Education
Ph. D., University of Hyderabad (Advisor Late Prof. Bhaskar G. Maiya)
M.Sc., Pondicherry University
B.Sc., Madras University
Research Description:
Solar energy can be converted into different useful forms: heat, electricity, and
fuels. Solar fuels are expected to become an important contributor to our future energy
systems. Natural photosynthesis use solar energy to convert carbon dioxide and water
to fuel, primarily energy rich carbohydrates. Assemblies of photofunctional
chromophores and catalysts within proteins, which provide specifically tailored nanoenvironments to optimize solar energy conversion. Artificial photosynthetic systems
requires hierarchical organization at both molecular and supramolecular levels to
capture light energy, separate charge, and transport charge to catalytic sites at which
fuel synthesis occurs.
My research focus is 1. To design and synthesis molecular systems to harvest
light and perform photochemical charge separation.
2. To couple proton reduction catalysts to achieve proton reduction to generate
H2.
Publications:
(1) Porphyrin-anthraquinone dyads: Synthesis, spectroscopy and photochemistry. P.
Prashanth Kumar, G. Premaladha and Bhaskar G. Maiya, J. Chem. Sci., 2005, 117,
193.
(2) Axial bis(terpyridoxy)phosphorus(V) porphyrin: Modulation of PET and EET by Zn 2+
or Cd2+ ions. P. Prashanth Kumar, G. Premaladha and Bhaskar G. Maiya, Chem.
Commun., 2005, 3823.
(3) Nucleobase (A, T, G and C) appended tri-cationic water-soluble porphyrins:
synthesis, characterization, binding and photocleavage studies with DNA. P.
Premaladha, P. Prashanth Kumar and Bhaskar G. Maiya, J. Porphyrins
Phthalocyanines, 2006, 10, 1.
(4) Synthesis, spectroscopy and photochemistry of dyads and triads with porphyrin and
bis(terpyridine)ruthenium(II) complex. P. Prashanth Kumar, P. Premaladha and Bhaskar
G. Maiya, J. Porphyrins Phthalocyanines, 2006, 10, 1049.
(5) Redox control of photo-induced electron transfer in axial terpyridoxy porphyrin
complexes P. Prashanth Kumar, P. Premaladha, Bhaskar G. Maiya, Thazhe Kootteri
Prasad, Yuri Kandrashkin, Sergei Vasil’ev, Doug Bruce, Art van der Est, Inorg. Chem.,
2008, 47, 7512.