles with mean sizes of 11.2 ± 7.5 nm (AgNP‐TPK) and 5.2 ± 1.5 nm (AuNP‐TPK). DLS and zeta potential analyses showed stable colloids with Z‐average sizes of 23.2 ± 4.2 nm (AgNP‐TPK) and 12.4 ± 1.5 nm (AuNP‐TPK) and high negative surface charges (–34.7 and –29.8 mV, respectively). Functionally, AuNP‐TPK exhibited outstanding catalytic activity for the reduction of methyl orange and 4‐nitrophenol, following pseudo‐first‐order kinetics, while AgNP‐TPK showed strong antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli , Klebsiella pneumoniae , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , and Staphylococcus aureus . These results highlight the novelty of using TPK extract to produce highly stable, dual‐functional nanoparticles, demonstrating their promise for sustainable applications in catalysis, antimicrobial treatments, and environmental remediation.
Theoretical and electrochemical studies on the effect of substitution on 1, 2, 4- triazole towards mild steel corrosion inhibition in hydrochloric acid Indian Journal of Chemical Technology, 2012
Spectrophotometric determination of osmium(VIII) in trace amounts using ethylene thiourea (ETU) as chromogenic reagent Indian Journal of Chemical Technology, 2011
Inhibition of mild steel corrosion in 1 M hydrochloric acid using (E)-4-(2- chlorobenzylideneamino)-6-methyl-3-thioxo-3,4-dihydro-1,2,4-triazin-5(2H)-one (CBMTDT) Indian Journal of Chemical Technology, 2010
Imidazolidine-2-thione as corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in hydrochloric acid Indian Journal of Chemical Technology, 2010