Pramod Kumar

Bio: Pramod Kumar is an academic researcher from Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute. The author has contributed to research in topics: Capacitive sensing & Poison control. The author has an hindex of 23, co-authored 224 publications receiving 1986 citations. Previous affiliations of Pramod Kumar include Council of Scientific and Industrial Research & University of Delhi.

Highly Chemo- and Regioselective Reduction of Aromatic Nitro Compounds Catalyzed by Recyclable Copper(II) as well as Cobalt(II) Phthalocyanines

Abstract: Copper/cobalt phthalocyanines were established for the first time as catalysts for the very efficient chemo- and regioselective reduction of aromatic nitro compounds to generate the corresponding amines. The selective reduction of nitro compounds was observed in the presence of a large range of functional groups such as aldehyde, keto, acid, amide, ester, halogen, lactone, nitrile and heterocyclic functional groups. Furthermore, the present method was found to be highly regioselective towards the reduction of aromatic dinitro compounds in a short time with high yields. In most of the cases the conversion and selectivity were > 99% as monitored by GC-MS. The reduction mechanism was elucidated by UV-vis and electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry.

Development of SnS2/RGO nanosheet composite for cost-effective aqueous hybrid supercapacitors

Abstract: The development of low cost supercapacitor cells with unique capacitive properties is essential for many domestic and industrial purposes. Here we report the first ever application of SnS2-reduced graphene oxide (SnS2/RGO) layered nanocomposite as a superior electrode material for symmetric aqueous hybrid supercapacitors. We synthesized SnS2/RGO nanocomposite comprised of nanosheets of SnS2 and graphene oxide via a one-pot hydrothermal approach. in situ as-synthesized SnS2/RGO is devised for the first time to give high specific capacitance 500 Fg-1, energy density 16.67 Wh kg-1 and power density 488 W kg-1. The cell retains 95% charge/discharge cycle stability up to 1000 cycles. In-short, the SnS2/RGO nanosheet composite presented is a novel and advanced material for application in high stability moderate value hybrid supercapacitors. All the currently available surveys in literature state the potential applicability of SnS2 as the anode material for reversible lithium/sodium ion batteries (LIBs/NIBs) but there is a lack of equivalent studies on electrochemical capacitors. We filled up this knowledge gap by the use of the same material in a cost-effective, highly active hybrid supercapacitor application by utilizing its pseudocapacitance property combined with the layered capacitance property of graphene sheets.

Design of novel compact anti-stiction and low insertion loss RF MEMS switch

Abstract: A novel torsional RF MEMS capacitive switch design on silicon substrate is presented. The optimized switch topology such as reduction in up-state capacitance results in insertion loss better than ź0.1 dB till 20 GHz. Off to on state capacitance ratio is also improved by 18 fold and isolation is better than ź43 dB at 9.5 GHz. The achieved on state return loss is ź38 dB as compared to ź21 dB at 9.5 GHz. An optimized reduction in contact area and use of floating metal layer increases the switching speed from 56 to 46 μsec. It also increases the switch reliability by alleviating the stiction.

I and i

Abstract: There is, I think, something ethereal about i —the square root of minus one. I remember first hearing about it at school. It seemed an odd beast at that time—an intruder hovering on the edge of reality. Usually familiarity dulls this sense of the bizarre, but in the case of i it was the reverse: over the years the sense of its surreal nature intensified. It seemed that it was impossible to write mathematics that described the real world in …

Medscape

Abstract: Secret History: Return of the Black Death Channel 4, 7-8pm In 1348 the Black Death swept through London, killing people within days of the appearance of their first symptoms. Exactly how many died, and why, has long been a mystery. This Secret History documentary follows experts as they pick through the evidence and reveal why the plague killed on such a scale. And they ask, what might be coming next?