NRL | Materials Discovery Group
The research division of Nature Research Laboratories Private Limited (NRL Earth), pursuing fundamental and applied research into materials for agricultural and environmental applications.
Discovering materials at the intersection of chemistry, soil and sustainability.
About the group
We are a young team of researchers who make up the Research Division of Nature Research Laboratories, NRL Earth (a research-based private limited company recognised as a startup by DPIIT, Govt. of India), led by Dr. Lahur M. Verma and associate scientists.
Our research interests span from fundamental enquiries in the natural sciences to applied areas of materials engineering, with a particular thrust on discovering new materials for agricultural and environmental applications. We therefore focus on active research areas in biomaterials engineering/biotechnology and non-equilibrium processes at the soil–plant interfaces.
Research
01
Bio-mimetically inspired synthesis that replaces fine-chemical ligands with bio-based lignocellulosic substances from agro-industrial wastes to control the shape anisotropy of nanosized metal oxides.
L. M. Verma et al., Nanoscale Adv. 6, 155–169 (2024).
Read more →02
Light (hν)-induced charge transfer at α-Fe₂O₃, ZnO and CuO/dye interfaces, read through the Butler–Volmer equation and the Marcus framework.
L. M. Verma et al., J. Mater. Chem. A 13, 33365–33384 (2025).
Read more →03
How nanoscale materials affect microbial life such as bacteria and fungi — and why the same nanoparticles act differently on different species.
Doctoral thesis work.
Read more →04
Materials from bio-resources and wastes that deliver macro-nutrients efficiently, with an optimum release rate (kR) and soil diffusion coefficient (D).
L. M. Verma et al., Sci. Rep. 14, 4074 (2024).
Read more →05
Ligand-field theories of shape anisotropy: differentiated nucleation, cluster aggregation and growth under ligand-regulated conditions.
L. M. Verma et al., J. Mater. Chem. A 13, 33365–33384 (2025).
Read more →06
Developing capabilities in multiscale modelling with AI/ML-based force fields for materials design, adsorption, release and diffusion in soil matrices.
In collaboration with expert groups.
Read more →
Group Lead
Scientific Lead, NRL Earth · Materials Chemistry & Environment
Lahur M. Verma leads the Materials Discovery Group at NRL Earth. He studied chemistry at Avadh University and Lucknow University, then earned an MTech in Molecular Engineering (2018) and a PhD in Materials Chemistry (2024) at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. He has since worked as a Research Associate with IIT Delhi & CPCB and as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Volcani Institute, Agricultural Research Organization, Israel.
Publications
Shape anisotropy in iron oxide nanocrystals: ligand field and photocatalytic efficiency under tropical sunlight
Verma, L. M.; Bashir, A. U.; Ingole, P. P.; Sharma, S.
Journal of Materials Chemistry A 2025, 13, 33365–33384. doi:10.1039/D5TA02013A ↗
Green chemistry-routed sugar press mud for (2D) ZnO nanostructure fabrication, mineral fortification, and climate-resilient wheat crop productivity
Verma, L. M.; Kumar, A.; Kumar, A.; Singh, G.; Singh, U.; Chaudhary, S.; Kumar, S.; Sanwaria, A. R.; Ingole, P. P.; Sharma, S.
Scientific Reports 2024, 14, 4074. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-53682-0 ↗
Phase-controlled green synthesis of wurtzite (P6₃mc) ZnO nanoparticles: interplay of green ligands with precursor anions, anisotropy and photocatalysis
Verma, L. M.; Kumar, A.; Bashir, A. U.; Gangwar, U.; Ingole, P. P.; Sharma, S.
Nanoscale Advances 2024, 6, 155–169. doi:10.1039/D3NA00596H ↗
Precursor-ligand induced steric control over morphology in anisotropically consistent (α-quartz) GeO₂ nanomaterials and its photocatalytic potential under direct sunlight
Verma, L. M.; Singh, U.; Arora, H.; Kumar, A.; Dhayal, V.; Ingole, P. P.; Sharma, S.; Sanwaria, A. R.
Materials Chemistry and Physics 2023, 306, 128050. doi:10.1016/j.matchemphys.2023.128050 ↗
People
Facilities
Facilities for soil and fertilizer sampling and testing, plant growth experiments, and nano-synthesis.
Collaboration
We collaborate with several groups depending on our research needs and the nature of the projects.
Collaboration →Outreach
Educational activities with Moti International School, Gonda, and philanthropic work with Satyarth Foundation, a society working on rural education parity and the environment.
Outreach →We are always looking for motivated graduates and postdoctoral candidates to join us.
