Associate Professor
Balaji Iyer
CHE- 104
···
Research Lab: CHE -210
PhD: Ph.D, IIT Bombay
Research Interests: Polymers, Rheology, Nanocomposites, Genomics, Biomimetics
“Exploring soft matter using hard science – Building sophisticated computational tools for probing structure and properties of complex multicomponent systems”
Research Overview
Physical and chemical properties of multicomponent systems depend on the underlying microstructure and hierarchy of interactions associated with the constituents of the system. Our research is focused on developing tools to study the intricate connection between hierarchical structure, interactions, and the resulting material properties in soft matter systems.
Research Highlights
Polymers Near Interfaces
We develop theoretical frameworks and coarse-grained computer simulations for studying structure and rheology of polymers near interfaces. The frameworks and simulations are developed using scaling concepts and models from molecular theory of viscoelasticity.
Rheology of Multicomponent Systems
We study structure-rheological property relationships in multicomponent systems with interactions spanning multiple length and time scales. The studies are employed for designing mechanomutable and anisotropic materials.
Computation Design of Nanocomposites
We employ concepts from polymer thermodynamics, mechanochemistry, self-consistent field theory and soft matter physics to develop mathematical models and multiscale simulations for computational design of advanced composites.
Genome Organization
We develop polymer models that can be employed in computer simulations to predict genome organisation inside the interphase cell nucleus . The blue-sky research is broadly aimed at understanding the connection between 4-D genome structure and function of cell nucleus.
Biomimetics
We translate principles of design in biological systems into mathematical models for simulation of biomimetic materials. We are particularly interested in computational design of soft materials with multifunctional interfaces.
Selected Publications
Predictive microkinetic modeling of acidic OER on IrO2: Mechanistic insights into surface coverage and rate control
Ashwin Mekkad, Prakyath Prakash Thalya, Shelaka Gupta, Vinod M. Janardhanan
Local dynamics in functionalized polymer grafted nanoparticle systems with weak and strong functional anisotropy
Pindi Haritha; Balaji V S Iyer
Deformation induced evolution of plasmonic responses in polymer grafted nanoparticle thin films
Talem Rebeda Roy, Shourya Dutta-Gupta, Balaji V. S. Iyer
Mechanical response of networks formed by end-functionalised spherical polymer grafted nanoparticles
Phukan M.; Haritha P.; Roy T. R.; Iyer B. V. S.
Effect of functional anisotropy on the local dynamics of polymer grafted nanoparticles
Iyer B. V. S.
Modeling Local Oscillatory Shear Dynamics of Functionalized Polymer Grafted Nanoparticles
Diksha Kadre, Balaji V. S. Iyer
Lattice-Animal Model of Interphase Chromosome Organization
Iyer, B. V. S. and Arya, G.