• Conducting research on gas sorption in non-metallic materials and devulcanization of nitrile rubber using supercritical CO2.• Analyzing operational integrity of non-metallic materials (Epoxy, PPS, PE, PVDF, Nylon 12) in carbon dioxide and hydrogen environments (up to 800 psi).• Employing supercritical carbon dioxide to characterize devulcanized rubber, including sol fraction, molecular weight, viscosity, mechanical properties, curing, and revulcanization ability.

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) aging in extreme (HPHT) conditions: Process/system design and development, Simulation & Experiments• Used in-depth knowledge of engineering principles to design and develop reactor setup for liquid-based aging experiment (successfully tested at HPHT: 250oC and 10,000 psi) reducing costs 60%• Utilized spectroscopic techniques (IR and X-ray) to investigate aging-caused molecular changes to PEEK structure• Performed simulation based aging of amorphous PEEK using molecular dynamics that detected the degradation reactor pathways to correlate with PEEK experimental aging results• Provided strong technical leadership to team of 3 that experimentally validated the design and first-ever to perform high temperature aging on an PEEK engineering polymer using MDPolypropylene (PP) pyrolysis using Molecular Dynamics: Computer programming and simulation• Performed high temperature and pressure simulations of PP using ReaxFF that detected degradation reaction pathways to compare with experimental pyrolysis (<10% difference in Activation energy of degradation)• Proposed a novel degradation mechanism by demonstrating singular rise of propene group among the evolution of yields of 10 major alkenes (differing in Carbon number) signaling degradation of PP chains down to propeneAging of Fluoroelastomers in HPHT: Experiments and modeling• Investigated effect of process variables: time, temperature, pressure and fluid environment on aging of FKM and found high t, T and P to have deleterious effect on mechanical strength (40% reduction in tensile strength) • Proposed novel degradation mechanism showing ingress of fluid causing C-F linkage in FKM to break down at increasing rate at higher t, T, and P• Co-authored a publication on effect of temperature and pressure on sorption of gases in elastomers

Investigation of Chromium Pickup in Electroslag Remelting Ingots, Advisor: Prof. Somnath Basu• Worked on increasing Chromium content present in the final steel ingot• Performed various chemical analyses to evaluate ingot constituents in qualitative & quantitative manner • Successfully matched Chromium pickup with earlier obtained theoretical estimates

Organized field visits to organizations concerned for land, water management and agriculture-related issues. Had an opportunity to understand the grass-root problems in India and their modern as-well-as traditional solutions.