Good day, Balaji Sambandam. I'm Arjun. I've had a look through your background and your professional record. I'm interested in hearing more about your work and how you see yourself fitting in here with our faculty. Ready to start?

Please start by introducing your professional journey in academia.

Microphone, microphone camera.

For this interview, we’ll proceed verbally. Please share your professional academic journey when you're ready.

OK, I'm ready. Can you hear me?

Yes.

Uh, your, uh, your voice is not audible. Let me check my case.

Ah, yeah.

Yes, I am ready now.

Take your time. Let me know when you're ready, and we can proceed.

Great. Please start by introducing your professional journey in academia.

Yes.

I must. I did my schooling in my native places in South Tamil Nadu. This is called Delta. You can call us a delta district called through Arur. I was born and I grew up there and I did my schooling everything there in my native place. After that I'm I did my bachelor degree in the same place. It's the the government college is called Thiruvika Government Arts College is affiliated with the Bardasan University.

And followed by I moved I'm.

Is is also the southern states of southern districts in the Tamil Nadu where I did my master's degree in school of chemistry at the Bharadasan university campus followed by I moved to Chennai to pursuit my.

Further postgraduate after the postgraduate called.

Uh, post to after, sorry uh, after the post graduations I.

Went uh, a small time off and industries. I worked nearly 86 to 8 months, followed by I I joined as a project associate in IIT Madras, where my started my research in detail with the help of uh, professor Doctor PT Manogaran, who is well known in former, you know, university university vice chancellor of Madras University. And then I did my. Basic research there and followed by. I joined as a I started my.

PhD course at Anna University and continue to work with the help of Professor PT Manoharan at IIT Madras where I did my PhD in Material Chemistry and especially on the semiconductors. Material for the electron, semiconductor materials for the electromagnetism.

After that, after finished my PhD, I joined SAP.

Teaching assistants at Anna University of Coimbatore, where I did my where I.

Taught, uh, so from fundamental chemistry and nano, uh, related, uh, subjects for the at the Center for Center for Nano Science and nano technology.

After the uh, year of teaching, getting a year of one year experience in uh, uh, an anniversary Coimbatore, I moved back to IIT Madras and joined us, a institute post doctor fellow at uh with under Professor T Pradeep, where I did my, uh, fundamental research, research on photo, photo catalytic materials for the energy applications. I, I worked nearly 1 1/2 years there.

And after it isn't in an era of 2013 to 2015. After 2015, I moved my I my place from India to South Korea and continues to explore my reserves in electrochemistry, battery science.

In with the professor Jako Kim, who is well known for well known person in electrochemistry on battery science material. He's worked on the.

Professor Mandiram, who is also well known, well known in battery materials. So after came here and almost a decade, I work still here. And then I gradually promoted from the post doctor fellowship fellow. And right now presently I'm a research professor in the same group. And then I worked in doing my individual work as well as the team work and I, I guiding.

Because of this work, this group I'm where I'm working is completely the battery research and especially we are working in lithium, sodium and aqueous zinc batteries. I am I am particularly dedicated in the sodium nanoco sodium batteries and aqueous lithium ion batteries for the future generations.

Master students and helping PhD students for their problem solvings and electroconvising analysis.

Uh, this is my uh, the complete pro professionals in the uh academic app.

Yes, please.

Thank you for sharing your academic journey, Professor.

Yes.

Professor, I’ll be assessing your expertise in key areas related to the role. Let's begin with electrochemistry. Could you explain the fundamental principles of electrochemical cells, specifically the role of electrodes and electrolytes in the functioning of a galvanic cell?

Yes.

Other basically is the.

The reaction is of conversion of chemical reaction into the electric reactions. Electric reaction is called the electrochemical cells where the where the where the one side ends in the cathode is called where the oxidation is taken place and the another side is is anode where the reduction is taken place separated by the. Separated by Separated by. The both cells are separated by.

Component is called separators where the ions are moved without any interference of the electrons movement. This whole system is.

How the whole system is arranged within the accumulated with the liquid, liquid or solid systems called electrolytes, their ions are moving from one side to another side via the separators and during the electrochemical reactions. In for example, during electrochemical reactions the one side is, the cathode side is the oxidation taken place, so the electrons are.

Lost from the cathode, it goes via the circuit to reach the anode side, where the reduction automatically takes place.

With the with the simultaneously the the ions are moving from one side to to another side of the cattle to anode. So this is the fun this the entire system is.

Completely completely controlled by the electron movement. Movement from one side to another side.

Completely.

Yes.

Now, let's delve into teaching. How would you explain the Nernst equation and its significance in predicting cell potential to undergraduate students?

Yes, then circumstances is equal to east naughty minus N minus RT equal on K. This is the This is the connection between the standard redux potential of of the cell system and and and with the non standard systems of where we interested how the redox potential variation can give the can give the can give the redox potential of our interest material for example.

Lithium Lithium Lithium redox potential is -3.07 Volt.

Sorry and it's 3.04 Volt are the standard attacks potential. So if you have a system like a unknown systems with the non standard conditions like non standard syndrome in the means the.

The the electrolyte is not in the one molar standard system. We have the one molar electrolyte with the standard standard.

Equilibrium non equilibrium standard equilibrium conditions whereas non non nuclear non detox potential is how then?

No non equilibrium conditions. It means that.

One the no electric, the electrolyte is not in a standard uh, concentration of one molar. Uh, the atmospheric condition is not standard 1, so.

With the help of the standard relaxed potential, if you know the standard reduction potential of the system, you can equate this value to the non standard deductible non standard system.

By by substituting this value in the Nernst equation, you can identify the Redux potential of of your interest material or interest systems or any unknown material, any unknown systems.

This can helpful for understanding the electrochemical mechanism and identify the cell voltage etcetera.

Yes.

Yes.

Could you elaborate on your approach to evaluating and grading student performance in both theoretical and laboratory courses?

Yes.

Please proceed, Professor.

Yes, I would like to proceed with.

Laboratories when? Uh, theoretical. Theoretical.

Classes including the.

Battery electrochemical systems, including the energy storage, material energy storage systems.

To helpful to understand the fundamental, uh, fundamental, uh, values of the electrochemical electrochemistry and electrochemical analysis, I would like to, uh, teach of electrochemisties of energy storage systems of the.

Next generation battery materials which is which is occupies already in the world.

We would like to I would like to focus on this is directions by up by approaching in an industrial oriented teaching level how this academic academic teaching and industrial academic teaching and research can't care led the industrial directions which is very important countries like India.

So.

So the teaching is always, I prefer look look forward to the technical, technological productions, technological transfer, industrial communication, industrial collaborations, how the teaching and the research can influence the next generations of the energy world. So, so I would also like to involve in the.

Curriculum.

Uh, framework of by introducing the next generation materials on the deep analysis of electrochemical electrochemical systems, how the, for example, the next generation battery materials like lithium, lithium and battery, sodium and battery. And then these are all nonaccosystems, whereas in the aqueous systems like zinc battery systems, how which has very safe and which has very important for the.

Statics Energies.

Uh, systems like, uh, which is helpful for the grid energy applications. So I will, I would like to involve in teaching this kind of area, which is benefits for the next for the students for their future work. Similarly in the acronym laboratory side.

With the background of chemistry of mine, I would also involve in the fundamental electrochemical electrochemistry analysis in the laboratory in the laboratory level.

For teaching students especially how to how to involve in the calculations of electric.

Electrochemical equations using the nurse equations and then how to analyze the battery cell, how to assemble the battery cell, especially coin cells and pouch cells which have a good experience of mind which can helpful for the students to pursue their further research in the battery research so. So the laboratory level not like regular one, I would like to I would like to involve in.

Us to involve in framing the laboratory courses.

To to to promote the students towards the.

Towards the technological technology, technology transfers technological product towards the commercial associations. So I would like to involve in this directions which can be helpful for the students well.

Thank you, Professor. Your approach emphasizes integrating industrial relevance, technological advancement, and rigorous academic standards in both theoretical and practical teaching, which would undoubtedly help students align with modern industry demands. Let us now continue. How have you guided student projects and research initiatives in the past, particularly in the area of electrochemical systems?

Yes.

But I'm an I'm here as in with the good experience in handling.

Electrochemical cells have a representative. We have a team of working nearly more than 10 people undergo.

I'm getting nearly 4 master students and few pH students and, and then my in my, in, in my group where I'm working, we we focusing on the electrochemistry, electrochemical analysis of coin cells where we intersect because we are on the academic level and we are interested in the coin level and which is very basic in electrochemistries and battery research. So we first focus on materials development, material synthesis and then.

Uh further should further further analysis through the many many characterizations, including the apparent analysis.

Followed by we look for electrolyte, we have the both home and electrolytes and then the commercial electrolytes. For example, if we have a lithium ion battery, we have a very standard, standard.

We, we are preparing on synthesizing this kind of materials and then.

Making uh, making uh, electroly, making a homemade electrolyte with umm and the assembling councils and then uh, followed by analyzing the coin services with the various techniques include including include including galvanostic analysis, galvanostatic charge research analysis, uh, impedance cyclic automatry by electron git. So these are the fundamental analysis to understand the Electro.

Mechanisms of this materials and also we have another, another nano call systems which is very we are I'm very interested in the non nonaccos sorry aquasystems of zinc and battery which is with the with the zinc Mno 2 system which is well known for the alkaline battery, but we have looked for the. Mild acidic, acidic medium zinc and motor batteries for the.

Uh, grid level energy applications. So we are doing presently making the councils followed by the Pow cells with the large format of cathode with the high mass loading, which is essential for the.

Making the poussel or Rugrats pousels or small and static energy storage systems. So I would like to involve this kind of.

Through my individual, my independent research, where I am working.

This kind of systems.

Thank you, Professor. Your detailed account highlights robust expertise in electrochemical systems and guiding student researchers through significant phases, from material synthesis to advanced characterization techniques and practical applications. Let us shift focus now. Could you discuss your communication and structured teaching approach, particularly how you make complex topics, such as electrochemical kinetics, accessible to students?

Yeah. I mean teaching is a kind of passions, but I would like to go for equal contribution for the teaching as well as the research in the classroom. I have a good man. I have the one near experience in teaching, teaching master Masters of Technology, Mtech, Nano science and nanotechnology that are Nano city, Coimbatore. Where I communicate the students through the.

Thanks

Through the through the.

Chalkboard, chalkboard as well as the PowerPoint presentations and also I would always like to involve with them through the through the through the communications of especially the chemistry, chemistry background of mine. So I have this I taught some electrochemistic subjects for them.

And then I, I.

I talk the uh, I discussed with them through the, uh, individual individual.

Individual presentations from from each students and then group analysis quiz, this kind of this behavior. And then I every every day or every class of end of every class or end of every day of mine, I, I give one point on science and technology where the students can learn at least one point.

When they leave from the campus or leave from the class.

They can learn something, so something on the electrochemistry. So that's why I thought the my my my durations in anniversary Quamp to.

Umm, so I can, I can just I want to follow the same order wherever I go here also I can teach some, some I can teach them few students. So I, I would like to always inform you that learn at least one point on the electrochemistry every day. That would be helpful. Go for the future directions wherever your work and wherever you go, give a deep analysis and deep fundamental understanding that that we will and clear articulation that will.

For their future recession. That's why I am I focus always in this directions.

Thank you, Professor. Your dedication to clear articulation, interactive teaching methods, and fostering fundamental understanding is commendable. Emphasizing daily takeaways on electrochemistry speaks to your commitment to meaningful learning. Now, let's discuss your research contributions. Could you highlight any significant publications or industry consultancy work that demonstrates your expertise in electrochemistry?

Our scheduled time for the interview is now up. Before we conclude, do you have any questions related to the role or the company?

Well, and. I would like to.

I would like to.

Umm.

OK.

This is time is gone. I think so.

Is it OK?

OK, OK.

I would, I wouldn't, I mean build my own independent research. Where we go here is I can, I can develop my in addition to the team, team worker, I can do my independent work. That's why I have the same way wherever I go, I want to develop my independent research that will helpful for my future directions. So if I go there, if I joined an bit. I I I need a space. I need a place where I can.

OK.

Many, many analysis instruments, characterization tool, very enriched environment that would be very helpful for me to develop the research on the battery science.

Where I can do? Battery research with the help of.

For the next generations energy storage system.

Understood, Professor. Thank you for sharing your aspirations and vision for your future work. Your dedication to advancing research, especially in energy storage, is notable. Would you like me to conclude the interview at this point?

Yes.