My research focuses on synthesis of advanced porous nanomaterials, such as covalent organic frameworks (COFs), metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for their applications in Sustainable Energy Technologies such as energy storage and conversion enhancing the efficiency of batteries, supercapacitors, electrocatalysis or photocatalytic systems [for evolution reactions (O2, H2), reduction reactions (O2, N2, CO2).
Incorporation of functional groups as redox active sites, optimizing the porosity, surface area, and conductivity of nanomaterials, for the improvement in charge storage, electron transfer, and catalytic activity, which are crucial for the performance of these energy devices.

• An Ultra-stable Aqueous Ammonium-ion Battery Using a Covalent Organic Framework Anode
  Z. Tian*, V. S. Kale*, S. Thomas, S. Kandambeth, I. Nadinov, Y. Wang, W. Wahyudi, Y. Lei, A.-H. Emwas, M. Bonneau, O. Shekhah, O. M. Bakr, O. F. Mohammed, M. Eddaoudi, H. N. Alshareef (*Equal First Author)
  Adv. Mater., 36(47), 2409354 (2024)
• Tailored 2D Conjugated Polymers for Pseudocapacitive Proton Storage
  Z. Tian*, V. S. Kale*, S. Thomas, S. Kandambeth, Y. Zhu, A.-H. Emwas, Y. Wang, Y. Lei, J. Yin,  M. Bonneau, O. Shekhah, O. M. Bakr, O. F. Mohammed, M. Eddaoudi, H. N. Alshareef (*Equal First Author)
  Mater. Today Energy, 44, 101607, (2024)
• Optimized Charge Storage in Aza-Based Covalent Organic Frameworks by Tuning Electrolyte Proton Activity
  Z. Tian*, V. S. Kale*, Z. Shi, J. Yin, S. Kandambeth, Y. Wang, A.-H. Emwas, Y. Lei, X. Guo, J. Ming, W. Wang, N. Alsadun, O. Shekhah, M. Eddaoudi, H. N. Alshareef (*Equal First Author)
  ACS Nano, 17(14), 13961-13973 (2023)
• Fluorinated covalent organic framework as positive tribo-material for high performance triboelectric nanogenerator
  L. Shi*, V. S. Kale*, Z. Tian, X. Xu, Y. Lei, S. Kandambeth, Y. Wang, P. T. Parvatkar, O. Shekhah, M. Eddaoudi, H. N. Alshareef (*Equal First Author)
  Adv. Funct. Mater., 33(12), 2212891 (2023)
• A Symmetric Aqueous Magnesium Ion Battery based on Covalent Organic Frameworks
  G. Zou*, Z. Tian*, V. S. Kale*, W. Wang, S. Kandambeth, Z. Cao, J. Guo, J. Czaban-Jóźwiak, L. Cavallo, O. Shekhah, M. Eddaoudi, H. N. Alshareef (*Equal First Author)
  Adv. Energy Mater., 13(7), 2203193 (2023)
• 2D Covalent-Organic Framework Electrodes for Supercapacitors and Rechargeable Metal-Ion Batteries
  S. Kandambeth*, V. S. Kale*, O. Shekhah, H. N. Alshareef, M. Eddaoudi (*Equal First Author)
  Adv. Energy Mater., 12(4), 2100177 (2022)
• High Capacity NH4+ Charge Storage in Covalent Organic Frameworks
  Z. Tian*, V. S. Kale*, Y. Wang, S. Kandambeth, J. Czaban-Jóźwiak, O. Shekhah, M. Eddaoudi, H. N. Alshareef (*Equal First Author)
  J. Am. Chem. Soc., 143 (45), 19178-19186 (2021)
• Molecular Engineering of Covalent Organic Framework Cathode for Enhanced Zinc-ion Batteries
  W. Wang*, V. S. Kale*, Z. Cao, Y. Lei, S. Kandambeth, G. Zou, Y. Zhu, E. Abou-Hamad,  O. Shekhah, L. Cavallo, M. Eddaoudi, H. N. Alshareef (*Equal First Author)
  Adv. Mater., 33(39), 2103617 (2021)
• Phenanthroline Covalent Organic Framework Electrodes for High Performance Zinc-ion Supercapattery
  W. Wang*, V. S. Kale*, Z. Cao*, S. Kandambeth, W. Zhang, J. Ming, P. T. Partavkar, E. Abou-Hamad,  O. Shekhah, L. Cavallo, M. Eddaoudi, H. N. Alshareef (*Equal First Author)
  ACS Energy Lett, 5(7), 2256-2264 (2020)
• Covalent Organic Frameworks as Negative Electrodes for High‐Performance Asymmetric Supercapacitors
  S. Kandambeth,  J. Jia,  H. Wu,  V. S. Kale, P. T. Parvatkar,  J. Czaban‐Jóźwiak,  S. Zhou,  X. Xu,  Z. O. Ameur,  E. Abou‐Hamad,  A.‐H. Emwas,  O. Shekhah,  H. N. Alshareef,  M. Eddaoudi
  Adv. Energy Mater., 10(38), 2001673 (2020)
• Microporosity-Controlled Synthesis of Heteroatom Co-doped Carbon Nanocages by Wrap-Bake-Sublime Approach for Flexible all‐solid‐state‐supercapacitors
  V. S. Kale, M.-S. Hwang, H.-G. Chang, J. Kang, S.-I. Chae, Y. Jeon, J. Yang, J.-H. Kim, Y.-J. Ko, Y. Piao, T. Hyeon (*Equal First Author)
  Adv. Funct. Mater., 28(37), 1803786 (2018)
• Sulfur-Modified Graphitic Carbon Nitride Nanostructures as an Efficient Electrocatalyst for Water Oxidation
  V. S. Kale, U. Sim, J. Yang, K. Jin, S. I. Chae, W. J. Chang, A. Sinha, H. Ha, C.-C. Hwang, J. An, H.‐K. Hong, Z. Lee, K. T. Nam, T. Hyeon (*Equal First Author)
  Small, 13(17), 1603893 (2017)
• Enhanced Electron Field Emission Properties of High Aspect Ratio Silicon Nanowire-Zinc Oxide Core-shell Arrays
  V.S. Kale, R. R. Prabhakar, S. S. Pramana, M. Rao, C.-H. Sow, K. B. Jinesh, S. G. Mhaisalkar
  Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 14(13), 4614-4619 (2012)
• A novel catalyst-free synthesis of vertically aligned silicon nanowire–carbon nanotube heterojunction arrays for high performance electron field emitters
  V. S. Kale, B. Sathe, A. Kushwaha, M. Aslam, M. V. Shelke
  Chem. Commun., 47(27), 7785-7787 (2011)

• ​​Ph.D., Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University (SNU), Seoul, South Korea, 2018
  
• M.Sc., Physical Chemistry, Solapur University, Solapur, Maharashtra State, India, 2007​
  

• ​​​​2025-Present: Research Scientist, Advanced Membranes and Porous Materials Center (AMPMC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
• 2019-2024: Postdoctoral Fellow, Advanced Membranes and Porous Materials Center (AMPMC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
  
• 2018-2019: Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Nanoparticle Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University (SNU), Seoul, South Korea 
  
• 2011-2012: Research Associate, Energy Research Institute@NTU (ERIAN), School of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore
  
• 2008-2011: Project Fellow, Physical and Materials Chemistry Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), Pune, Maharashtra State, India
  
• 2007-2008: Asst. Prof. on Contract, (Contributory Teacher) in Physical Chemistry, School of Chemical Sciences, Solapur University, Solapur, Maharashtra State, India​
  

​​AMPM - Advanced Membranes and Porous Materials
PSE - Physical Science and Engineering Division​