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Biography

I am a Materials Science researcher specializing in carbon-based materials for energy storage applications. Currently working as a Project Scientist at the International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), India. I did my Ph.D. from IIT Hyderabad, where her research focused on porous carbon materials for high-performance supercapacitors. My expertise includes the synthesis and scale-up of hard carbon and activated carbon from biomass, along with the fabrication of coin cells for sodium-ion batteries and supercapacitors. I also contributed to advanced composite development using techniques such as electrospinning and electrodeposition. I authored multiple publications in reputed journals and has hands-on experience with advanced characterization tools like FESEM, BET, and electrochemical workstations.

Research Areas of Interest

  • Carbon-based materials for energy storage (hard carbon, activated carbon, composites)
  • Sodium-ion batteries and supercapacitors
  • Biomass-derived and sustainable electrode materials
  • Polymers
  • Nanostructured and composite materials synthesis (electrospinning, electrodeposition)

Highest Qualification

PhD (Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering)

Other Qualifications

Institute Postdoc from NIT Warangal

List of Publications

1.       Malothu Usha Rani, Katchala Nanaji, Tata Narasinga Rao and Atul Suresh Deshpande *, Corn husk derived activated carbon with enhanced electrochemical performance for high-voltage supercapacitors, Journal of power sources,471 (2020) 228387. (Impact factor.9.2-Q1) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2020.228387

2.       Malothu Usha Rani, Vangapally Naresh, Devarakonda Damodar, Sadanand Muduli, Surendra Kumar Martha * and Atul Suresh Deshpande **, In-situ formation of mesoporous SnO2@C nanocomposite electrode for supercapacitors, Electrochimica Acta. 365 (2021) 137284. (Impact factor. 6.6-Q1) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2020.137284

3.       Malothu, U. R., Donthula, K., Kakunuri, M., & Rao, G. V. S. Nageswara Rao*. Binder Free Flexible Chickpea Pod Derived Activated Carbon- Carbon Nano Fiber Composite for Supercapacitor Application. ECS J Solid State Sci Technol 13(1), (2024) 011004. (Impact factor. 1.8-Q2) 10.1149/2162-8777/ad19e7

4.       Malothu. Usha Rani, Manohar. Kakunuri and G.V.S. Nageswara Rao*. Electrodeposition of NiCo2O4 Nanoparticles on MXene-Carbon Nanofiber Binary Composite for High-performance supercapacitor and Sodium-ion battery applications (under review)

 5.      U. Pandey, M.U. Rani, A.S. Deshpande, S.G. Singh*, A. Agrawal, “Sweetcorn husk derived porous carbon with inherent silica for ultrasensitive detection of ovarian cancer in blood plasma”, Electrochimica Acta,397 (2021) 139258. (Impact factor. 6.6-Q1) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2021.139258

6.        Devarakonda Damodar, Sourav Ghosh, Malothu Usha Rani, Surendra Kumar Martha, Atul Suresh Deshpande *, Hard carbon derived from sepals of Palmyra palm fruit calyx as an anode for sodium-ion batteries, Journal of Power Sources 438 (2019) 227008. (Impact factor. 9.2-Q1) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2019.227008

7.       Kiran Donthula, M. Usha Rani, Ramya Araga, Ramsagar Vooradi, Venkata Suresh Patnaikuni, MV Reddy, Manohar Kakunuri *, “Flexible Polyaniline/MXene/CNF Composite Nanofibrous mats as High-performance supercapacitor Electrodes” polymer composites,44 (2023) 7571-7584. (Impact factor. 4.8-Q1) 

Awards & Honours

Media coverage on my publication work “Corn husk derived activated carbon for supercapacitor application”

Affiliation to Professional Societies

Member of INDIAN CARBON SOCIETY (ICS)