Department of Mechanical Engineering

Sriram Sundararajan

Associate Professor & Director of Graduate Education

2018 Black Engineering Building
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011
515-294-1050
e-mail: srirams@iastate.edu

Education

The Ohio State University, Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, 2001
The Ohio State University, M.S., Mechanical Engineering, 1997
Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (India), B.E. (Hons.), Mechanical Engineering, 1995

Areas of Interest
Surface engineering
Micro/nanoscale tribology (friction, lubrication and wear)
Multiscale Mechanical behavior of materials
Scanning Probe Microscopy
Thin film characterization using three dimensional atom probe microscopy

Links
Research Group

Biosketch
Dr. Sundararajan’s research program builds upon a fundamental framework in tribology and mechanical behavior of materials to address engineering applications ranging from biomedical implants to nanocomposite thin films.  Multidisciplinary approaches are emphasized through collaborations.

Dr. Sundararajan’s scientific contributions to date have resulted in 22 peer-reviewed journal articles (published and in press) including articles in high impact journals such as Applied Physics Letters, Acta Materialia, Langmuir and the Journal of Biomedical Materials Research.  His research publications have been referenced over 150 times as measured by the Science Citation Index,.  He has given several invited lectures at Universities worldwide and at National scientific conferences and has also published two invited book chapters and more than 20 articles in conference proceedings.  He has served as principal investigator or co-principal investigator in fifteen grants and contracts from federal, state and private sector sources.  He was actively involved in the acquisition of a $1.6M atom probe microscope. 

Dr. Sundararajan is also a dedicated and innovative educator.  At ISU, he has developed two new courses on surface engineering and scanning probe microscopy.  He has also been instrumental in transforming the undergraduate Engineering Measurements course into one of the top rated classes in the department.  He has motivated all his students to pursue life-long learning and to think ‘outside the box’, thus empowering them to excel in their careers.  The majority of Dr. Sundararajan’s graduate students have pursued careers in corporate research and development with technological leaders such as 3M, Caterpillar, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and John Deere.

Sundararajan is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the Materials Research Society (MRS) and the Materials Information Society (ASM).  Dr. Sundararajan has successfully organized symposia on Nanotribology and Biotribology at the ASM International Surface Engineering Congress.  He has co-chaired sessions on multifunctional materials at the ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition.  He has also led a delegation of scientists from US Institutions and Research Laboratories to participate in a European Nanotribology Workshop.

Dr. Sundararajan was a recipient of the Ohio State University Presidential Fellowship.  At Iowa State, his contributions as a researcher and teacher have been recognized with the ISU Early Achievement in Teaching Award and a Young Engineering Research Faculty Award in 2007.

Selected Publications

Journal Articles

  • Y. Zhang and S. Sundararajan, ‘A method to generate surfaces with desired roughness parameters’, Langmuir 23, 8347-8351 (2007).

  • S. Bhuyan, L. S. Holden, S. Sundararajan, D. Andjelkovic and R. Larock, ‘Effect of crosslinking on the wear behavior of soy-bean oil-based polymeric materials’, Wear 263, 965-973 (2007).

  • K. S. Kanaga Karuppiah, S. Sundararajan, Z.-H. Xu and X. Li, ‘The effect of protein adsorption on the friction behavior of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene’, Tribology Letters 22 (2), 181-188 (2006).

  • Y. Zhang and S. Sundararajan, ‘Generating random surfaces with desired autocorrelation length’, Applied Physics Letters 88 (14): Art. No. 141903 (2006).

  • S. Chandrasekaran and S. Sundararajan, ‘Effect of microfabrication processes on surface roughness parameters of silicon surfaces’, Surface and Coatings Technology 188-189, 581-587 (2004).

  • S. Sundararajan and B. Bhushan, ‘Development of AFM-based techniques to measure mechanical properties of nanoscale structures’, Sensors and Actuators A 101, 338-351 (2002).

  • S. Sundararajan and B. Bhushan, ‘Topography-induced contributions to friction forces measured using an atomic force/friction force microscope’, Journal of Applied Physics 88, 4825-4831 (2000).

Book Chapters

  • S. Sundararajan, J. L. Hall and M. Naim, ‘Instrument Statics’ in Instrumentation and Control: Fundamentals and Applications 2nd ed., C. L. Nachtigal (Ed.), Wiley Series in Mechanical Engineering Practice, John Wiley and Sons, New York (2006).

  • S. Sundararajan and K. S. Kanaga Karuppiah, ‘Evaluating Tribological Properties of Materials for Total Joint Replacements Using Scanning Probe Microscopy’ in Applied Scanning Probe Methods VIII, B. Bhushan, H. Fuchs, M. Tomitori (Eds.), Springer-Verlag, New York (2007).