The Department of Chemistry

Research Interests

1. Metal-Containing Liquid Crystals 

The primary research involves synthesis, structural elucidation and study of liquid crystal (LC) properties of novel Schiff base metal complexes. The compounds are designed with (bi-nuclear) π-conjugated molecular cores and peripheral/lateral hydrocarbon chains to influence structural anisotropy and LC properties. Metal ion cores result in multifunctional LC materials with luminescent, magnetic, electronic and conductive properties for applications including modern displays incorporating organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), data storage and thermo/chemosensors. 

2. Schiff Base Functionalized Nanomaterials  

This research involves the synthesis, characterization and photophysical investigation of d-block and f-block Schiff base functionalized nanomaterials containing natural amines and aldehydes. Schiff base functionalized nanomaterials are highly significant because they combine the versatile coordination chemistry of Schiff bases with the unique physicochemical properties of nanomaterials. The Schiff base groups contain nitrogen and/or oxygen donor atoms that can strongly bind metal ions, enhancing catalytic, sensing, and adsorption capabilities. These nanomaterials exhibit improved selectivity, stability, and reactivity, making them valuable in environmental remediation, chemical sensing, drug delivery, antimicrobial applications, and heterogeneous catalysis. Their tunable surface chemistry allows easy modification for specific targets, while the nanoscale structure provides a high surface area for efficient interactions. 

Selected Publications

The design, spectrochemistry and toxicity evaluations of two vanadium (IV) complexes: [V(IV)O(2,6-pyridine diacetatato) (H2O)2] (PDOV) and V2(IV)O2(pyrazine-2,3,5,6-tetracarboxylato)(H2O)4] (PYTOV); Varma H. Rambaran, Wilson Sue Chee Ming, Nadia Singh, R.J. Nandini, Marisha Tang Kai, Arun Surendran, Mahesh Krishna, Abdul Jaleel, Inorganica Chimica Acta, Volume 556, 2023. 

Leveraging vanadium and H2O2 as green oxidant in functionalisation of organic molecules; Arvind Kumar, Wilson Sue Chee Ming, Padminee Ramsaroop, Shobha Abigail Dhanpat, Michael Forde, Dinesh Pathak, Vinod Kumar, Applied Catalysis A, General, Volume 704, 2025. 

Novel ditopic Schiff base rhenium(I) metallorectangle: Synthesis, characterization, and chemical sensing of aromatic hydrocarbons (AHCs); Shobha Abigail Dhanpat, Kameisha Richards, Padminee Ramsaroop, Anil Kumar, Benson M. Kariuki, Wilson Sue Chee Ming, Arvind Kumar, Journal of the Indian Chemical Society, Volume 102, 2025. 

Advanced Materials and Technologies for Photovoltaics Chapter 5: Thin-film-based solar cells; Arvind Kumar, Padminee Ramsaroop, Shanelle O. Suepaul, Wilson Sue Chee Ming. 

A scoping literature review of artificial intelligence integration in higher education for enhanced teaching, learning, and assessment; Sahu PK, Kumar A, Williams-Persad A, Mohapatra D, Sue-Chee-Ming W. Panminerva Med. 2026 Mar; 68(1):19–32.