Prof. Raj is engaged in two principal areas: (i) electric field assisted processing of ceramics and composites, and (ii) ceramic matrix composites constituted from ceramic fibers for ultrahigh temperature and extreme environments. His research spans synthesis, processing, and properties, and modeling of new materials systems. It encompasses two applications: (a) ceramic matrix high temperature composites for next generation gas turbines and (b) solid state lithium ion batteries. A new phenomenon, called “flash sintering”, discovered in his laboratory in 2010 has expanded rapidly worldwide, with heavy citations. He organized the first (hugely successful) International Conference on flash in Tomar Portugal in 2016. Flash sintering has prodigious implications in manufacturing and the creation of “new states of matter”. The fundamental implications of this emerging field are interdisciplinary drawing upon solid state physics, materials sciences, mechanics and computer science.
keywords
Ceramics, sintering, flash sintering, EFAS, electric field assisted sintering, microwave sintering, spark plasma sintering, polymer derived ceramics, nano layer additive manufacturing, ceramic matrix composites, silicon carbide fibers, extreme environments, ultrahigh temperature materials, high temperature deformation and fracture, oxidation resistance
