Dr Aruna Ivaturi

Reader

Pure and Applied Chemistry

Personal statement

I am Reader (Associate Professor) in Emerging Energy Technologies, leading the Smart Materials Research and Device Technology (SMaRDT) Group, a multidisciplinary international team of research enthusiasts, at Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde. I am Strathclyde's Energy Sub-Theme (Photovoltaics) coordinator. I am one of the founding PI of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Sustainable Practices of Research in Energy (C-INSPRE) , a new and innovative interdisciplinary Strathclyde Centre for Doctoral Training (SCDT) that links all four faculties of the University of Strathclyde. C-INSPRE is Strathclyde's first 'Energy CDT'.

I have made important scientific and technological contributions – for example, switchable coatings for energy saving windows, materials and devices for sensing technologies, solar energy conversion, solar photocatalyst and dye-sensitised electrochromic devices. Over the last years my main research focus has been in the development of novel materials and devices for solar energy conversion especially the emerging new PV technologies (Spectral conversion, Dye sensitised and Perovskite solar cells). I was awarded the EPSRC Fellowship (funding of ~ £1.1 Million) to develop the challenging field of Elastic Perovskite PV research in the UK.

The cutting-edge research contributions of my (SMaRDT) group are in development of sustainable (nano)materials and devices to address global challenges in energy, environment and healthcare sectors. In the energy sector, the focus is on development of Perovskite Solar Cells (rigid as well as ultra-thin mechanically resilient) for harvesting indoor light and optical wireless communication and upcycling waste (biomass and plastic) for printable flexible and stretchable Supercapacitors, battery-supercapacitor hybrids and Photocapacitors (& Photosupercapacitors) towards Net Zero future. In the environment sector the focus is on developing electrochemical sensors for heavy metal detection and visible light active photocatalysts for water remediation. In the health care sector the focus has been on developing electrochemical glucose sensors and biodegradable piezoelectric sensors.

If you are an outstanding and enthusiastic individual interested in PhD/Post-doc/Fellowships (Marie Curie Fellowship, Newton International Fellowship etc) or in short term projects (e.g ERASMUS, Commonwealth, etc) in the SMaRDT group to contribute to the challenging sectors mentioned under the Research Areas (or any other related areas) then please get in touch with your CV.

Expertise

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Prize And Awards

Guest Editor for the 'Springer Nature journal' - 'Discovery Electronics': Recipient; 12/8/2026
Editorial Advisory Board member - APL Electronic Devices, AIP Publishing: Recipient; 9/2024
Royal Society Newton International Fellowship: Recipient; 1/2/2024
Guest Editor RSC Energy Advances: Recipient; 2024
'Sustainable Impact by Design' Team, Strathclyde Medal: Recipient; 2023
Guest Editor Frontiers in Carbon: Recipient; 2023

More prizes and awards

Publications

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Publications

Improved solar cell performance of 1.68 eV perovskite absorber through scaffold and solvent engineering for scalable two-step hybrid deposition: Pusapati Raju, Suresh Sunil, Babayigit Aslihan Hana, Sandhu Sanjay, Meza Cristian Villalobos, Santos Daniely Reis, Merckx Tamara, Ahadzadeh Shabnam, Ivaturi Aruna, Poortmans Jef, D’Haen Jan, Aernouts Tom, Wild Jessica de, Vermang Bart; Solar RRL Vol 10 (2026); https://doi.org/10.1002/solr.70406
Carbon-based materials for the sustainability of the perovskite solar cells within radiation environment for space grade solar cells: Pandey Sandeep, Ivaturi Aruna, Park B, Lee MJ; 2nd International Conference on Advanced Materials, Energy and Environmental Sustainability (2025)
Waste derived graphene and perovskite based materials for next generation energy applications: Pandey Sandeep, Ivaturi Aruna; 4th International Conference on Advances in Nanomaterials and Devices for Energy and Environment (2025)
Probing the influence of morphological transformation on the electrochemical properties of hydrated tungsten oxide (WO3−x·H2O) for a high-rate aqueous asymmetric supercapacitor: Nishad Harishchandra S, Gupta Shobhnath P, Ivaturi Aruna, Walke Pravin S; Nanoscale Vol 17, pp. 18571-18582 (2025); https://doi.org/10.1039/d5nr01658d
Plastic waste-derived graphene-based materials for perovskite photosupercapacitors: Pandey Sandeep, Ivaturi Aruna; UK and World
Energy Storage Conferences, pp. 87 (2025)
Photocapacitive behavior of carbon-based triple-cation perovskite solar cells in a PMMA-based solid-state electrolyte framework: Pandey Sandeep, Ivaturi Aruna; 19th Photovoltaics Science, Application and Technology (PVSAT) Conference (2025)

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Research

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Research Interests

Smart Materials Research and Device Technology (SMaRDT) Group works(ed) on multidisciplinary projects in the following sectors:

a) ENERGY

(1) Royal Society Funded Newton International Fellowship Project: Plastic waste-derived graphene nanosheets for Photosupercapacitor applications. Developing plastic waste derived carbon-based perovskite photosupercapacitors.

(2) Royal Academy of Engineering, Engineering X, Transforming Systems through Partnership project: Low-Cost Li-Free Battery-Supercapacitor Hybrid Technologies for Energising Rural Communities. In collaboration with Tata Institute for Fundamental Research (TIFR) Hyderabad, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneshwar and University College London (UCL).

(3) Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) funded project(s) : Biomass derived activated carbon- composites for CO₂adsorption and electrochemical energy storage

(4) Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) funded project: Multiple Cation-mixed Halide Perovskites for Enhancing the Stability of Hybrid Perovskite Solar Cells

(3) Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, EPSRC funded Fellowship project: Elastic Perovskite Solar Cells, in collaborations with industry (Shadow Robots, G24 Power, NSG Pilkington and Dupont Teijin Films) and academia [University of Edinburgh, Oxford University and Johannes Kepler University]

(6) Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), Scottish Institute for Remanufacturing (SIR), Zero Waste Scotland funded project: Developing biomass and plastic waste based flexible and stretchable supercapacitors.

b) ENVIRONMENT

(1) Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Scholarship funded: Photocatalytic treatment of crude oil contaminants in water

(2) Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) funded project: One-dimensional metal nanocatalysts for enhanced electrochemical sensing of heavy metal ions in water in collaboration with IIT Guwahati

(3) UK-India Education and Research Initiative, UKIERI funded project): Biosorbents and Photocatalysts for Waste Water Remediation in collaboration with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati, India and Waste Water Treatment Plant IIT Guwahati.

c) HEALTHCARE

Royal Academy of Engineering, Frontier of Engineering for Development funded project: Wearable Glucose Sensors in collaboration with Manchester Metropolitan University, University of Science Malaysia and University of Namibia and University Hospital at University of Sciences Malaysia.

If you are an outstanding and enthusiastic individual interested in PhD/Post-doc in the SMaRDT group to contribute to these challenging sectors (including Research Areas not mentioned) then please send in your CV and publications.

Dr. Aruna Ivaturi has strong track record of getting funding via fellowships. If you are interested in applying for a fellowship (doctoral/postdoctoral) to work in SMaRDT group, then please drop an email. Information about the various postdoc fellowship opportunities can be found via following links: