Research Themes
Recycling & Reuse:
Sustainable Composites
The global demand for fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites has increased significantly over the past decade owing to their superior strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, and design versatility, which make them indispensable in sectors such as aerospace, automotive, construction, and renewable energy. However, this exponential growth has led to the generation of large volumes of end-of-life composite waste, primarily originating from decommissioned wind turbine blades, aircraft components, and automotive structures. Owing to the thermoset nature of conventional matrices, these composites are inherently non-reprocessable, resulting in persistent environmental burdens and loss of valuable fibre resources. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop efficient recycling and recovery technologies capable of reclaiming high-quality fibers without compromising their mechanical integrity. Such advancements are crucial to closing the material loop, reducing landfill accumulation, and ensuring the sustainable lifecycle management of FRP composites.
Scholar currently working: Rohith Gandi (PhD scholar)
An approach towards 3-dimensional reinforcement. The use of FRP composites are restricted where out of plane mechanical properties have a significant role to play. it is observed that with the random orientation of CNTs in the matrix, showed considerable increment in mechanical and thermal properties in the z-direction. These properties can further be improved by aligning CNTs in the z-direction. In this research, the alignment of CNTs in the longitudinal and transverse direction in the FRP composite with the application of the electric field and its effect on the mechanical and thermal properties will be studied.
Z-directional Alignment of Nanofillers: Advanced Nanocomposites
Scholar currently working: Parimal Jana (PhD scholar)
Ductile composites:
Advanced Fiber Metal Laminates
Development of Advanced Fiber Metal Laminates (FMLs) for structural applicationsThe use of composite materials has replaced traditional material because of their superior properties like low density, high strength to weight ratio, good fatigue and corrosion resistance. But on the contrary, these properties are degraded when exposed to harsh environmental conditions. Now a days various firms are attracted towards high performance materials, which meet the requirements in all aspects like economical, safety and environmental especially in automotive and structural application in view of reducing the fuel efficiency, carbon emissions, improving the high load bearing capacity and to overcome the harsh environmental conditions. This is possible with different combination of materials such as Fiber Metal Laminates (FMLs). FMLs are combination of metals and fiber reinforced polymer composite materials which are adhesively bonded together alternatively. The intention of combining these two different materials is the compensation of their inherent weaknesses.
Scholar currently working: Pankaj Kumar (PhD scholar)
Carbon fiber surface modification by Electrophoretic deposition
Nanofillers may be added to the FRP Composite system in 2 possible ways, either (a) Matrix modification, or (b) Fiber modification. The latter one is a very modern evolution, where the fiber surface is decorated by nanofillers, like CNT or graphene. One of the possible ways to achieve so is by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of the nanofillers on the fiber surface. However, the effects of many processing parameters of the EPD process on the performance of the final nanophased FRP Composites are yet to be explored.
Durability analysis of FRP composites in various harsh and hostile environments
Despite of various technological advantages, FRP composite materials sometimes degrade due to their interactions with environmental parameters, such as temperature, humidity, UV, γ and other high energy irradiations, thermal shock, thermal fatigue and so on. Hence it is very essential to predict the durability and reliability of such materials in the specific field of applications to prevent any unprecedented failure.
Study of in-service environmental temperature effects on FRP Composites
Temperature is one of the key environmental parameters which decides the durability of the structural materials for a particular application. Due to the differential co-efficient of thermal expansion of the constituents, thermal stresses are expected to be generated the interfaces upon change in service temperature. And, this thermal stress may be capable enough to alter the mechanical performance of the composite material to a significant extent. This may be studied either in form of mechanical testing (like tensile, flexural etc.) at a particular temperature or creep.
Sea water durability of FRP Composites
One of the massive potential application field of FRP Composites is the Naval sector. Hence, care must be taken to understand the sea water interaction of the FRP composites. The water/moisture ingression kinetics and effects of water diffusion on the mechanical performance of the FRP Composite are quite interesting in this context. Further, the sea water durability of nanofiller embedded FRP Composites will certainly drive the potential applicability of these materials in such applications.
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