Biography
I am a materials engineer specializing in carbon materials and their applications in tribology, energy storage, and advanced functional systems. I completed my Ph.D. in Materials Engineering (from University of Hyderabad and ARCI, as a PMRF fellow). My research focused on developing nanocarbon-based lubricant additives for enhanced friction and wear performance. I hold a Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering from Osmania University, Hyderabad and a Bachelor’s degree from Chhattisgarh Swami Vivekanand Technical University.
My research expertise includes processing, characterization and application development with materials like exfoliated graphite, graphene, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), onion-like carbons (OLCs), and waste-derived carbon materials, with a strong emphasis on sustainable processing and scalable manufacturing. My current research interests focus on next-generation lubrication strategies for electric vehicles, nanocarbon-enhanced functional fluids, and the integration of sustainable carbon materials into advanced engineering systems for improved performance. I am particularly interested in bridging materials science, tribology, and energy technologies to address real-world industrial challenges and drive innovation.
Research Areas of Interest
- Carbon materials; Processing and Products
- Rheology and Tribology; ICE & EV lubricants
- Manufacturing Encompassing Surface and Interface Engineering
- Sustainable Materials Processing; Sustainability Descriptors
- Energy storage materials; Beyond Li-ion Technologies
- Thermal and Mechanical Support Systems for Energy Storage Technologies
Highest Qualification
PhD in Materials Engineering
Other Qualifications
Prime Minister Research Fellow
Master of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering)
Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering)
List of Publications
- Nowduru Ravikiran, Swati Singh, Phani Chalapaka, Sanajy R. Dhage, P.K Jain. Influence of ambient-degraded MXene on rheological and tribological behaviour of synthetic multigrade oil. Triboloy Letters (2026)
- Akshay Rao, H. Pant, Nowduru Ravikiran, M. Paul, T. Hu, C. Danteswari, P. V. S. R. N. Sarma, A. R. Podile, M. Thyrel. U. Lassi, S. Petnikota, V. S. S. S. Vadali, Heteroatom-free activated carbon derived from wasted geranium leaves as high-performance electrode material in symmetric supercapacitors, Journal of Energy Storage, (2026) 121336.
- Chalasani Danteswari, Pullabhotla V.S.R.N. Sarma, Akshay Rao, Dharani Kumar Chennamsetty, Nowduru Ravikiran, et al. Upcycling of waste Geranium leaves into biochar for soil amendment. Biomass and Bioenergy (2026).
- Nowduru Ravikiran and Swati Singh. Ti3C2TX derived layered MXenes as friction and wear reducing additives in lubricating oils: a detailed review. Nanotechnology (2025).
- Kurapati, Rithima, Nowduru Ravikiran, Ravi Kali, Puttapati Sampath Kumar and Balaji Padya. Unveiling rapid thermal gradient-triggered lip-lip expansion for efficient production and oxidative thermokinetics of boron nitride nanoplatelets. Ceramics International (2025).
- Ravi Kali, T. V. Anusha, Nowduru Ravikiran, Balaji Padya, and P. K. Jain. Polyaniline-derived amorphous carbon conformally coated multilayer graphene platelets as anode for lithium-ion batteries. Diamond and Related Materials (2024): 111494.
- Nowduru Ravikiran, Balaji Padya, Pawan Kumar Jain, and Vadali VSS Srikanth. Ultrasonics-aided dispersion of 1D nanocarbons in lubricating oils for enhanced lubrication. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research (2024): 9070–9081.
- Nowduru Ravikiran, Harita Pant, Pawan Kumar Jain, and Vadali VSS Srikanth. Dispersion of novel 0D carbons in 15W40 engine oil using ultrasonication for enhanced lubrication. Chemical Engineering and Processing-Process Intensification (2024): 109747.
- Nowduru Ravikiran, Harita Pant, Balaji Padya, Pawan Kumar Jain, and Vadali V.S.S. Srikanth. Novel top-down kg-scale processing of 2D multi-layered graphene powder and its application as excellent lubricating additives in commercial engine oils. Diamond and Related Materials (2023): 110634.
- Nowduru Ravikiran, Balaji Padya, Syed Junaid, Pawan Kumar Jain, and Vadali VSS Srikanth. Sustainable kilogram-scale conversion of tire pyrolysis waste into nanosized onion-like carbons with extraordinary lubricant-additive properties. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 11 32 (2023): 12045–12051.
- Balaji Padya, A. Yadav, Nowduru Ravikiran, Ravi Kali, et al. Constructing nanocarbon-loaded precisely phase transition-tuned energy composite eutectics with enhanced thermal conductivity. Materials Today Communications 30 (2022): 103024.
- Nowduru Ravikiran, Bolla Reddy Bodapati, Pavan Kumar Penumakala, et al. Carbon soot nanoparticles derived from wasted rubber: An additive in lubricating oil for efficient friction and wear reduction. Diamond and Related Materials 126 (2022): 109050.
- Balaji Padya, B. Archana, Nowduru Ravikiran, Ravi Kali, and P. K. Jain. Unveiling deoxygenation thermokinetics for controlling electrical transport and water removal from freestanding graphene oxide paper. Diamond and Related Materials 126 (2022): 109081.
- Balaji Padya, Ravi Kali, Nowduru Ravikiran, N. Narasaiah, and P. K. Jain. Constructing graphene-coupled nitrogen-doped carbon-based all-carbon hybrid for hybrid Li-ion supercapbattery. Journal of Alloys and Compounds 872 (2021): 159660.
- Balaji Padya, Nowduru Ravikiran, Ravi Kali, N. Narasaiah, and P. K. Jain. High thermal energy storage and thermal conductivity of fewâ€layer graphene platelets loaded phase change materials. Energy Storage 3, no. 1 (2021): e199.
- Balaji Padya, Ravi Kali, Nowduru Ravikiran, N. Narasaiah, and P. K. Jain. Preparation and capacitive storage properties of multidimensional nanocarbon-hybridized N-containing porous carbon. Colloids and Surfaces A 627 (2021): 127225.
- Balaji Padya, Nowduru Ravikiran, Ravi Kali, N. Narasaiah, P. K. Jain, and T. N. Rao. Multifunctional surface-modified ultrathin graphene flakes for thermal and electrochemical energy storage. Materials Today: Proceedings 26 (2020): 52-57.
- Balaji Padya, P. K. Enaganti, Ravi Kali, Nowduru Ravikiran, N. Narasaiah, and P. K. Jain. A controlled process of atomic-scale material design via temperature-mediated grain refinement of NiCo2O4 rods. Journal of Science: Advanced Materials and Devices 5, no. 2 (2020): 173-179.
Books / Book Chapters
- Nowduru Ravikiran, Balaji Padya. Novel strategies for improving mechanical and thermal
properties of graphene hydrogel. Graphene Hydrogels. Elsevier, 2026. 107-136. - Balaji Padya, Nowduru Ravikiran, Ravi Kali, Sanjay R Dhage, Ravi Meduri. “Aligned carbon
nanotube thin film based high energy cathode emitters†in Thin Film Nanomaterials: Synthesis,
Properties and Innovative Energy Applications. 258, Bentham Science Publishers, 2024 - Nowduru Ravikiran, Pawan K. Jain, and Vadali VSS Srikanth. "Carbon spheres and carbon soot for
tribological applications." In Advanced Nanomaterials, 191-216. Cham: Springer International
Publishing, 2022 - Nowduru Ravikiran, Balaji Padya, Akshay Rao, Ravi Kali, Pawan Kumar Jain. "Classification of
phase change materials." Multifunctional Phase Change Materials. 95-112, Woodhead Publishing,
2023
Conference Proceedings
- Role of Carbon Nanomaterials as Additives in Lubricating Oil. Conference on Advanced Carbon Materials (CACM 2026). Invited Talk
- High-Throughput Production of Multi-Functional Multi-Layer Graphene: Characterization and Sustainability Assessment. Conference on Advanced Carbon Materials (CACM 2026). Paper Presentation
- Sustainable kilogram-scale conversion of tire pyrolysis waste into nanosized onion-like carbons with
extraordinary lubricant-additive properties, Global Conference for Decarbonization of Energy and
Materials (GC-DEM 2023), Singapore. Paper Presentation - A novel green process of making multi/few layers graphene and their application as lubricant additive,
Indian Conference on Carbon Materials 2023 (ICCM-2023), BARC, Mumbai, India. Paper
Presentation - A novel and large-scale rapid green synthesis of few-layer and multi-layer graphene, 244th ECS
Meeting, 2023, Gothenburg, Sweden. Poster Presentation - Ultrasonically dispersed 0-dimensional nano-carbons as tribo-additives in 15W40 motor oil, 5th Asia-
Oceania Sonochemical Society International Conference, 2023, N.I.T. Warangal, India. Paper
Presentation - Modification and utilization of tyre pyrolysis waste carbon as friction/wear-reducing additive in
lubricant oil, Conference on Reuse, Recycling, Upcycling, Sustainable Waste Management and
Circular Economy (I.C.R.S.C. – 2022), 2022, Kerela, India. Paper Presentation - Novel few-layered graphene as an excellent additive in 15W40 engine oil for enhanced lubrication,
32nd Conference on Diamond and Carbon Materials, 2022, Lisbon, Portugal. Poster Presentation
Patents
- Improved intercalation process via cryo treatment to produce high-quality exfoliated graphite.
Indian, Patent, Application No. 202341067942 (Published, 2025)
- Shear-driven synthesis of bulk graphene from natural graphite flakes and uses thereof. Indian,
Patent, Application No. 202541114679 (Filed, 2025)
Major Projects / Technologies Developed
- Development of rapid, sustainable, chemical-free, green shear-driven synthesis of functional graphene from natural graphite flakes
Awards & Honours
- Prime Minister Research Fellowship, prestigious fellowship for pursuing PhD by Ministry of
Education, Government of India - SEM image contest winner, broad science category, conducted by Terasaki Institute for
Biomedical Innovation, USA, 2021 - Best Poster award at 'The Conference on Carbon Materials 2019, organized by the Indian Carbon
Society and National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi, India, 2019
Affiliation to Professional Societies
- Life Member: The Indian Carbon Society
- Student Member: The Electrochemical Society (ECS)