Lubricant Technology

Upendra Maurya completed his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Mumbai, India, in 2012 and M.Tech. in Industrial Tribology and Maintenance Management from the National Institute of Technology Srinagar, India, in 2016. During his Master’s program, he worked as a visiting researcher at the CSIR‑Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun, India, studying the influence of molecular chain length on lubricant properties. He earned his Ph.D. from the National Institute of Technology Warangal (NITW), India, specializing in the development of hybrid nanolubricants using ionic liquids and nanoparticles. He is currently an Assistant Professor at the Mechanical Engineering Department, Pimpri Chinchwad College of Engineering, Pune, India. With over 12 publications in reputed international journals, his research focuses on the synthesis of ionic liquids, surface characterization techniques, and advanced lubricant formulations. His work has led to novel insights into the tribological performance of hybrid nano‑oils and their industrial applications. Gourav Khajuria is working in the Mechanical Engineering Department, Government College of Engineering and Technology, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India. He completed his Bachelor of Technology (Mechanical Engineering) at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra, Jammu, and his Master of Technology (Industrial Tribology and Maintenance Management) at the National Institute of Technology, Srinagar (Hazratbal, Kashmir), India. His research focuses on tribological and surface interactions of materials in the application of the automobile industry. He worked on the super alloy materials at high temperatures to investigate tribological behavior of worn surfaces and mechanism of in situ development of tribo‑films under dry conditions. He has over five research work published in various international reputed journals. Velagapudi Vasu is a Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Warangal, India. He obtained his Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Nagarjuna University, India, in 1999, and a post‑graduation in Manufacturing Engineering from Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani, India in 2003. He obtained his Ph.D. from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad, India, in 2010. His doctoral dissertation explored eco‑friendly nanolubricants as cutting fluid. He was awarded Heritage‑Erasmus Mundus research fellowship in 2013 to visit Politecnico di Milano, Italy, as a Post‑Doctoral Associate where he carried out wear and tribological studies of aluminum composites. He has published over 40 papers in refereed journals and refereed conference proceedings. He has research interests in the areas of tribology, nanomaterials, nanofluids, micro‑nano machining mechatronics, and systems controls. He has completed several research projects funded by various agencies such as DST, SERB, NRCM, ISC Bangalore, UGC, IIT Bombay, and IE India and is currently handling the SERB project on “Synergistic Effect of Phosphonium, Ammonium Based Ionic Liquid and Nano Lubricants on the Tribological and Rheological Properties” (worth Rs. 17.64 Lakhs). He is the coordinator of “Smart factory: Industry 4.0 Lab, Seimens Center of Excellence” NIT Warangal Project (worth 200 Lakhs). He was conferred the “Outstanding Scientist Award 2015” in Nanotechnology by Venus International Foundation and the “Young Engineer Award 2010” from the Institute of Engineers, India.