Reghunadhan Nair

Nair took his Masters in Applied Chemistry from Cochin University of Science and Technology in 1979 and Doctorate in Macromolecular Materials from Louis Pasteur University, Strasbourg, France in 1989.

He worked at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (ISRO) from 1980 in different capacities, and retired as Scientist-H and Deputy Director in 2016. He was French Government Fellow for the period 1985-89 and CNRS visiting scientist in 1993 in France. As of 2016, he is UGC visiting professor at Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT).

He has published over 180 original research papers (including one full article in Nature Group) and authored three books ( two in English published from the UK and one in Malayalam) and 20 book chapters, in addition to more than 140 conference papers and 30 popular science articles. He is the inventor for 25 patents.

Nair's research has been in fundamental polymer science. His areas of research include materials for space, polymer chemistry and propellants. He has also specialized in mission-oriented research and was an authority in chemical-related matters in ISRO. He was associated with the major programs of ISRO such as SRE, Chandrayaan, manglyaan, GSLV, GSLVmkIII. He was also the focal point for nanotechnology for space applications in VSSC. He has also worked to popularize chemistry through lectures and articles in periodicals and newspapers.

He was president of the Society for Polymer Science, India.

He is a recipient of Prof. Sukumar Maity Polymer Foundation Award for the period 1999-2000 and Prof. Santappa Silver Jubilee Award for the period for 2005- 2006 for outstanding Contributions to Polymer Science. The team led by Dr CPR Nair won the national innovation award of the Govt of India, petroleum ministry for the year 2014-15. He has received the ISRO individual merit award and the Dalmia-HEMSI award for the best propellant researcher.

He was awarded the Emeritus scientist fellowship by Kerala State Council for Science, technology and environment and work in this capacity at Cochin University of Science and technology, Cochin, India.

Books

• K.S. Santhosh Kumar and C.P. Reghunadhan Nair, Polybenzoxazines, Chemistry and Applications, Publisher: iSmithers, UK (2010)
• Bibin John and C.P. Reghunadhan Nair, Updates on Syntactic Foams Publisher: iSmithers, UK (2010)
• C.P. Reghunadhan Nair, RASATHANTHRAM, KANAVASANGAL,. [The unseen facets of chemistry], Chemistry Book in Malayalam for Students, publisher: DC Books, Kottayam, December, 2015
• C.P. Reghunadhan Nair, CHEMISTRY AND YOU, publisher: Notion Press,Chennai, March, 2017
• Reghunadhan Nair, RASATHANTHRAM, NAMMUDE KAIKUMBILIL [The Chemistry in our palm], Popular Chemistry Book in Malayalam, publisher: Notion Press,Chennai, April, 2017

Reviews

• C.P.Reghunadhan Nair and G. Clouet “Thermal Iniferters, Their Concept and Application in Free Radical Polymerisation” Journal of Macromolecular Science Review,C 31, 579 (1991).
• C.P.Reghunadhan Nair, “Non-conventional Phenolic Resins, an Overview on Recent Advances” Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research, Vol. 61,p. 17-33 (2002)
• C.P.Reghunadhan Nair, “Advances in addition-cure phenolics” Progress in Polymer Science, Vol.29, p. 401-498, (2004)
• K. S. Santhosh Kumar, R. Biju, C. P.Reghunadhan Nair, Review of Progress in Shape Memory Epoxy Resins, Reactive & Functional Polymer, p 421-430,vol 73(2), 2013

Journal

• C.P. Reghunadhan Nair and G. Clouet*, “Block Copolymers Via Thermal Iniferters; Synthesis of Silicone-vinyl Block Copolymers” Macromolecules,vol 23,p. 1361, (1990)
• C.P. Reghunadhan Nair*, “Copolymerisation of Maleimido Benzoic Acid with Alkyl Acrylates, Kinetic Penultimate-unit Effect and Copolymer Characteristics”Macromolecules, vol 26, p.47 (1993)
• K.S.Santhoshkumar, Vijendra Kumar, C.P.Reghunadhan Nair, Bulk superhydrophobic materials: a facile and efficient approach to access superhydrophobicity by silane and urethane chemistries†, J. Mater.Chem.A, vol2, p15502-15508(2014)
• Temina Mary Robert, Dhanya Augustine, Satheesh Chandran M, Dona Mathew and C.P. Reghunadhan Nair, ‘Graphene oxide induced fast curing of amino novolac Phthalonitrile’, RSC Adv.vol. 5, p. 1198(2015)
• Dhanya Augustine, K.P. Vijayalakshmi, R Sadhana, Dona Mathew, C.P.Reghunadhan Nair, ‘Hydroxyl terminated PEEK- toughened Epoxy-Amino Novolac Phthalonitrile Blends - Synthesis, Cure studies and Adhesive properties’ Polymer; vol. 55, p. 6006–16 (2014)
• Ragin Ramdas M., Santhosh Kumar K.S., Reghunadhan Nair C.P,Synthesis, "Structure and Tunable Shape Memory Properties of Polytriazole Netpoints: Dual Trigger Temperature and Repeatable Shape Recovery", J. Mater. Chem. vol. A,3, p. 11596-11606(2015)
• S Reshmi, KP Vijayalakshmi, R Sadhana, BK George, E Arunan, CP Reghunadhan Nair, "Inter molecular azide–diisocyanate coupling: new insights for energetic solid propellants",RSC Advances,volume,5,pp 50478–50482(2015)
• K.S.Santhosh Kumar,S.Ramakrishna S, Dona Mathew, C.P.Reghunadhan Nair, "A robust, melting class bulk superhydrophobic material with heat-healing and self-cleaning properties", Scientific Reports vol 5, art no.18510 (2016)