Institutional Repository

Scholar@UOC is the primary academic repository of the University of Calicut.

This repository is aimed to collect, preserve and distribute the research output of the members of our University. This is an open access system hosted and managed by the University Library.

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Now showing 1 - 5 of 38

Recent Submissions

Fabrication and electromechanical studies of KNN-polymer 0-3 composites
(St Josephs College Devagiri, 2026) Vinatha A; Nijesh K James
Studies on novel electrode materials for energy applications
(Department of Chemistry, University of Calicut., 2026) Sivakrishna Prakash; Yahya A I
Conducting polymers (CPs) are attractive electrode materials for super capacitor applications owing to their low cost, ease of synthesis, and high pseudo capacitance. However, their practical utility is constrained by poor cyclic stability arising from structural degradation during repeated charge/discharge cycling, a narrow operating potential window in aqueous electrolytes, and the difficulty of tuning their physico chemical properties through functionalization. This thesis addresses these limitations through two complementary strategies: the covalent functionalization of polyaniline (PANI) with heteroatom-doped reduced graphene oxide, and the rational design of a new, readily functionalizable conjugated polymer family. In the first part of this work, PANI was covalently attached to nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide (N-mrGO) through an amide linkage. The N-mrGO acted as a soft template that stabilized PANI chain growth, reduced chain entanglement, and suppressed rGO sheet aggregation, while nitrogen doping improved conductivity and introduced additional redox activity. The optimized composite, N-mrGO-PANI5, exhibited a specific capacitance of 748.97 F g⁻¹ in a three-electrode configuration. A symmetric supercapacitor device fabricated using this material delivered high specific capacitance, an energy density of 34.07 Wh kg⁻¹, a power density of 800 W kg⁻¹, and retained 97.64% of its capacitance after 5000 charge/discharge cycles. Building on this, the system was further improved by co-doping the rGO with sulfur and nitrogen (SN-mrGO), introducing additional non-covalent interactions and pseudocapacitive contributions. The optimized SN-mrGO-PANI7.5 composite showed enhanced performance, and the corresponding symmetric device achieved a specific capacitance of 464 F g⁻¹ at 1 A g⁻¹, an energy density of 41.28 Wh kg⁻¹, a power density of 799.3 W kg⁻¹, and 99.35% capacitance retention after 5000 cycles, demonstrating that covalent heteroatom-doped rGO functionalization is an effective and robust strategy for improving PANI-based electrodes. In the second part of this work, a new family of conducting polymers based on a 4- (phenyldiazenyl)aniline (P4PDA) backbone was designed and synthesized via a simple, scalable one-pot polymerization in aqueous acidic medium. The azo linkage within the backbone functions as a proton sink and electron-withdrawing unit, shifting charge storage toward intrinsic backbone redox processes rather than interfacial water-driven Faradaic reactions. This design enabled a stable operating potential window of approximately 2.5 V in aqueous acidic electrolytes (1 M H₂SO₄, 1 M MSA), extending to 2.7 V in 1 M LiClO₄ — apotential window uncommon for conducting polymers in aqueous systems. Functional group versatility was demonstrated by introducing -OH, -OMe, -COOH, and -SH substituents (yielding POH, POME, PCOOH, and PSH, respectively, alongside the unsubstituted parent polymer PH) directly during synthesis, without multistep reactions or expensive reagents. Detailed structural, spectroscopic, thermal, and electrochemical characterization, supported by DFT calculations of the polymerization mechanism, established clear structure-property relationships linking substituent chemistry to charge-carrier behavior, conductivity, and electrochemical response. A preliminary symmetric supercapacitor device fabricated using PH demonstrated stable capacitive behavior across the full 2.5 V window. Additionally, the polymer family exhibited frequency-dependent dielectric behavior and absorption-dominated electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness, with performance strongly dependent on the substituent present. Collectively, this thesis demonstrates a clear progression from improving an established conducting polymer through composite engineering to the rational design of a new, inherently more stable and multifunctional conducting polymer platform, establishing design strategies relevant to next-generation aqueous energy storage and electromagnetic shielding materials.
Entrepreneurship deficit among rural scheduled caste youth of Kerala: an empirical analysis of Malappuram district,
(PG & Research Department, Govt. Arts & Science College, Kozhikode, 2026) Pramod K M; Shaheed Ramzan C P
Entrepreneurship plays a pivotal role in economic development by fostering innovation, generating employment, and enhancing livelihoods. In India, promoting entrepreneurship among marginalized communities, such as Scheduled Castes, is critical for achieving inclusive growth and reducing socio-economic disparities. Despite various government initiatives aimed at empowering these communities, the entrepreneurial participation of Scheduled Castes, particularly in rural areas, remains relatively low compared to other social groups. Although Kerala's socio-economic environment is more progressive compared to other states the Scheduled Caste youth in Kerala still face significant challenges in accessing resources and opportunities for entrepreneurship. The specific intentions of study are, to examine the socio-economic and demographic characteristics of rural Scheduled Caste youth of the selected area under the study; to investigate their entrepreneurial career choices and assess how socio-economic and demographic factors influence these choices; to analyze the determinants of entrepreneurial interest among them; and to study the current entrepreneurial status of the selected social group and its influencing factors. For the intensive look into the research problem the study conducted a detailed and concentrated field investigation in the selected rural area, selected by using multi-stage random sampling procedure. The study derived odds ratios to evaluate the influencing variables on the likelihood of choosing entrepreneurship. The analysis found that variables gender, educational status, family income and family support play crucial roles in shaping entrepreneurial aspirations and entrepreneurial career choice. The study conducted an Ordered Logistic Regression analysis of data to find out the determinants of entrepreneurial interest of the rural Scheduled Caste youths. The analysis suggests that risk-taking ability, gender, father’s occupation, family support, and family’s business background are the variables significantly influence individuals' interest in entrepreneurship. Using a multinomial logistic regression model, the study found that the factors, such as, access to financial services, lack of market access, access to entrepreneurial training, psychological traits such as risk-taking ability, self-efficacy, motivation, locus of control, intension, and attitude towards entrepreneurship as well as socio-demographic characteristics like gender, education, and family income are the significant determinants of current entrepreneurial status of the social group under the study. The significance of this study to the educated Scheduled Caste youth community is manifold. It not only highlights the barriers that they face in becoming entrepreneurs but also identifies the opportunities and resources that can enhance their entrepreneurial potential. By providing insights into the socio-economic dynamics of entrepreneurship within this marginalized community, the study is relevant in the policy context and aims to empower Scheduled Caste youth by promoting inclusive entrepreneurial growth. This can lead to greater economic independence, social mobility, and overall well-being for these communities.
Passion for elephants and modern popular culture:exploring the ritual world of central Kerala
(Department of History, Farook College, 2025) Mimi K M; Manmathan M R
Microscopic ants to magnificent elephants, non-humans played significant role in the formation and evolution of History. There is difference in the perspectives for elephants between countries having elephant population and those were foreign to elephants. In India Elephants of ancient and medieval days considered as royal status symbol and military strength. In Kerala placing elephants from Natural place to Cultural space has gone through various stages. Role played by elephants since early to present days as part of militia, royal proud, status symbol, religious icon and as cultural magnates were substantial. From displacing elephants from its original natural place to ritual space bought about all kind of restrictions along with increasing care and consideration for the giant. Emergence of Temple centered society mark the beginning of elephants in temple space. Initially elephants were tamed, captured, incorporated to human geography may be as the part of reducing human elephant struggle and later used as assistance for clearing forest, moving timber, etc. As per information from temple Granthavari, temples, rulers and socio economic elites maintained elephants as their wealth. Rulers were maintained and added elephants for their important functions like Ariyittuvazhcha during the coronation ceremony. Rulers and elites donated Elephant to temples as offering and as an object of penalty for their offence. This practice of nadayiruthal of elephants along with capturing elephant from temple owned forest land increased elephant wealth in temples. Temples of Kerala which remain as nerve centres of society by medieval times has been maintained elephants for constructive purposes in the initial stage and later incorporated them to cultural arena. Rituals of the temples were evolved and added by the temple elites like Brahmins. Deities of temples is considered as protector or ruler of a region and hence attribute all privilege of rulers to deity including procession on elephant top. As per the suggestions of Thantrasamuchaya of fifteenth century, elephants were added by affordable temples to the daily rituals like seeveli, chuttuvilakku, etc. Along with daily rituals annual ritualslike festivals in which deity is coming ou t of the sreekovil to the public space were arrived on elephant top. Elephants as the magnificent animal with huge size could keep the status and purity of the deity inthe public space. As temples were very much keen in keeping the status of the deity high, they initiated annual festivals and holy bath to increase the power of the deity through the collective efforts and support of the people in which elephant became an inseparable element in central Kerala. Inclusion of Elephants in festival developed as an indigenous institution was included in to the main stream of culture is an intentional process initiated by religious elites with royal patronage. Peruvanam, Arattupuzha festival which is considered as mother of all festivals was initiated and controlled by Brahmin priest.Elite temples, initiated rituals and festivals with elephants, and continued this practice for many years. Compared to other regions, central Kerala is celebrating large number of festivals incorporating maximum number of elephants which can be categorised in to padahadi and dwajadi festivals which give importance to celebrations and popularity than anguradi which give priority for ritualistic elements. People of Central Kerala, from their childhood days are very much familiar with elephants through various means along with rituals and festivals. Culturally conditioned atmosphere was favourable to elephants and collective mentality of peoplehelped to increase elements of passion towards the magnificent celebrity and create a stardom in cultural space. The role played by intermediaries between elephant owners and temple authorities was an important development of 1980s. Apart from this Elephant Fans Association also helped for increasing the fame of elephants. Advertisements plays an important role in accumulating passion for elephants. Temple elephants in festivals shows that, cultural additions were done by the socio political elites while its maintenance could be done with the support of the masses. When some elements were added in the mainstream of culture and it became a part of popular culture, it will last for long run and alterations are possible with the functioning of multiple internal and external factors. By tracing the causes of passion for elephants, rituals and festivals played a major role.Beyond the religious boundaries it evolved as a collective mentality favourable for inclusion of elephants in religious and secular space,and became part ofpopular culture with an increasing level in Central Kerala.
Supplication in modern arabic poetry: Ibtihalath of Sheikh Muhammed bin Rashid Al Makthoum as a model
(Department of Arabic, University of Calicut, 2026) Shafeeq K; Abdul Majeed E
‫‬ ‫إشراف‬‫‪:‬‬‫األستاذ‬ ‫عبد‬ ‫املجيد‪.‬‬ ‫إ‬ ‫‪.‬‬ ‫الجامعة‬‫‪:‬‬‫جامعة‬ ‫كاليكوت‪،‬‬ ‫كيراال‪،‬‬ ‫الهند‬ ‫(‬ ‫‪2026‬‬‫م)‬ ‫تتناول‬‫هذه‬ ‫األطروحة‬ ‫فن‬ ‫االبتهال‬ ‫في‬ ‫الشعر‬ ‫العربي‬ ‫الحديث‬ ‫بوصفه‬ ‫أحد‬ ‫أرقى‬ ‫أشكال‬ ‫التعبير‬ ‫الروحي‬‫الذي‬ ‫يجمع‬ ‫بين‬ ‫صدق‬ ‫اإليمان‬ ‫وجمال‬ ‫اللغة‬ ‫ليستثير‬ ‫الخشوع‬ ‫والتأمل‬ ‫‪.‬‬ ‫وتهدف‬‫الدراسة‬ ‫إلى‬‫رصد‬ ‫التحوالت‬ ‫التي‬ ‫طرأت‬ ‫على‬ ‫هذا‬ ‫الفن‬ ‫في‬ ‫العصر‬ ‫الحديث‪،‬‬ ‫وانتقاله‬ ‫من‬ ‫إطار‬ ‫املناجاة‬ ‫التقليدية‬‫الفردية‬ ‫إلى‬ ‫خطاب‬ ‫روحي‬ ‫معاصر‬ ‫يعالج‬ ‫قضايا‬ ‫اإلنسان‬ ‫وقلقه‬ ‫الوجودي‬ ‫‪.‬‬ ‫وتتخذ‬ ‫األطروحة‬‫من‬ ‫تجربة‬ ‫الشيخ‬ ‫محمد‬ ‫بن‬ ‫راشد‬ ‫آل‬ ‫مكتوم‬ ‫نموذجا‬ ‫تطبيقيا‬ ‫‪،‬‬‫حيث‬ ‫تسعى‬ ‫إلى‬ ‫تحليل‬ ‫ابتهاالته‬‫الشعرية‬ ‫للكشف‬ ‫عن‬ ‫أبعادها‬ ‫الفنية‪،‬‬ ‫والجمالية‪،‬‬ ‫واإلنسانية‪،‬‬ ‫ومدى‬ ‫توظيفها‬ ‫للقيم‬ ‫الروحية‬‫في‬ ‫سياق‬ ‫معاصر‬ ‫يواكب‬ ‫تحوالت‬ ‫العصر‬ ‫‪.‬‬ ‫لتحقيق‬‫أهداف‬ ‫البحث‪،‬‬ ‫اعتمدت‬ ‫الد‬ ‫اسة‬ ‫على‬ ‫املنهج‬ ‫الوصفي‬ ‫التحليلي‬ ‫‪.‬‬ ‫وقد‬‫ُ‬ ‫است‬‫خدم‬‫املحور‬ ‫ر‬ ‫الوصفي‬‫لتقديم‬ ‫اإلطار‬ ‫النظري‬ ‫وتتبع‬ ‫التطور‬ ‫التاريخي‬ ‫لفن‬ ‫االبتهال‬ ‫وسيرة‬ ‫الشاعر‪،‬‬ ‫بينما‬ ‫جاء‬ ‫املحور‬‫التحليلي‬ ‫لتطبيق‬ ‫هذا‬ ‫اإلطار‬ ‫على‬ ‫النصوص‬ ‫الشعرية‬ ‫بغية‬ ‫تحليل‬ ‫وتفسير‬ ‫مكوناتها‬ ‫البالغية‬‫والداللية‬ ‫‪.‬‬