This document is a curriculum vitae for Ganesan Elumalai, a post-doctoral researcher at the National Institute for Materials Science in Japan. It summarizes his educational background including a PhD from Hokkaido University, research experience including developing novel electrocatalysts, skills in electrochemistry and materials characterization, and publications in the area of electrocatalysis using boron nitride nanomaterials. His objective is to work in research and development contributing to electrochemistry and energy applications.

1. Curriculam Vitae
GANESAN ELUMALAI
Post-Doctoral Researcher
Global Research Center for Environment and
Energy based on Nanomaterials Science (GREEN),
National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS),
Namiki 1-1, Tsukuba 305-0044. Japan.
Mobile No: +81 8065493280
E Mail: eganesh86@gmail.com
OBJECTIVE
To work in a professional and look for continuous growth and learning opportunities, preferably in a
progressive and competitive work culture in research and development to contribute to
Electrochemistry, Electrocatalyst, and Nano Materials for Energy applications.
SCHOLASTIC BACKGROUND
 Ph.D. (School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering): Oct, 2010 – Sep, 2014, Hokkaido University,
Sapporo, Japan.
 M.Sc., (Analytical Chemistry): 2007-2009.
Vellore Institute of Technology University, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India, secured 8.2 CGPA
 B.Sc., Chemistry: 2004-2007.
Thiruvalluvar University, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India, secured 70.1% marks.
 Higher Secondary School (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology): 2003, Don Bosco
Higher Secondary School, Polur, Tamil Nadu (Tamil Nadu Board), India, secured 82.6% marks.
 High School: 2001, Government High School, Mambattu (Tamil Nadu Board) Tamil Nadu, India,
secured 81.6% marks.
RESEARCH EXPOSURE
 Post-Doctoral Researcher at National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Tsukuba, Japan
Title: Metal nanoclusters decorated Boron Nitride nanosheets/Graphene hybrid materials as an
Electrocatalyst
Duration: Oct 2014 to till date.
 Junior Researcher at National Institute for Material Sciences (NIMS), Tsukuba, Japan, as a joined
program with Hokkaido University.
Title of my Research: Studies on Electrocatalytic Activity of Boron Nitride of Various Structures
towards Oxygen Reduction and Hydrogen Evolution Reactions.
Duration: From Oct 2010 to Sep 2014.
 Project Assistant at VIT University, Vellore, India.
Title: Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Metal hexacyanoferrate Nano particles and their
applications as mediators.
Duration: From June 2009 to Sep 2010.

2. AREA OF SPECIAL INTEREST
Design and development of Novel Electrocatalyst
Currently, I have successfully designed Au, AuNi, AuCu, AuCo Nanoclusters decorated Boron
Nitride/Graphene composite materials as a promising electrocatalyst for Oxygen Reduction and
Hydrogen Evolution Reactions.
In the past I have experimentally proved that overpotential for ORR at the gold electrode is
significantly reduced (+300 mV) by modifying with BN nanosheets. Boron nitride (BN), which is an
insulator with a wide band gap (≈5.6 eV), supported on Au is theoretically suggested that it can act as
an electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), CO oxidation, etc. Although BN is an
insulator, atomically thin BN nanosheets shown to possess semiconducting properties due to the
conducting edge structure and vacancy defects. Electrons tunneling through h-BN monolayer on gold
have been also demonstrated. Boron Nitride has unique properties like high thermal and chemical
stability. However, it is necessary to give conducting support, hence, metal doped BN can act as a
promising electrocatalyst with better durability.
The very same material also was performed as an electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution
reaction (HER) in acidic medium. Interestingly, it has showed excellent performance with only +50
mV more overpotential than Platinum (Pt). Au-decorated BNNS is having excellent performance which
is comparable with recently developed MoS2 based electrocatalyst for HER.
Electrochemistry and Materials for Energy Applications
I am also keen to develop an efficient electrocatalyst based on 2D layered (h-BN, MoS2, WS2
etc.,) materials and metal alloys to reduce the usage of precious metals for energy applications and to
study the mechanism of the electrochemical reactions which occurs during the electrocatalyst
performance to contribute to the Electrochemistry.
EXPERIMENTAL SKILLS
Micro and Nanotechnology
Preparation of metal single crystals (ex: Au (111), Au (100)) by Clavilier’s method and
synthesis of inorganic nanomaterials by simple laboratory synthesis method, magnetron sputtering and
chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method, characterization of atomic, nano and micro structures by
STM, AFM and SEM, crystal and chemical structures by XRD, XPS, Spectroscopic techniques like
FTIR, Raman and Quantitative analysis like ICPES etc.
Electrochemical techniques
Cyclic voltammetry (CV), rotating disk electrode (RDE) and rotating ring disk electrode
(RRDE), photo electrochemical measurements, electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM).
PUBLICATIONS
1. “Highly Efficient Electrochemical Hydrogen Evolution Reaction at Insulating Boron Nitride
Nanosheet on Inert Gold Substrate”
Authors: Kohei Uosaki*, Ganesan Elumalai, Hung Cuong Dinh, Andrey Lyalin, Tetsuya Taketsugu,
and Hidenori Noguchi, Scientific Reports, Vol. 6 (2016), pp. 32217. DOI: 10.1038/srep32217
2. “Gold nanoparticle decoration of insulating boron nitride nanosheet on inert gold electrode toward an
efficient electrocatalyst for the reduction of oxygen to water”
Authors: Ganesan Elumalai, Hidenori Noguchi, Andrey Lyalin, Tetsuya Taketsugu and Kohei
Uosaki*, Electochem. Commun., Vol. 66 (2016), pp. 53-57. DOI: 10.1016/j.elecom.2016.02.021.

3. 3. “Boron Nitride Nanosheet on Gold as an Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Reduction Reaction: Theoretical
Suggestion and Experimental Proof”
Authors: Kohei Uosaki*, Ganesan Elumalai, Hidenori Noguchi, Takuya Masuda, Andrey Lyalin,
Akira Nakayama, and Tetsuya Taketsugu, J. Am. Chem. Soc., Vol. 136 (2014), pp.6542. DOI:
10.1021/ja500393g.
4. “Electrocatalytic activity of various types of h-BN for the oxygen reduction reaction”
Authors: Ganesan Elumalai, Hidenori Noguchi, and Kohei Uosaki*, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., Vol.
16 (2014), pp. 13755. DOI: 10.1039/c4cp00402g.
5. “Direct Four Electron Oxygen Reduction Reaction at narrow size gold nanoparticles decorated Boron
Nitride Nanosheets” (Submitted).
AWARDS
1. “Rising Researcher Lecture award” from the surface science society of Japan for the poster
presentation of “Highly efficient electrocatalysis for oxygen reduction reaction using boron nitride
nanosheets I-Au nanoclusters decorated BNNS” presented at the “Joint symposium of the Surface
Science Society of Japan and the Vacuum Society of Japan”, December 2015, held at Tsukuba, Japan.
2. GREEN Research Assistant (RA) award for the “outstanding performance with the spirit of
innovation” during the period of NIMS junior researcher in Global Research Center for Environment
and Energy based on Nanomaterials Science (GREEN), NIMS, 2014.
RESEARCH PAPER PRESENTATED IN CONFERENCES
1. “Electrocatalytic Reduction of Oxygen at Au nanoclusters decorated with inert Boron Nitride
nanosheets” presented at “the 13th
GREEN symposium”, June 2016, held at Tsukuba, Japan (Poster)
Authors: G. Elumalai, H. Noguchi, and K. Uosaki*
2. “Highly efficient electrocatalysis for oxygen reduction reaction using boron nitride nanosheets I- Au
nanoclusters decorated BNNS” presented at the “Joint symposium of the Surface Science Society of
Japan and the Vacuum Society of Japan”, December 2015, held at Tsukuba, Japan (Poster)
Authors: G. Elumalai, D.H. Cuong, H. Noguchi, and K. Uosaki*
3. “Oxygen Reduction Reaction at various types of Boron Nitride modified on Gold” presented at
“MANA-RSC Symposium: Materials for Energy Generation and Storage”, October, 2015, held at
Tsukuba, Japan (Poster)
Authors: G. Elumalai, D.H. Cuong, H. Noguchi, and K. Uosaki*
4. “Electrocatalytic Reduction of Oxygen at Various Types of Boron Nitride on Gold”, presented at “7th
international and 34th Domestic symposium on surface science Japan”, November, 2014, held at
Matsue, Japan (Oral)
Authors: G. Elumalai, H. Noguchi, T. Masuda, and K. Uosaki*
5. “Electrocatalytic activity of various types of Boron Nitride for oxygen reduction reaction - theoritical
and experimental investigations”, presented at “65th annual meeting of the international society of
Electrochemistry”, August-September, 2014, held at Lausanne, Switzerland (Poster)
Authors: G. Elumalai, H. Noguchi, T. Masuda, A. Lyalin, A. Nakayama, T. Taketsugu, and K. Uosaki*
6. "Electrocatalytic Reduction of Oxygen on Au supported Boron Nitride Nano Sheets (BNNS)", presented
at "High Vacuum surface science meeting", 2013, November, held at Tsukuba, Japan (Oral)
Authors: G. Elumalai, H. Noguchi, T. Masuda, and K. Uosaki*
7. “Role of Boron Nitride (BN) thin films on Au electrode for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR)”
presented at 93rd Annual meeting on Japan Chemical Society on March 22nd
-25th
, 2013, held at
Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, Japan (Oral)

4. Authors: G. Elumalai, H. Noguchi, T. Masuda and K. Uosaki*
8. “Effect of Boron Nitride (BN) support on Au towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR)” presented at
32nd
Annual meeting on the Surface Science Society of Japan on Nov 2012, held at Sendai, Japan
(Poster)
Authors: G. Elumalai, H. Noguchi, T. Masuda and K. Uosaki*
9. “Thorium Hexacyanoferrate modified carbon composite electrode for the Elecrtocatalytic oxidation and
Amperometric determination of Hydrazine”, presented at 46th
Annual Convention of Chemists 2009 and
International Conference on Recent Research Trends in Chemical Sciences (ICRRTCS-09) held at VIT
University, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India (Oral)
Authors: G. Elumalai and S. Senthilkumer*
PERSONAL DETAILS
Name : Ganesan Elumalai
Nationality : Indian
Date of Birth, Age : 06th
June 1986, 30 years old
Sex, Marital Status : Male, Married
Languages Known : English, Tamil, Japanese (Intermediate level)
Present Address : Kamarado A-202, Kurakake 1093, Tsukuba-Shi, Ibaraki. 305-0024, Japan
REFERENCES
1. Prof. Kohei Uosaki,
Professor Emeritus, Hokkaido University and
Director General
Global Research Center for Environment and Energy based on Nanomaterials Science (GREEN),
National Institute for Materials Science,
Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan.
http://www.nims.go.jp/nanointerface
Phone: +81-29-860-4301
E-mail: UOSAKI.kohei@nims.go.jp
2. Dr. Hidenori Noguchi
Group Leader
Nano-interface Laser Spectroscopy Group
Global Research Center for Environment and Energy based on Nanomaterials Science (GREEN),
National Institute for Materials Science,
Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan.
E-mail: NOGUCHI.Hidenori@nims.go.jp
3. Dr. S. Senthilkumar,
Assistant Professor (Senior),
Environmental and Analytical Chemistry division, School of Advanced Sciences, VIT University,
Vellore. India - 632014.
E-mail: senvpy@gmail.com