SM LAB
Soft Matter lab
Principal Investigator
Ashish Kumar Thokchom
Professional Experience
2025 – Present Associate Professor, SNIOE (DTU)
2019 – 2025 Assistant Professor, SNIOE (DTU)
2019 Guest Faculty, NIT Arunachal Pradesh
2018 – 2019 Postdoctoral Professor, nBFSL, Korea University, South Korea
2015 – 2018 Postdoctoral Fellow, µFNM lab, UNIST, South Korea
Academics
2016 Ph. D in Chemical Engineering, IIT Guwahati
2010 M. Tech in Chemical Engineering, NITK, Surathkal
2006 B. Tech in Chemical Engineering, TKMCE, Kollam (Kerala University)
Ph.D. Scholars
Appurva Tiwari - Completed (2020 - 2025)
Thesis Title: Dynamics of Particles in Evaporating Sessile Droplet
The objective of this work is to understand the fluid flow pattern, interfacial phenomenon, and the role of the stick-slip condition of contact line on particle deposition of an evaporating sessile droplet through experimental measurement. The presented characterization results provide not only valuable mechanistic insights but also practical guidelines for inkjet printing-based particle applications.
Keywords: Fluid flow pattern, sessile droplets, stick-slip, contact line.
Currently, Appurva is a Postdoctoral fellow under Professor Xuehua Zhang, Soft Matter & Interfaces lab, University of Alberta, Canada.​
Ms. Garima (2023 - present)
Thesis Title: Study of Self-assembly of Micro and Nanoparticles
Micropatterning or structuring of solution-mediated materials is a fundamental requirement for desired high-performance functions of the materials in various applications. Traditionally microscale patterning not only boosted up the microelectronics industry but also allowed emergence of lab on a chip for low-cost analytical instrumentation in parallel. The proposed research is to understand the basic underlying mechanism of color exhibits from nanostructure.
Mr. Suryakanta De (2025 - present)​
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Thesis title - Simulation of Heterogeneous Catalytic Transesterification: Experimental Validation and Optimization with Aspen Plus
The depletion of fossil fuels, combined with rising demand, has forced the energy sector to consider alternative, less hazardous, renewable liquid fuels. It is required to split off the triglycerides to get the utmost value from oil sources. Transesterification to produce biodiesel is the most economical and sustainable method for obtaining it, among other processes such as pyrolysis, cracking, and micro-emulsification. Moreover, eco-friendliness, less toxicity, more biodegradability, absence of sulfur and aromatic compounds make biodiesel a more attractive option.
Co-Advisor - Dr. Ranjit Singh
Mr. Akash Tayagi (2026 - present).
Alumini
Appurva Tiwari - Postdoctoral fellow in Soft matter and Interface, Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Canada