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Principal Investigator

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Ashish Kumar Thokchom

Professional Experience

2019 – Present 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. Especially, nanoscale feature size opened new opportunities by offering many advantageous chemical, optical, electrical, and thermal characteristics derived from their high surface to volume ratio. In this reason, it is highly demanding for developing effective methods which is not only simple and low-cost but also is less limited in dimension, complex structure, and even 3-D patterns and/or structures. Several fabrication methods have been developed. Comparing with other techniques, such as lithographic, nanoimprinting, and microcontact printing, inkjet printing is a direct depositing technique using the liquid phase materials. By virtue of its cost effective, easy to handle and speediness, inkjet printing technique has become a reliable technique for high quality and well pattern fabrication. As the printed patterns are strongly influenced by the surface morphologies of injected droplets, it is necessary to control the depositing morphologies of inkjet droplets, which are also affected by many factors such as substrate wettability, ink rheology, printing apparatus and external field. However, it is still difficult to obtain desired morphologies by inkjet printing. The proposed research is to understand the basic underlying mechanism of color exhibits from nanostructure.

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Alumini

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. Five different models were developed on a triolein-methanol-based catalytic transesterification process with the aim of sustainable production of FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Ester) biodiesel using effective and dependent simulation tools like ASPEN V12.1. The models were generated using two different reaction kinetic mechanisms and various process units to determine the optimal configuration that can achieve the desired conversion efficiency, product yield, purity, and recovery. It was found out that LHHW (Langmuir-Hinshelwood-Hougen- Watson) kinetics with CSTR (Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor)-double distillation unit can bring conversion efficiency up to 96.4% and yield of 7.5 kg/hr. Experimental studies on the catalytic transesterification of triolein with methanol were also conducted in a lab-scale batch reactor equipped with a reflux condenser and a stainless-steel reactor with a Teflon liner, using the same optimum conditions as defined by Aspen Plus, with a novel Mg/Al layered double hydroxide-

biochar nanocomposite catalyst. The catalyst was characterized by XRD, FESEM, TGA, and BET. A conversion of more than 99% with a sharp peak of the main product (methyl oleate) was achieved for triolein, as determined by product analysis using the liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) technique.

Appurva Tiwari - Postdoctoral fellow in Soft matter and Interface, Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Canada

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