Research Areas
The MatERIAL Group focuses on several pressing areas of research, that are of national interest and aligns with several initiatives including Smart city program, Swachh Bharat mission and waste-to-resource recovery. We are passionately engaged in development of low-carbon materials through smart manufacturing, which can be applied for infrastructure construction and environmental remediation
Our group is focusing on development of 3D printable Portland cement-based and alkali-activated materials through advanced characterization of their rheology and hydration properties. The printable material would then be applied to manufacture special designs for building and coastal constructions, with multi-functional objectives of water filtration, promoting biodiversity and improving outdoor thermal comfort.
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Major efforts are being directed towards decarbonization of construction materials.
New material compositions and engineered pore structure are being investigated to enhance carbon sequestration in cementitious materials. This pathway is found to sequester high volume carbon dioxide in stable mineral form while positively contributing to strength and durability (Check out our publications at link 1 and link 2).
In another strategy, materials generated as byproducts of local industrial processes, including fly ash, slag, cenosphere and rice husk ash are being investigated to develop alternative binders. As number of desalination plants in India rise, the group is also interested to investigate performance of magnesia recovered from brine as a potential binder.
Extensive use of electronic equipment and mobile devices indoors have led to electromagnetic wave (EM) pollution, which threatens security and health of occupants. To address this pervasive issue, our group is striving to develop special admixtures from locally generated waste streams to attenuate electromagnetic waves of wide frequency range in buildings.
Open Positions
At MatERIAL Group, we seek students and researchers with strong passion for material research.
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Doctoral Researchers
Selection of doctoral (PhD) students takes place through the admission process at IISc. Admissions take place twice a year for semesters starting in January and August. Detailed description of the procedure can be found here. Prospective applicants interested to join our group can contact the Group lead, Dr. Souradeep Gupta, for discussion.
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Postdoctoral Researchers
Candidates with overlapping skills and interest to that of our research focus can write to Dr. Souradeep Gupta, with a brief description of their research interest and curriculum vitae.
The following are some of the typical funding instruments for postdoctoral researchers at IISc:
1. Raman Post-Doc and Institute of Eminence (IoE) scheme
2. SERB-National Post Doctoral Fellowship
3. DST Women Scientists Program
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Any other project positions would be advertised on this page. Stay tuned for such positions!
