DESCRIPTION :

Dr. Joyee Mitra is presently employed as a Principal Scientist (Scientist–E) in the Materials Chemistry and Interfacial Engineering Department at the CSIR–Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (CSIR–IMMT), Bhubaneswar. She obtained her B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Chemistry from Jadavpur University, Kolkata, followed by a Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur). She subsequently pursued postdoctoral research at the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign (USA), where her work focused on biomimetic systems for hydrogen production and utilization, as well as the catalytic valorization of lignocellulosic biomass into value-added chemicals and fuel additives. She later joined CSIR–Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSIR–CSMCRI), Bhavnagar as a DST–INSPIRE Faculty.

In 2019, Dr. Mitra joined CSIR–CSMCRI as a Senior Scientist and established the Metallogels and Inorganic Materials Group. Her research centers on the design and development of nanostructured functional inorganic materials, particularly low-molecular-weight gelator-based supramolecular metallogels and gel-derived systems, as well as metal-free hydrogen-bonded and covalent materials. These systems are explored for applications in catalysis, photocatalysis, and electrocatalysis, including small-molecule activation (CO₂, SO₂, etc.), organic transformations, pollutant sequestration, and energy conversion/storage technologies such as electrocatalytic water splitting.

A major component of her research program focuses on the recovery of lithium and other critical metals from waste streams, including e-waste, contributing to sustainable “waste-to-wealth” strategies and circular resource utilization. Her group is also actively engaged in developing purpose-designed functional materials for healthcare and biomedical applications.

For further details, please refer to the group webpage: https://sites.google.com/view/mitragroupcsmcri/home

Google Scholar profile: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Gr-NzpwAAAAJ&hl=en

Current Ph.D. students:

• ·         Mr. Hiren Jungi
• ·         Ms. Asma Virani
• ·         Ms. Sumana Podder
• ·         Mr. Harpal Girase

Former Ph.D. students:

• ·        Dr. Ekata Saha
•          Dr. Ashis Chhetri

Principal Scientist & Associate Professor, AcSIR (April 2026-Present), CSIR-IMMT Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.

Principal Scientist & Associate Professor, AcSIR (Jan 2023-April 2026), CSIR-CSMCRI Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India.

Senior Scientist & Assistant Professor, AcSIR (Jan 2019-Jan 2023), CSIR-CSMCRI Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India.

The Mitra Group focuses on the design and development of nanostructured functional materials, including supramolecular metallogels and hydrogen-bonded systems, for applications in catalysis (photo/electrocatalysis), pollutant sequestration, and energy conversion. A parallel research thrust of the group involves the sustainable recovery of lithium and other critical metals from waste streams and electronic waste through circular “waste-to-wealth” strategies aimed at resource recovery and reuse.

Our research broadly spans the following themes:

Supramolecular Metallogels and Gel-Derived Materials

We develop supramolecular metallogels with tunable physicochemical, structural, and electronic properties, and explore their transformation into functional gel-derived materials. Our research seeks to understand the fundamental aspects of gel formation, self-assembly, and structure–property relationships, while simultaneously advancing their practical applications in catalysis, pollutant sequestration, sensing, and healthcare-related applications.

Charge-Assisted and Neutral Hydrogen-Bonded Organic Systems

Hydrogen-bonded organic materials are an emerging class of crystalline functional systems assembled through directional hydrogen-bonding interactions between complementary molecular building blocks. In contrast to coordination-based frameworks, these materials often exhibit self-healing behavior, recyclability, and solution processability. Charge-assisted hydrogen-bonded systems offer enhanced structural stability due to strong electrostatic interactions between their constituents. Our group is particularly interested in the design of both neutral and charge-assisted hydrogen-bonded systems, including chiral materials, for applications in catalysis, selective pollutant capture, and molecular separation.

Recovery of Critical Metals from E-Waste

A major focus of our research is the development of ligand systems and sustainable processes for the selective recovery of critical metals from waste streams, particularly electronic waste. With increasing demand for metals used in electric vehicles, batteries, and energy conversion/storage technologies, efficient recycling and reuse have become strategically important. Our work primarily emphasizes selective precipitation-based recovery approaches for lithium and other value-added metals, followed by their reintegration into functional materials and catalytic systems, thereby contributing to a circular economy framework.

Functional Materials for Photo- and Electrocatalysis

The design of advanced catalytic materials for photo- and electrocatalysis requires precise control over electronic structure, surface chemistry, charge transport, and catalytic active sites. Our group employs a range of strategies including scaffold modification, defect engineering, heterostructure construction, and coordination environment modulation, to enhance catalytic efficiency, selectivity, and stability. We are particularly interested in developing functional materials for water splitting and small-molecule activation reactions such as CO₂ and N₂ conversion, with the broader goal of advancing sustainable energy and chemical transformations.

1. H. Jungi, A. Chhetri, D. Kumar, S. Podder, R. S. Malavika, R. Kuniyil, J Mitra. Bifunctional picolinate ionic liquids as metal-/halide-free sustainable catalysts for CO₂ cycloaddition to epoxides. Catal. Sci. Technol., 2026, 16, 458-468. DOI: 10.1039/D5CY01068C

2. A. Chhetri, S. Ahmad, S. Podder, S. Tothadi, S. Maniam, C. M. Reddy, J. Mitra. Correlating Nanomechanical Behavior and Adsorption Performance in a Serendipitously Assembled Two-Dimensional Hydrogen-Bonded Organic System. Langmuir, 2026, 42, 609-618. DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.5c04711

3. S. Podder, H. Jungi, J. Mitra. In Pursuit of Carbon Neutrality: Progresses and Innovations in Sorbents for Direct Air Capture of CO₂. Chem Eur. J., 2025, 31, e202500865. DOI: 10.1002/chem.202500865

4. N. Choudhary, H. Jungi, M. V. Gauswami, A. Kumari, A. B. Boricha, J. R. Chunawala, J. Mitra, A. R. Paital. A closed-loop zero-liquid-discharge process for the precipitative separation of all valuable metals from waste lithium-ion batteries of mixed chemistries at room-temperature. Green Chem. 2025, 27, 4267-4279. DOI: 10.1039/D5GC00054H

5. S. Podder, R. Madhu, S. Kundu, J. Mitra. Probing Under-Utilized Melem as Host Scaffold with Strategic Modulation of Cobalt Oxidation State to Accelerate Alkaline Water Splitting. Small, 2025, 21, 2501949. DOI: 10.1002/smll.202501949

6. H. Jungi, A. A. Virani, S. Podder, H. Girase, J. Mitra. Sustainable Combination of Waste with Waste: Utilization of Biomass to Recover Critical Metals from Spent Lithium-ion Batteries (Hot Topic: Biomass Upgrading). Batter. Supercaps 2024, e202400518. DOI: 10.1002/batt.202400518

7. E. Saha, A. Khan, A. I. Mallick, J. Mitra. Purpose-built multicomponent supramolecular silver(I)-hydrogels as membrane-targeting broad-spectrum antibacterial agents against multidrug-resistant pathogens (Themed Collection: Bioinspired Functional Supramolecular Systems). J. Mater. Chem. B, 2024, 12, 8767-8777. DOI: 10.1039/d4tb01355g

8. A. Chhetri, A. Maibam, S. Maniam, R. Babarao, K. Wilson, A. F. Lee, J. Mitra. A Heterogeneous Acid-Base Organocatalyst For Cascade Deacetalisation-Knoevenagel Condensations. ChemSusChem 2024, 17, e202400866. DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202400866

9. A. Chhetri, A. Biswas, S. Podder, R. S. Dey, J. Mitra. Strategic design of VO₂ encased in N-doped carbon as an efficient electrocatalyst for the nitrogen reduction reaction in neutral and acidic media. Nanoscale. 2024, 16, 9426-9435. DOI: 10.1039/D4NR00640B

10. E. Saha, H. Jungi, S. Dabas, A. Mathew, R. Kuniyil, S. Subramanian, J. Mitra. Amine-rich Nickel(II)-Xerogel as a Highly Active Bifunctional Metallo-organo Catalyst for Aqueous Knoevenagel Condensation and Solvent-free CO₂ Cycloaddition.                Inorg. Chem. 2023, 62, 14959-14970. DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c01669

11. E. Saha, A. Rahaman, S. Bhadra, J. Mitra. Exploring Amine-rich Supramolecular Silver(I)-Metallogels for Autonomous Self-healing and as Catalysts for Three Component Coupling Reaction. Dalton Trans., 2023, 52, 15530-15538. DOI: 10.1039/D3DT01654D (Themed collection: New Talent: Asia Pacific)

12. H. Jungi, A. Karmakar, S. Kundu, J. Mitra. Waste is the Best: End-of-Life Lithium Ion Battery-derived Ultra-active Ni³⁺-Enriched β-Ni(OH)₂ for Electrocatalytic Oxygen Evolution Reaction. J. Mater. Chem. A, 2023, 11, 13687-13696 DOI: 10.1039/D3TA01989F

13. A. Chhetri, K. Karthick, A. Karmakar, S. Kundu, J. Mitra. Melamine-based Hydrogen-bonded Systems as Organoelectrocatalysts for Water Oxidation Reaction.      ChemSusChem, 2023, 16, e202300220. DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202300220

14. E. Saha, A. Chhetri, P. P. Venugopal, D. Chakraborty, J. Mitra. A chemically robust amine-grafted Zn(II)-based smart supramolecular gel as a regenerative platform for trace discrimination of nitro-antibiotics and assorted environmental toxins. J. Mater. Chem. C, 2023, 11, 3252-3261. DOI: 10.1039/D2TC04700D

15. E. Saha, G. R. Bhadu, J. Mitra. Ni(II) supramolecular gel-derived Ni(0) nanoclusters decorated with optimal N, O-doped graphitized carbon as bifunctional electrocatalysts for oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions. Int. J. Hyd. Energy, 2023, 48, 8115-8126. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2022.11.256

1.       A. R. Paital, A. B. Boricha, J. Mitra, J. R. Chunawala, M. V. Gauswami, A. Kumari, H. Jungi, N. Choudhary. A zero-discharge hydrometallurgy-based process for the recovery of valuable metals from spent lithium ion batteries.

INDIA    No. 202111052187 Filed on 12 Nov 2021.             Publication date 12-05-2023