Experience

 

Dynamic research career spanning over thirty years in the field of Metallurgical Engineering. Varied research experience in Surface Engineering and Vacuum Investment Casting spanning the following broad areas:

 

• Protective coatings (including bond coats and thermal barrier coatings) for gas turbine applications

• Protective coatings for refractory materials

• Mechanical behaviour of aluminide coated superalloys and Ti-alloys

• Mechanical behaviour of standalone bond coats

• Oxidation resistant coatings for Ti-alloys

• Gas-particle interaction in high temperature flames 

• Laser processing of materials

• Ni-base superalloy castings for gas turbine engines

 

Involved in conceiving and execution of several projects pertaining to scientific and technological requirements of my organization in the field of surface engineering and vacuum investment casting. 

 

Extensive hands-on experience with following key processing and characterization equipments related to surface engineering and general materials research. 

 

• Air plasma spray system 

• Oxy-acetylene flame-spray system 

• Isothermal and cyclic oxidation test systems 

• Electroplating units

• Pack cementation coating systems

• Chemical vapour coating deposition systems

• Vacuum furnaces

• High velocity oxidation rig (or burner rig)

• Conventional and ultra-fast lasers

• Optical microscopes 

• Scanning electron microscope 

• Electron probe micro-analyser 

 

Written several technical papers, articles in international journals. Made several presentations in national and international seminars. 

 

Research Accomplishments

 

Associated with the area of Surface Engineering and vacuum investment casting of superalloys for past thirty years. I am primarily involved in research and development activities concerning various surface-related issues of materials such as protection and performance enhancement by application of coatings and tribological behaviour of materials. In past few years, I have been additionally involved in Ni-base superalloy castings research. Some of the theoretical and experimental research and development projects encompassing the above mentioned areas are as follows:

 

1.    Theoretical Research

 

• Modelling of plasma-particle interaction in plasma flame 

• Bond strength determination by scratch adhesion test

• Stress build-up in thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) during thermal cycling

 

2.    Experimental Research

 

• Microstructural evolution and oxidation behaviour of Pt-aluminide coatings

• Oxidation behaviour of aluminide coated Ti-alloys

• Oxidation behaviour of silicide coated refractory metals and alloys

• Physical vapour deposition of MCrAlY bond coats by using an ion plasma unit

• Evaluation of mechanical properties of aluminide bond coated superalloys

• Evaluation of mechanical properties of aluminide coated Ti-alloys

• Tensile behaviour of free-standing bond coats

• Surface alloying of metals and alloys by using Nd-YAG pulsed and CO2 cw lasers

• Interaction of ultra-fast lasers with superalloys and thermal barrier coatings

 

Current Research Activities 

 

• Mechanical behaviour of bond coated superalloys

• Mechanical behaviour of aluminide coated near alpha-Ti alloys 

• Oxidation performance of silicide coatings on refractory metals and alloys 

• Tensile behaviour of free-standing bond coats

• Thermal barrier coatings

• Silicide coatings on W, Mo and Nb-base alloys used for hypersonic applications

• Rejuvenation and refurbishment of used superalloys

• Vacuum investment casting of Ni-base superalloy components

• Equiaxed, directionally solidified (DS) and single crystal (SX) castings

• Ceramic cores used for investment cast products