Faculty <br /> of Applied Sciences
Faculty
of Applied Sciences

G. L. N. P. Sumanarathna

Dr. G. L. N. P. Sumanarathna 

Senior Lecturer Gr II

Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry(The University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, USA)
B.Sc Chemistry Honours (University of Peradeniya)
Email :nalakas@uwu.ac.lk
Phone : +94 714 788 376

Research Interest

  • Near-IR absorbing organic dye design, synthesis, and characterization.
  • NHC-pyridyl based organometallic catalyst design, synthesis, and characterization.
  • Analysis and optimize of photocatalytic and electrocatalytic catalyst performances.
  • Synthesis of Advanced Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs)
  • Biodegradable polymer synthesis
  • Natural products chemistry

Publications

Liyanage, N. P.; Dulaney, H.; Huckaba, A. J.; Jurss, J. W.; Delcamp, J. H.“Electrocatalytic Reduction of CO2 to CO with Re-Pyridyl-NHCs: Proton Source Influence on Rates and Product Selectivities”Inorg. Chem., 2016, 55, 6085.

Liyanage, N.P.; Yella, A.; Nazeerudin, M.; Grätzel, M.; Delcamp, J. H. “Thieno[3,4-b]pyrazine as an Electron Deficient π-Bridge in D-A-π-ADSCs”ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2016, 8, 5376.

Liyanage, N. P.; Cheema, H.; Baumann, A. R.; Zylstra, A. R.; Delcamp, J. H. “Effect of Donor Strength and Bulk on Thieno[3,4 b]pyrazine based Panchromatic Dyes in DSCs”ChemSusChem, 2017, 10, 2635.

Liyanage, N. P.; Yang, W.; Guertin, S.; Roy, S. S.; Carpenter, C. A.; Schmehl, R. H.; Delcamp, J. H.; Jurss, J. W. “Photochemical CO2 Reduction with Mononuclear and Dinuclear Rhenium Catalysts Bearing a Pendant Anthracene Chromophore” Chem. Commun.2019,55, 993.

McNamara, L. E.; Liyanage, N.; Peddapuram, A.; Delcamp, J. H.; Hammer, N. I.“Donor-Acceptor-Donor Thienopyrazines via Pd-Catalyzed C-H Activation as NIR Fluorescent Materials”J. Org. Chem., 2016, 81, 32.

Cope, J. D.; Liyanage, N. P.; Kelley, P. J.; Denny, J. A.; Valente, E. J.; Webster, C. E.; Delcamp, J. H.; Hollis, T. K. “Electrocatalytic Reduction of CO2 with CCC-NHC Pincer Nickel Complexes”Chem. Commun. 2017, 53, 9442.

Boudreaux, C. M.; Liyanage, N. P.; Shirley, H.; Siek, S.; Gerlach, D. L.; Qu, F.; Delcamp, J. H.; Papish, E. T. “Ruthenium(II) Complexes of Pyridinol and N-heterocyclic Carbene Derived Pincers as Robust Photocatalysts for Selective CO2 Reduction”Chem. Commun. 2017, 53, 11217.

Burks, D. B.; Davis, S.; Lamb, R. W.; Liu, X.; Rodrigues, R. R.; Liyanage, N. P.; Sun, Y.; Webster, C. E.; Delcamp, J. H.; Papish, E. T. “Nickel(II) Pincer Complexes Demonstrate that the Remote Substituent Controls Catalytic Carbon Dioxide Reduction” Chem. Commun.2018, 54, 3819.

Shirley, H.; Sexton, T. M.; Liyanage, N. P.; Palmer, C. Z.; McNamara, L. E.; Hammer, N. I.; Tschumper, G. S.; Delcamp, J. H. “Effect of “X” Ligands on the Photocatalytic Reduction of CO2 to CO with Re(pyridylNHC-CF3)(CO)3X Complexes” Eur. J. Inorg. Chem., 2020, DOI: 10.1002/ejic.202000283

Shirley, H.; Figgins, M. T.; Boudreaux, C. M.; Liyanage, N. P.; Lamb, R. W.; Webster,C. E.; Papish, E. T.; Delcamp, J. H.; “Impact of the Dissolved Anion on the Electrocatalytic Reduction of CO2 to CO with Ruthenium CNC Pincer Complexes”, ChemCatChem, 2020, Accepted Article, DOI:10.1002/cctc.202000742R1

Shirley, H.; Sexton, T. M.; Liyanage, N. P.; Perkins, M. A.; Autry, S. A.; McNamara, L. E.; Hammer, N. I.; Parkin, S.; Tschumper, G. S.; Delcamp, J. H.;  “Probing the Effects of Electron Deficient Aryl Substituents and a π-System Extended NHC Ring on the Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction Reaction with Re-pyNHC-Aryl Complexes”, ChemPhotoChem, 2021, 5, doi.org/10.1002/cptc.202000296.

Ongoing research and projects:

Positions Held

IRCUWU2021Track-Coordinator, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Feb 2021 to Present
Editor in Chief – Sri Lankan Journal of Applied Sciences
Specialization Coordinator – Food Engineering and Bioprocess Technology
IRCUWU2021Track-Coordinator- Food Engineering and Bioprocess Technology track
Course Coordinator – Advanced Certificate Course in Nanotechnology
Mini Project Coordinator
IRCUWU2022 – Faculty Coordinator
Visiting lecturer- Master of Science in Environmental Technology and Management
Academic Sub Warden

Memberships and Awards

Memberships:

Member of American Chemical Society (ACS)                    (Jan 2017 to Present)

Awards:

  • Outstanding Organic Graduate Student:American Chemical Society (ACS) Local Section (2016)
  • Graduate Achievement Award: Liberal Arts, University of Mississippi (2018)

Teaching

Biochemistry (SCT 222-2)

Cell Biology (SCT 122-2)

Materials Characterization techniques (SCT 356-2)

Glass Science and Technology (SCT 355-1)

Ceramic Science and Technology (SCT 353-2), Natural Products biosynthesis (SCT 337-2)

Utilization of Biosystems in waste Management (BST 352-2)

Bio Products separation and purification techniques (SCT 311-3)

Characterization and Analytical Techniques (SCT 327-2)

Food chemistry and analysis (SCT 325-2)