The development of green technology offers numerous opportunities in response to the increasing global demand for a sustainable future. To ensure a secure and balanced progression in both ecological and economic areas, communities must actively engage in promoting sustainability. Recently, there has been a growing interest in creating more environmentally friendly and efficient solutions for developing sustainable materials. One of the most promising options for eco-friendly solutions in various industrial applications is polymeric membranes. As hybrid energy production methods gain traction, they utilize fewer environmental resources for energy generation. However, the development of sustainable materials faces several challenges, including the availability of natural resources and differing economic policies. Energy is the primary driver in the push towards a sustainable future. Membrane-based technologies are becoming increasingly vital for creating sustainable and environmentally friendly energy solutions. Compared to conventional methods, membrane-based separation techniques require less energy, produce fewer pollutants, and use fewer chemicals, which collectively contribute to a reduction in CO2 emissions and negative environmental impacts. This presentation will focus on research activities related to various design strategies for developing different polymers and the fabrication of membranes for diverse applications.
Prof. Dr. Susanta Banerjee received his M.Sc., M.Tech., and Ph.D. degrees from the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, India, in 1988, 1989, and 1993, respectively. He has been associated with IIT Kharagpur for over 20 years, during which he served as the head of the Materials Science Centre from May 2014 to May 2017. Currently, he holds the position of Institute Chair Professor and Chairperson of the Central Research Facility. Before joining IIT Kharagpur, Prof. Banerjee dedicated 14 years to working as a Scientist at the Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO) under the Government of India, as well as at the GE India Technology Centre (GEITC) in Bangalore. His research interests encompass the design of polymers and membranes for low-k applications, gas and liquid separation, all-solid polyelectrolytes for fuel cells, and polymers and carbon-dot-based nanomaterials for electroluminescent applications. He has successfully developed new polymers that exhibit high permeability and selectivity, guiding the advancement of new proton-conductive membranes for fuel cell applications. Prof. Banerjee holds eight granted patents as an inventor and is the author of twelve book chapters and one book titled "Handbook of Specialty Fluorinated Polymers: Preparation, Properties, and Applications," published by Elsevier. He has received numerous awards and honors, including the Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship, the Defence Technology Spin-off Award, the GE Management Award, the Materials Research Society of India (MRSI) Medal, and the title of Fellow of the West Bengal Academy of Science and Technology and the Prof. M. Santappa Memorial Award from the Society for Polymer Science India. For five consecutive years (2020-2024), he has been listed among the top 2 percent of most-cited polymer scientists, according to research released by Stanford University. Prof. Banerjee is known for his dedication to mentoring postgraduate students, having supervised 30 Ph.D. and 45 master's students. He has published more than 270 original research papers in peer-reviewed journals and has presented at numerous scientific conferences both in India and abroad. His projects at DRDO, GEITC, and IIT Kharagpur reflect his passion for promoting future sustainability.
The development of green technology offers numerous opportunities in response to the increasing global demand for a sustainable future. To ensure a secure and balanced progression in both ecological and economic areas, communities must actively engage in promoting sustainability. Recently, there has been a growing interest in creating more environmentally friendly and efficient solutions for developing sustainable materials. One of the most promising options for eco-friendly solutions in various industrial applications is polymeric membranes. As hybrid energy production methods gain traction, they utilize fewer environmental resources for energy generation. However, the development of sustainable materials faces several challenges, including the availability of natural resources and differing economic policies. Energy is the primary driver in the push towards a sustainable future. Membrane-based technologies are becoming increasingly vital for creating sustainable and environmentally friendly energy solutions. Compared to conventional methods, membrane-based separation techniques require less energy, produce fewer pollutants, and use fewer chemicals, which collectively contribute to a reduction in CO2 emissions and negative environmental impacts. This presentation will focus on research activities related to various design strategies for developing different polymers and the fabrication of membranes for diverse applications.
Prof. Dr. Susanta Banerjee received his M.Sc., M.Tech., and Ph.D. degrees from the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, India, in 1988, 1989, and 1993, respectively. He has been associated with IIT Kharagpur for over 20 years, during which he served as the head of the Materials Science Centre from May 2014 to May 2017. Currently, he holds the position of Institute Chair Professor and Chairperson of the Central Research Facility. Before joining IIT Kharagpur, Prof. Banerjee dedicated 14 years to working as a Scientist at the Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO) under the Government of India, as well as at the GE India Technology Centre (GEITC) in Bangalore. His research interests encompass the design of polymers and membranes for low-k applications, gas and liquid separation, all-solid polyelectrolytes for fuel cells, and polymers and carbon-dot-based nanomaterials for electroluminescent applications. He has successfully developed new polymers that exhibit high permeability and selectivity, guiding the advancement of new proton-conductive membranes for fuel cell applications. Prof. Banerjee holds eight granted patents as an inventor and is the author of twelve book chapters and one book titled "Handbook of Specialty Fluorinated Polymers: Preparation, Properties, and Applications," published by Elsevier. He has received numerous awards and honors, including the Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship, the Defence Technology Spin-off Award, the GE Management Award, the Materials Research Society of India (MRSI) Medal, and the title of Fellow of the West Bengal Academy of Science and Technology and the Prof. M. Santappa Memorial Award from the Society for Polymer Science India. For five consecutive years (2020-2024), he has been listed among the top 2 percent of most-cited polymer scientists, according to research released by Stanford University. Prof. Banerjee is known for his dedication to mentoring postgraduate students, having supervised 30 Ph.D. and 45 master's students. He has published more than 270 original research papers in peer-reviewed journals and has presented at numerous scientific conferences both in India and abroad. His projects at DRDO, GEITC, and IIT Kharagpur reflect his passion for promoting future sustainability.
