Soft Materials Research Lab
The Sharma Group
"Self-assembly and Soft Materials"
Our group studies materials that have complex microstructure and show rheological behaviour between those of crystalline solids and isotropic liquids. Materials belonging to this category are known as Soft materials and can be distinguished as (bio)-polymers, liquid crystals, proteins, colloids, and gels. Our studies involve self-assembly and dynamics of soft materials, combining it with different auxiliary functionalities like nanoparticles, covalent/metal organic frameworks, ionic liquids to achieve tailored hybrid and stimuli-responsive materials for sustainable chemistry and engineering. We combine some basic molecular synthesis with different microscopy (optical, fluorescence and electron), scattering (visible light, x-ray, and neutron), calorimetry, rheology and other tools to characterise these materials. We also use atomistic and coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to unravel the underlying mechanisms of microscopic phenomena, providing a deeper understanding of the structural, dynamic, and thermodynamic behaviors at molecular and mesoscale resolutions. Our work has a strong impetus towards fundamental understanding, however, applications are varied. The emergent properties of such soft-materials allow their applications in the fields of health, biosensing, biocatalysis, nanocomposites, clean air solutions for environment, and improves life quality.
Research Focus Areas
• Liquid-Crystal based biosensing
• Self-assembly of polyelectrolytes
• Sustainability by CO2 capture and mineralization
• Scaffold materials for bone and cartilage repairs
• Protein behaviour in crowded environments
• Simulations on polyelectrolytes and hybrid materials.
News/Upcoming Events:
Thrilled to share another breakthrough!
Congratulations to Shivalika Sharma and team on their latest publication in Macromolecules (2025) : “Protonation-Induced Liquid–Liquid Phase Separation and Solid-Like Structural Transformation in Amine-Functional Polyelectrolytes.”
A brilliant collaboration under the guidance of Prof. Kamendra P. Sharma and Prof. Arindam Chowdhury, uncovering how protonation drives liquid–liquid phase separation and transforms soft materials into solid-like architectures!
Proud moment for the group!
Congratulations to Lokesh and the team!
We are delighted to share our group’s latest achievement — a publication in ACS Applied Nano Materials titled “Polyelectrolyte-Assisted Hybrid Nanostructures from Self-Assembly of Graphene Oxide Sheets and Carbon Nanotubes.”
A proud accomplishment under the guidance of Prof. Kamendra P. Sharma and Prof. Ajay Singh Panwar.
Well done, Lokesh, for leading this exciting piece of work!
Prof. Sharma delivered an inspiring talk on “Polyethyleneimine: From Gene Transfection to Tissue Regeneration” at the Global Scientific Conference 2025, unveiling PEI’s remarkable journey — from a powerful DNA delivery vector to a versatile material in tissue engineering and regeneration.
Congratulations to Rikna for winning the Best Poster Award at the Global Scientific Conference (GSC 2025) organized by the American Chemical Society (ACS) at IIT Bombay! Your innovative work in biomaterials and tissue engineering continues to inspire and make us proud!
Heartiest congratulations to Dr. Anwesha Maity for successfully defending her Ph.D.!
Your hard work, dedication, and perseverance have truly paid off. We wish you the very best for your next chapter ahead!
