Ravi Shankar, a Ph.D. holder in Nanoscience and Nanoengineering from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, specializes in the synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials, particularly for applications in printed solar cells. He has substantial hands-on experience in various chemical synthesis methods, nanomaterial characterization, and has contributed to several publications and patents in the field. His educational background includes a Master's in Chemistry from the University of Toledo and a Bachelor's from the University of Delhi, along with multiple teaching and mentoring roles.

1. Ravi Shankar 1201 Atlas Street, Apt # 305, Rapid City SD 57701
Email: ravi.shankar@mines.sdsmt.edu, Tel: 419-509-2479
Public Profile: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ravi-shankar/19/992/4ab
Objective: Seeking a position with expertise in synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials and their applications.
EDUCATION
Ph.D. Nanoscience and Nanoengineering. (Feb, 2013) GPA 4.0/4.0
Dissertation: Development of silver nanoparticle based conductive inks for printed solar cell
collector network applications
(Advisor: Professor Keith W. Whites) South Dakota School of Mines and Tech., Rapid City, SD.
M.S. Chemistry, (December 2008)
Thesis: Synthesis of colloidal metal nanoparticles and study of their self-assembled superlattices
(Advisor: Professor Terry P. Bigioni) University of Toledo, Toledo, OH.
B.Sc./ M.Sc. Chemistry, (June 2003) / Inorganic Chemistry, (June 2005)
University of Delhi, Delhi, India.
RELEVANT TECHNICAL EXPERTISE:
Expertise in nanomaterials synthesis and scale up using wet chemical techniques
Familiar with silver nanomaterial self-assembly using drop-drying mechanism
Experience in ink formulation, rheological optimization, spin coating, aerosol jet and inkjet printing
Experience in material characterization using TEM, SEM, EDS, pXRD, TGA, XPS and spectroscopy
Experience in preparing reports, writing research articles and invention disclosure
INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH INTERNSHIP:
Trident Industrial Inkjet Industrial Inkjet - An ITW Company, CT May 2011 – September 2011, February 1-7, 2012
For solar metallization process, analyzed the feasibility of inkjet printing of photovoltaic materials (silver nano-ink, dielectric
ink, etchant-dopant ink) using Trident 256Jet-S industrial printhead. Solar front contacts of crystalline solar cells were
developed using the selective emitter approach. Printing of OLED electrodes was also evaluated for Universal Display
Corporation (UDC), New Jersey, based on the performance of silver nano- ink.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Graduate Research Assistant , Spring-2009-Present
Direct Write Laboratory/ Laboratory for Applied Electromagnetic and Communications (LAEC), Rapid City, SD
Metallic nanoparticles synthesis using various chemical routes such as reverse micelle based
microemulsion synthesis, polyol based synthesis, sol-gel synthesis and their scale up (upto 50-100g )
Scale up of desired synthesis methods (50-100 g nanoparticles)
Modification of synthesis methods by adopting into cost-effective processes such as solvent reuse,
minimizing process time and developing procedure for general use.
Nanomaterial characterization using TEM, SEM, EDS, pXRD, TGA, XPS and spectroscopy techniques
Understanding of polymer and organic ligand capping for surface passivation of nanoparticles
Silver nano-ink formulation, rheological optimization and printing using inkjet and aerosol Jet (M3D)
Metallic nanoparticle sintering studies, adhesion test and conductivity measurement
Detailed printing optimization for silver nano-ink to achieve line widths below 100µm on ITO and silicon
Printing solar collector grid on ITO, silicon and plastic substrates.
Graduate Research Assistant, Fall-2006-Fall-2008
Department of Chemistry, University of Toledo, OH
2-D nanocrystal superlattice formation by drop-drying and their application in improving light apsorption in solar cells
Developed a new synthesis route using digestive ripening process to achieve highly monodisperse thiol
passivated silver nanoparticles useful for self-assembly of nanoparticles into 2D and 3D superlattices.
Studied drop-drying monolayer formation and self-assembly using gold and silver nanoparticles.
Studied and optimized 3-D superlattice crystal formation in saturated nanoparticle solutions
Performed optical absorbance spectra and surface plasmon studies on monolayers of nanoparticles.
Studied the surface plasmon resonance effects of binding of avidin and streptavidin on gold nanoparticle
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2. Research Trainee, April, 2005-March, 2006, May-July, 2004
Mentor: Professor Subho Mozumdar Nanotechnology Lab, Department of Chemistry, University of Delhi, India
Synthesis, Characterization and Application of Nanoparticles in Catalysis
• Micelles based synthesis was done for copper and nickel nanoparticles.
Cu nanoparticles were used as a catalyst for the aza-Michael reactions of N-alkyl and N-arylpiperazines
with acrylonitrile. Ni nanoparticles were used to carry out chemoselective reduction of aldehydes.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
University of Toledo, Department of Chemistry
Teaching Assistant, General Chemistry Recitation 1/2008-5/2008
• Helped students to understand the concepts and solve problems in general chemistry.
Teaching Assistant, General Chemistry Laboratory 8/2006-4/2007
• Trained students in laboratory techniques and setting up of experiments.
Mentoring
• Trained and helped an ACS project seed student for a summer project. (Summer 2008)
RELEVANT GRADUATE COURSEWORK
Nanomaterials, Crystallography of Nanomaterials, Theory and Application of Nanomaterials, Instrumentation and
Characterization of Nanomaterials, Nanostructures and Nanomaterials Synthesis, Advanced Inorganic Chemistry, X-Ray
Crystallography, Fundamentals of Solar Cells, Printed Electronics, Research Ethics, Research Commercialization.
INSTRUMENT PROFICIENCY FOR NANOSCALE CHARACTERIZATION
TEM (CM-10, Philips and Hitachi H-7000 FA), HRTEM (JEOL 3011), SEM (Zeiss), AFM (Pacific Nanotechnology,
Agilent), Dual focus optical microscope (Olympus BX 61), QUELS (quasi elastic light scattering) Powder XRD and XPS
(Kratos Axis Ultra). HRTEM, HRSEM, EDAX and XPS were used at EMAL (Electron Microbeam Analysis Laboratory)
at University of Michigan. Other routine characterization techniques such as TGA, UV, FTIR, AAS, ICP. and
ultracentrifugation.
WORKSHOP PARTICIPATION
Workshop on X-ray Energy Dispersive Spectrometry with the EDAX Genesis System, 18 th -20th March, 2008.
ACTIVITIES AND MEMBERSHIPS
• President of India Club at SDSM&T, 2011-2012. (Awarded outstanding student member in leadership role)
• Vice President of India Club at SDSM&T, 2010-2011, Secretary of India Club, 2009-2010.
• Secretary of Rotaract (Rotary International) at SDSM&T, 2010-2011.
• American Chemical Society, Materials Research Society, IEEE.
• Co-ordinator for Support-A-Child (A Vishwa Hindu Parishad Project), Volunteer for Habitat for
Humanity and United Way (Rapid City, South Dakota), COSI (Toledo, OH).
PUBLICATIONS
Patent
[P1] R. Shankar, A. Amert, K. W. Whites, “Silver nanoparticle based conductive ink for inkjet applications” (Invention
disclosure filed in November, 2011- Patent application pending)
Book Chapter
[B1] Raghavan. P, R. Shankar, N. Gupta, J.-H. Anh, “Advances in lithium ion battery technology based on functionalized
carbon nanotube for electrochemical energy storage” Technological advancement in the carbon nanotube (CNT) based
polymer composites: Processing, performance and application. Publisher: Springer-Verlag GmbH. (Submitted)
[B2] Raghavan. P, R. Shankar, N. Gupta, J.-H. Anh, “Application of carbon nanotubes for resolving issues and challenges on
electrochemical capacitors” Technological advancement in the carbon nanotube (CNT) based polymer composites:
Processing, performance and application. Publisher: Springer-Verlag GmbH. (Submitted to the editor)
[B3] Raghavan. P, R. Shankar, A. Dilfi, V. K. Thakur, J-H. Ahn, “Eco-friendly fiber reinforced natural rubber green
composites-a perspective to the future” Green composites from natural resources. Publisher: Taylor & Francis, Editor: Dr.
V. K. Thakur (Under review)
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3. Journal Articles
[J1] R. Shankar, A. Amert, K. W. Whites, J. J. Kellar, “Silver nano-ink for aerosol-jet (M3D) printed solar electrodes”
Nanomaterials and Energy (Accepted on August 21, 2012). DOI: 10.1680/nme.12.00025
[J2] R. Shankar, L. Groven, A. Amert, K. W. Whites, J. J. Kellar, “Non-aqueous synthesis of silver nanoparticles using tin
acetate as a reducing agent for conductive ink formulation in printed electronics” Journal of Material Chemistry, 21
(29), pp. 10871 – 10877, 2011.
[J3] R. Shankar, B. B. Wu, T. P. Bigioni, “Wet chemical synthesis of monodisperse colloidal silver nanocrystals using
digestive ripening” Journal of Physical Chemistry C, volume 114, pp. 15916-15923, 2010. (Image on the cover page)
[J4] M. Kidwai, V. Bansal, A. Saxena, R. Shankar, S. Mozumdar, “Ni-nanoparticles: an efficient green catalyst for
chemoselective reduction of aldehydes”, Tetrahedron Letters, volume 47, Issue 25,pp. 4161-4165, 2006.
[J5] A. K. Verma, R. Kumar, P. Choudhary, A. Saxena, R. Shankar, S. Mozumdar, R. Chandra, “Cu-nanoparticles: a
chemoselective catalyst for the aza-Michael reactions of N-alkyl- and N- arylpiperazines with acrylonitrile,” Tetrahedron
Letters, volume 46, Issue 31, pp. 5229-5232, 2005.
Conference Proceedings
[C1] R. Shankar, T. Chen, S. Liker, C. Tamarin, K. W. Whites, “Developing solar front contacts using an all inkjet printing
process following the selective emitter approach” Proceedings of the 2012 IEEE Nanotechnology Material and
Devices Conference, 2012, pp. 25-29, HI, USA.
[C2] R. Shankar, A. Amert, K. W. Whites, J. J. Kellar, “Printing optimization and thermal sintering study of silver nano-ink for
inkjet printing of solar electrodes using an industrial printhead” Proceedings of the 2012 IEEE Nanotechnology
Material and Devices Conference, 2012, pp. 15-20, HI, USA.
[C3] R. Shankar, A. Amert, K. W. Whites, J. J. Kellar, “Rheological optimization and stability study of silver nano-ink for
inkjet printing of solar electrodes using industrial printheads, NSTI-Nanotech 2012, Volume 3, pp. 611-614, 2012.
[C4] S, Mishra, P. Ahrenkiel, R. Shankar, K. W. Whites, “Synthesis and characterization of electrospun TiO 2/Ag composite
Nanofibers for photocatalysis applications”, Microscopy and Microanalysis, 17 (Suppl. 2), pp. 1710-1711, 2011.
[C5] R. Shankar, K. W. Whites, J. J. Kellar, “Development of silver nanoparticle based conductive inks for printed solar cell
applications,” Proceedings of the South Dakota Academy of Science, volume 89, pp. 297, 2010.
Conference Presentations
ORAL
[C1] Developing the solar front contacts using an all inkjet printing process following the selective emitter approach,
IEEE Nanotechnology Materials and Devices Conference, Waikiki Beach, HI, October 16 th-19th, 2012.
[C2] Development of silver nanoparticle based conductive ink for direct-write process using M3D, South Dakota
Academy of Sciences, 2012 meeting,Vermillion, SD, April 13th-14th, 2012.
[C3] Development of silver nanoparticle based conductive inks for printed solar cell applications, South Dakota Academy
of Sciences, 2010 meeting, Spearfish, SD, 9th-10th April, 2010.
[C4] Synthesis of colloidal silver and their 2D superlattices, CERMACS 2009 (Central Regional Meeting of the
American Chemical Society), Cleveland, OH, 20th – 23rd May, 2009.
[C5] Synthesis of colloidal silver and their superlattices, Sigma Xi research symposium, Toledo Chapter, 21st April 2007.
POSTER
[C6] Rheological optimization and stability study of silver nano-ink for inkjet printing of solar electrodes using industrial
printheads, Nanotech Conference and Expo, Santa Clara, CA, 18 th-21st June, 2012.
[C7] Silver nanoparticle based conductive ink formulation for inkjet printed solar cell applications, Flexible Electronics
and Displays Conference, Phoenix, AZ, 7th-10th February, 2011.
[C8] Development of silver nanoparticle based conductive inks for printed solar cell collector network applications,
NanoExpo’2010, Rapid City, SD, 24th April, 2010. (Awarded second position)
[C9] Development of silver nanoparticle Based conductive inks for printed solar cell applications, EPSCoR State
conference, Rapid City, SD, 23rd-24th September, 2009.
[C10] Synthesis of colloidal silver and their 2D superlattices, CERMACS 2008 (Central Regional Meeting of the
American Chemical Society), Columbus, OH, 10th – 14th June, 2008.
[C11] Synthesis of colloidal silver and their 2D superlattices, AVS (American Vacuum Society) symposia on the
application of nanostructured thin films in photovoltaics, Toledo, OH, 28th May 2008
[C12] Synthesis of colloidal silver and their 2D superlattices, 235th American Chemical Society National Meeting, New
Orleans, LA, 6th -10th April, 2008.
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