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Dr. Sonalika Vaidya

Scientist-E, Associate Professor

Our group is working in three areas. In one, we are focused on designing anisotropic, core-shell, self-assembled nanostructures with ideal and controllable morphology, size, and

Contact Information :

  • The group has an opening for JRF in the BRNS project. For details, candidates may visit https://inst.ac.in/careers  .

  • The group will have an opening for RA in the CSIR-Aspire project. The position will be advertised soon.

  • The group has openings for students with their own fellowship (CSIR-JRF, UGC-JRF, DBT-JRF) for pursuing Ph.D at INST. Interested students can contact me at svaidya@inst.

  • Electrocatalysis wherein we are firstly focusing on Investigating various structural aspects of the catalysts on their catalytic performance. The structural aspects studied are crystal structure and nature of exposed surfaces. In addition, we also focus on studying the effect of electrical polarization on their catalytic performance. The second aspect studied is the effect of orientation/ordered assembly on a solid substrate on their catalytic performance.

  • Understanding the nucleation and growth of nanostructured materials using SAXS

  • The effect of ordered assemblies on the optical and electronic properties is also being investigated.

  • Development of ordered assemblies of nanostructures based SERS substrate for sensing of biomolecules.

  • Ms. Aditi Vijay  from Dr. Sonalika Vaidya's group have recently formed uniform assemblies of nanocubes of SrTiO3 on the glass substrate with the particles oriented along the (200) plane. The photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance of SrTiO3 was shown to increase when the particles were oriented to form assemblies along (200) plane. More details can be found in >ChemNanoMat 2022, e202200283.

  • Dr. Sonalika Vaidya's group is involved in understanding the formation of nanostructures using SAXS. Recently in this aspect, we have studied the effect of variation of co-surfactant on the growth of copper oxalates synthesized using microemulsions. More details of this research can be found in Phys.Chem.Chem.Phys., 2019, 21, 336.

  • Ms. Aditi Vijay from Dr. Sonalika Vaidya's group have showcased the role of crystal structure (for a system containing same element but crystallizing in different structures) on HER/OER. She demonstrated this with two of her studies. In one, she has showcased this with three stable phases of Bi-Fe-O viz. BiFeO3 (perovskite structure), Bi2Fe4O9 (Mullite structure), and Bi25FeO40 (sillenite structure) on electrocatalytic OER. Here effect of electric polarization on the catalytic performance of the oxide was also evaluated. More details can be found in Electrochimica Acta, 2022, 407, 139887. In second, she has synthesized SrTiO3 (perovskite structure) and SrO-(SrTiO3)n (n=1 and 2; Ruddlesden-Popper based perovskite oxides) and studied their effect on photocatalytic HER. More details can be found in Material Advances, 2022, 3, 5055. 

  • Dr. Sonalika Vaidya's group have synergistically used model-independent approach and model-dependent approach to evaluate size and shape of reverse micelles and gold nanostructures. More details can be found in J. Molecular Liquids, 2021, 326, 115302 and Part. Part. Syst. Charact., 2022, 2100285.

Current Group Members

  • YASHIKA KAUSHIK

    YASHIKA KAUSHIK

    Email: yashika.ph24217@inst.ac.in

    Reg. No.: PH24217

  • MS. ANU KUMARI

    MS. ANU KUMARI

    Email: anu.ph21214@inst.ac.in

    Reg. No.: PH21214

  • MS. SHASWATI JYOTI

    MS. SHASWATI JYOTI

    Email: shaswati.ph21243@inst.ac.in

    Reg. No.: PH21243

  • MS. RUCHI VERMA

    MS. RUCHI VERMA

    Email: ruchi.ph20260@inst.ac.in

    Reg. No.: PH20260

Alumni

  • ABHIJITH.K

    ABHIJITH.K

    Reg. No.: IN-2024/08

    Designation: Intern Student

    Jan 2024 - Jun 2024

  • MS. ASHWINDER KAUR

    MS. ASHWINDER KAUR

    Reg. No.: -

    Designation: Project JRF/SRF

    Oct 2018 - Sep 2019

  • MS. ADITI VIJAY

    MS. ADITI VIJAY

    Reg. No.: PH16208

    Designation: PhD Scholar

    Aug 2016 - Sep 2022

  • DR. PRAGYA SHUKLA

    DR. PRAGYA SHUKLA

    Reg. No.: RA-01-202116

    Designation: Post Docs/RA

    Jun 2021 - May 2022

  • S SHANMUGA PRIYA

    S SHANMUGA PRIYA

    Reg. No.: RP641921

    Designation: Project JRF/SRF

    Aug 2019 - Jul 2020

  • MRS. MIN MIN HITKE

    MRS. MIN MIN HITKE

    Reg. No.: RTF-DCS fellow for NAM S&T

    Designation: PhD Scholar

    Jan 2017 - Jun 2017

  • ZAKIULLAH ZAIDI

    ZAKIULLAH ZAIDI

    Reg. No.: INSTProject02

    Designation: Post Docs/RA

    Mar 2016 - May 2017

  • VIPUL SHRIVASTAVA

    VIPUL SHRIVASTAVA

    Reg. No.: RP08-

    Designation: Post Docs/RA

    Jul 2015 - Sep 2016

  • DR. MANU SHARMA

    DR. MANU SHARMA

    Reg. No.: PDF 1503

    Designation: Post Docs/RA

    Jul 2015 - Jul 2016

  • 1.

    Electrocatalytic OER behavior of Bi-Fe-O system: An understanding from the perspective of the presence of oxygen vacancies. , Shaswati Jyoti, Aditi Vijay, Umberto Terranova, Santosh Kumar Gupta, Kathi Sudarshan, Sonalika Vaidya , Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics , 2024 , 26 , 17324

  • 2.

    Facile synthesis of N-doped biphasic TiO2 nanoparticles with enhanced visible light-driven photocatalytic performance , Kamol Dey, Sonalika Vaidya, Anna Gobetti, Giorgio Ramorino, Ashok K.Ganguli , Materials Today Communications , 2022 , 33 , 104690

  • 3.

    Effect of Oriented Assemblies of SrTiO3 with Exposed (200) plane on Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution: , Aditi Vijay; Shanmuga Priya S; Umberto Terranova; Madhusudan Maity; Sonalika Vaidya , (2022) , -: e202200283 , ChemNanoMat , https://doi.org/10.1002/cnma.202200283

  • 4.

    Relating the structure, properties, and activities of nanostructured SrTiO3 and SrO–(SrTiO3)n (n = 1 and 2) for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution: , Aditi Vijay, Kadambari Bairagi and Sonalika Vaidya , (2022) , -: - , Materials Advances , 10.1039/d2ma00097k

  • 5.

    Synergistic Role of Model-Independent and Model- Dependent Approaches for Determining Size and Shape of Au Nanostructures Using SAXS: , Aditi Vijay, Ashwinder Kaur, and Sonalika Vaidya , (2022) , -: 2100285 , Particle and Particle Systems Characterization , 10.1002/ppsc.202100285

  • 6.

    Role of crystal structure and electrical polarization of an electrocatalyst in enhancing oxygen evolution performance: Bi-Fe-O system as a case study: , Aditi Vijay, K.V. Ramanujachary, Samuel E. Lofland, Sonalika Vaidya , (2022) , 407: 139887 , Electrochimica Acta , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2022.139887

  • 7.

    Small-angle X-ray scattering as an effective tool to understand the structure and rigidity of the reverse micelles with the variation of surfactant: , Sunaina,Surinder K Mehta,Ashok K Ganguli,Sonalika Vaidya , (2021) , 326: 115302 , Journal of Molecular Liquids , 10.1016/j.molliq.2021.115302

  • 8.

    Designing Nanostructured Materials through Self-Assembly and their Applications: , Hitasha Shahi,Jasveer Kaur,Sonalika Vaidya , (2021) , Journal of The Institution of Engineers (India): Series C , https://doi.org/10.1007/s40032-021-00660-4

  • 9.

    Tuning the Morphology and Exposed Facets of SrTiO3 Nanostructures for Photocatalytic Dye Degradation and Hydrogen Evolution: , Aditi Vijay,Sonalika Vaidya , (2021) , ACS Applied Nano Materials , 10.1021/acsanm.0c03160

  • 10.

    New synthetic methodology to enhance Mg doping in SnS2: structural characterization and photocatalytic activity: , Jasveer Kaur,Sunaina,Zakiullah Zaidi,Sonalika Vaidya , (2020) , 43: 298 , Bull Mater Sci , https://doi.org/10.1007/s12034-020-02280-7

  • 11.

    Understanding the role of ionic flux on the polarity of the exposed surfaces of ZnO: , Aditi Vijay, Aritra Mukhopadhyaya, Vipul Shrivastava, Devanshi Bhardwaj,Ashok K Ganguli,Md. Ehesan Ali,Sonalika Vaidya , (2020) , 22: 15427-15436 , Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. , 10.1039/D0CP02095H

  • 12.

    Synthesis and Structure of Anderson Cluster based Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Solid [{Cu(2-pzc)(H2O)2{H7AlMo6O24}].17H2O and its dye adso: , Arti Joshi,Sonalika Vaidya,Monika Singh , (2019) , 131: 1 , Journal of Chemical Science , https://doi.org/10.1007/s12039-018-1583-4

  • 13.

    Understanding the role of co-surfactant in microemulsion on the growth of copper oxalate using SAXS: , Sunaina,Vaishali Sethi,Surinder K Mehta,Ashok K Ganguli,Sonalika Vaidya , (2019) , 21: 336 , Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. , 10.1039/c8cp05622f

  • 14.

    Hollow ZnO from assembly of nanoparticles: photocatalytic and antibacterial activity,: , Z Zaidi, K Vaghasiya, A Vijay, M Sharma, RK Verma,Sonalika Vaidya , (2018) , 53 (21): 14964-14974 , Journal of Materials Science , 10.1007/s10853-018-2715-4

  • 15.

    Enhanced photocatalytic activity of g-C3N4-TiO2 nanocomposites for degradation of Rhodamine B dye: , Manu Sharma,Sonalika Vaidya,Ashok K Ganguli , (2017) , 335: 287–293 , Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry , 10.1016/j.jphotochem.2016.12.002

  • 16.

    Ternary alloy nanocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction,: , Soumen Saha,Sonalika Vaidya,Kandalam V Ramanujachary,Samuel E Lofland,Ashok K Ganguli , (2016) , 39: 433–436 , Bull. Mater. Sci , 10.1039/C7CP06316D

  • 17.

    Nanocrystalline silica from termite mounds: , Sandeep Dhaka, Arabinda Barua,Sonalika vaidya,Ashok K Ganguli , (2014) , 106: 83 , Current Science

  • 18.

    Core-shell (CS) Nanostructures and their applications based on magnetic and optical properties: , Sonalika Vaidya, Arik Kar, Amitava Patra, Ashok Kumar Ganguli , (2013) , 2: 106-126 , Nanoscience And Nanotechnology , 10.1166/rnn.2013.1027

  • 19.

    Efficient entrapment of dye in hollow silica nanoparticles:direct evidence using fluorescence spectroscopy: , Arabinda Barua,Sandeep Dhaka,Sonalika Vaidya,Ashok K Ganguli , (2013) , 23: 1287-1292 , J. Fluorescence , 10.1007/s10895-013-1262-2

  • 20.

    Optical Properties of Ag@TiO2 and CdS@TiO2 core-shell nanostructures,: , Sonalika Vaidya,Amitava patra,Ashok K Ganguli , (2012) , 4: 631–636 , Science of Advanced Materials , 10.1166/sam.2012.1330

  • 21.

    Enhanced functionalization of Mn2O3@SiO2 core-shell nanostructures: , Sonalika Vaidya,Pallavi Thapliyal,Ashok K Ganguli , (2011) , 6: 169-174 , Nanoscale Res. Lett. , 10.1186/1556-276X-6-169

  • 22.

    Synthesis of core-shell nanostructures of Co3O4@SiO2 with controlled shell thickness (5-20 nm) and hollow shells of silica: , Sonalika Vaidya,Pallavi Thapliyal,K V Ramanujachary,S E Lofland,Ashok K Ganguli , (2011) , 11: 3405-3413 , J. Nanosci. Nanotech , 10.1166/jnn.2011.3612

  • 23.

    Uptake of hydrophilic toxins in hollow silica shells obtained from core-shell nanostructures: , Sonalika Vaidya,Pallavi Thapliyal,Ashok K Ganguli , (2011) , 77: 99-103. , Proc. Indian Natnl. Sci. Acad.

  • 24.

    Microemulsion – based synthesis of nanocrystalline materials: , Ashok K. Ganguli, Aparna Ganguly,Sonalika Vaidya , (2010) , 39: 474–485 , Chem. Soc. Rev , 10.1039/B814613F

  • 25.

    CdS@TiO2 and ZnS@TiO2 core-shell nanocomposites: Synthesis and Optical Properties,: , Sonalika Vaidya,Amitava Patra,Ashok K Ganguli , (2010) , 363: 130–134 , Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochem. Eng. Aspects , 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2010.04.030

  • 26.

    New Catanionic surfactants, phase stability and synthesis of ultrafine CdS nanoparticles: , Rachna Khurana,Sonalika Vaidya,M. Manolata Devi,Ashok K Ganguli , (2010) , 352: 470–475 , J. Colloid Interface Sci , 10.1016/j.jcis.2010.09.013

  • 27.

    Synthesis of homogeneous NiO@SiO2 core-shell nanostructures and the effect of shell thickness on the magnetic properties: , Sonalika Vaidya, K V ramanujachary, S E Lofland,Ashok K Ganguli , (2009) , 9 (4): 1666-1670 , Cryst. Growth Des , 10.1021/cg800881p

  • 28.

    Controlling the size, morphology and aspect ratio of nanostructures using reverse micelles: A case study of copper oxalate monohydrate: , Rajeev Ranjan,Sonalika Vaidya,Pallavi Thapliyal,M. Qamar,Jahangeer Ahmed,Ashok K Ganguli , (2009) , 25(11): 6469–6475 , Langmuir , 10.1021/la900063q

  • 29.

    Nanospheres, nanocubes and nanorods of nickel oxalate: Control of shape and size by surfactant and solvent: , Sonalika Vaidya,Pankaj Rastogi,Suman Agarwal,Santosh K Gupta,Tokeer Ahmad,Anthony M Antonelli Jr.,K V Ramanujachary,S E Lofland,Ashok K Ganguli , (2008) , 112: 12610–12615 , J. Phys. Chem. C , 10.1021/jp803575h

  • 30.

    Tin dioxide nanoparticles: Reverse micellar synthesis and gas sensing properties: , Jahangeer Ahmed,Sonalika Vaidya,Tokeer Ahmad,P. Sujatha Devi,Dipankar Das,Ashok K Ganguli , (2008) , 43: 264–271 , Mater. Res. Bull. , 10.1016/j.materresbull.2007.03.013

  • 31.

    Microemulsion route to the synthesis of nanoparticles: , Ashok K. Ganguli, Tokeer Ahmad,Sonalika Vaidya,Jahangeer Ahmed , (2008) , Pure App. Chem., 80: 2451-2477 , 10.1351/pac200880112451

  • 32.

    Mimicking the Biomineralization of Aragonite (Calcium Carbonate) Using Reverse-Micelles under Ambient Conditions , Ashok K. Ganguli, Jahangeer Ahmed,Sonalika Vaidya,Tokeer Ahmad , (2007) , 7: 1760-1767 , J. Nanosci. Nanotech , 10.1166/jnn.2007.711

  • 33.

    Optimizing the hydrodynamic radii and polydispersity of reverse micelles in the Triton X-100/water/cyclohexane system using dynamic light scattering and other studies , Poonam Kaushik,Sonalika vaidya, Tokeer Ahmad,Ashok K Ganguli , (2007) , 293: 162–166 , Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochem. Eng. Aspects , 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2006.07.024

  • 34.

    Nanocrystalline Oxalate/Carbonate Precursors of Ce and Zr and Their Decompositions to CeO2 and ZrO2 Nanoparticles , Sonalika Vaidya,Tokeer Ahmad,Suman Agarwal,Ashok K Ganguli , (2007) , 90: 863–869 , J. Am. Ceram. Soc. , 10.1111/j.1551-2916.2007.01484.x

  • 35.

    Zinc oxalate nanorods: a convenient precursor to uniform nanoparticles of ZnO , Tokeer Ahmad,Sonalika Vaidya,Niladri sarkar,Subhasis Ghosh,Ashok K Ganguli , (2006) , 17: 1236–1240 , Nanotechnology , 10.1088/0957-4484/17/5/012

  • 1.

    Influence of Structural Parameters of a Catalyst on Its Photocatalytic Activity in Towards Sustainable and Green Hydrogen Production by Photocatalysis: Scalability Opportunities and Challenges (Volume 1), Publisher: American Chemical Society , Anu Kumari, Sonalika Vaidya , 2024 , - , 27

  • 2.

    Nanostructured Metal Oxides for Photocatalytic Water Splitting in Nanomaterials for Energy and Sensors Applications, Publisher: CRC Press , Anu Kumari, Shaswati Jyoti and Sonalika Vaidya , 2023 , - , 209

  • 3.

    Basics of Nanoemulsions: Synthesis and Characterization in Industrial Applications of Nanoemulsions, Publisher: Elsevier Science , Ruchi Verma and Sonalika Vaidya , 2023 , - , -

  • 4.

    Nanostrucured Materials using Microemulsions , Sonalika Vaidya , (2021) , Chemical Methods for Processing Nanomaterials, CRC Press

  • 5.

    Microemulsion methods for synthesis of nanostructured materials , Sonalika Vaidya, AshoK Ganguli , (2019) , 2: 1 , Comprehensive Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Second Edition, Publisher: Elsevier , 10.1016/B978-0-12-803581-8.11321-9

  • 6.

    Core-shell nanostructures: A mini review , Sonalika Vaidya , (2013) , 109-125

  • 7.

    Numerical Problems in Chemistry , R R Misra, Neeti Misra,Sonalika Vaidya , (2011)

  • Project Associate:Department of mechanical Engineering and Department of Chemistry, IIT Delhi (August 2009 to March 2010 )

  • CSIR SRF:Ext. Department of Chemistry, IIT Delhi (April 2010 to November 2010 )

  • Assistant Professor:Department of Chemistry, Hindu College, University of Delhi (November 2010 to May 2014 )

  • Scientist C:Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Mohali, Punjab (May 2014 to December 2018 )

  • Scientist D (Assistant Professor):Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Mohali, Punjab (January 2019 to December 2022 )

  • Scientist E (Associate Professor):Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Mohali (January 2023 to Present till date )

  • Title: Development of 2D monolayers of nanostructures using Langmuir Blodgett (LB) technique for electrocatalytic applications

    PI: Dr. Sonalika Vaidya

    Funding Agency: CSIR-ASPIRE

    Additional Info: sanctioned

  • Title: Development of metal-semiconductor based 2D binary periodic ordered assemblies on solid substrate and test their efficacy as SERS substrate (ongoing)

    PI: Sonalika Vaidya

    Funding Amount: 9 Lakhs (ongoing)

    Tenure: 3 Years

    Funding Agency: CSIR, Govt of India

  • Title: Oriented assemblies of ferroelectric nanostructures with enhanced polarization for photocatalytic water splitting

    PI: Dr. Sonalika Vaidya

    Funding Amount: 16 Lakhs (completed)

    Tenure: 3 Years

    Funding Agency: CSIR

  • Title: Self-assembled nanostructures for Photocatalysis

    PI: Dr. Sonalika Vaidya

    Funding Amount: 25 Lakhs (completed)

    Tenure: 3 Years

    Funding Agency: DST

  • Title: Biological treatment of engineered nanomaterials-contaminated wastewater-feasibility and implication

    PI: Dr. Sonalika Vaidya

    CO-PI: Prof. Sharmistha Sinha

    Funding Amount: 10 Lakhs (completed)

    Tenure: 2 Years

    Funding Agency: INST

  • Title: Ultra-fast effective treatment of Water contaminants using semiconducting nanomaterials

    PI: Dr. Sonalika Vaidya

    CO-PI: Dr. Monika Singh

    Funding Amount: 10 Lakhs (completed)

    Tenure: 2 Years

    Funding Agency: INST

  • Title: Investigating the role of crystal structure and electrical polarization of oxide on electrocatalytic water splitting

    PI: Sonalika Vaidya

    Funding Amount: 25 Lakhs (ongoing)

    Tenure: 3 Years

    End Date: 31-Aug-2027

    Funding Agency: BRNS