School of Chemical Sciences

The School of Chemical Science consists of Department of Analytical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Energy and Polymer Science.

School of Chemical Science,University of Madras was established in 1973 when part-time M.Phil Course common to Organic, Inorganic and Physical Chemistry was introduced. The Master of Science programme was introduced in 1976 wherein the first year students undergo a common chemistry programme and the students specialize in one of the areas of Chemistry in the second year: Physical Chemistry,Organic Chemistry and Inorganic Chemistry. Since 1987,the department of Analytical Chemistry also joined the School of Chemical Sciences and the teaching programme is conducted by admitting the students in all the four branches based on the performance of the students in the entrance examination.

The School of Chemical Science consists of four departments,Viz., Analytical Chemistry,Inorganic Chemistry,Organic Chemistry and Physical Chemistry and these departments were established in 1960,1975,1952 and 1952 respectively. From the academic year 1975-76 the departments are conducting courses (M.Sc. & M.Phil) collectively. The Chairperson,School of Chemical Sciences is coordinating the academic activities. The students of School of chemical Sciences have been performing very well in the competitive examinations and are working in prestigious institutions in India and abroad.

The Department of Analytical chemistry specializes in spectrometry,separation techniques, electroanalytical methods,corrosion control and implants studies. The Department has the facilities of a workshop, air-conditioned room of equipments, telecommunication network,library and computation laboratory. The sophisticated instruments of the Department includes UV-Visible spectrophotometer,Polarographs,Cyclic Voltammeter,Potentiostat/Galvanostat,Gas chromatograph,lon analyzer,corrosion monitoring system,microscope(Hot stage),refractometer,data acquisition system and computers. The Department offers consultancy in analytical problems relating to chemical industries,environment,material science,biomaterials,chelating resins,electroanalytical studies,chemically modified electrodes,etc.

The Department of Inorganic Chemistry, concentrates on research work in Photochemistry, Coordination Chemistry,Bioinorganic Chemistry,Catalysis and Laser Chemistry. The facilities in the Department include Spectrophotometers, Fluorimeters,photochemical,electrochemical systems,flash photolysis spectrometer,Nd-YAG pumped laser flash photolysis spectrometer,excimer laser,time-correlated Single Photon Counting spectrometer,IR,UV-Visible,esr,gas chromatograph,cyclic voltammeter and pulse polarograph.

The Department of Organic Chemistry specializes in the fields of synthesis of carbocyclics and their rearrangements,heterocyclic compounds of pharmacological interest,Macrocyclic compounds and molecules with spatial conjugation and laser dyes,asymmetric synthesis,Bio-organic chemistry and photochemistry. The facilities of the department include Jeol 90 MHz NMR and mass spectrometer,Shimadzu UV-vis spectrophotometer,Shimadzu FT IR, and Polarimeter. The staff of this department offer consultancy services in the synthesis of any type of industrially important organic compounds,application of any type of organics and solving structure through spectra.

The department of Physical Chemistry researches in Homo-and hetero-multisite catalysts,triphase catalysis,synthesis,characterization and kinetics of polymerization,model enzyme reactions,conducting,polymers,defluridisation studies,electrocatalysis by metal complexes, electron transfer reactions,electrochemical studies on copper-halide interactions,ion-selective electrodes,SANS study of microemulsions, polymerization and oxidation reactions in microemulsion,sysnthesis,characterisation and catalytic activity of anionic clays,sorption studies of surfactants on polymeric surfaces electroanalytical oxygen evolution at oxide electrodes as in photo assisted splitting of water,Development of polymer-modified catalytic electrodes for detection of neurotransmitter enzymeless biosensors etc. The facilities of the Department include Gas Chromatography Varian 3700 with Data system (VISTA401),UV-visible SPECORD spectrophotometer,PAR-Cyclic Voltammetric,Spectrofluroimeter-AMINCO,FIBRE-SPINNING equipment etc. The Department offers consultancy in areas like:synthesis and characterisation of polymers,environmental studies involving fluorosis,polymer-Drug interactions,preparation and application of catalysts,development and applications of ion selective electrodes,polymer supported reagents,enzyme models,electro catalysis,anionic clays,micro emulsions and enzymeless biosensors.

Chair Person : Dr.P.RAJAKUMAR

Constitute Department :