Shivaji University
  • Kolhāpur, India
Recent publications
This study explores the synergistic antibacterial activity of ZnO nanorods (NRs) decorated with TiO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) and reduced graphene oxide nanosheets (rGO NSs). ZnO NRs and binary ZnO‐TiO₂ nanocomposites (ZT NCs) with varying TiO₂ content were synthesized using an in situ sol–gel method and subsequently modified with different amounts of rGO NSs. The nanocomposites were characterized using advanced techniques to assess their structure and antibacterial performance. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the dominance of the hexagonal wurtzite ZnO structure, while Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR) confirmed interconnectivity. A slight red shift in UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra indicated changes in optical properties, and BET analysis showed an increase in surface area and pore volume due to rGO incorporation. The ternary ZT‐rGO (ZTR) NCs, particularly ZTR 4 (with 4 wt% rGO), exhibited significant antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant properties. ZTR 4 showed enhanced efficacy against both Gram‐positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus) and Gram‐negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa), as well as Candida albicans. The results highlight the synergistic effects of ZTR NCs, making them promising candidates for applications in biomedical and environmental fields as effective antibacterial agents.
The increasing consumer preference for healthier snack options is driving innovation in low calorie food products. The aim of this study was to develop low‐calorie multi‐millet muffins by incorporating nutritious millets and substituting sugar with erythritol, thereby providing a healthier alternative. A set of trials were conducted using response surface methodology to optimize millet flours and study their effect on product responses. The levels of finger millet flour, foxtail millet flour, barnyard millet flour and refined wheat flour were kept between 20–60 g, 20–40 g, 20–50 g, and 20–60 g respectively. According to the outcome, the optimum formula was one with 20 g finger millet flour, 20 g foxtail millet flour, 40 g barnyard millet flour and 60 g refined wheat flour. To optimize erythritol, six formulations were prepared including a control muffin with 100% sugar and others with sugar to erythritol ratios of (80:20, 60:40, 40:60, 20:80, 0:100) respectively. Muffins were analyzed for their physical, textural and chemical properties. Sensory evaluation of muffins was done by a semi‐trained panel using the nine‐point hedonic scale. Sensory analysis revealed that muffin formulation with 80% erythritol was highly accepted by panelists for its color, flavor, taste, texture, and overall acceptability.
This study presents the synthesis and characterization of ZnO nanorods (NRs) and ZnO nanotrees (NTs) thin films. The gas sensing properties, particularly for NO2 detection, were evaluated. ZnO NRs and NTs thin films were synthesized using an open aqueous solution method. The XRD patterns of the ZnO NRs and ZnO NTs thin films confirm the hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure with preferred orientation along the (002) plane. The SEM micrographs show vertically aligned ZnO NRs grown perpendicular to the surface of the substrate. However, in the case of ZnO NTs, SEM shows the secondary ZnO NRs grown on the surface of the primary ZnO NR structure forming a tree-like nanostructure. The water contact angle was 83.27° and 109.58° for the ZnO NRs and ZnO NTs thin films indicating that the ZnO NTs thin film had a higher surface roughness than the ZnO NRs thin film. The gas responses (%) of ZnO NRs and ZnO NTs sensor devices are 167%, 352%, 576%, 595%, 858%, & 1213% and 199%, 448%, 658%, 880%, 1153%, & 1380% measured at an operating temperature of 200 °C for 10, 20, 40, 60, 80, & 100 ppm of NO2 gas concentration, respectively. The NO2 gas sensing performance of the ZnO NTs thin film was significantly higher compared to the ZnO NRs thin film. This study underscores the importance of morphology in achieving efficient NO2 detection, suggesting that optimizing the hierarchical nanostructure based-topography of ZnO can outperform NO2 gas sensing.
Although the theory of fractional operators has numerous definitions in the literature, it is not easy to know which operator is best used for it. One way to try to get around this problem is to propose more general operators where, based on the choice of parameters involved in this new operator, it is possible to obtain the maximum number of definitions of fractional operators in particular cases. This paper is concerned with the calculus of generalized k-fractional derivatives with respective to monotonic functions namely (k,Φ)(k, \Phi )-Riemann-Liouville fractional derivative, (k,Φ)(k, \Phi )-Caputo fractional derivative and most generalized one (k,Φ)(k, \Phi )-Hilfer fractional derivative. In this sense, we discuss a wide class of important results in the area and deal with particular cases and important comments for the work.
In this study, we report the modification of a monolithic γ-aluminum oxy-hydroxide (γ-AlOOH) aerogel with cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) using the sol–gel method via supercritical drying. The optimized 2% CNF (w/w) results in a monolithic CNF-γ-AlOOH that is amorphous in nature, along with C–C and C–O–C functional groups. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of the as-synthesized CNF-γ-AlOOH showed CNF embedded in the γ-AlOOH aerogel. The adsorption capacities were determined using azo dyes: methylene blue (MB) and crystal violet (CV), and heavy metal ions: lead [Pb(II)], uranium [U(VI)], and arsenic [As(III)] as models for environmental pollutants. The maximum adsorption capacities were 210 mg/g for CV, 204 mg/g for MB, 105 mg/g for As(III), and 339 mg/g for U(VI) at a pH of 7, whereas Pb(II) exhibited a maximum adsorption capacity of 100 mg/g at pH 5. This is attributed to the synergistic interactions between the CNF hydroxyl groups and γ-AlOOH active sites, facilitating electrostatic and coordination interactions. The as-synthesized aerogels demonstrated high recyclability, retaining over 94% adsorption efficiency after five cycles and offering a sustainable approach to environmental remediation. These findings establish CNF-γ-AlOOH aerogels as robust, eco-friendly materials for water treatment applications, with potential scalability for addressing diverse environmental pollutants. Future research should explore their application in the removal of emerging contaminants and optimize their synthesis for household and industrial-scale implementation.
In this study, we report the development of the most economical synthesis route for magnetically separable graphitic carbon nitride with iron oxide (g–C3N4–Fe2O3) photocatalyst using an iron-rich natural laterite soil sample as a readily available and cost-effective iron precursor. A simple chemical acid extraction method used to synthesize Fe2O3 from a laterite soil sample as an iron precursor naturally found in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India. Additionally, to enhance the photocatalytic activity of the pure Fe2O3, we have incorporated it with the g–C3N4, and the resultant material shows superior performance. The structural and optical properties of the resulting Fe2O3, g–C3N4, and g–C3N4–Fe2O3 nanocomposite were thoroughly characterized using physio-chemical methods. The characterization results successfully established heterojunction between g–C3N4 and Fe2O3, improving the photogenerated electron–hole pair lifetime. The g–C3N4–Fe2O3 nanocomposite demonstrated enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methyl orange (97.66%) and textile effluent (97.00%) under natural sunlight with excellent photocatalytic stability after five consecutive cycles. These results highlight a new way of large-scale synthesis of iron-based nanocomposite photocatalyst using laterite soil as an inexpensive iron precursor.
This research investigates the microbial inactivation potential of ternary TiO2–CuO–chitosan nanocomposites (TCC NCs) applied as surface coatings on cowhide leather. Initially, bare TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) and binary TiO2–CuO (TC) NCs, with varying CuO NPs content, were prepared using an in situ sol–gel method. These binary TC NCs were then modified with chitosan at varying weight percentages (2%, 4%, 6%, and 8%). The resulting NCs were analyzed using various spectral tools. XRD analysis revealed the dominance of the anatase form of TiO2 in both binary and ternary NCs. UV-visible DRS measurements were used to study the optical properties of the NCs and compare these to those of individual components. Microscopic analysis indicated the formation of grain clusters with irregular shapes, with particle sizes ranging between 10 and 20 nm. FT-IR analysis studied the interconnectivity between TC and chitosan through different functional moieties, while Raman analysis confirmed the phases of the different constituents. BET analysis showed that TCC 8 NCs (having 8% OF chitosan in TC NCs) had a surface area 1.4 times greater than bare TiO2 NPs. Antibacterial and antifungal studies were conducted using standard protocols to test the prepared NCs against representative microbes. When coated on cowhide leather as microbicidal agents, the TCC 8 NCs-coated leather exhibited the highest microbicidal activity against E. coli, S. aureus, B. cereus, P. vulgaris, C. albicans, and A. niger in comparison to other ternary NCs, including TCC 2, TCC 4, and TCC 6, as well as binary NCs such as TC 10, TC 20, TC 30, and TC 50. This study showcases the effectiveness of these functional NCs for the surface disinfection of leather coatings.
This study presents a comprehensive numerical investigation into the lateral-torsional buckling behavior of castellated steel beams with sinusoidal openings, emphasizing the interaction of critical geometric and material parameters. A detailed Finite Element model was developed to analyze seventy-two beams, with variations in span length, steel grades (250 MPa, 460 MPa, and 690 MPa), web slenderness, and flange slenderness. The results demonstrate that higher steel grades significantly enhance both the load-carrying capacity and buckling resistance, underscoring the importance of material selection in structural performance. Furthermore, optimizing geometric parameters, such as flange-web slenderness ratios, was found to improve overall stability, with short-span beams exhibiting superior resistance to buckling compared to their long-span counterparts. These findings provide valuable insights into the behavior and design of castellated beams, offering a framework for enhancing structural efficiency and reliability in engineering applications.
The present research delineates the synthesis and catalytic assessment of a novel Fe3O4@SiO2–Pr–THAM–(OSO3H)3 magnetic nanoparticles. The structural conformation of as-prepared Fe3O4@SiO2–Pr–THAM–(OSO3H)3 nanoparticles was evaluated using numerous analytical methods like Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, thermogravimetric analysis. The catalytic potential of Fe3O4@SiO2–Pr–THAM–(OSO3H)3 was tested for the syntheses of 4H-chromenes through one-pot condensation of 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde, cyclic 1,3-diketones, and 4-hydroxycoumarin in aqueous solution at 50 °C. The current methodology offers the benefits of superior catalytic activity, the utilization of environmentally friendly solvents, easy work-up procedure, excellent yield, magnetic separation, shorter reaction times, and catalyst reusability with no significant loss in potency after six cycles. The synthesized 4H-chromene derivatives were screened for antibacterial and in vitro antioxidant study and were found to have promising activities supported by molecular docking studies. Graphical abstract
Acoustical properties are essential for understanding the molecular interactions in fluids, as they influence the physicochemical behavior of liquids and determine their suitability for diverse applications. This study investigated the acoustical parameters of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs), reduced graphene oxide (rGO), and Ag/rGO nanocomposite nanofluids at varying concentrations. Ag NPs and Ag/rGO nanocomposites were synthesized via a Bos taurus indicus (BTI) metabolic waste-assisted method and characterized using advanced techniques, including XRD, TEM, Raman, DLS, zeta potential, and XPS. The synthesized nanocomposites were evaluated for their acoustical, antioxidant, and plant growth-regulatory properties. Acoustical analysis revealed a linear relationship between the nanofluid concentration and density, with key parameters such as adiabatic compressibility, apparent molar compressibility, and apparent molar volume increase at lower concentrations. Irregular changes in ultrasonic velocity and other parameters at 0.025 mol/dm³ suggest unique nanoparticle-solvent interactions. The Ag/rGO nanocomposites exhibited superior antioxidative potential compared to Ag NPs, with DPPH scavenging activity reaching 65.69% and ABTS scavenging activity reaching 65.01% at 100 µg/mL. Plant growth studies have demonstrated enhanced germination rates (100% in spinach and 40% in fenugreek) and improved root and shoot elongation at 0.0025–0.005 mol/dm³. This study bridges the gap in understanding the acoustical and multifunctional properties of nanocomposites for biomedical, agricultural, and environmental applications.
The study aimed to optimize the formulation of vegan prebiotic ice cream using coconut milk, date syrup, and fructooligosaccharide (FOS) as key ingredients. Optimization of ice cream formulations was determined by utilizing the Response Surface Methodology. The physico-chemical and sensory properties of the optimized samples were evaluated. According to the findings, ice cream formulation comprising 50% coconut milk, 11.32% date syrup, and 5.81% FOS exhibited the desired quality characteristics. Optimized ice cream's overrun and melting rate was 65.14% and 40.85% respectively. Physico-chemical analysis indicated that the optimized ice cream had higher moisture (66.32%), ash (1.65%), fat content (18.5%), total phenols (79.85 mg GAE/100 ml), and antioxidant activity (54.80) compared to the control, whereas protein (2.93%) and carbohydrate content (10.60%) were lower. The optimized ice cream exhibited a slightly lower pH; adding date syrup affected its color. The developed vegan prebiotic ice cream exhibited favorable attributes such as creaminess, taste, and texture, indicating that it could be a healthy and delicious alternative to dairy ice cream.
In recent inclination, waste-derived catalytic materials have gained a unique identity in the catalytic community due to their versatile properties. These catalytic systems can play a prominent role in the sustainable synthesis of functionalized heterocycles, as they are inexpensive alternatives while being an efficient, user-friendly material. The current review examines the preparation and applicability of waste-derived catalysts in heterocycle synthesis including Michael addition, Knoevenagel condensation, dehydrogenation, oxidation, oxidative dehydrogenation, and others. Moreover, the challenges, possible future development directions, and opportunities in synthesizing potent bioactive heterocycles over waste-derived catalytic materials are addressed. This review will galvanize further research to explore advanced catalysts developed from waste materials and their implications in heterocyclization.
Worldwide, increasing pollution and bacterial infections are posing a serious risk to human well‐being and society. Clothing and textiles are the major pathways for the transmission and aggravation of infectious diseases. Thus, imparting antibacterial properties to the textiles is perceived with great interest. With this motivation, this study aims to fabricate durable antibacterial cotton fabrics to protect the wearer from pathogenic microorganisms. Herein, the synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) via chemical (ZOCM) and green (ZOGM) routes, which were eventually applied onto the cotton fabric using the padding‐drying‐curing technique. The synthesized ZnO NPs and ZnO‐deposited cotton fabrics were analyzed by various characterization techniques. Including UV–vis, FTIR, BET, XRD, SEM‐EDAX, and TGA analysis. Additionally, the antibacterial effectiveness, washing durability, and mechanical properties of finished cotton (ZOCMC, ZOGMC) and uncoated fabric were investigated. The results indicate that ZOGM and ZOGMC show higher antibacterial efficiency than ZOCM and ZOCMC. Moreover, TGA analysis reveals the amount of ZnO loading before and its retention after multiple washing cycles. ZOGMC exhibits good adherence of NPs and better washing durability than ZOCMC. This study underscores the significance of environmentally friendly green synthesis methods for producing ZnO NPs, showcasing the potential for advancement in healthcare textiles.
Producing energy storage electrodes with exceptional performance using pseudocapacitive materials presents significant challenges. This study introduces a binder‐free, economical, and scalable method for the synthesis of a thin film of ruthenium oxide (RuO2) suitable for symmetric supercapacitors through electroless deposition. The influence of annealing temperature (373, 473, 573, and 673 K) on electrochemical performance is investigated. The RO‐573 thin film electrode demonstrated an impressive specific capacitance of 1006 F g⁻¹ at a scan rate of 10 mV s⁻¹. Additionally, a laminated quasi‐solid‐state symmetric device has been developed, showcasing a remarkable specific capacitance of 198 F g⁻¹, ultrahigh energy density of 59.01 Wh kg⁻¹, and a power density of 2.4 kW kg⁻¹. The laminated, symmetric, quasi‐solid‐state supercapacitor device demonstrates impressive stability over 10,000 cycles, achieving a retention rate of 92%. The characteristics and design of laminated quasi‐solid‐state symmetric supercapacitors render them highly appropriate for real‐time applications in advanced energy storage systems.
This study investigates the adsorption of Brilliant Green (BG) dye onto biochar derived from Syzygium cumini (Jamun) leaves (JLB). Biochar was produced via pyrolysis at 800 °C and examined employing various methods, including Scanning electron microscopy (SEM–EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis, Raman spectroscopy, Zeta potential and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The optimum parameters for BG dye adsorption, determined by batch adsorption studies, were a temperature of 80 °C, an initial dye concentration of 500 mg L ⁻¹ , a contact period of 30 min, and an agitation speed of 400 RPM. The maximum adsorption capacity of JLB for BG was 243.90 mg g ⁻¹ . It was found that the adsorption process adhered to the Freundlich isotherm model and pseudo-second-order kinetics, revealing heterogeneous adsorption with chemisorption. A novel "Theory of Pore Conflation" was proposed to explain enhanced adsorption at higher temperatures, supported by SEM and FTIR analyses. Additionally, a new equation termed "Shubhjyot's equation" was introduced to account for time dependency in adsorption capacity calculations. The thermodynamic analysis demonstrated that the process is endothermic and spontaneous. Isopropanol was the most effective organic solvent for desorption studies, demonstrating biochar regeneration potential for up to five cycles. Phytotoxicity and cyto-genotoxicity assessments demonstrated the environmental safety of JLB compared to BG dye. The use of JLB production offers a way to repurpose agricultural waste, contributing to circular economy principles. This extensive study demonstrates JLB's promise as an effective, economical, and environmentally safe adsorbent for wastewater treatment that eliminates textile dyes. Graphical Abstract
2D-MXenes have gained much popularity for energy storage applications such as hybrid capacitors, and they have shown very competitive performance, especially as electrode materials for sodium ion hybrid capacitors. However, they suffer from various problems, such as morphology distortion and fast capacity fading, which results in the poor performance of the battery. As a result, researchers have focused more on MXene-based composite materials to address these issues. In this work, we report a sodium iodide and nickel-decorated MXene-based composite (Ti2C/Ni/NaI) material as an electrode for a sodium ion hybrid capacitor. Ti2C MXene and Ni were able to provide physical and mechanical strength, and iodine was able to produce redox activity. The composite had a rough surface with readily aggregated 2D-MXene sheets and was uniformly covered with Ni, Na, and I atoms. Several vibrational bands and peaks associated with Ti, Ni, Na, C and O in the Raman while XPS spectra confirmed the effective incorporation of dopants into the MXene sheets and successful synthesis of the Ti2C/Ni/NaI composite. The fabricated hybrid capacitor exhibited good capacity retention of 59% after 10,000 cycles at a current density of 0.5 mA g⁻¹; thus, the Ti2C/Ni/NaI composite can be a promising electrode material for sodium-based hybrid capacitors.
The linear and branched polyethyleneimine (PEI)-based materials have shown their potential applications in various fields including water purification technologies. Due to several primary, secondary, and tertiary amine groups in their structure, PEIs as such and PEI-based copolymers, hybrid materials, and nanocomposites are capable of entrapment or adsorption of contaminants from different categories such as dyes, heavy metal ions, pharmaceuticals, and oils. The latest interesting reports in the literature about PEIs-based materials have proved the continued interest and significant advancements in these materials for developing new and highly efficient adsorbents. This review provides important basic information about PEI and its structure, a glimpse of its various applications, and, collective information with an analysis of the latest works on PEI-based materials developed to be used as adsorbents for the adsorption removal of pollutants from water. The latest advancements are discussed with the main results while the interesting data about types of materials developed, pH, adsorption time, etc. is reported in tabular format. The report concludes with the study’s main findings and future prospectus regarding synthetic polymer chemistry challenges in PEIs and PEI-based materials. Schematic representation of the adsorption of various pollutants onto linear and branched polyethylenimine (PEI).
Institution pages aggregate content on ResearchGate related to an institution. The members listed on this page have self-identified as being affiliated with this institution. Publications listed on this page were identified by our algorithms as relating to this institution. This page was not created or approved by the institution. If you represent an institution and have questions about these pages or wish to report inaccurate content, you can contact us here.
1,350 members
Vijaya Puri
  • Department of Physics
S G Ghane
  • Department of Botany
Sachin Shantaram Panhalkar
  • Department of Geography
Information
Address
Kolhāpur, India
Head of institution
Prof. D. B. Shinde, Vice-Chancellor