Hi there! My name is Rakesh Basu, and I am a 1st year PhD student in the Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) department at NC State University. My advisor is Dr Rajeev Gupta. I hail from Kolkata, West Bengal, India. I completed my bachelor’s degree in Metallurgy and Materials Engineering from the Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, IIEST Shibpur, in 2023 and moved to the US for my graduate studies. Currently, I am studying the corrosion behaviour, microstructure and mechanical properties in additively manufactured Cu-Ni alloys. Outside the lab, I try to stay active & enjoy going to the gym, hiking, and playing soccer. I love reading fiction, watching thriller movies and playing video games. I am a good cook and often spend my weekends trying to master culinary delicacies from around the globe. I’m deeply passionate about a career that lets me explore diverse domains, collaborate with people from various cultures & backgrounds, and eventually create my own business with the aim being “Explore, Connect, Innovate: Bettering the world one step at a time!”.
What instruments are you using for your research and why do you like them?
For my research, I am using various characterisation instruments at AIF, namely the Rigaku SmartLab XRD, FESEM Hitachi SU8700, Keyence VKx1100, Bruker Hysitron TI980 Triboindenter & XPS. The XRD, SEM & Keyence come in handy for identifying manufacturing defects in my sample, different phases in my alloy, grain structure & their orientation, sites of corrosion initiation, etc. XPS, being a surface-sensitive technique, helps to explain the passive film characterisation & changes in the chemical composition of my alloy. As for my material’s mechanical behaviour, I primarily use the nanoindenter, which tells me about my alloy’s hardness & elastic modulus. Lastly, my sample preparation needs for SEM, EDS & EBSD are met by AIF’s materials sample preparation lab.
What have you been researching?
Additive manufacturing (AM) is revolutionising the field of materials engineering by allowing the production of high-quality materials. These advancements are expected to further enhance Cu-Ni alloy’s already impressive corrosion resistance and strength. My preliminary research is focused on understanding the corrosion behaviour in 3D-printed Cu-Ni alloys and comparing them to their commercially available wrought counterparts. I expect to see better corrosion performance in my AM alloys. My main aim is to enhance the corrosion resistance and strength by improving the mechanical properties of the printed Cu-Ni alloys through feedstock modification.
Materials degradation, i.e., corrosion, is something we encounter everywhere, and it’s a process we can’t avoid. We spend billions each year trying to manage or slow it down. This becomes a significant problem in fields like construction, marine, and aerospace, dealing with structural materials. Imagine the disaster if an offshore oil rig, a high-speed train, or a skyscraper failed prematurely because of corrosion — it would mean loss of lives and resources. That’s why researchers are constantly developing new materials to improve corrosion resistance while ensuring they fit their intended applications. My research is about discovering the fundamental mechanisms and paving the way for designing high-strength, highly corrosion-resistant Cu-Ni alloys through additive manufacturing. It aims to enhance safety and durability, allowing the savings to be invested in nobler causes.
What have you learned from your experience at AIF?
Although I am still starting out, so far, I have learned how to independently operate several characterisation techniques to evaluate the structure, composition, and properties of my material and critically analyse the data and what it means in terms of the corrosion performance of my alloy. Also, by attending the XRD and SEM short courses, I was able to grasp the key fundamentals. I am grateful and will be using AIF’s world-class facilities for years to come.
Best thing about AIF in 5 words or less?
Innovative, cutting-edge & cooperative staff
Is there a staff member at AIF that has helped you?
Although everyone at AIF is kind, super helpful and amazing people, a special shoutout to Jenny, Chuck and Toby for their continued assistance throughout my 1st year.
