Dr. Vineet Aniya born on 11th Sept. 1990, obtained his Bachelor of Engineering (B.E) degree in Chemical Engineering from Govt. Ujjain Engineering College, Ujjain in 2012, and thereafter joined CSIR-IICT, Hyderabad, as a Trainee Scientist (2012-2016). During this tenure, he completed his M.Tech.(2014) in Process Engineering Sciences (Chemical Engineering), joined as a Scientist-C in the year 2016, and grew up to the position of Senior Scientist in 2021 with his utmost passion in the area of Research. Dr. Aniya was awarded a Ph.D. (2019) with the guidance of Dr. B. Satyavathi, Chief Scientist, in the area of Enhanced separation technologies from the Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Hyderabad, and has received Best Ph.D. Thesis award for his thesis entitled "Exploration of Enhanced Distillation Techniques for Dehydration of tert-butyl-alcohol".
​
Dr. Aniya's early career research contributions were in the form of process equipment design and scale-up through process simulator (Aspen Plus) and preparation of Engineering Design Reports for the development of commercial products by IICT products like Lily Aldehyde, para-tert-butyl benzoic acid (PTBBA), para methoxy acetophenone, para methoxyphenyl acetic acid, para-tertiary butyl methyl benzoate, and para-tertiary butyl toluene (PTBT). One such noteworthy project received “CSIR Technology Award” for Physical Sciences including Engineering for the year 2018 for Technology Transfer of Commercial Plants of 4000 MT per year of para-tert-butyl toluene (PTBT) and 3000 MT per year of para-tert-butyl benzoic acid (PTBBA) awarded by Dr. Harsha Vardhan, Hon'ble Minister for Science and Technology on the occasion of CSIR foundation day function at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. His earlier contributions were in the area of process/ industrial engineering including the development of a process for the preparation of the vapor phase alkylation of catechol to guaiacol (2017), dibromo methane through thermal bromination of monobromomethane (2019); optimization of process parameters for the conversion of refrigerant 1,1-Difluoroethane to 1-Chloro-1,1-difluoroethane through the photocatalytic process (2019), and preparation of furfural alcohol and furoic acid from furfural with the recent add-ons that include a new catalytic route development for the preparation of tetra hydro furoic acid and tetra hydro furfural alcohol from furoic acid and furfural alcohol (2020), Process for preparation for Maltol from furfural (2021) and Photocatalytic carboxylation of naphtha grade olefins using CO2 (2022). His focused basic research is in the area of process modeling and simulations of the chemical process, thermodynamic properties estimation, and thermochemical conversions of biowaste for circular bio-economy. Recently, a novel reactor has been designed for continuous photocatalytic reaction which has out licensed to an engineering company for fabrication and marketing. This reactor can be used for both heterogeneous and homogeneous photocatalytic reactions.
Dr. Aniya’s recent research contributions are in the area of Process and Polymer Engineering (Development, Design, Scale-Up & and Techno-Economic Assessment) including the development of sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics along with promoting a circular economy approach to waste management. In particular, the preparation of biodegradable polymers from renewable resources, waste plastic depolymerization/upcycling, and carbon sequestration by promoting a circular economy approach. Through his innovative research and development efforts, Dr. Aniya with his team have developed a sustainable process route for creating nanocellulose-reinforced biodegradable and durable plastics that can revolutionize the packaging and manufacturing industry with improved mechanical and barrier properties. Presently pilot scale process is being developed that can convert agricultural waste/ woody biomass/cellulose pulp to nanocrystalline cellulose utilizing a novel separation method. A compounding technique/technology is developed for making master batches of nanocellulose-reinforced thermoplastic starch granules and blending with PBAT/PLA/PVA for making carry bags and consumer goods.
In the frontier of waste plastic management along with industrial partners, a depolymerization technology is developed, and a Basic Engineering Package for 18-ton/day production of non-phthalate eco-friendly plasticizers from class 1 plastic. An upcycling methodology for converting the class 1-7 plastic waste to fuel-grade oil and its degradation for commercial usage. To promote a plastic circular economy, scientific efforts are being carried out to convert plastic used in FMCG to its monomer (C2-C4) through the design of a continuous thermal catalytic depolymerization. As part of social responsibility, a healthcare product particularly for women's hygiene (Sanitary Pad), a novel/patented chlorine-free process for Sanitary pulp preparation from waste resources (banana) is developed with the involvement of an industrial partner. The developed material has a high absorptive capacity and being reinforced with nanocellulose enhances its performance along with SAP. Through these engineering conditions, he remained committed to advancing the field of process development and environmental engineering for a greener and more sustainable future.
Dr. Aniya has 37 publications in peer-reviewed journals, 1 Patent, and 3 Book Chapters to his credit with a total of 200 citations with an h-index of 9 (Google Scholar). He has/is supervising 4 PhDs, >10 undergraduates, and 8 masters students during her career. Dr. Vineet is the recipient of the IIChE Awards for the Year 2015: Ambuja’s Young Researcher’s Awards and has been elected as an Associate Member of The Institution ofEngineers (India) and a Life Associate Member of the Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers (IIChE).