Professor Sarathy's research interest is in developing sustainable energy technologies with decreased net environmental impact. A major thrust of his research is using chemical kinetic simulations to design fuels, engines, and reactors. He develops fundamental chemical kinetic models that can be used to simulate fuel combustion and pollutant formation in energy systems. Engine designers then use these chemical kinetic models to achieve various performance targets using computational simulations. In addition, these models can be used to determine how the chemical structure of a fuel affects pollutant formation. 

The goal of Professor Sarathy's research is study conventional and alternative fuels (e.g., biofuels, synthetic fuels, etc.), so the environmental impact of combustion systems can be reduced. 

• Experimental and kinetic modeling study of methyl heptanoate low-temperature oxidation in a jet-stirred reactor. Zhai, Y., Feng, B., Zhang, Y., Mei, B., Zou, J., Yang, J., Zhang, L., Sarathy, S.M. Fuel, 283, (2021).
• Cool flame chemistry of diesel surrogate compounds: n-Decane, 2-methylnonane, 2,7-dimethyloctane, and n-butylcyclohexane. Wang, Z., Hansen, N., Jasper, A.W., Chen, B., Popolan-Vaida, D.M., Yalamanchi, K.K., Najjar, A., ...Sarathy, S.M. Combustion and Flame, 219, 384-392, (2020).
• Laminar Burning Velocities and Kinetic Modeling of a Renewable E-Fuel: Formic Acid and Its Mixtures with H2and CO2. Sarathy, S.M., Brequigny, P., Katoch, A., Elbaz, A.M., Roberts, W.L., Dibble, R.W., Foucher, F. Energy and Fuels, 34(6), 7564-7572, (2020).
• Understanding the blending octane behaviour of unsaturated hydrocarbons: A case study of C4 molecules and comparison with toluene. Li, Y., Bhavani Shankar, V.S., Yalamanchi, K.K., Badra, J., Nicolle, A., Sarathy, S.M. Fuel, 275, (2020).
• Surrogate formulation for diesel and jet fuels using the minimalist functional group (MFG) approach. Abdul Jameel, A.G., Naser, N., Emwas, A.-H., Sarathy, S.M. Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, 37(4), 4663-4671, (2019).
• Recent progress in gasoline surrogate fuels. Sarathy, S.M., Farooq, A., Kalghatgi, G.T. Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, 65, 67-108, (2018).
• A minimalist functional group (MFG) approach for surrogate fuel formulation. Abdul Jameel, A.G., Naser, N., Issayev, G., Touitou, J., Ghosh, M.K., Emwas, A.-H., Farooq, A., ...Sarathy, S.M. Combustion and Flame, 192, 250-271, (2018).

• Postdoctoral training, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, USA, 2010-2012
• Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, University of Toronto, Canada, 2010
• M.S., Chemical Engineering, University of Toronto, Canada, 2006
• B.S., Environmental Engineering Chemical Specialization, University of Waterloo, Canada, 2004

• 2017-present: ​Associate Director of Clean Combustion Research Center​, KAUST, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
• 2016-present: Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, KAUST, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
  
• 2012-2016: Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering, KAUST, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
• 2010-2012: Postdoctoral fellow, Combustion chemistry group, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

• ​Clean Combustion Research Center (CCRC)
• Division of Physical Sciences and Engineering (PSE)
• Chemical Engineering Program