I obtained my Bachelors from the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai, India majoring in Polymer Engineering and Technology. I’m currently pursuing my doctorate under the mentorship of Prof Ica Manas.
My project is a part of an international research program: PIRE: Material’s for Renewable energy Nature’s Way; which is funded by the NSF. Here we try to find suitable green alternatives to current materials used in wind and solar energy. In my project, I’m attempting to replace the conventional fillers (glass fibres) used in wind turbine blades by bio based alternatives(cellulose) so as to get lighter, cheaper, greener products with no compromise on its properties. The problem encountered with using cellulose however, is its interaction with the matrix and how one can effectively disperse them. Hence I’m trying to study the effect of surface modification of cellulose on the matrix-filler interface and if there’s any synergistic effect or network formation by using cellulose in a combination with another filler of varying geometry.