Research

Composite materials, from fiber to failure point

Two decades of work sit at the intersection of materials science and mechanical engineering: characterizing natural and hybrid fiber-reinforced polymers, then pushing them toward applications in automotive, aerospace, defense and sustainable construction.

Focus areas

Four research threads

Natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites

The foundation of the research program: chemically treated and woven natural fibers — coconut sheath, curauá, basalt, luffa, sisal, banana, sansevieria, palmyra, water hyacinth — reinforced into polyester and epoxy matrices. Work spans alkali and silane surface treatment, fiber loading ratios, stacking sequence and hybridization effects on mechanical performance.

Origin: PhD thesis on coconut sheath composites, extended through a CNPq-Brazil postdoctoral fellowship on curauá/basalt hybrids at UFRGS.

Tribology, vibration & damping behavior

How these composites wear, slide, vibrate and dissipate energy. Studies cover abrasive water-jet machining response, sliding wear under varying pressure-velocity conditions, free-vibration and damping properties of hybrid and sandwich laminates, and the modal analysis of structures including 3D-printed and additively manufactured components.

Fiber metal laminates & aerospace structures

Interfacial adhesion and surface modification of aluminum alloys (7075, 7475) bonded with GFRP and basalt-fiber composites (GLARE/BLARE-type laminates), drilling and delamination behavior, indentation creep, and impact response — work motivated by aviation and defense applications, including collaboration with ISRO researchers.

Sustainable & functional composites

Converting waste streams — water hyacinth biomass, PET bottles, eggshell and rice paddy straw filler — into reinforced composite products. Parallel work on functional composites: graphene/CNT-reinforced silicone rubber for EMI shielding, radiation-shielding fiber metal laminates, and nanoclay-based phenolic composites.

9 completed, ₹87.9 lakhs

Funded research and training programs across national and bilateral agencies, 2009–2024.

Title	Agency	Role	Year
Development of Materials for Energy Storage — High-End Workshop	DST-SERB, India (Karyasala)	PI · ₹6,50,000	2023–24
Software Tools used in Finite Element Analysis	AICTE	PI-Moderator · ₹3,00,000	2019–20
Development of Floor Tiles through Used PET Bottles	DST-Nidhi	PI · ₹10,00,000	2018–19
Floor Tiles from PET Bottles — Fire Response Study	TNSCST	PI · ₹10,000	2017–18
Radiation Shielding Materials (Consultancy)	IGCAR & Impex Pvt. Ltd.	PI · ₹2,20,000	2017–18
Handbook for Working Professionals — Eco-friendly Composite Production	AICTE–ISTE	PI · ₹50,000	2017–18
Hybrid Polymer Composites: Curauá & Basalt Fibers	DST-India / CNPq-Brazil	Co-PI · ₹31,57,100	2014–18
Research on Curauá & Basalt Hybrid Polymer Composites	CNPq-Brazil	Postdoctoral Researcher · ₹34,00,000	2014
Mechanical Properties of Naturally Woven Luffa Composite	TNSCST	PI · ₹6,000	2009–10

Doctoral supervision

Graduate students & mentorship

PhDs produced (7)

Dr. K. Senthilkumar (2016) — Supervisor — vibrational & damping behavior of hybrid natural fiber composites
Dr. G. Kalusuraman (2017) — Supervisor — static & dynamic behavior of surface-treated luffa composites
Dr. Yashwant Munde (2019) — Mentor — biocomposites for automotive applications
Dr. M. Thirukumaran (2020) — Mentor — interface properties of fiber metal laminates
Mr. T. Premkumar (2022) — Supervisor — tribological response of Brazilian curauá/polyester composites
Mr. Avinash Shinde (2022) — Supervisor — nano GO/CNT nanohybrid composites for shielding
Mr. Avinash Shinde (2025) — Mentor — rubber/nano GO/CNT hybrid composites for construction

Current & mentored PhD students (6)

Mr. Joel Vinoth Singh (~2026) — Kalasalingam University
Mr. M. Thirumurugan (~2026) — Kalasalingam University
Mr. CK. Patel (~2027) — Lovely Professional University
Mr. Vidhubalan (~2028) — Anna University
Mr. Vinoth Kumar (~2027) — Anna University
Mr. Gowtham (~2027) — Anna University

Looking for a PhD supervisor or research collaborator?

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