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Biography

Dr. Debdyuti Mukherjee is an Electrochemist and Material Scientist with an expertise in the field of Electrocatalysis and Next Generation Electrochemical Energy Systems like Fuel Cells, Electrolyzers and Batteries. She has a strong academic background; she was the university topper in both her bachelors and masters. Dr. Debdyuti had qualified various national-level competitive examinations like NET, GATE, aiming for higher studies and research, where she secured her position among top 6% and top 2% meritorious students respectively. She cleared both Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) entrance exam, but opted to begin her research career at IISc, Bangalore as a PhD student. At the PhD program, she was focused in developing efficient, novel and cost-effective Electrocatalysts for studying the fundamental electrochemical reactions, used in energy conversion and storage systems. During that time, she got an opportunity to present her work at one of the most prestigious conferences in the world, the Gordon Research Conference, held in Ventura, CA, USA in 2015, where she was recognized and her work was praised by the famous electrochemists present in the conference. Further, her work on hydrogen evolution reaction using layered chalcogenophosphates over a wide pH range, especially in sea-water was published in ACS Energy Letters and highlighted as top 5 most read articles in 2016.
After completion of PhD at 2017, Dr. Debdyuti moved to The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel (2017-2018) for pursuing her first postdoctoral research program, where along with the laboratory work on Hybrid Battery-Supercapacitors, she was also involved in an industrial project in collaboration with Ashalim Solar Power Station, Negev Desert, and Bright Source Pvt. Ltd., Israel, where she developed a fluoropolymer based transparent anti-soiling coatings on the surfaces of solar mirrors in the ‘Concentrated Solar Thermal Power Plants’. This work was identified as one of the most promising works in the area of next-generation renewable energy systems by Israel Vacuum Society – Material Research Society, Israel in 2018.
Later on, she went to the New York, USA for her second postdoctoral research at New York University (2019-2021) and worked on conducting polymeric materials for various applications, including Electrochemical Energy Devices as well as in ‘Separating Olefins from Paraffins in Gaseous Mixtures Electrochemically’. Her work on the studies on conducting ionomer binders for PEMFC was featured by the U.S. Department of Energy on its University and Stakeholder News page.
She received DST Inspire Faculty Fellowship to start her independent research career in India and currently, she is the DST Inspire Faculty at the Centre for Fuel Cell Technology (CFCT), ARCI, Chennai. Her area of interest includes the study of 2D ceramic materials and short-chain ionomers for next-generation energy storage and conversion systems such as Alkaline Fuel Cells, Electrolyzers.

Research Areas of Interest

*Electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices (electrolyzers, primary and rechargeable fuel cells) |* Electro-organic synthesis |* Electro-polymerization|* Electrocatalysis |* Spectroelectrochemistry |* Machine learning and coupling with electrochemical techniques |* Photoelectrochemistry and Solar Fuels.

Highest Qualification

PhD

Other Qualifications

Postdoctoral Fellow at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel (from 2017 to 2018) and at the New York University, Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NYC, NY, USA (from 2019 to 2021)

List of Publications

1. A. Bhuin, A. K. Yadav, U. Pandey, D. Mukherjee, V. K. Agrahari, C. Ponraj, S. Sadhu, B. N. Pal, S. Sarkar, “Fabrication of a solution-processed low voltage TFT by using colloid 2D ZnO nanosheets and its application as a UV photodetector” Journal of Materials Chemistry C 2025, 13 (17), 8763-8775.
2. M. Ghosh, D. Mukherjee, C. Selvaraj, P. Ghosh, S. Sarkar, “Synthesis of Tin Oxide Nanoparticles from E‐Waste for Photocatalytic Mixed-Dye Degradation under Sunlight” ACS Omega 2024, 9 (52), 51136–51145.
3. D. Mukherjee*, R. Aswin, K. Ramya, “Poly(benzoquinone-pyrrole)-MoS2─A Class of 2D Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Layered Catalysts for Electrochemical Hydrogen Generation” ACS Applied Engineering Materials 2024, 2(10), 2351-2360.
4. A. Bhuin, S. Udayakumar, J. Gopalarethinam, D. Mukherjee, K. Girigoswami, C. Ponraj, S. Sarkar, “Photocatalytic Degradation of Antibiotics and Antimicrobial and Anticancer Activities of Two-Dimensional ZnO Nanosheets” Scientific Reports 2024, 14, 10406. 
5. S. Sarkar, S. Patel, D. Mukherjee, “Palladium Phosphoselenide (PdPSe) – Reduced Graphene Oxide Composite: A Tri-Functional Electrocatalyst and a Cathode Catalyst for Alkaline Fuel Cells” Materials Today Sustainability 2024, 25, 100651. 
6. T. Akashige, A. B. Katzenberg, D. M. Frey, D. Mukherjee, C. A. U. Blanco, B. Chen, Y. Okamoto, M. A. Modestino, “Electrochemically Modulated Separation of Olefin–Paraffin Gas Mixtures in Membrane Electrode Assemblies” Energy Advances 2024, 3, 790-799. 
7. A. Biswas, O. Pradhan, A. Thati, D. Mukherjee, T. K Sau, S. R. Choudhury, “Pd Nanoparticle-Mediated Acetone Sensing Performance Improvement of SnO2 Substrate: A Combined DFT and Experimental Study” Current Applied Physics 2022, 44, 131-143. 
8. S. Sarkar, A. C. Herath, D. Mukherjee, D. Mandler, “Ionic Strength Induced Local Electrodeposition
of ZnO Nanoparticles”, Electrochimica Acta 2022, 429, 140986.
9. P. Sharma┼, D. Mukherjee┼, S. Sarkar┼, D. Mandler, R. S. Varma, M. B. Gawande, R. Zbořil and Y. Sasson, “Pd Doped Carbon Nitride (Pd-g-C3N4): an Efficient Photocatalyst for Hydrogenation via an Al–H2O System and an Electrocatalyst Towards Overall Water Splitting”, Green Chemistry 2022, 24, 5535-5546. (┼ Equal First Author) 
10. S. Sarkar, D. Mukherjee, R. Harini, G. Nagaraju, “Ionic liquid Assisted Synthesis of Tri-Functional Ruthenium Oxide Nanoplatelets for Electrochemical Energy Applications”, Journal of Materials Science 2022, 57, 7680-7693. 
11. A. Katzenberg, D. Mukherjee, P. J. Dudenas, Y. Okamoto, A. Kusoglu, M. Modestino, “Dynamic Emergence of Nanostructure and Transport Properties in Perfluorinated Sulfonic Acid Ionomers” Macromolecules 2020, 53, 8519−8528. 
12. S. Barard, D. Mukherjee, S. Sarkar, T. Kreouzis, I. Chambrier, A. N. Cammidge, A. K. Ray, “Channel Length‑Dependent Characterisations of Organic Thin‑Film Transistors with Solution Processable Gadolinium Phthalocyanine Derivatives” Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics 2020, 31, 265−273. 
13. D. Mukherjee, M. Austeria, S. Sampath, “Few-Layer Iron Selenophosphate, FePSe3: Efficient Electrocatalyst toward Water Splitting and Oxygen Reduction Reactions” ACS Applied Energy Materials 2018, 1, 220−231. 
14. S. Sarkar, D. Mukherjee, S. Sampath, “Layer-type Palladium Phosphosulphide and its Reduced Graphene Oxide Composite as Electrode Materials for Metal-Ion Batteries” Journal of Power Sources 2017, 362, 80−85. 
15. D. Mukherjee, G. Gowda Y. K., Harish M.N.K, S. Sampath, "Porous, Hyper-Crosslinked, 3D - Polymer as Stable, High Rate Capability - Electrode for Li ion Battery" ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2017, 9, 19446−19454. 
16. S. Tamilarasan, D. Mukherjee, S. Sampath, S. Natarajan, J. Gopalakrishnan, “Synthesis, Structure and Electrochemical Behaviour of New Ru-Containing Lithium-Rich Layered Oxides” Solid State Ionics 2016, 297, 49−58. 
17. S. Biswas, D. Mukherjee, S. De, A. Kathiravan, “Probing the Highly Efficient Electron Transfer Dynamics Between Zinc Protoporphyrin IX and Sodium Titanate Nanosheets” Journal of Physical Chemistry-A 2016, 120, 7121−7129. 
18. D. Mukherjee, P. Muthu Austeria, S. Sampath, “Two-Dimensional, Few-Layer Phosphochalcogenide, FePS3: A New Catalyst for Electrochemical Hydrogen Evolution over Wide pH Range” ACS Energy Letter 2016, 1, 367−372. 
19. K. Vankayla, D. Mukherjee, R. Jenjeti, S. Sampath, “Active Guests in MoS2 / MoSe2 Host Lattice: Efficient Hydrogen Evolution Using Few-Layer Alloys of MoS2(1-x)Se2x” Nanoscale 2014, 6, 12856−12863. 

Books / Book Chapters

1. A. K. Ray, D. Mukherjee; S. Sarkar, "Phthalocyanines: A Class of Organic Photoconductive Materials" in “Photoconductivity and Photoconductive Materials: Fundamentals, Techniques and Applications”, Eds. S. O. Kasap, Wiley, Chichester, 2022 (1st Ed.), 831-852.
2. D. Mukherjee, S. Sampath, Book Chapter on “Two-Dimensional, Layered Materials as Catalysts for Oxygen Reduction Reaction” in “2-D Inorganic materials beyond graphene”, Eds. C. N. R. Rao, U. V. Waghmare, World Scientific, Europe, 2017 (1st Ed.), 103-136.
3. D. Mukherjee, R. Manjunatha, S. Sampath, A. K. Ray, Book Chapter on “Phthalocyanines for Chemical Sensing” in “Materials for Chemical Sensing”, Eds. T. Cesar Paixão, S. Reddy, Springer, Cham, 2017 (1st Ed.), 165-226.

Conference Proceedings

1. Debdyuti Mukherjee, Sujoy Sarkar, “Single or Few Layers palladium Phosphoselenide (PdPSe) for Hydrogen Evolution and Li-Ion Storage”. Proceedings of the International Conference on E-Mobility – Volume 2, Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering (LNEE, volume 1439); ICEM 2024, September 11–12, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia; https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-8093-1_27

Major Projects / Technologies Developed

DST Inspire Project (SIDD): Designing next generation sustainable energy conversion and storage systems using two-dimensional layered organic-inorganic hybrid materials and highly conducting ionomer films; sponsored by DST, India (Ongoing)

Awards & Honours

1. DST Inspire Faculty Fellowship from Department of Science & Technology, India in 2021.
2. Best Oral Presentation Award in the International Conference of 55th Annual Convention of Chemist from India from Indian Chemical Society in 2018. 
3. Best Poster Award in IVS-MRS Student Conference in Israel from Israel Vacuum Society - Material Research Society in 2018. 
4. International travel scholarship from Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Government of India, to attend Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Nanomaterials for Energy Technology, 2015 in Ventura, CA, USA. 
5. Medal & Certificate of Merit for 1st rank in Chemistry (M.Sc.) in Memory of Prof. B. S. Thyagarajan from University of Kalyani, Kalyani, West Bengal in 2012. 
6. Ranked 71 (Top 6 %) in NET (National Eligibility Test) conducted by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research in June 2011. 
7. Ranked 200 (Top 2 %) in Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) conducted by the Department of Higher Education, MHRD, Government of India in 2011. 
8. Medal & Certificate of Merit for 1st rank in Chemistry (B.Sc. Hons.) in Memory of Prof. Ashima Chatterjee from University of Kalyani, Kalyani, West Bengal in 2010. 
9. Certificate of Merit and Akshoy Kumar Sarkar Memorial Medal for securing highest marks in B.Sc. Chemistry Hons. from Kalyani Civic Association, Kalyani, West Bengal in 2010. 
10. Scholarship (40000 INR) for 1st rank holder in B.Sc. from the University of Kalyani, Kalyani, West Bengal, India for pursuing master’s program, 2009-2011.
 

Affiliation to Professional Societies

 Member of Indian Chemical Society (F/7870(LM))
 Member of American Chemical Society (ACS Membership No. -31022961) 
 Member of Israel Chemical Society (Electrochemical Section)