12/02/2022
By Danielle Fretwell

The Francis College of Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, invites you to attend a doctoral dissertation defense by Lekha Papammagari on "Synthetic Metals: Synthesis and Applications."

Ph.D. Candidate Name: Lekha Papammagari
Degree: Doctoral
Defense Date: Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022
Time: noon – 1:30 p.m.
Location: Perry Hall 111, North Campus

Committee Chair (Dissertation Advisor): Sanjeev K. Manohar, Professor and Chair, Department of Chemical Engineering, UMass Lowell

Committee Members:

  • Carl Lawton, Associate Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, UMass Lowell
  • Gulden Camci-Unal, Associate Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, UMass Lowell

Abstract: A greener/more sustainable one-step, room temperature method is described to synthesize bulk quantities of nanostructured soft electronic organics like polyaniline, polypyrrole, PEDOT, etc. Technological applications include using thin films of polypyrrole and a transducing element for biosensors to detect disease biomarkers like thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). In addition, a low temperature, water-based electrolyte system is described for energy storage devices like batteries and capacitors (-70 oC without freezing) that extends the “usable” electrochemical window of polyaniline by 100%.

All interested students and faculty members are invited to attend.