Dr Manju D. Tanwar PhD

Dr Manju D. Tanwar

Department of Mechanical Engineering
Marie-Sklowdowska-Curie Research Fellow

Contact details

Address
Mechanical Engineering
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Manju D. Tanwar is Marie-Sklowdowska- Curie Research Fellow, Ph.D. in Material Chemistry with more than 13 years of research experience in Environmental and Energy related areas.

She has worked as a postdoctoral researcher for Polytechnic Di Torino University, Italy and other Indian Research Laboratories. Manju has assisted on the development of materials including; low cost nano-fibrous and nano-materials; adsorbents and catalysts for various environmental applications like Vehicular Pollution Control; Energy storage; Photocatalysis; Green House Gas emission control; NOx emission control; Water treatment; Chemical Looping Combustion and other cleaner energy related areas. She has about 14 research publications and 22 international conference proceedings and contributions to books. She has received 8 fellowships awards in India and abroad.

Qualifications

  • Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-EF), University of Birmingham, 2015
  • PhD , in Material Science and Technology (Vehicular After Exhaust System Technology), Nagpur University, India, 2011
  • MS, in Applied Chemistry (Polymer Technology), RGPV University, India, 2003
  • BS, Chemistry, Zoology and Botany (Analytical Chemistry), Jiwaji University, India, 2001

Biography

Dr Manju Dhakad Tanwar obtained her PhD from Nagpur University in India, 2011. During her doctoral study, Dr Tanwar focussed on the development of catalytic materials for vehicular after exhaust emission treatment systems, including development of perovskite type and mixed oxide type catalytic materials, their synthesis in supported forms. Preparation and evaluation of catalytic converter prototypes and their detailed characterisations and evaluations. She has also worked on the development of ruthenium based catalytic materials, zeolites synthesis for environmental applications and is experienced in nanofibre based catalytic material synthesis, characterisation and evaluation of catalytic materials.

 Dr Tanwar worked as a Scientist and Head at the Research and Development Laboratory, Five Elements Environmental Ventures Pvt. Ltd., (FEEV), India. She was heading the laboratory regarding all aspects related to management and research projects like diesel exhaust emission control technology, NOx-SCR technology etc., Dr Tanwar worked as postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Department of Chemical Engineering, Polytechnic Di Torino University, Turin Italy, and March 2011 to  March 2012. Her research projects included development and design of suitable non-noble metal based nanofibers material synthesis for vehicular exhaust emission control as well as NOx SCR technology. She also supervised undergraduate and postgraduate students in researches related to vehicular exhaust emission control and catalysts synthesis.

Dr Tanwar also worked as Senior Research Fellow (CSIR-SRF) at the Environmental Materials Department, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), India between September 2004 and March 2011. She has been actively involved in R&D related to the automobile exhaust emission control. She has sufficient expertise on design and development of various catalysts including perovskites, nanoperovskites, mixed metal oxides, solid- solutions (Ruthenia-Titania, Ruthenia- Zirconia etc.) for vehicular exhaust emission control. She was an active team member in collaborative research project National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), India and National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Tsukuba, Japan on five years research collaboration in the field of “Development of Advanced Materials for Environmental Applications”. It is aimed to exploit the scientific expertise of both the institutes to help in ongoing and future research work in the above mentioned field. She was involved in the discussions throughout the project and presented the project outcome to the NEERI-NIMS workshop/conference-2007 the NEERI, INDIA.

Dr Tanwar has published 14 research articles in peer-reviewed academic journals such as Catalysis Today, Topics in Catalysis, Catalysis letters, Journal of Molecular catalysis A: Chemicals, Chemical Engineering Journal, International Proceedings of Chemical, Biological& Environmental Engineering, and Current Science. She has also published many papers in conference/seminar proceedings. She has published research books and monograms on diesel soot emissions: Effect and Control (New Approach for Diesel Emission Control), Application of Macro Algae forBio-Ethanol Production and others, Micro Algae useful for Bio-fuel Production and waste water treatment, New Trends for Phytoremediation Technology and Prototype development for treatment of Industrial Effluent.

Research

RESEARCH THEMES

  • Material Science and Technology

RESEARCH ACTIVITY

  1. Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellow, MSCA-IF-2014-EF, awarded by European commission, Horizon 2020 (2015-2017). 
    Design and development of improved morphology fibrous non-noble metal oxide based catalytic materials, using a novel synthesis method for reducing diesel particulate matter.
  2. Scientist and Head: Five Elements Environment Ventures Pvt. Ltd., India: (2013- 2015)
    Design and development of new catalytic materials in nanoforms and supported forms using advanced methods and other approaches. Laboratory evaluation of the catalytic materials for N2O decomposition and reduction reactions using synthetic gas mixtures. Study of the effect of space velocity, temperature ramp etc on the catalytic activity of select catalytic materials. Study of the stability of the select catalytic materials. Laboratory design of N2O control system for stationary sources, to achieve 70-90 % conversion efficiency at 300-400oC.
  3. Nehru -Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Postdoctoral award at National Physical laboratory, New Delhi, India: (2012-2013).
    Development of perovskite and metal oxide based Long persistence phosphor materials for energy storage and saving applications .
  4. Postdoctoral Research award at Polytechnic Di Torino University, Turin, Italy: (2011-2012).
    Development of Fibre catalysts for the removal of particulate matter from Diesel exhausts at low temperatures and NOx reduction with NH3.Besides, I was working in the characterization of emission derived from different combustion behaviours and fuels type, catalytic combustion of Diesel Particulate Matter, Reduction and adsorption of NOx.
  5. Senior Researcher award at CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, India: (2004-2011). 
    Development of advanced materials for environmental applications (NEERI-NIMS Collaboration): This collaborative research project is a part of the MoU signed between NEERI/CSIR India and National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Tsukuba, Japan on five years research collaboration in the field of “Development of Advanced Materials for Environmental Applications”. It is aimed to exploit the scientific expertise of both the institutes to help in ongoing and future research work in the above mentioned field.

Research Interests

  • Vehicular After Exhaust Emission  Treatment Systems
  • CO2 sequestration and valorisation
  • NOx emission control (stack emissions and vehicles)
  • Biofuel Production (Agriculture waste, algae and other cellulosic materials)
  • Energy Storage application
  • Photo catalysis-Hydrogen production
  • Waste Water treatment (heavy metals removal and Organic pollutant removal)

Publications

1. P.A. Kumar, Manju Dhakad Tanwar, S. Bensaid, N. Russo, D. Fino (2012), Soot combustion improvement in diesel particulate filters catalysed with Ceria nanofibers, Chemical Engineering Journal, 207–208, 258–266.

2. P. A. Kumar, Manju Dhakad Tanwar, N. Russo, D. Fino, P. Raffaele (2012), Synthesis and catalytic properties of CeO2 and Co/CeO2 nanofibers for diesel soot combustion, Catalysis Today, 207–208:258–266.

3. Manju Dhakad . , S. S. Rayalu, Rakesh Kumar, D. Fino, N. Russo and Nitin Labhsetwar(2010), Low Cost Catalysts for Regeneration of Diesel Particulate Filters, Latest Trends on Energy & Development, Environment & Biomedicine, 978-960-474-209-7.

4. Manju Dhakad, Amish G. Joshi, S. Rayalu, P. Tanwar, J. K. Bassin, R. Kumar, S. Lokhande, J. Subrt, T. Mitsuhashi, Nitin Labhsetwar, (2009), Alumina Supported Co–K–Mo Based Catalytic Material for Diesel Soot Oxidation,Topics in Catalysis, 52, 2070-2075.

5. Nitin Labhsetwar, Manju Dhakad, R. Biniwale, T. Mitsuhashi, H. Haneda, P. Shiv Shankar Reddy, S. Bakardjieva, J. Subrt, Suresh Kumar, P. Saiprasad and S. Rayalu, (2009) Metal Exchanged Zeolites for Catalytic decomposition of N2O, Catalysis Today, 141, 205–210.

6. Manju Dhakad, S. Rayalu, S. Bakardjira, J. Subrt, T. Mitshuhashi, R. Kumar, S. Devotta, and Nitin Labhsetwar,(2008) CeO2-Co3O4 Mixed Oxide based Catalytic Material for Diesel Soot Oxidation, Catalysis Today, 132, 188–193 .

7. Nitin Labhsetwar, Manju Dhakad, H. Minamino, R.Biniwale, S.Rayalu, T. Yamazaki, T.Mitsuhashi,(2008) Ruthenium Exchanged US-Y Zeolites For NO Reduction by CO, Current Science,  95, 778-782.

8. Rajesh B. Biniwale, J. Pande, Manju Dhakad, N.K. Labhsetwar and M. Ichikawa, (2008) Nitric oxide decomposition using H2 as a reducing agent over perovskite catalysts and study promotional effect of Pt on catalytic activity, Catalysis letters, 123,  164-171.

9. Manju Dhakad, S.S. Rayalu, T. Mitsuhashi, H. Haneda, Sukumar Devotta, (2007) Thermally stable metal ruthenate based soot oxidation for Diesel Exhaust Emission Control, Nitin K. Labhsetwar, Topics in Catalysis, 42–43, 299-302.

10. Manju Dhakad, Nitin K. Labhsetwar, S.S. Rayalu, Rakesh Kumar, T. Mitsuhashi, A.Watanabe, H. Haneda, Sukumar Devotta,(2007) Zirconia supported Ru-Co Bimetallic Catalysts for Diesel Soot Oxidation, Topics in Catalysis, 42–43, 273-276.

11. Manju Dhakad , Nitin Labhsetwar, SadhanaRayalu, J. Subrt, T. Mitsuhashi, H. Haneda and Sukumar Devotta,(2007) Diesel Soot Oxidation on Titania Supported Ruthenia Catalysts, Current Science, 92, 8, 1125-1128.

12. Manju Dhakad, S. S. Rayalu, Rakesh Kumar, PradipDoggali, S. Bakardjieva, J. Subrt, T. Mitsuhashi, H. Haneda and Nitin Labhsetwar (2007) Low Cost, Ceria Promoted Perovskite Type Catalysts for Diesel Soot Oxidation, Catalysis letters, 121,137-143.

13. Nitin K. Labhsetwar, H. Minamino, M. Mukherjee, T. Mitsuhashi, S.S. Rayalu, Manju Dhakad, H. Haneda, J. Subrt, SukumarDevotta, (2006) Catalytic properties of RuMordenite for NO reduction, Journal of Molecular Catalysis A: Chemical, 261,  213-217.

14. Manju D. Tanwar and Anil K. Pullur, 2014 1st International Congress on Environmental, Biotechnology, and Chemistry Engineering IPCBEE vol.XX (2014) IACSIT Press, Singapore DOI: 10.7763/IPCBEE. 2014. VXX. XX.