Research Experience

Ph.D. Thesis: MULTISCALE CHARACTERIZATION AND MODELLING OF SHORT CARBON FIBER REINFORCED THERMOPLASTIC COMPOSITES

Currently, I am working on the Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) technique, a widely utilized material extrusion additive manufacturing (MEAM) technique that deposits molten filament along a defined path. In my Ph.D., the objective is to comprehensively characterize both unfilled and carbon fiber-filled filaments and their printed counterparts. Techniques like X-ray diffraction (XRD), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetric (TG) analysis, micro-CT for fiber length and orientation, and damage/failure modes are studied to understand microstructure and property evolution in FDM printing. Salient features of my thesis include:

• ·Through a combination of experiments and finite element (FE) modeling, I have demonstrated that material property degradation occurs during the Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) process, and this phenomenon cannot be solely attributed to voids

• ·The properties of FDM printed composites are lower than anticipated, with the most significant decline attributed to fiber breakages occurring during the printing process

• A comprehensive database has been prepared for two thermoplastics (PLA and PA), their fiber-reinforced counterpart, and the filaments.

• A multiscale modeling approach has been developed for predicting effective properties, incorporating both microstructure and material property evolution

• The Ph.D. program fellowship is granted by the Ministry of Human Resource and Development, Government of India, spanning from January 2020 to the current date. During my Ph.D. program, I have guided one B.Tech. thesis project (BTP): Experimental characterization of polyamide filament and resulting FDM samples. The student (Yash Anup Vora) received the award for the best BTP in the year 2023.

M. Tech. Thesis: STUDY OF THE LUBRICATING PROPERTIES OF HYBRID PARAFFIN OIL WITH TiO2 AND CuO NANO-ADDITIVES FOR ENGINE OIL APPLICATION

During my master’s research, I explored the viability of utilizing a hybrid paraffin oil, consisting of equal parts paraffin oil (PO) and sesame oil (SESO). I subsequently conducted a comparative analysis with SAE 20W40 (commercial engine oil) for its potential application as engine oil. The ensuing results of the study are as follows:

• The addition of EVA particles enhances the low-viscosity characteristics of hybrid paraffin oil

• The tribological properties of hybrid paraffin oil can be enhanced by incorporating TiO2 and CuO nanoparticles

• The poor oxidative stability of hybrid paraffin oil can be addressed by adding butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)

The M.Tech. program fellowship is granted by the Ministry of Human Resource and Development, Government of India, covering the period from July 2017 to June 2019.

B. Tech. Thesis: PADDLE BASED WASHING MACHINE