The current research interests of the faculty are in the area of rheology of complex fluids and polymer rheology. In particular, the flow dynamics exhibited by rheologically complex materials with significant industrial relevance, for instance, food stuffs, polymers, polymer nanocomposites, cosmetic creams, lotions, pastes, oil drilling muds, waste slurries, asphalt, foams, cement, etc. A good knowledge regarding the flow behavior of these materials is absolutely essential at various stages of preparation, transport, processing as well as during application. These materials show interesting deformation behavior and often possess a combination of inherent properties like thixotropy, shear thinning or thickening, yield stress behavior, flow hysteresis, etc. Unlike simple fluids the behavior of these materials is largely dependent on the interactions between the constituent entities, the magnitude of the applied stress/strain field and the age of the material. Hence, the main research interests of the faculty are in determining the influence of the size, morphology and concentration of the constituent particles on the flow behavior, the investigation of the underlying structures within the material formed as a result of interactions between these particles, finding alternatives for reducing/eliminating the problems faced during the processing of these materials and developing novel materials to suit desired applications.
Completed Projects:
1. INSA INSPIRE Faculty Award 2014, DST, Govt. of India
Project Title: Rheological dynamics of layered silicate clay and graphene polymer nanocomposites.
2. Early Career Research Award 2016, DST-SERB, Govt. of India
Project Title: Visco-elastic, visco-plastic and thixotropic behavior of biogreases and its influence on lubrication (tribological) performance
3. Additional Competitive Grant, BITS Pilani
Ongoing Project:
1. Core Research Grant 2020, DST-SERB, Govt. of India
Project Title: Predicting grease lubrication behavior: (a) novel methods to determine grease rheology at extremely large shear rates and (b) the role of nanoscale and mesoscale structure of grease in film formation inside tribocontact
Research Scholars:
1. Akanksha Gavendra (2015PHXF0404G): worked as JRF on INSA INSPIRE project
2. Mohd. Mubashshir (2016PHXP0404G): worked as JRF on Early Career Research project
3. Mohd. Talib Sameer Khan (2021PHXP0008G): currently working as JPF on Core Research Grant project