Clay-Polymer Nanocomposites

Dr. Jlassi Khouloud is a post-doctoral researcher fellow in Qatar University, Centre of Advanced Materials, working with Professor Igor Krupa (NPRP award [8-878-1-172]) from Qatar National Research Fund (a member of Qatar foundation). She is a doctor in Chemistry from the Paris Diderot (ITODYS) lab in 'Chemistry of materials and functional surfaces'. She is involved in the interface chemistry of nanoclay using either silanes or diazonium salts bearing polymerization initiator groups or polymerizable moieties. She prepares Vinylic and conjugated polymers in situ, in the presence of the modified clays leading to highly exfoliated clay/polymer nanocomposites, using the latter in catalysis as nanofillers for polymer matrix for the development of adhesives with very high performance for a variety of applications. Dr. Khouloud has published many papers in international peer-reviewed journals in the area of applied clay. Previously, she was working as an assistant professor in the higher institute of environmental science and technologies in Tunisia for 4 years. Dr Khouloud has many international collaborations with Hong Kong, Turkey, the United States, and India.

Mohamed M. Chehimi is the Research Director at French CNRS. He obtained a PhD in Physical Organic Chemistry at the University Paris Diderot in 1988, and joined CNRS in 1989 for a permanent researcher position. He has been promoted Research Director Grade 1 (DR1) in 2011. His research topics include the design of reactive and functional polymer and nanocomposite coatings. In the recent years he has spent time and effort developing aryldiazonium salts as new coupling agents in materials science. The applications encompass adsorbents, electrochemical sensors, fillers, antibacterial surfaces and electronic devices. He is also a specialist of XPS analysis of a broad range of materials including polymer composites. He has published over 250 research papers and 20 book chapters. He is the editor of three books and guest-edited three themed issues. He has supervised over 20 PhD theses and collaborated with academic researchers from 15 countries.

Professor Thomas is currently Pro-Vice Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University and the Founder Director and Professor of the International and Interuniversity Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. He is also a full professor of Polymer Science and Engineering at the School of Chemical Sciences of Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India. Prof. Thomas is an outstanding leader with sustained international acclaims for his work in Nanoscience, Polymer Science and Engineering, Polymer Nanocomposites, Elastomers, Polymer Blends, Interpenetrating Polymer Networks, Polymer Membranes, Green Composites and Nanocomposites, Nanomedicine and Green Nanotechnology. Dr. Thomas’s ground-breaking inventions in polymer nanocomposites, polymer blends, green bionanotechnological and nano-biomedical sciences, have made transformative differences in the development of new materials for automotive, space, housing and biomedical fields. In collaboration with India’s premier tyre company, Apollo Tyres, Professor Thomas’s group invented new high performance barrier rubber nanocomposite membranes for inner tubes and inner liners for tyres. Professor Thomas has received a number of national and international awards which include: Fellowship of the Royal Society of Chemistry, London FRSC, Distinguished Professorship from Josef Stefan Institute, Slovenia, MRSI medal, Nano Tech Medal, CRSI medal, Distinguished Faculty Award, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Award for Scientific Excellence – 2016, Mahatma Gandhi University- Award for Outstanding Contribution –Nov. 2016, Lifetime Achievement Award of the Malaysian Polymer Group, Indian Nano Biologists award 2017and Sukumar Maithy Award for the best polymer researcher in the country. He is in the list of most productive researchers in India and holds a position of No.5. Recently, because of the outstanding contributions to the field of Nanoscience and Polymer Science and Engineering, Prof. Thomas has been conferred Honoris Causa (DSc) Doctorate by the University of South Brittany, Lorient, France and University of Lorraine, Nancy, France. Very recently, Prof. Thomas has been awarded Senior Fulbright Fellowship to visit 20 Universities in the US and most productive faculty award in the domain Materials Sciences. Professor Thomas has published over 800 peer reviewed research papers, reviews and book chapters. He has co-edited 80 books published by different publishers. He is the inventor of 6 patents and has delivered over 300 Plenary/Inaugural and Invited lectures in national/international meetings over 30 countries. He has established a state of the art laboratory at Mahatma Gandhi University in the area of Polymer Science and Engineering and Nanoscience and Nanotechnology through external funding from DST, CSIR, TWAS, UGC, DBT, DRDO, AICTE, ISRO, DIT, TWAS, KSCSTE, BRNS, UGC-DAE, Du Pont, USA, General Cables, USA, Surface Treat Czech Republic, MRF Tyres and Apollo Tyres.