Research Projects

The work addresses a problem of clear national importance: establishing indigenous expertise and infrastructure for advanced casting techniques that can ultimately support the manufacture of long, defect-free single-crystal turbine blades—critical components for next-generation aerospace engines and high-efficiency power turbines. This is an initial study on the use of liquid metal cooling (LMC) in directional solidification (DS), the findings of which will ultimately guide the development of an LMC-based process for manufacturing long single-crystal turbine blades. As one of the first such attempts within Indian academia, this work addresses a technology of clear national importance, aiming to lay the groundwork for future self-reliant production of high-performance turbine components essential for aerospace and energy sectors. Technically, the project will design and develop a novel directional solidification setup integrated with a customized LMC system, capable of maintaining sharp and stable thermal gradients critical for controlling solidification. The choice of liquid metal coolant—whether Sn-based, Al-based, or another suitable material—will be carefully determined based on its ability to provide a stable, uniform temperature in the cooling zone. To further ensure consistent thermal conditions during solidification, uniform mixing within the molten coolant will be achieved using either an ultrasonic probe or mechanical stirring. This stable environment is expected to significantly influence dendrite arm spacing, reduce segregation, and suppress freckle defects commonly encountered in DS. Complementing the experiments, the project will also include numerical simulations to analyze solidification behavior in the LMC-based casting system. Together with detailed microstructural (SEM, EBSD, XRD) and mechanical (hardness, tensile) characterizations, this will provide a comprehensive understanding of how LMC modifies solidification dynamics compared to conventional air cooling. Overall, this phased initiative represents a strategic step toward building indigenous expertise and infrastructure in advanced solidification technologies. It will create critical knowledge and technical capacity for future scaling to vacuum-based DS of Ni-superalloy single-crystal blades, directly supporting India’s vision of “Atmanirbhar Bharat” and reducing dependence on foreign technologies in critical defense and power applications.