Construction materials, at present, are wide and varied - what with the advent of nano-tech, fibers, and a host of engineered composites.  With so many options to choose from, it becomes necessary to understand the materials in depth. We use a number of different techniques to understand the morphology, mineralogy, and reaction kinetics of such materials so that we may confidently use it in our structures.

A major focus of our research is to develop low-carbon alternatives to the conventionally used Portland cement by tweaking the chemistry of the materials. We also assess the mechanical and durability performance of such construction products that we develop in-house as well the ones that are in use currently. 

India has a large availability of biomass materials - a potential source of renewable energy. However, the current methods of biomass disposal is not only is hazardous (such as open field burning and landfilling), but also a tremendous waste of resources. We try to understand these wasted materials, its composition, structure, and properties so that we might be able to use them to our advantage. We assess the feasibility of using the locally available biomass as energy feedstock.  

To this end, we find out their thermal decomposition characteristics under different thermochemical conversions. The resulting by-products (bio-oil, bio-gas, and char) are evaluated in terms of their composition and yield. Depending on the type of feedstock, the bio-char is also evaluated for its suitability to act as a potential construction raw material.