About the Department

The Department of Physical Chemistry was established as a Research Department in August 1952, with Prof. M. Santappa as the Head of Department (HOD). During the fifty and odd years that have gone by, the Department has nurtured the growth of several students and faculty into academicians, industrial chemists and academic administrators of high standing. Research programmes conducted in the Department have resulted in important contributions in Physical chemistry including polymers, Catalysis, Solution Equilibria, Electrochemistry, Photochemistry, Surface Chemistry, microemulsions and recently Nanomaterials and their application. A brief list given below is an indicator of the highlights in the History of the Department.

• Prof. M. Santappa, first HOD, is a recipient of the Shanthi Swarup Bhatnagar Award for Research in Chemical Sciences, and has served as a Director of a National CSIR Laboratory and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Madras.
• Prof. T. Balakrishnan, former Ph.D. Student of the Department and later Head of Department , has served as Vice-Chancellor of the Periyar University.
• Pro. P. Maruthamuthu, former Ph.D. student, is presently Vice-Chancellor of Madurai Kamaraj University.
• The Department was recognised for the UGC Special Assistance Programme (SAP), which led to the creation of the Department of Polymer Science-1982.
• The Department initiated the College Science Improvement University Leadership Project (COSIP-ULP)-1975.
• The Department was a member in the Space Science Programme of the University and successfully completed two Research Projects on High Temperature Resistant Polymers in Collaboration with Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
• The Department received funding under the DST - FIST Program - 2003 to 2008

Laboratory

• Wet Lab, Instruments Lab, M.Sc/M.Phil Lab

Equipments

• Gas chromatograph (Varian)
• GC-MS (Shimadzu)
• FI-IR spectrophotometer (Bruker)
• UV-vis spectrophotometer (Shimadzu)
• UV-vis spectrophotometer (Techcomp)
• Electrochemical Analyser (Autolab)
• Electrochemical Analyser (CH Instruments)
• Wenking Cyclic Voltemmetry set-up

• Prof.M.Santappa Prize for the best proficiency in Physical Chemistry

Department of Physical Chemistry University of Madras Maraimalai Adigalar Campus, Chennai - 600 025 Phone : 91-44-2220 2819