Narendra Reddy

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Professor at Center for Incubation, Innovation, Research and Consultancy

Composites developed from inexpensive, renewable, sustainable, and abundant bioresources such as groundnut shells (GNS) do not have the adequate properties required for commercial applications. Hence, most of the biocomposites developed from agricultural wastes or biomass are not used for practical applications. In this study, we have demonstrated...

Both animal and plant proteins are preferred for biomedical applications due their biocompatibility and ability to be converted into different shapes and sizes. In addition, proteins have various functional groups that provide the ability to carry different biological entities required for various diagnostics and treatments. The proteins in silk, n...

This study investigates the utilization of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/gelatin hydrogel films cross-linked with glutaraldehyde as a novel material to coat the surface of vancomycin-loaded titania nanotubes (TNTs), with a focus on enhancing biocompatibility and achieving controlled vancomycin release. Hydrogel films have emerged as promising candidate...

Decommissioned or damaged windmill blades and other wastes have limited applications and are generally disposed into landfills or incinerated. Increasing generation of wind energy will also lead to increase in blades available for disposal. It is estimated that more than 800,000 tons of blades will be available annually for disposal from 2050. Blad...

A significantly high protease enzyme yield of 617 U/ml was achieved with Acinetobacter pittii as the microorganism and peanut oil meal as the substrate. Peanut oil meal, which consists of proteins (40-60%) and carbohydrates (22-30%), serves as a sufficient source of nitrogen and carbon necessary for microbial growth and production of enzymes. Moreo...

Point-of-care (POC) diagnostic platforms are globally employed in modern smart technologies to detect events or changes in the analyte concentration and provide qualitative and quantitative information in biosensing. Surface plasmon-coupled emission (SPCE) technology has emerged as an effective POC diagnostic tool for developing robust biosensing f...

A thin plastic‐like film separated from the epidermis of Cereus hildmannianus has excellent tensile strength, resistance to water and high antimicrobial activity and supports the growth of mouse fibroblast cells. Cactuses are one of the most under explored plant species with high potential for food, materials, pharmaceutical and other applications....

We present a simple approach to convert coconut (copra) oil cake into biothermoplastics with properties that are suitable for replacing synthetic polymer‐based plastics in current use. About 1.9 million tons of copra meal are generated ever year as coproducts and are available at $0.50–$0.60 per kilogram, making it a renewable, sustainable and low‐...

Different classes of biologically and environmentally relevant molecules and ions are quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed using the synergistic approach wherein the properties of both the plasmonic nanomaterials and the fluorescent moieties are explored. In this study, such hybrid systems, called plasmophores (or plasmon coupled fluorophores)...

The retention ability of polycaprolactone (PCL) films and their potential use for applications that require controlled release, were evaluated using eugenol, an aroma compound as a model active substance. The PCL‐eugenol samples were prepared by means of a low‐temperature extrusion process that resulted in minimum losses of eugenol and a final prop...

De‐oiled cakes (meal) containing proteins and carbohydrates are inevitably produced during extraction of oil from seeds. These cakes are inexpensive, sustainable and renewable sources but have limited applications. In this present study, de‐oiled pongamia seed cake was used as substrate to produce protease by Bacillus licheniformis, Acinetobacter p...

Transgenic modification of Bombyx mori silkworms is a benign approach for the production of silk fibers with extraordinary properties and also to generate therapeutic proteins and other biomolecules for various applications. Silk fibers with fluorescence lasting more than a year, natural protein fibers with strength and toughness exceeding that of...

Wood chips were used in their original form without any physical or chemical treatment as reinforcement for polypropylene to develop composites as potential replacement for medium density fiber (MDF) boards, gypsum based false ceiling and other building materials. Wood chips are generated as byproducts and have limited and low value applications. C...

Due to the lack of sufficient elasticity and strain sensing capability, protein-based ultrafine fibrous tissue engineering scaffolds, though favorable for skin repair, can hardly fulfill on-spot wound monitoring during healing. Herein, we designed highly elastic corn protein ultrafine fibrous smart scaffolds with a three-layer structure for motion...

Groundnut shells (GNS) are renewable and sustainable sources that can reinforce polypropylene for composites intended for interior building and other applications. However, the hydrophilicity, low thermal and noise insulation of GNS reinforced polypropylene (PP) necessitate the use of additives to improve properties. In this work, non-coking bitumi...

Additives provide substantial improvement in the properties of composites. Although bio-based composites are preferred over synthetic polymer and metal-based composites, they do not have the requisite properties to meet specific needs. Hence, organic, inorganic and metallic additives are included to improve the properties of bio-based composites. C...

Alkaline proteases suitable for industrial applications were produced using two bacterial and one fungal strain with de-oiled neem seed cake as the substrate. Neem oil cakes contain proteins and carbohydrates and are renewable and sustainable sources available in large quantities at low cost. In this study, ability of Bacillus licheniformis, Acinet...

Global silk production generates about 1 million tons of spent pupae annually that are generally discarded as waste but could be used to generate about 240 million liters of biodiesel every year. Spent pupae contain about 30–40% oil, 30–40% proteins and about 20–30% carbohydrates which comprise a low‐cost, renewable and sustainable source for produ...

Engineering photo-plasmonic platforms with heterometallic nanohybrids are of paramount significance for realizing augmented sensitivity in fluorescence-based analytical detection. Although myriad nanomaterials with versatile functionalities have been explored in this regard in the surface plasmon-coupled emission (SPCE) interface, light harvesting...

A unique protein extracted from discarded silkworms was reinforced with hydroxyapatite (HA) and made into films for potential tissue engineering applications. After reeling of silk, the silkworms are treated as waste and disposed. However, the silkworms contain up to 25-30 % proteins, 40 % oil and 20-25 % carbohydrates and are inexpensive and a ren...

Extraction of oil from Azadirachta indica generates oil cake (meal) containing proteins and carbohydrates. The proteins in neem oil cake with antimicrobial and antioxidant properties have been made into films and studied for their properties and potential applications. Neem oil cakes are available in large quantities at low cost but are non‐edible...

Objective To explore the effects of pH on properties of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-ionic hydrogels containing wound healing promoters. Method PVA was combined with a natural wound healing promoter (silk sericin (SS)), and an anionic agent (eosin (ES)) or cationic agent (methylene blue (MB)), and made into hydrogels. Properties of the hydrogels and be...

Sheep wool and poultry feathers have unique properties that provide excellent noise and thermal insulation, and flame resistance when used as reinforcement for poly propylene. Discarded wool and poultry feathers are not only available in large quantities at low cost but have distinct characteristics that make them ideal to develop composites for va...

Ground nut shells and coir are agricultural byproducts available in large quantities at low cost and are sustainable and renewable resources. Gypsum based false ceiling tiles were developed by using the shells and coir as reinforcement individually and also as blends to improve the performance properties. Various ratios of the shells and coir were...

With an annual production of about 5 million tons, Cajanus cajan (pigeon pea) generates at least 20 to 25 million tons of stems as residues. These residues are generally disposed of as waste leading to environmental pollution and loss of a valuable raw material. In this report, we demonstrate that the stems of pigeon pea could be used as a source f...

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel is considered suitable for wound dressing but the difficulties in preparation, poor mechanical properties, limited bioactivity and potential cytotoxicity restrict its applications. In the present study, we aim to improve the properties of PVA based hydrogels by combining it with collagen hydrolysate (CH) and silk se...

Plasmonic silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) of anisotropic geometries are being increasing explored in advanced functional nanointerfaces. Here, Ag nanocubes were synthesized using bioinspired and frugal approach with the use of proteins extracted from sesame oil seed cakes and UV-exposure methodology. The protein functions as both the reducing and capp...

"Studies on cellulose/nanocellulose obtained from oil meals are very limited, but present interest and have scientific significance, since the structure, properties and performance may be different from those of other cellulose or nanocellulose types. Thus, the main objective of this work was to extract nanocellulose from an unconventional source –...

Copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) with antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties were obtained using extracts from Hyptis suaveolens (L.) commonly called wild tulsi. Green synthesis using plant extracts is a preferred means to obtain nanoparticles because of the simplicity, efficiency, and clean process. Plant extracts contain phytochemicals that provide m...

Proteins were extracted from germinated horse gram (Macrotyloma uniflorum), the under-utilized legume, by alkali treatment and acid precipitation method. Extraction process was numerically optimized by varying parameters like alkali concentration, temperature and alkali to feed ratio. Under optimized parameters, i.e., alkali concentration 0.45% (aq...

We report a novel carbon material obtained from low-density fibrous fur-like biowaste Asclepias syriaca (milkweed) floss for use as low-cost and efficient electrodes in electrochemical double layer capacitors (EDLCs).

Proteins in discarded wool and extractants obtained from fish scale dissolved in NaOH solution can be used as electrolytes in a biochemical fuel cell that can generate up to 418 mV of energy. Discarded wool and fish scales are raw materials that are available in large quantities at low cost but generally disposed as waste. Both fish scales and wool...

Natural cellulose fibers with high cellulose and lignin content and elongation as high as 45% similar to that of coir were extracted from the shells of Areca cathechu for potential use for composite, textile and other applications. Areca shells are removed to obtain the nuts and are disposed as waste with no significant value. The shells are lignoc...

3D chitosan scaffolds treated with alkali showed enhanced mechanical properties and stability in aqueous conditions. Chitosan is a preferred polymer for biomedical applications due to its antimicrobial, antioxidant and wound healing properties. Chitosan has been made into films, fibers, micro and nanoparticles and electrospun membranes for tissue e...

Approximately 25 million tons of stems of Cajanus cajan are available as residue after harvesting the seeds. Currently, most of the stems are burnt or buried and do not have any major applications. The exploitation such unconventional agricultural waste to get novel bio-char and its chemical activation for efficient construction of symmetric superc...

We present a comprehensive approach to utilize the residues of Chrysanthemum indicum as a source for natural cellulose fibers and carbon for removal of dyes and other pollutants. C. indicum is one of the most common sources for flowers for conventional decoration and also for various chemicals and essential oils. However, flowers form only a part o...

Finding a simple and eco-friendly production technique that matches to the natural agent and results in a truly valuable natural scaffold production is still limited amongst the intensively competitive natural scaffold development. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop natural scaffolds that were environmentally friendly, low cost, an...

Proteins are unique biopolymers extensively used for food and non-food applications. In addition to animal proteins such as poultry feathers that are generated as byproducts, plant proteins such as wheat gluten and soy proteins are also available in large quantities at reasonable cost. Since proteins are inherently non-thermoplastic, they cannot ge...

Hydroxyapatite (HA or HAp) is one of the most preferred biomaterials, specifically for bone tissue engineering. HAp is available naturally and is also chemically synthesized. The properties, shape, size and crystalline structure and applications of HAp vary widely depending on the source and extraction methods used. In addition to conventional chem...

In this research, proteins were obtained from Pongamia pinnata oil meal and subsequently converted into films and compression molded into various packaging products. Films with a maximum tensile strength of 1.9 MPa were obtained when 15% citric acid was used as the crosslinker. Minimum swelling of 120% was seen in 20% citric acid crosslinked film w...

Arundinaria gigantea commonly referred to as giant cane (GC) shows potential to be a sustainable, renewable, and low‐cost source for natural cellulose fibers and biocomposites. GC is considered a weed and is found extensively, particularly along river banks and also as canopy under forest trees. The grass is made up of stems (culms) that resemble b...

In this work, Mulberry Stems (MS) obtained as a by-product of sericulture have been used as reinforcement for Polypropylene (PP) composites intended for green building, furniture and automotive applications. Mulberry stems are lignocellulosic and are renewable and sustainable sources but remain unutilized and are usually discarded as waste by burni...

Sericin is a natural product from the silkworm. Sericin is one of the major protein components in the cocoons of Lepidopteron insects. The microstructure of silk gland sericin has been observed in silkworm. The molecular mass of sericin has been observed using sodium dodecyl sulfate and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Cocoon sericin could be se...

Many attempts from simple blending of the silk waste with other fibers and developing fabrics, dissolving the fibroin in waste silk, and producing regenerated fibers to carbonizing the silk and converting them into fuel cells and energy storage devices and composites have been explored in an effort to add value to the waste silk and also to obtain...

Perhaps, there is no other insect whose excrement (litter) is as valuable as that produced by silkworms. The amount of litter generated depends on the species, diet, and environmental conditions. This chapter details the various applications of litter and its components. Chlorophylline in litter has also known to have photoinitiation properties whi...

Pupae are one of the most unique byproducts since they contain oil, proteins, and carbohydrates. These byproducts have been used for feed, food, energy, environment, and other applications. This chapter highlights the possibilities of utilizing pupae as a source for various applications. Silkworm pupae contains about 30% oil with a majority of unsa...

Methods for the extraction of sericin from mulberry and non‐mulberry cocoons should be intensely investigated because they have effects on the physical, chemical, and biological properties of sericin. This chapter describes five different methods that are often used in sericin extraction, namely water extraction, acid extraction, alkali extraction,...

Silk sericin is a protein produced by Bombyx mori (silkworm), and the protein surrounds and keeps together two fibroin filaments in the silk thread used in the cocoon. Nevertheless, the functional properties of sericin expand its application in the medical field. Sericin has remarkable properties such as a potent antioxidant ability, meaning that i...

Mulberry is synonyms with silkworms and sericulture and is the only feed for Bombyx mori silkworms. This chapter presents the non‐silk uses of mulberry leaves and stems. Polysaccharides from mulberry plants are reported to have high antioxidant, anti‐tumor, anti‐diabetic, and several other medicinal properties. In addition to polysaccharides, a mul...

An attempt has been made to enhance the properties and applications of gypsum ceiling tiles by utilizing the excellent thermal insulation and flame resistance properties of wool and the durability and strength of coir.Gypsum based ceiling tiles are ubiquitously used for false ceiling applications but have several limitations. Different types of add...

Article Info AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES Edible Aerodramus fuciphagus bird nest (EBN) has several biological properties, especially wound healing promotion. However, better extraction methods are required to increase the level of sialic acid, which is the major factor determining EBN quality. Furthermore, the relationship between sialic acid...

In this study, we demonstrate that coating a layer of graphene oxide (GO) onto graphite felts (GF) by electrostatic spraying can substantially increase the performance of all-iron redox flow batteries (IRFBs). Graphite felts are extensively used as electrodes but they do not have the desired electrochemical properties. GO has good electrochemical f...

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is the most common synthetic biopolymer that is derived from renewable resources and is biodegradable. PLA is used for commodity and specialized applications such as medical implants. Low processing temperatures, good mechanical and thermal stability and ability to obtain PLA in different configurations and structures make i...

We report the development of dry sensors that do not require the use of gel or preparation of skin for Electrocardiogram (ECG) signal detection. Bioelectric sensors are transducers that convert ionic currents within the body into electron currents, which can be collected and processed to monitor the activities of the human body. Biopotentials of th...

Silk has remained the most preferred protein fiber since its discovery in 3000 BC. However, the cost, availability, and resources required to rear the silkworms and process silk are imposing considerable constraints on the future of silk. It is often unrealized that apart from the fibers, production and processing of silk are a source for a diverse...

We have investigated the structural, thermal and morphological properties of lignin extracted from five distinct biomasses in order to establish the influence of the age of the source, environmental conditions during growth and quantity present. In fact, lignin is an integral part of cellulosic biomass and affects the structure, properties, process...

Natural polymers such as proteins and polysaccharides are of great demand in packaging and medical applications. Horse gram (Macrotyloma uniflorum) is a good source of protein and possess excellent antioxidant properties. The present study investigates the development and potential applications of transparent and water-resistant horse gram protein-...

A custom designed DNA probe against cry1 gene of Bacillus thuringiensis has been used to fabricate a DNA biosensor by self-assembled monolayers of mercaptohexanol (MCH) and thiol-linked custom designed probe (ssDNA-thiol), immobilized on a screen printed gold nanostructured electrode. DNA immobilization and hybridization have been characterized by...

In this work, we have coated MnO2@CeO2 composites onto graphite felts (GF) by electrostatic spraying leading to substantially improved electrochemical performance characteristics of iron redox flow batteries. GF are extensively used as electrodes but they do not have the desired electrochemical properties. MnO2@CeO2 composites have novel electrocat...

Chitin and chitosan from silkworm pupae and egg shells show distinct properties with excellent antimicrobial properties and cytocompatiblity. Spent silkworm pupae and hatched egg shells are discarded as waste but contain valuable carbohydrates, proteins and lipids. Chitosan has excellent antimicrobial properties and is widely used for food, medical...

Proteins in the common legume Macrotyloma uniflorum have inherent antimicrobial properties and can be converted into films for food, medical and other applications. Crude proteins were extracted from horsegram seeds and were converted into thin films by casting approach. Amino acid analysis of the extracted protein confirmed the presence of both es...

Chitosan derived from chitin, the second most abundantly available polysaccharide, is a biodegradable, biocompatible polymer having inherent antibacterial properties. Due to its unique properties, extensive efforts have been made to convert chitosan into fibers. In addition to its unique properties, chitosan is soluble in aqueous acetic acid that m...

Biobased composites are developed using either the reinforcement and/or matrix from renewable and biodegradable polymers. Although there are plenty of biobased resources available as reinforcements, there are limited numbers of bioresins. Also, the properties of composites developed using biobased resins are not suitable for commercial applications...

In this study, the highly hydrophilic PVA was made into water-stable electrospun fibers using citric acid (CA) as a green crosslinker. Although PVA is accepted as a biocompatible polymer, poor water resistance especially when made into nano and microfibers limits its biomedical applications. Previous attempts to improve the stability and mechanical...

TiO2 nano particles (NPs) were synthesized by precipitation using high purity of TiCl4 and the surface was modified by hydrothermal treatment. The NPs were characterized using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDX), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Thermo-Gravimetric Analysis (TGA)...

Kigelia africana also known as sausage plant, yields highly fibrous fruit with a hard shell. Many medicinal uses are reported for the extracts from the fruits, seeds and leaves of sausage trees. In this research, natural cellulose fibers were extracted from the fruit using NaOH and later bleached and characterized for their properties. Results reve...

Short wool fibers are unsuitable for most of the high value fiber applications but have excellent thermal insulation and other properties. Previous studies have developed composites with a low proportion of wool, flame-retarding additives which increase the cost and are therefore not sustainable. In this study, low-cost wool-polypropylene (PP) comp...

Alginate is a polysaccharide obtained from seaweeds that are abundantly available and have shown great potential for diverse industrial applications. However, alginate lacks properties such as stability under aqueous conditions and it is difficult to control the rate of degradation of alginate-based materials, crucial for various medical applicatio...

We demonstrate a simple approach of using highly alkaline starch solutions to obtain films with high flexibility and improved water resistance. Extensive studies have been done to develop films from starch, primarily for food applications. However, films developed from starch are brittle and generally chemical modifications or plasticizers are used...

Lignocellulosic agricultural residues are unavoidably generated and are mostly disposed by burning or burying which causes significant pollution. Using these materials for value added applications can contribute to a greener environment. In this work, two such agricultural residues namely, rice husk (RH) and groundnut shell (GNS) were used without...

In this work, coffee husk (CH) was used as a reinforcement for polypropylene (PP) to fabricate bio-based composites by compression molding. The effects of three different ratios of CH/PP (70:30, 80:20, 90:10 wt%/wt%) and densities (0.5, 0.75, and 1.0 g cm ⁻³ ) on the mechanical properties, flame retardancy, water stability, sound, and thermal insul...

In this research, tulsi (wild type) stalks were treated with NaOH to obtain natural cellulosic fibers. X-ray diffractions showed typical cellulose diffraction peak at 22.7°. The fibers had a tensile strength of 445 MPa, higher than fibers obtained from other agricultural residues. The fibers also displayed good thermal stability up to 300℃ making i...

Natural cellulose fibers were extracted from a fast growing perennial grass Eulaliopsis binata (commonly known as Sabai)and characterized for their structure and properties. The untreated sabai grass has been used as reinforcement for polypropylene composites and properties of the composites have been investigated. Although the composition of the s...

Coconuts are considered as a seed crop and are one of the primary commodity crops of the world. Although found mostly in tropical climates, coconuts have diverse applications and are commonly used for various food and non-food applications. In addition, the by-products obtained after processing the coconuts have been commercially used for a plethor...

Composites have been the most widely used applications for coir fibers. One of the simplest approaches for manufacturing coir fibers based composites is to use the fibers as reinforcement and epoxy or other synthetic polymers as resins. Completely biodegradable coir-based composites have also been developed using natural polymers such as wheat glut...

Along with the conventional applications of coir and related by-products, researchers have attempted to utilize the properties of coir for a large array of unique applications. Production of nanofibers and nanofillers, carbon nanotubes, ceramics, and brake linings using coir by-products has also been attempted. Further, the low cost and good sorpti...

Coir has been one of the predominant agricultural residues studied for environmental remediation, particularly removal of heavy metals and dyes from polluted water. Easy availability, low cost, and high moisture sorption capabilities make coir an ideal choice for removing various contaminants from polluted water. In addition to contaminants in wate...

Increasing constraints on the use of concrete and need to promote energy efficient green buildings are leading the research for new materials for civil engineering and architectural applications. Biobased renewable materials such as bamboo and coir are being studied for both indoor and outdoor applications. Utilizing agricultural residues and co-pr...

This book provides detailed information on the methods and techniques that can be used to process coir, cocopeat and other coconut byproducts for developing various bioproducts. Coir is a unique raw material in that it is abundant, green, and sustainable. The most common industrial application of coir is to use it as a reinforcement of composites w...

The ever increasing consumption and subsequent disposal of electronic goods is a major concern to the environment since most electronic goods contain non-biodegradable components. Regulations on disposal of e-goods and increasing environmental awareness on their use and disposal will necessitate finding alternative materials for electronic goods in...