- Electro catalysis, electro synthesis, battery, supercapacitor, sensor, corrosion, nanotechnology/ nanomaterial
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Graphite is one of the most important minerals mined in Sri Lanka. Advanced carbon matreial (ACM) can be synthesized via value additon to graphite. The value added ACM have superior properties such as crystalline perfection, high thermal and electrical conductivity, lubricating properties, chemical inertness, and resistance to oxidation/high temperatures, high density, and environmental friendliness. These unique, faviorable properties make ACM great candidates for numerous applications in energy devices, sensors, medical filed, and electronics development etc.
Properties and performance of the energy devices such as batteries and supercapacitors can be enhanced by ACM. Higher capacity, faster charging, light weight, and flexibility can be achieved upon incoporating ACM.
The ACM based sensors have applications in a wide range of areas such as environment, health, chemical industries, and agriculture etc. Incoporation of ACM can enhance the selectivity, sensitivity, responsiveness, and miniaturize the devices.
KDU CARE focues on developing ACM for apllications in energy devices and sensors.
Book chapters and web documents
- PhD Thesis – Magnetic Field Effects on Electrochemical Systems, Lanthanide Electrochemistry, Thin Layer Sonoelectrochemistry and Models for Polymer Film Characterization
- BSc Thesis – Assessing the Exposure to the Photochemical Smog in Colombo and Its Suburbs
Referred journal articles
- J. Leddy, N. P. W. Rathuwadu, Carbon dioxide reduction and carbon compound electrochemistry in the presence of lanthanides, U.S. Patent Application 20180094355, Filed 05.04.2018.
- W. L. Gellett, K. L. Knoche, N. P. W. Rathuwadu, and J. Leddy ,“Electron Hopping of Tris (2,2’-bipyridyl) Complexes M(bpy)32+/3+inNafion”, Journal of the Electrochemical Society (2016) 163 (7) H1-H10.
- N. P. W. Rathuwadu, K. L. Knoche, and J. Leddy, Lanthanide Voltametry: Electrocatalysis and Electrochemistry, Provisional U.S.Patent Application 62403992, Filed 04.0.2016.
- U. G. Mihiri Ekanayake, N. Rathuwadu, M. M. M. G. P. G. Mantilaka,R. M. G. Rajapakse, “Fabrication of ZnO nano architectured fluorinefree robust superhydrophobic and UV shielding polyester fabrics forumbrella canopies”, RSC Advances., 2018, 8, 31406.
- U. G. Mihiri Ekanayake, D. M. S. N. Dissanayake, N. Rathuwadu, R. K.K. G. R. G. Kumarasinghe, Sanjeewa K. Rodrigo, M. M. M. G. P. G.Mantilaka, “Facile fabrication of fluoro-polymer self-assembled ZnOnanoparticles mediated, durable and robust omniphobic surfaces onpolyester fabrics”, Journal of Fluorine Chemistry, 2020, 235,109565.
- T.S.E.F. Karunarathne, W. P. S. L. Wijesinghe, N. Rathuwadu, N.Manoharan, S.A.L. Sameera, A. Karalasingam, S.G.M. de Silva, G.A.J. Amaratunga “Fabrication and characterization of Poly (vinylalcohol) based fast responding and high sensitive humidity sensor”, Sensors and Actuators: A. Physical, 2020.
Technical reports
- A Breakthrough in Battery Research: Lithium Ion Batteries, GuestEditorial, Chemistry in Sri Lanka, 2020, 37 (1).
Presentations/Conference papers
- Charge Compensation in Nafion and Thin Layer Sonoelectrochemistry, Final Thesis Defense, Public Seminar (Talk), University of Iowa (December 2016)
- Lanthanide Voltammetry: Electro catalysis and Electrochemistry in Acetonitrile, Talk, Fall International PRiME Meeting of Electrochemical Society, Hawaii (October 2016)
- Thin Layer Sonoelectrochemistry in Aqueous and Non-Aqueous Systems, Poster, Fall International PRiME Meeting of Electrochemical Society, Hawaii (October 2016)
- Charge Compensation in Nafion, Competitively selected for Sci-Mix meeting-wide Poster presentation of top 10% of all the abstracts at the meeting, Fall National Meeting of American Chemical Society, Philadelphia (August 2016)
- Charge Compensation in Nafion, Talk, Fall National Meeting of American Chemical Society, Philadelphia (August 2016)
- Nafion Activity Model, Carbon Dioxide Reduction with Lanthanides and Magnetic Field Effects on Hydride Storage in Palladium, Three Month Seminar (Pre-defense, Talk), Analytical Chemistry Divisional Seminar, University of Iowa (April 2016)
- Magnetic Field Effects on Hydride Storage in Palladium, Talk, Jakobsen Conference, The University of Iowa (March 2016)
- Activity of Nafion, Poster, Spring National Meeting of Electrochemical Society, Chicago (May 2015)
- A Model for Activity of Nafion, Talk, Jakobsen Conference, The University of Iowa (March 2015)
- Activity of Nafion, Poster, Electrochemical Society Twin Cities Section Symposium, Minnesota (October 2014)
- Activation of Dioxygen with Transition Metal Complexes, Inorganic Chemistry Divisional Seminar (Talk), University of Iowa (October 2013)
- Semiconductor Nano Wires for Energy Conversion, Public Seminar for Partial Fulfilment of The requirements for the degree of B.Sc. (Special) Degree in Chemistry (Talk), University of Colombo (October 2010)
- Lanthanide Magnetoelectro catalysis: Studying Electro catalytic Effects of Various Lanthanide Triflates As Related to Their Magnetic Properties, K.L. Knoche, D. Parr, N. Rathuwadu, J. Leddy, Invited Talk, Fall International AiMES Meeting of Electrochemical Society, Mexico (October 2018)
- Evidence of a Magnetic Effect on the Electron Transfer of the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER), K.L. Knoche, H.C. Lee, N. Rathuwadu, J. Leddy, Fall International AiMES Meeting of Electrochemical Society, Mexico (October 2018)
- Electrochemically Silent Films on Electrodes – Mean and Methods in Electroanalysis, J. Leddy, K. L. Knoche, and N. Rathuwadu, Invited Talk, Meeting of International Society of Electrochemistry, Rohde Island (August 2017)
- An Activity Model for Swelling of Nafion® in Varied Solvents, J. Leddy and N. Rathuwadu, Talk, Spring National Meeting of Electrochemical Society, New Orleans (May 2017)
- Evidence for Magnetic Effects on Electron Transfer, H. C. Lee, W. L. Gellett, S. D. Minteer, K. L. Knoche, N. Rathuwadu, and J. Leddy, Invited Talk, Spring National Meeting of Electrochemical Society, New Orleans (May 2017)
- A Systematic Study of 𝑀(𝑏𝑝𝑦)3 𝑧+ Complexes in Nafion: Concentration, Activity, and Electron Hopping, W. L. Gellett, K. L. Knoche, N. Rathuwadu, and J. Leddy, Talk, Fall International PRiME Meeting of Electrochemical Society, Hawaii (October 2016)
- Nafion: A Thermodynamic Sketch, N. Rathuwadu, and J. Leddy, Talk, Spring National Meeting of Electrochemical Society, San Diego (May 2016)
- Preparation of Muscovite Nanocomposites of Polyaniline with Superior Anti-Corrosive Property as the Protective Coating on Mild Steel Surface, A. Senthilnathan, S. Dissanayake, N. Rathuwadu, M. M. M. G. P. G. Mantilaka, R. M. G. Rajapakse, Talk, 36th Annual Technical Sessions of Geological Society of Sri Lanka, Colombo. (February 2020)
- Multifunctional smart polyester fabricated by electrodepositing ZnO, U. G. M. Ekanayake, M. M. M. G. P. G. Mantilaka, N. Rathuwadu, J. MacLeod, A. O’Mullane, K. Ostrikov, Talk, ICONN, Brisbane. (February 2020)
- Application of an electric potential to retain soil nutrients around the root zone in rice (Oryza sativa L.) using carbon electrodes, A. Athukorala, G. I. Senevirathne, J.A.S. Chathurika, N. Rathuwadu, M. Gunawardene, Talk, RISTCON, University of Ruhuna. (January 2020)
- Fabrication of Smart Umbrella Canopy with Superhydrophobic Property, U. G. M. Ekanayake, M. M. M. G. P. G. Mantilaka, N. Rathuwadu, Talk, University of Uva Wellassa, 2018.
- Facile Fabrication of Omniphobic Surfaces on Polyester Fabric, U. G. M. Ekanayake, M. M. M. G. P. G. Mantilaka, N. Rathuwadu, Talk, Postgraduate Institute of Science and Research Congress, 2018.
- LC-MS/MS Method Development and Validation for Ethephon Residue Analysis in Fruits, N. Rathuwadu, R. R. D. Ranjana, W. M. A. K. Wijesinghe, M. N. A. Mubarak, G. V. V. Liyanaarachchi, Talk, 3 rd Biennial Research Symposium, ITI, 2018.
- Effect of Thin Layer Sonoelectrochemistry on Palladium Hydride Storage, P. Dey, N. Rathuwadu, J. Leddy, Poster, Fall Undergraduate Research Conference, University of Iowa (December 2016)
- Solvent Effects on Thin Layer Sonoelectrochemistry, P. Dey, N. Rathuwadu, J. Leddy, Poster, Summer Undergraduate Research Conference, University of Iowa (July 2016)
- Thin Layer Sonoelectrochemistry in Aqueous and Non-Aqueous Systems, P. Dey, N. Rathuwadu, J. Leddy, Poster, Spring Undergraduate Research Festival, University of Iowa (April 2016)
- Magnetic Effects on Hydride Storage in Palladium, D. Veerapaneni, N. Rathuwadu, J. Leddy, Poster, Secondary Student Training Program Poster Presentation, University of Iowa (July 2015)
Graduate supervision
- Thesis Examiner, Analytical Chemistry/ MSc, University of Colombo
- Carbon Based Novel Nanocomposites as Efficient Sorbents for Water and Gas Purification Applications: Synthesis, Characterization, and Surface Chemical Analysis, Collaborator/PhD
- Fabrication of Durable Superhydrophobic, Omniphobic, UV Blocking, and Photosensing Textile Material, Co-Supervisor/MPhil
- Nanomaterials from Mica Minerals: Synthesis, Characterization, Properties, and Applications, Collaborator/MPhil
- Application of an Electric Potential to Retain Soil Nutrients around the Root Zone in Rice (Oryza Sativa L.), Co-supervisor/BSc Intern
- Student Mentor (Research), Undergraduate, University of Iowa (Fall 2015 – Fall 2016), Thin Layer Sonoelectrochemistry and Effect on Electrochemical Systems
- Student Mentor (Research), Secondary Student Training Program, University of Iowa (Summer 2015), Magnetic Field Effects on Electrochemical Systems (Magnetoelectrocatalysis)
