Researcher

Ruchi Gakhar

Research Scientist

Research Areas:

Biography:

Dr. Ruchi Gakhar is Research Scientist in Pyroprocessing and Molten Salt Systems Department. With a strong background in materials science (Ph.D.) and chemistry (B.S., M.S.), Dr. Gakhar is leading several Department of Energy funded projects on molten salt chemistry, structure and property characterization- thermophysical properties evaluation, optical and Raman spectroscopy, molten salt corrosion and flow loop design.

Dr. Gakhar is a co-principal invetigator on Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC) - Molten Salt in Extreme Environments (MSEE), sponsored by the U.S. DOE Office of Science. Dr. Gakhar has commissioned a facility for in-situ investigation of molten salt chemistry using spectroscopy techniques combined with electrochemistry. Dr. Gakhar has extensive experience of material synthesis and characterization and has published several articles in the field. Her research interests include nuclear fuel cycle research and development and advanced nuclear reactor design.

Education:

Ph.D., Materials Science and Engineering - University of Nevada, Reno

Master of Technology, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology - Panjab University (India)

Master of Science, Organic Chemistry - Kurukshetra University (India)

Bachelor of Science, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics - Maharshi Dayanand University (India)

Publications:

Selected Publications

“Visualizing time-dependent microstructural and chemical evolution during molten salt corrosion of Ni-20Cr model alloy using correlative quasi in situ TEM and in situ synchrotron X-ray nano-tomography" K. Bawane, X. Liu, R. Gakhar, M. Woods, M. Ge, X. Xiao, W.-K Lee, P. Halstenberg, S. Dai, S. Mahurin, S.M. Pimblott, J.F. Wishart, Y.-C Karen Chen-Wiegart, L. He. Corrosion Science 195 (2022): 109962.
“Evaluation of thermophysical properties of the LiCl-KCl system via ab initio and experimental methods" K. Duemmler, Y. Lin, M. Woods, T. Karlsson, R. Gakhar (shared corresponding authorship with B. Beeler), B. Beeler. Journal of Nuclear Materials (2021): 153414.
“A Holistic Approach for Elucidating Local Structure, Dynamics, and Speciation in Molten Salts with High Structural Disorder" S. Roy, Y. Liu, M. Topsakal, E. Dias, R. Gakhar, W.C. Phillips, J.F. Wishart, P. Halstenberg, S. Dai, S.K. Gill, A.I. Frenkel and V.S. Bryantsev. Journal of American Chemical Society 143(37), 15298-15308.
“X-ray Scattering Reveals Ion Clustering of Dilute Chromium Species in Molten Chloride Medium" S. Roy, S. Sharma, W.V. Karunaratne, R. Gakhar, D.S. Maltsev, P. Halstenberg, M. Abeykoon, S.K. Gill, Y. Zhang, S.M. Mahurin, S. Dai, V.S. Bryantsev, C.J. Margulis and A.S. Ivanov. Chemical Science 12 (23) (2021): 8026-8035.

“Gamma radiation-induced defects in KCl, MgCl₂, and ZnCl₂ salts at room temperature"
A. Ramos-Ballesteros, R. Gakhar, G. Horne, K. Iwamatsu, J. Wishart, S.M. Pimblott, J.A. Laverne. Physical Chemistry Chemical Letters 23(17) (2021) 10384-10394.

“Determining Oxidation States of Transition Metals in Molten Salt Corrosion using Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy" K. Bawane, P. Manganaris, Y. Wang, J. Sure, A. Ronne, P. Halstenberg, S. Dai, S.K. Gill, K. Sasaki, K. Chen-Wiegart, R. Gakhar, S. Mahurin, S.M. Pimblott, J.F. Wishart and L. He. Scripta Materialia (Accepted Manuscript February 2021).
"Radiation-Assisted Formation of Metal Nanoparticles in Molten Salts" E. Dias, S. Gill, Y. Liu, P. Halstenberg, S. Dai, J. Huang, J. Mausz, R. Gakhar, W. Phillips, S. Mahurin, S. Pimblott, J. Wishart and A. Frenkel. The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters 12 (2020): 157-164.

“Design and performance of high-temperature furnaces and cell holder for in-situ spectroscopic, electrochemical, and radiolytic investigations of molten salts" W.C. Phillips, R. Gakhar, G.P. Horne, B. Layne, K. Iwamatsu, A. Ramos-Ballesteros, M.R. Shaltry, J.A. LaVerne, S.M. Pimblott, J.F. Wishart AIP Review of Scientific Instruments 91.8 (2020): 083105.

“Connections Between the Speciation and Solubility of Ni(II) and Co(II) in Molten ZnCl₂" S.K. Gill, J. Huang, J. Mausz, R. Gakhar, S. Roy, F. Vila, M. Topsakal, W.C. Phillips, B. Layne, E. Stavitski, S. Mahurin, P. Halstenberg, S. Dai, J. F. Wishart, V. Bryantsev, A.I. Frenkel Journal of Physical Chemistry B 124 (7) (2020) 1253-1258.

“Molten-Salt Reactor Salt Processing – Technology Status" G. F. Fredrickson, G. Cao, R. Gakhar and T.-S. Yoo. INL/EXT-18-51033 (August 2018) DOI: 10.2172/1484689.

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