Current Research
- Multiphase Reaction
Engineering
Heterogeneous reactions
controlled by diffusional factors pose novel problems when conducted in
microheterogeneous media such as emulsions, slurries and other types of
surfactant based systems. The diffusion-reaction characteristics in
such media are being investigated. The work includes looking at basic
mass transfer examining reactant particle size related effects in
slurry absorbers / precipitators etc.
- Nanoparticles
The use of micelles and
microemulsions to produce nanoparticles of inorganic salts (eg. silver
chloride, cadmium sulfide) provides a novel route to the manufacture of
these nanomaterials. The mathematical modeling of the formation of
these particles, including the case of complex/composite particles is
of interest. Also, of interest is the formation of these particles in
multiphase systems (eg. nanoparticles of calcium carbonate in
gas-slurry-micellar systems)
- Demulsification
The demulsification of
surfactant stabilized emulsions is being studied in simple shear flows
in order to obtain information about the transient evolution of droplet
size distributions as a function of the shearing rate, surfactant
concentrations and dispersed phase hold up (collaborator: Prof. D.V.
Khakhar).
- Food Foams and Sponges
A reaction engineering
based, quantitative understanding of baking processes which give rise
to spongy foods, such as cakes and breads, is sought to be developed.
Our objective is to relate the properties of the final product, such as
cell structure, density, softness etc. with the processing conditions
and the dough ingredients.
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- Jain, R., Shukla, D. and
Mehra, A., 2006, ``A Monte Carlo
Model for the Formation of Core-Shell Nanocrystals in Reverse Micellar
Systems'', Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 45, 2249-2254.
- Nandi, A., Mehra, A. and
Khakhar, D.V., 2006, ``Coalescence in a Surfactant-less Emulsion under
Simple Shear Flow'', AIChE J, 52,
885-894.
- Shukla, D. and Mehra, A.,
2006, ``Modeling the Formation of Shell in Core-Shell Nanocrystals in
Reverse Micellar Systems'', Langmuir,
22-23, 9500-9506.
- Sugih, A.K. and Shukla, D. and
Heeres, H.J. and Mehra, A., 2007, ``CaCO3 Nanoparticle Synthesis by
Carbonation of Lime Solution in Microemulsion
Systems, Nanotechnology, 18, 035607.
- Kakaraniya, S.J., Gupta, A.
and Mehra, A., 2007, ``Reactive Precipitation in Gas-Slurry Systems:
The CO2-Ca(OH)2-CaCO3 System'', Ind.
Eng. Chem. Res., 46,
3170-3179.
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