Pratyusha Das

Pratyusha Das is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), affiliated with the Robert Mehrabian College of Engineering. She is currently working in the Segalman Lab, focusing on mixed conducting polymers for battery applications.

• Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Southern California (2022)
• M.Sc. in Chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (2017)
• B.Sc. in Chemistry from the University of Calcutta (2015)

Her research expertise lies in mixed electron-ion conducting polymers, particularly for energy storage applications. She investigates the properties of conjugated polymers as binders in lithium-ion and lithium-sulfur batteries, exploring how their structure affects conductivity, electrochemical stability, and battery performance. Her work also involves operando calorimetry to study heat dissipation and entropic potential in battery systems.

Recent publications highlight her contributions to improving binder design strategies, optimizing conjugation break spacers, and enhancing ionic conductivity through oligoether side chains. She has also explored crown ether ion interactions and polythiophene polyelectrolyte complexes.

As a postdoctoral researcher, she collaborates on advanced polymer physics and materials science projects, bridging synthesis, characterization, and electrochemical testing.