Good day, Chiranjit Roy. I'm Arjun. I've had a look through your background and your professional record. I'm interested in hearing more about your work and how you see yourself fitting in here with our faculty. Ready to start?

Yes, OK. So.

Basically I'm now doing as a post doc in D2 energy so Denmark Technical University and my area of research is like Max pages and multi-ton solid synthesis at 2D materials like vaccines and I did my PhD from IIT Madras and.

Uh, during my PhD I.

I, uh, that Max pages and Max scenes and, umm, other than that, uh, I also, uh, did some, uh, super or I did the supervision to, uh, some, uh, BTEC students or some master students for their small projects or master projects. And during my post doc, I not only I'm doing my own work, but also I'm doing, uh, some.

Supervision to master students, uh, for their project.

And also during my PhD, I did TA duty firm like, uh, or some uh, lab sessions for TM training or some ACM training or excerpted training. So I have that, uh, that expertise to how to handle students, umm, and also during my post doc I, I'm doing.

Like that at TA session with some master students.

And also like like lab training session show, if I get some opportunity to your institute then I can.

I can.

Give some better environment to.

To guide some students for their projects and also I can contribute to related with them our research work.

And so that.

Hello.

Yeah.

Professor Roy, let's delve into your expertise in Chemical Engineering and Materials Science. Could you briefly explain the synthesis process for MAX phases and their transformation into MXenes, highlighting key challenges in these procedures?

OK, so The thing is that uh, so initially the Max pages like M stands for transition elemental, like titanium, chromium, henadium, niobium and A stands for aluminum, uh, or silicon and X stands for carbon or nitrogen. So like TI3 alc 2 or TI2LC. So these are called like Max pages. It's layer like uh film structure. SO3 elements are there means titanium, aluminum, carbon or nerve.

So basically to synthesize that maths pages you have to go to high temperature like 15116 hundred at solid states synthesis and also you need some inert atmosphere or argon atmosphere or back into synthesize those pages. But The thing is that here we have. Overcome all those problems related with high temperature related with inert atmosphere.

So here what we did by molten salts synthesis, so we add some salt composition like here we have added initial KCL salt mixer with that elemental mixer means if you want to synthesize TI to LC, so titanium, aluminum, carbon and that's for mixer you have to mix properly and then.

Uh, The thing is that, uh, so when you are umm, ready for the heating in the furnace, so umm, there is some.

Prepare the pellet for heating so now.

Umm, arrangement. So you have to do with the Crucible. So first in that Crucible, you have to put your pellet, that green pellet and then on surround of that pellet, you have to um, you have to put the salt mixer. So what happens now the whole Crucible you have to take like big Crucible and or at the bottom is the pellet and surround that pellet. The whole salt mixer is there.

So now your that total arrangement of that Crucible is ready for the heating. So here we are doing the all the means heating or the furnace heating in a chamber furnace in open atmosphere. So no inert atmosphere is required. And now The thing is that we have to overcome the oxidation of all those elementary precursors. So that's the thing. So that's why people. Earlier use that in other so here what uh, we are doing with that salt itself, it creates an molten, uh, salt and liquid environment during heating. Uh, suppose uh, here we use that NAKNHLK shell salt mixer so that eutectic salt mixer, it melts at 657°C. So so see at 657°C, the salt are in melt molten condition, so.

It creates an molten liquid environment during the heating and by creating that environment, it protects from oxygen or from, yeah, oxygen from open atmosphere. And also what that salt does, that salt.

Increases the OR enhances the diffusion rate and so if the diffusion rate will increase so that diffusion length of those elemental precursor will be short.

And it will react with means whatever the elemental precursor, it will react first. And that's why we will get the the final product at much lower temperature compared to that solid states in this or that that 1500 or regular synthesis temperature. So that's the main.

Objective or that's the main. What I can say that?

Advantage of that molten salt synthesis. So now, now that thing is that, uh, you cannot the limitation of that molten salt synthesis uh, that the, you cannot uh, go like high temperature like if your sample requires like 1500°C so that you cannot go at open atmosphere at open air condition up to 1500. So the limitation is like.

1200°.

Centigrade and EPU want to go to that 1500 there you need some inert atmosphere. So and also there is some limitation. So every element doesn't have that solubility that high solubility in sort. So, so for those element or for those kind of like zirconium, aluminum, carbide or. Harpenium aluminum that refractory metal based that Max phases. So that's.

Uh, for those, uh, to synthesize for those carbide, you have to go to high temperature and the for that, you need that in an atmosphere. So salt will not, uh, give any, umm, means, uh, any advantage for those kind of carbides. So. And now The thing is that so if you have that Max pages, so. To synthesize Maxine you have to etch out that a element like TI to ALC. So if the so it's like layer like structure. So if you remove that middle a aluminum layer so it will be like. Layer like but there is some gap in between two layers so it is like that's why it is called like 2D like material mixing. So that etching can be done by several chemical HND is there so you can use HF but HF is a really strong, strong and hazardous chemical. So instead of using HF you can use live ACL mixer or so Naf sodium chloride.

Mixer, uh, to synthesize that mixing. And so for, you know, after, uh, itching out that a layer or a layer. So it will be like there is some gap, but if you really, umm, want some single layered, uh, seat like 2D layers, then you have to do another step that is denomination. So that denomination can be done by DMSO or TBA. Oh, so in this way you can synthesize that makes sense it.

Thank you.

Yes.

Now, could you elaborate on your Teaching Assistant duties during your Ph.D., especially in handling laboratory sessions for TEM and SEM training? How did you ensure that students grasped the technical complexities?

Basically, I did the supervision for that bachelor students, uh, like, uh, some lab session during their coursework, umm, uh, show initially I demonstrated the theory of that, umm, TM or ACM, uh, training session, uh, so that, how that microscope works and that, and what type of images we can get from that.

OK.

Yeah, that instrument and what is the sample preparation now to do that ACM or TF. So initially I gave some brief idea about that sample preparation and the theory of that microscope that how microscope worked and then. So then I I demonstrate that that instrument means how it works and all those.

Things, uh, and then umm, I gave some uh sample uh, or yeah. So initially I did 1 sample to umm do the ACM or TM and that next session I gave it to 1 sample to them for uh like means how they learn that thing or. Means yeah, means, so that's why I evaluate.

Umm, the that session means And The thing is that.

Uh, so initially, umm, yeah. And finally, uh, The thing is that yeah, we have some exam and you and yeah, you have to pass out that exam. Uh yeah. After that lab training session. So in this way I evaluate and I demonstrate that TM and ACM thing.

Yes, yes.

You've mentioned supervising B.Tech and master's students’ projects extensively. Could you provide an example of a challenging project you guided, highlighting your approach and how you ensured the student successfully navigated the obstacles?

Yes, uh, so during my PhD, uh, so I supervise umm, like, uh, like group of student, uh, I think bachelor's to uh, project 1 project. I already gave like Max phase synthesis. So The thing is that, that M element. So instead M element, instead of taking one element like titanium, you can like titanium, vanadium or titanium.

I'm so solid solution Max pages it's called. So I gave one Max page composition to synthesize.

By this molten salt method and then I first I yeah so I gave them the literature for those means mold and related with molten salts synthesis or that Max pages synthesis and what.

Uh, that Max page is what is that molten salt? So that should be some umm, uh, what preliminary, uh, study or preliminary means, uh, yeah. Learning process before going to the lab. So I, I think like that way. So first they, they will prepare that some. Slides with respect to that, whatever literature survey they have done, they have done and.

That idea means how to do the synthesis by molten salt with that Max phases and all those things. Then we will go together to the lab means how that means the lab work is going on means how to prepare that, how to prepare the mixing means by motor, special or some. And then how to prepare the pellet and that whole arrangement means how to do that Crucible whole arrangement with salt and all those things.

Then umm. So now they have that, uh.

So after that they have to. So first 2-3 times I will teach them or I will help them to do the experiment and then after that when I saw that they are well capable to do by themselves for that experiments then. They can do by themselves for the.

Means later experiment and if The thing is that fast experiment, they cannot get that final page or yeah, final page. So now you have to means optimize those things. So in that optimization I help them that how to means you have to increase this composition or you have to. Reduce the temperature or increase so in that way the optimization period.

Uh, so I help them to figure it out and finally they got their final product, uh, or, or final, uh, yeah. Page with 7 means like, umm, comparable purity or something like 85 or 90%. And then after that they have to, uh, present that whatever they got or they have to submit one project report according to that. And finally.

They submitted that and they got some good marks or good that credit or something, Yeah.

Good grade, yeah.

Thank you, Professor Roy, for thoroughly explaining the process. It highlights your structured approach, blending literature reviews, hands-on training, and guided optimization to ensure successful project outcomes.

Professor, to start, could you tell me which introductory course in chemical engineering or materials science you feel particularly passionate about teaching and why?

OK, so so the first thing is that that.

My background is from mechanical engineering, Btech, and then material science. So I didn't do much about that chemical engineering, but I can contribute in that material science area. So introductory. So introduction to material science, that one course people.

Really, uh, means need to know so that course I can contribute myself in that course and also the another, I think another more vital course is that materials characterization. So in that materials characterization, you have to know that XRDACM&TM and also some thermal analysis and all those things so. That.

Two courses and I'm confident that I can take that introduction to material science and introduction to material science means from starting means structure means that cubic structure is CB CC 2 like means what they are different kind of materials and then yeah iron carbon page program all all those things so that I can take and next that Mitra's characterization and for that chemical engineering.

Thing so that for that thing I have to little bit study means whatever the subject I can take means which is related with some synthesis thing. So in that part that I I need some time, but I can contribute that that is for sure for that chemical engineering means whatever the course is.

Yeah.

Understood, Professor. We’ll proceed.

Yes, yes, yes. Understood. Yeah.

Professor Roy, let’s explore your academic research and its integration into teaching. Starting with your Ph.D. thesis on the synthesis and characterization of High Temperature Ceramic MAX Phases and their 2D derivative MXenes, could you elaborate on the research methodology you employed? Specifically, how did the molten salt shielded synthesis and chemical etching route contribute to advancing the field?

Sorry to interrupt, we're down to the last 5 minutes.

Yes. So The thing is that, umm.

During my PhD, uh, show, I did some that molten salt, uh, synthesis. So that molten salt sealed synthesis a it's really, it's applicable in broader scale and people can use that method because it doesn't need any inert atmosphere. And also at around 1100°C, you can get some, umm, that high purity phases. And it can be, uh, produced in a large scale, so.

Uh, if you really want like 500 gram or, or one KG so that you can easily, uh, you, you can easily synthesize, uh, with that molten salt selected synthesis method. So that's why in India Max phase products and in a large scale, it's a real, uh, problem and real challenge. But if you use that molecule, you can easily make that Max pages because it has application in that nuclear reactor and also that high temper.

That I'm hitting rod you can prepare from that Max pages so.

That's why we are really interested with that Max pages and that synthesis of means how to overcome all those limitation regarding that inert atmosphere and the oxidation at high temperature, so that we successfully overcome by that molten synthesis. And so that's why I use that synthesis method to.

Synthesize different kind of Max phases and also map phase map phases like, uh, instead of carbon or nitrite, uh, nitrogen, uh, we used boron so that MOLD or the WLB or CR2LB2 so that map it, it's also similar like Max pages. And finally I synthesize that mixing and so.

Uh, so mixing means first I, uh, synthesize that Max pages and then I itch out that a layer. What I already discussed, uh, means how to etch out that, uh, a layer. So, uh, I use that LIFACL method to, umm, to etch out the a layer and to synthesize that final mixing. And I did that the mixing. There is some problem that the, the stability, so it can easily oxidize in.

Atmosphere. So how to preserve or how to store that mixing for a long duration? So that study I did means I first I synthesize that mixing and then I put that mixing in some that solvent like isopropanol or ethanol or different solvent and keep it in the like different. Temperature like -20 -, 40 and finally I got that.

Uh, that, umm, that the, the best suitable, uh, solvent, it's that isopropanol and also base temperature is like, uh, freezing temperature like -4 or or -10° to preserve that mixing for long duration. So this is like a whole idea of my, uh, PhD.

Thank you, Professor Roy, for that detailed explanation regarding your research. You've clearly advanced techniques for synthesizing MAX phases and tackled challenges like oxidation and stability of MXenes. Now, transitioning this into a classroom setting, how do you plan to translate these advanced concepts into meaningful learning experiences for students, particularly those new to the field of materials science? How would you simplify these processes without losing the rigor?

Please, uh, repeat that thing.

Certainly, Professor Roy. How would you translate the advanced research concepts from your Ph.D., like the synthesis of MAX phases and MXenes, into meaningful and accessible learning experiences for your students? Specifically, how would you simplify these processes for students who are new to materials science while maintaining academic rigor?

OK, so first for the simplifying that synthesis procedure, so. I yeah, so better I if I do some hands-on experience or if I create some, some whatever the means that initial to yeah, there should be yeah, I can use the schematic or. Or some video for that?

Yeah, video presentation for the simplifying that how to do that, how to do that synthesis process to synthesize that Max page by molten salt and also. This that whatever I did during my PhD, so that process and also that material that makes in it has several application nowadays.

In especially in electrochemistry like in supercapacitor and in lithium and battery and also in EMI ceiling so.

That's why that people are really interested when that to synthesize that mix scene and to synthesize that Max phases. And also then we can explore different kind of application with that material because it has a really tremendous amount of like electrical conductivity and also like several application and. Good properties like hydrophilic in nature, so.

You can easily create some ink without adding any additive, so it can be used in printable electronics. So by this way I can motivate some students and also, yeah, that means with the application and with that and simplifying that with by some video presentation like that.

Thank you, Professor Roy. You've outlined a practical approach by leveraging hands-on experiences and visual aids like schematics and video presentations. Emphasizing applications like electrochemistry and printable electronics is indeed an effective way to inspire students and make advanced material concepts relatable. Let me ask a brief follow-up before we wrap up this section. How do you intend to integrate current advancements in MXene research into a teaching curriculum, ensuring that students not only grasp foundational knowledge but can also critically evaluate emerging trends?

I sure I can yeah. I, I cannot do only mixing so I can introduce like 2D materials so like graphene mixing or there are several kind of 2D material like TMDS, so or that layer like structure. So in this way that overall or overview of that, that kind of materials or the the application of that kind of means it's like.

Advanced course, but in this way I can introduce one courses.

Mm-hmm.

...and linking their unique structures to real-world applications offers students a comprehensive foundation in advanced materials science. It’s an admirable approach to cultivating critical evaluation and keeping the curriculum aligned with cutting-edge research.

Yes.

Let's begin by discussing your three-year research roadmap. Could you outline the key objectives, expected contributions, and strategies for securing funding and building collaborations relevant to Chemical Engineering and Materials Science?

So 3 in, uh, that three years course. So first year I totally consented on my lab setup and uh, umm, that for writing the project proposal because I need some partner initial funding for umm, means doing the research or yeah, if I continue with the research if I, uh, want to. Want to recruit some students for the?

I mean city search work. So first year I will totally concentrate on the project proposal and yeah and that funding things and then to set up the lab because my research area it's fully experimental 1. So that initial first year and then second year I will start. To recruit some. If I get some good funding then I will.