Faculty Details

• Development of Porous and Ultra-Low density materials
• Exploration of two dimensional materials and composite for environment, electronics and energy application
• Metal-intermetallic based high temperature in-situ composite
• Structure and properties correlation of nanoparticles
• Bio-inspired innovative materials and 3D Printing
• Materials Science and engineering for society

• Metal recovery from metallurgical wastes, tailings, and residues
• Metal recycling
• New sustainable and environment-friendly metal extraction processes
• Application of process intensification technologies (microwave, ultrasound, mechanical activation, etc.) in metal extraction

I am a dedicated researcher on physical and mechanical metallurgy of Steel and my interest areas can be classified into the following broad categories:

• Development of microstructure and texture in steel during thermo-mechanical processing.
• Studying the effect of microstructure and texture on mechanical properties of steel: especially ductile-to-brittle transition behaviour and low-temperature toughness.
• Development of steel grades having high strength and high toughness.
• Characterization of macro- and micro-segregation in continuous cast slab and studying their effect on slab-reheating, rolling and final mechanical properties.
• Developing novel grain structures in low-carbon (ferritic) steels, such as, ultra-fine grain structure or bimodal grain structures, and evaluating their effect on the mechanical properties (primarily tensile properties and toughness).
• Understanding the role of so-called harmful inclusions, such as, TiN and MnS and precipitates in generating ductile and brittle fracture in steel and improving the mechanical properties in spite of the presence of large inclusions, by controlling the microstructure (through careful processing and heat-treatment).
• Studying the formation of various microalloy precipitates, such as, Nb(C,N), V(C,N), (Ti, Mo)C during hot-rolling, thermo-mechanical controlled rolling and also cold-rolling and annealing treatments of HSLA steels and evaluating the effect of those precipitates on the microstructure, texture and mechanical properties.
• Defect initiation and its control in metals and alloys.

Our group is primarily involved in the mathematical and computational modeling of mechanical properties of solids. These studies involve nanostructured and bulk crystalline metals, beside the glassy metallic alloys. The scope of modeling encompasses various scales of length and time. The computational strategies include molecular dynamics, stochastic modeling, phase filed simulations, cellular automata, and various aspects of material informatics. Currently, the major themes of investigations are:

• 1. Fundamental studies on the structure and behavior of crystal dislocations
• 2. Materials informatics
• 3. Atomistic simulations of deformation of metallic glasses
• 4. Evolution of dislocation microstructure in deforming nanocrystalline metals

Project Areas

• Computational material science
• Modelling of dislocation dynamics
• Elastoplastic behaviour of nanomaterials
• Bulk metallic glasses

Research on iron & Steel Processing: Alternative routes of iron making using RHF: One of the major research interests of the author is towards selecting operating parameters based on rigorous experiments in laboratory scale RHF and process models and subsequently scale it up to pilot scale. The author has demonstrated the significant effect of the shapes of pre-fabricated iron ore coal composite pellet on the iron nugget formation at RHF. Attempts is being made to enhance the heat and mass conductance of the thicker bed by tailoring size, shape distribution of pellets, additives etc. A MoS sponsored SDF project of worth 54 lakhks has been completed and recently and MHRD-MoS-ASP sponsored UAY project (worth 741 lakhs) is ongoing on the pilot scale RHF setup at ASP, Durgapur, SAIL for processing Iron ore and coal fines of Indian origin.

Another prime area of research of the author is on reduction and control of NMI in steel. Rigorous characterization of NMI in steel, and its control by controling operating parameters in upstream processing of steel are aimed in this project, which has been formulated in collaboration between IIT Kgp-HEC-DHI as a part of CoE on advanced manufacturing at IIT Kharagpur. The author has also collaboration with Vizag steel, and WMG, UK towards inclusion control in steel.

The author is also involved seriously in Welding Research. The author has been instrumental as one of the PIs in developing an indigenous

Electron Beam Welding (EBW) setup at IIT Kharagpur in collaboration with BARC & BRNS. The author has worked intensely with the research group at Pennsylvania State University, to develop an indigenous CFD code for fusion welding for steels. The author is also working with WMG, UK towards understanding evolution of welding defects during EBW.

Project Areas

• Computational Fluid Dynamics
• Electron beam welding
• Sponge iron technology by RHF
• Extractive metallurgy
• NMI control in steel

One of the primary focus of the group is to correlate microstructure with small scale mechanical properties of NiTi based shape memory alloys. SMAs with a large extent of strain recoverability, termed as pseudoelasticity is increasingly used for miniaturized devices as cardio-vascular stents, sensors, micro-actuators, MEMS etc. Orientation of the grains significantly affect and control the extent of pseudoelasticity. Small scale mechanical performances of such SMAs with a special emphasis on determining the best possible orientations that yield best pseudoelasticity are characterized by the group by implementing indentation.

Mechanical performance and especially fatigue behavior of metallic alloys used for biomedical applications are of serious concern. One of the primary focus of the group is to characterize the in-vitro tensile and fatigue performances of such alloys such as Steels, NiTi and Ti alloys. Biomedical implants including cardiovascular stents, orthodontic braces etc. are used in the form of wires. Such implants tend to withstand corrosive atmosphere inside the body along with substantial stresses and their fluctuations for prolonged periods. To characterize their performance, tensile and fatigue properties of wires are studied by the group by immersing the wires in body like atmosphere in simulated body fluids along with the application of fluctuating loads. Moreover, studies are also performed on alloys used for marine applications, for example Steels with the application of saline water along with monotonic and fluctuating loads.

High temperature alloys such as newly developed third generation TiAl based intermetallic alloys are increasingly used in aerospace applications owing to their outstanding high temperature strength. Performance of such alloys with the simultaneous application of higher temperatures and fluctuating loads are aimed to be investigated by the group. The objective is to characterize the high temperature mechanical performances of indigenously produced alloys which would be beneficial for aerospace and defense applications.

Research Areas

• Shape memory alloys and smart materials
• Improved Structural materials
• Additive and Laser based Manufacturing
• Marine Structural Engineering

1.    Metastable alloys, Bulk Metallic Glasses, Non-equilibrium Processing

2.    Functional Nanostructured Materials and Composites

3.    Rapid Solidification, Phase transformation,

4.    Mechanical Behaviour of Materials, Magnetic Properties

5.    Structure- Property Relationship, Severe Plastic deformation, Cryorolling

6.    Bulk Nanocrystalline Metals and Alloys, Low Stacking Fault Energy Materials

7.    Development of High Temperature Oxidation Resistant Alloys

Research Area

• Metastable alloys, Bulk Metallic Glasses
• Non-equilibrium Processing
• Bulk Nanocrystalline Metals and Alloys
• Low Stacking Fault Energy Materials
• High Temperature Oxidation

Prof. Dutta Majumdar is well known internationally for her research contribution in the field of Metallurgical and Material Engineering with focus on surface engineering and laser surface processing. She made fundamental contributions to a profound understanding of the metallurgy of rapid solidification of metals under the specific heat input of a laser source. Her works also concern a detailed structure-property correlation of laser surface modified metallic materials with a specific goal to improve certain engineering properties. She also stated a brief understanding of the mechanism of wear, corrosion and high temperature oxidation of the metastable microstructures developed in commercial metals and alloys due to laser processing. Extensive efforts were also made for the first time for the development of compositionally graded surface and nano-dispersed surface for thermal barrier and hot corrosion application by application of hybrid coating technology.

Research Areas

• Advanced Materials Processing
• Surface engineering and coated materials
• Corrosion & environmental degradation
• Biomaterials
• Bone Regeneration & Bone Tissue Engineering

We have developed nano structured coatings ( Ni-CeO2/ZrO2, Ni-Co-SiC, Cu-SiC, Sn-CeO2, etc.) by pulse electrodeposition route. We have also developed Cu based functionally gradient nano composite material by pulse electrodeposition for electrical contact application. These developed materials have been characterized for their microstructure and different properties such as, hardness, wear, corrosion, electrical resistivity, etc.

We have also produced Al2O3 reinforced aluminium alloy (Al-Zn, Al-Zn-Cu, Al-Mn, Al-Zn-Mn, and Al-Cu-Mn) matrix composites by three different routes, i.e., reactive sintering, reactive milling followed by thermal treatment, and combined mechanical and thermal treatment and evaluated microstructure, wear and corrosion property. Low expansion Cu and Al based composites have been also produced using negative filler expansion material Y2W3O12 by high energy ball milling followed by sintering. Beside microstructure, wear and corrosion property, thermal properties (thermal expansion coefficient and thermal conductivity) are also evaluated for such low expansion composites.

Composite materials with steel matrix and ceramic particle reinforcements provide a scope of producing relatively inexpensive wear resistant materials. We have synthesized TiC reinforced iron-based composites from a waste product of aluminium extraction plant through an energy-efficient, economical and simple process. The composite has shown excellent wear resistance property. Beside Fe-TiC, we have also developed wear resistant Fe-ZrC composite by aluminothermic reduction of zircon sand and blue dust in the presence of carbon.We have also synthesized TiC and (Ti,W)C reinforced austenitic manganese steel matrix (Fe-12Mn, Fe-17Mn and Fe-17Mn-3Al) composites by conventional melting and casting route which have shown excellent wear resistance property.

Although steel matrix composites show excellent wear resistance property, they do not possess good toughness resulting in restricted applications. Improvement in properties of austenitic manganese steel has been achieved by thermo mechanical processing. Currently, effort is being made to design and develop steels with good wear resistance and mechanical properties for wider applications.

Project Areas

• Advanced Materials Processing
• Bulk nanocomposites and nanocomposite thin films
• Surface Engineering
• Functionally Graded Materials
• Wear Resistant Steels

1. Energy materials (Hydrogen storage - Solid Oxide Fuel Cell - Lithium Ion Battery)
2. Electroceramics (Ferroelectric - Pyroelectric - Relaxor - Multiferroics)
3. Structural Ceramics (ZrO2 - Al2O3 - TBC - SiC)
4. Ceramic Reinforced Metal Matrix Composites (steel and Al-based MMC with SiC - TiC-other Carbide)
5. Sintering (Conventional - Microwave - SPS)
6. Abinitio (DFT) and MD Modeling

Research Areas

• Energy materials
• Modelling of metals and ceramics
• Multifunctional ceramics
• cement

1. Biomaterials
2. Ceramics and composites
3. Additive Manufacturing

1. Structure-property relations in Molybdenum and Niobium Silicide Based Alloys and Composites for high temperature applications
2. Near-net shape processing and structure-property relations in Zirconium Diboride and Hafnium Diboride Ultra-high Temperature Ceramic Composites with emphasis on thermophysical properties, creep and oxidation
3. Structure-property relations of C-fibre-SiC composites developed for aero-engine applications
4. Structure and properties of mushy state rolled Al alloy based compositesProcessing and characterization of DC/RF magnetron sputtered or electrodeposited nanocomposite thin films

Research Areas

• Advanced Alloys & Superalloys
• Mechanical metallurgy
• Thin film growth and epitaxy
• Corrosion & environmental degradation
• Advanced Materials Processing

Dr. Shampa Aich and her research group are focused in the field of metallurgical & materials science and engineering especially on (1) Smart materials (SMA/FMSMA), (2) Magnetic materials, (3) Bio-materials and (4) Surface modifications.Our contribution in those areas include, (i) Fabrication of NiTi shape memory alloy thin films by magnetron sputtering, (ii) Development of microstructure and magnetic properties of magnetic shape memory alloy ribbons in heusler family by rapid solidification (melt-spinning), (iii) Development of rare-earth-based as well as rare-earth free permanent magnets, (iv) Synthesis of wear resistant coating system of TiB (titanium monoboride) whiskers on titanium surfaces by solid state diffusion (Pack boriding), (v) Fabrication of macroporous but mechanically tough bio-scaffolds on the metal implant/stent surfaces, which can promote cell adhesion and proliferation on metallic implant and can perform controlled on-site drug release and photocatalytic sterilization. (vi) Deposition of a series of bilayers and multilayers coatings of Ti/TiB2, Ti/TiN, Cr/CrN and Ti/TiN/Cr/CrN on steel substrate by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique to improve the tribological properties and cutting efficiency of cutting tool, (vii) To determine the feasibility of growing inert silica shells around the metallic nanoparticles with the help of core-shell nanotechnology to render those nanoparticles stable by preventing their agglomeration and bio-degradation to improve their unique properties and potential biomedical applications.

Over the past years, our research has led to one US Patent ((U-3480), 2002) on “Integral Titanium Boride Coatings On Titanium Surfaces And Associated Methods” and 30 major publications in; Journal of applied physics, IEEE transactions on magnetics, Journal of magnetism & magnetic materials, Journal of alloys & compounds, Powder technology, Journal of materials science, Materials & manufacturing processes, Materials Letters, Surface Engineering and Metallurgical Transactions A.

Research Areas

• Magnetic Materials (Permanent Magnet)
• NiTi-based Shape Memory Alloy Thin Film
• Magnetic Shape Memory Alloy
• Bio-Materials
• Surface engineering and coated materials

Area of work:Physical Metallurgy of steels, Phase Transformations, Thermomechnical simulation

My research activities focus on understanding the phase transformation behaviour in steels. This knowledge is then used to design and develop new steels or to optimise the process to obtain the desired microstructure and properties. Specific reserach areas include: Mechanism of baintie transformation in steels, TRIP aided steel, Bake hardening, High strength bainitic and multi-phase steels

Research Areas

Physical metallurgy of steel

Electrodeposited Coating:

Development of corrosion resistant functionally gradient Alloys (Ni-Zn):

This coating on steel consists of an alloy of Zn and Ni. Zn is anodic to Iron, whereas Ni is cathodic. Hence, a Zn-Ni undercoat followed by Ni coating provide a combination of cathodic and anodic coating

Development of corrosion resistant composite coatings (Ni-ZrO2, Cu-SiC, Ni-CeO2, Ni-Co-SiC) with high wear resistance:

This composite assembly is designed to perform both as corrosion resistant as well as wear resistant coating. Ni and Cu provide cathodic protection to steel and hard particles like SiC, CeO2, and ZrO2 when dispersed within the matrix provide excellent wear resistance. Pulse electrodeposition technique is employed to synthesis this composite coating.

Lead-free Solder:

Development of Creep resistant Sn-Cu-Y2O3 composite solder :

This Sn-Cu eutectic composition is an environment friendly alternative to the conventional toxic Sn-Pb based solders. The distribution of hard Yttria particles within the matrix enhances the creep property.

Development of Creep resistant Sn-Ag-CeO2 composite solder:

Copper is replaced by silver for better conductivity

Electrodes for Li-ion battery:

Development of Sn-alloy based porous multiphase electrodes for Li-ion battery:

Sn-alloys form intermetallics with lithium having capacities at least thrice than that of the commercial graphite electrodes. However, they suffer from high volumetric strain. In order to minimize the strain a porous multiphase tin alloy is electrodeposited on copper foil. This porous framework minimizes the strain by providing space for the lithiated product to expand.

The conventional copper foil is replaced with a foamy current collector. The foamy structure was fabricated by electrodeposition by exploiting hydrogen evolution as dynamic template. The foamy collector buffers the volumetric strain generated at the interface of the collector and the electrode (Sn-alloy). Thus, it prevents the detachment of the electrode.

Research Areas

• Energy materials
• Surface engineering and coated materials
• Failure Analysis
• Characterization of Materials
• Nano Materials

The main research interestes of our group are developing porous and hybrid materials using powder metallurgy and casting routes and analyze their microstructure - properties correlations. At present our main focus areas are as follows:

• Processing of porous ceramics and metals with tailorable pore morphologies and pore volume fractions using different powder metallurgical routes
• Processing of metal/ceramic composite materials having interpenetrating structure and with a wide range of phase architectures to develop custom made composite materials consisting of different metallic alloy and ceramic combinations
• Development and characterization of functionally graded composite materials and self-lubricating ceramic matrix composite cutting tool materials
• Non-destructive analysis of the structure and properties of the developed porous and composite materials, which include micro computer tomography to perform three dimensional bulk structural analysis, ultrasonic phase spectroscopy to determine the complete stiffness tensor of complex non-isotropic materials etc.
• Mechanical and thermal property analysis of hybrid materials at room and elevated temperatures to develop microstructure - property correlations
• Stress analysis in composite materials using energy dispersive synchrotron radiation to study the processing induced residual stresses as well as the mechanism and extent of load transfer from one phase to another

Research Areas

• Mechanics of Composites
• Mechanical metallurgy

Dr. Somjeet Biswas specializes in mechanics of plastic deformation in ultra-fine and nanocrystalline materials through polycrystalline plasticity simulations with specific application in aerospace, automobile and degradable/permanent bio-medical implant applications. He has used microstructure engineering techniques like severe plastic deformation, thermo-mechanical processing and recrystallization to modify the morphological characteristics, texture and grain boundary to obtain ultra-fine grain metals and alloys that possesses both improved strength and ductility and hold two patents. His thrust areas of research include development of advanced lightweight and high strength Mg, Ti, Al alloys and steels for automobiles, aircraft, bio-degradable and permanent bio-implants respectively. He and his team in the ‘Light Metals and Alloys Research Lab, MME, IITKGP’ is working on deciphering the effect slip/twin induced deformation behavior, dynamic recovery and recrystallization on evolution of dislocations, microstructure, texture and misorientation boundaries in order to improve specific properties based upon application.

Research Areas

• Plasticity and Constitutive Modeling
• Physical metallurgy
• Mechanical metallurgy
• Advanced Alloys & Superalloys
• Bulk and Sheet Metal Forming

Overall research theme: Processing-Structure-Texture-Property correlations in structural materials for aerospace, space and energy applications.

Materials Modeling: Neural network modeling, CALPHAD modeling, Constitutive modeling, Phase field modeling.Materials Systems: Ti alloys, TiAl based alloys, Ni based superalloys, Cr-Mo steels, ODS steels, High temperature alloys (Nb-Si based, Mo-W-Si-C based, Mo-Ti-Zr-Hf-C based alloys)

Research Areas

• Processing-Structure-Texture-Property
• Neural network & Thermo-kinetic modeling
• TiAl based high temperature materials
• Additive and Laser based Manufacturing
• Ti alloys, Ni based superalloys, Steels

Dr. Mandal and his research team are involved in designing new alloys with improved mechanical and corrosion properties. Further, his group is also involved in improving the material properties and performance of the existing alloys employing microstructure engineering approach. They have undertaken a systematic campaign to understand, evaluate and establish the various grain boundary related specific materials properties as a function of five microscopic degrees of freedom of boundaries for a range of bulk polycrystalline materials. Materials properties are being improved by understanding the synergistic influence of various microstructural features like grain boundary character, grain boundary morphology, micro-texture, grain size, precipitate morphology and its distribution etc. A systems and optimisation approach has been undertaken whereby certain property packages, rather than just a single property is achieved through this new strategy to microstructure engineering.

Research Areas

• Alloy Design
• Grain Boundaries and Interfaces
• Aqueous and High Temperature Corrosion
• Creep, Fatigue and Fracture
• Computational Materials Modeling

He received his PhD from Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur. He worked on Fe-based Metal Matrix Composite (MMC). He developed Fe-TiC and Fe-ZrC Composite from cheap/waste raw materials like siliceous sand (red mud extract) and zircon sand. He patented the method for synthesis of Fe-TiC Composite in India. His current research is directed towards development and characterization of high temperature materials, and automobile materials. He has been also working on various inter-disciplinary areas like nanotechnology and patenting, intellectual property management and policy. He has strong interest to work on socio-economic aspects such as Geographical Indication Registration and Promotion, and Educational Model for High School Students

Research areas

• Bulk nanostructured metallic composites and layered composites - Processing & Characterization
• Bulk Metallic glass nanocomposites - Understanding the effect of multi-phase microstructure
• Metallic glass coatings - Development and Characterization
• Surface Engineering & Coating - Synthesis and Interfacial Phenomena
• Material Synthesis by Mechanical alloying, Spark Plasma Sintering and Thermal spraying

Computational Modeling of Energy Materials, Multiferroic Materials, Extractive Metallurgy, Mineral Processing

Professor Manna is a renowned academician and prolific researcher with wide ranging research interests concerning microstructure-property-parameter correlation in nanometric and amorphous solids, laser and plasma assisted surface engineered components, bainitic and ODS steel and nano-fluid. His significant contribution in the study of amorphous/nanocrystalline Al-alloys, nano-fluid and laser/plasma assisted surface engineering received intense attention from the scientific community and is highly lauded. His early contributions in moving boundary phase transformation are still widely cited. Professor Manna has over 300 publications in peer reviewed journals and proceedings. He has supervised over 20 PhD theses. While serving in the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department at IIT Kharagpur, Professor Manna developed several new research laboratories and facilities like plasma ion implantation and coating unit (DST, Tata Steel), Mechanical Alloying laboratory (DST, CSIR), Wear and erosion testing laboratory (CSIR, Tata Steel, DST), Electron bean joining facility (BRNS), Pulsed laser deposition and FE-SEM laboratory (DST), Nanofluid synthesis and characterization laboratory (ISRO), etc.

Research Highlights on Nanostructured Solids:

Through pain-staking and dedicated efforts sustained over two decades involving multiple students, scholars, colleagues and sponsored projects, Professor Manna has made seminal and outstanding contributions in synthesizing several nanostructured materials in different form/architecture (bulk alloys with in-situ nanometric precipitate-phases, ex-situ nanometric solid dispersed solid alloys and nanofluids, nanometric films/coatings, nano-composites/hybrids, etc) and establishing correlation between length, size, volume or type of the smallt crystallite (coherence length, morphology, free volume, interface, crystal structure) and engineering properties of interest (mechanical strength, hardness, softening, thermal conductivity, superparamagnetism, surface wear/friction, sensing response, diffusivity, catalysis) in nanostructured particles/aggregates synthesized by various advanced material processing techniques (mechanical alloying/milling, vapor deposition, sputtering, laser surface engineering, plasma ion implantation, etc.). These investigations revealed and established some of the significant fundamental knowledge or understanding about material properties at small length scale.

Research Area

• Nanostructured materials
• Laser/plasma aided surface engineering
• Bainitic and special steel
• Phase transformation in solids
• Microstructure-property correlation