Rourkela: A research group at the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Rourkela, has developed a lightweight material with high durability, suitable for use in aircraft landing gear. The innovation addresses the need for components that can withstand the wear and tear associated with landing and taxiing of aircraft.
Announcement and Background
NIT Rourkela made the announcement in a media release issued on Thursday. The release explained that aircraft landing gear, typically made of aluminium and aluminium alloys, are designed to absorb the weight of the aircraft and endure contact with the runway. These conditions rapidly wear the gear material. While aluminium and its alloys are lightweight, their durability under high-stress conditions remains a limitation.
Development of the Novel Nanocomposite
To address this gap, Syed Nasimul Alam, associate professor in the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at NIT Rourkela, along with his research scholar group, developed a novel nanocomposite material. The team includes Dr Arka Ghosh, Dr Ashutosh Das, Dr Pankaj Shrivastava, Nityananda Sahoo, Parth Patel, and Dr Velaphi Msomi from the University of South Africa. The findings of this research have been published in the prestigious journal Materials Letters.
According to the release, “Aligning with the Centre’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, this innovation from NIT Rourkela will help position the country as a potential contributor to next-generation aerospace materials.”
Team Contributions
Arka Ghosh, currently serving as an assistant professor at C V Raman Global University, worked with the team under the supervision of S N Alam for more than four years to develop this novel material. Dr Ghosh stated, “Lightweight meets durability in this innovative Al-based hybrid nanocomposite. It paves the way for safer, long-lasting, and more efficient aerospace landing gear systems.”
Another researcher, Pankaj Shrivastava, is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the University of South Africa, Johannesburg. He has been associated with the research team under the guidance of S N Alam for over four years, contributing significantly to the development of the material. According to Shrivastava, “This innovative Al-based hybrid nanocomposite successfully combines lightweight characteristics with enhanced durability, opening new possibilities for safer, more reliable and efficient aerospace landing gear systems. This research work was published in the prestigious Materials Letters journal in April 2026.”
The development marks a significant step in aerospace materials research, with potential applications in enhancing the safety and efficiency of aircraft landing gear systems.
