Mechanical Property Evaluation Section

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Overview

The major areas of expertise are evaluation of macromechanical, micromechanical and nanomechanical properties of ceramics and composites, physics of deformation and fracture of brittle solids, shock physics of ceramics, tribology and nanotribology of ceramics, ceramic composites, ceramic coatings and thin films, microstructure - mechanical and / or functional property relationships, ultrasonic characterization, multilayer composites, microwave processing of ceramics and composites. In addition, Present work includes evaluation, interpretation and correlation of the mechanical properties from the ultra/nano-structural to macro-structural scale of ceramics and ceramic composites to processing routes for bio-medical, functional, structural and strategic applications to achieve materials with higher accuracy. Further, the developments are also on unique expertise on evaluation, analysis and interpretation of nano-indentation behaviour of structural ceramics and coatings. Infrastructural support service for evaluation of mechanical properties and various other data are provided to all in-house projects as per their need and industrial clients on payment basis.

The research team of the division comprise of : one (1) Scientist, three (3) Research Fellows, two (02) Technical Officers, five (05) other supporting staffs and two (2) M. Tech. students.

Areas of Research

• Mechanical characterizations from nanoscale to macroscale for various ceramics, ceramic matrix composites, multilayered composites, glass and glass ceramic materials, ceramic thin films and coatings, natural bio-composites as well as external FRP and other samples supplied by the industry.
• Development of tough multilayered ceramic matrix composites and hybrid composites for strategic application.
• Evaluation, analysis and interpretation of nanoindentation behaviour for:
  • Structural ceramics e.g. alumina, ZTA, SiC etc.
  • Biocermaics e.g. hydroxyapatite (HAP) and its composites
  • Plasma sprayed ceramic coatings
  • DLC thin film
  • C/C and C/SiC composite.
  • Natural biocomposite materials e.g. bone, tooth, nail, shell, scale etc.

Technologies Developed / Under Development

NIL

Projects: completed

Sl. No.	Title of Projects	Duration	Source of Funding	Principal Investigator	Co-PI (s)
1.	Micromechanical Characterization of Hydroxyapatite Coating for Metallic Implants	2006-09	DST	Dr. D. Basu	Dr. A. K. Mukhopadhyay Mr. S. Gangadharan
2.	Near net shape manufacturing of bio-implants and engineering components from advanced ceramics and metals	2002-07	CSIR		Dr. A. K. Mukhopadhyay
3.	Nanostructured Multi-Layer Composites for Damage Tolerant Applications	2002-07	CSIR	Dr. A. K. Mukhopadhyay
4.	Microstructural characterization of thermal barrier coating by indentation technique	2000-03	CSIR, India and Forschungszentrum, Juelich (FZJ), Germany	Dr. D. Basu	Dr. A. K. Mukhopadhyay
5.	Joining of glass pieces by a novel fusion technique	1998-01	DST	Dr. K. K. Phani	Dr. A. K. Mukhopadhyay
6.	Development of laminated ceramic composites for structural applications	1999-02	DST	Dr. A. K. Mukhopadhyay	Dr. H. S. Maiti

Projects: ongoing

Sl. No.	Title of Projects	Duration	Source of Funding	Principal Investigator	Co-PI (s)
1.	Development of Equation of State of Alumina and ZTA ceramics under shock loading	2007-10	BRNS	Dr. A. K. Mukhopadhyay	Dr. S. K. Biswas
2.	Non-oxide ceramic based advance structural materials for Application in Armors	2008-12	CSIR	Dr. S. K. Biswas	Dr. A. K. Mukhopadhyay
3.	Technology for Assessment & Refurbishment of Engineering Materials & Components (TAREMaC), Activity II : Minimally Invasive and Miniature Specimen Techniques : Sub-Activity : Indentation Technique for Ceramic Materials	2007-11	CSIR	Dr. A. K. Mukhopadhyay
4.	Renovation of Mechanical Testing Facility at CGCRI	2007-11	CSIR	Dr. A. K. Mukhopadhyay
5.	Evaluation of Mechanical Properties	2007-11	CGCRI	Dr. A. K. Mukhopadhyay

Sectional Facilities

Triboindenter (Nanoindenter with in-situ SPM facility)	Fischerscope (Nanoindenter with Optical facility)
Scratch Tester	Hardness Tester (Vicker?s and Knoop tip)
Fully Automated Universal Testing Machine (1 KN, 100 KN, 100 N load cells)	Inverted Optical Microscope with CCD camera with Image Analyzer

Scientist

• Dr. Anoop K. Mukhopadhyay, Head of the Section

Details of Students

Name	Project	Status	Supervisors
Mr. Arjun Dey	Micromechanical Characterization of Bio-Ceramic Coating (Physico-Chemical and Mechanical Characterization of Bioactive Ceramic Coating)	SRF (CSIR) (Registered at BESU, Shibpur)	Dr. A. K. Mukhopadhyay, Dr. M. K. Sinha (BCCD) and Prof. N. R. Bandyopadhyay (BESU, Shibpur)
Ms. Riya Chakraborty	Development of Equation of State of Alumina and ZTA ceramics under shock loading (Deformation of brittle solids at nano-macro scale)	JRF (Project) Registered at JU	Dr. A. K. Mukhopadhyay and Prof. T. K. Middya (JU)
Mr. Kalyan Sundar Pal	Synthesis and characterization of microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposited diamond film	PA-II (Project) Enrolled at BESU, Shibpur	Dr. D. Basu (BCCD), Dr. A. K. Mukhopadhyay and Prof. B. K. Guha (BESU, Shibpur)
Mr. Nadadulal Dandapat	Study the relationship between microwave plasma and related defects of the MWCVD diamond	PA-II (Project) Enrolled at BESU, Shibpur	Dr. D. Basu (BCCD), Dr. A. K. Mukhopadhyay and Prof. B. K. Guha (BESU, Shibpur)