MURALIDHAR LALAGIRI
Filtration Product Development Engineer
14254 Burbank Blvd, Sherman Oaks, California
Ph.: 806 2243739
Email: muralidhar.lalagiri@gmail.com
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PROFILE
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Currently working as Filtration Product Development Engineer at Walker Engineering Enterprises,
California
 Proficiency in design development of existing/new products through internal and external
resources
 Involvement in quality documentation, reviewing ECO, PPAP and improving manufacturing
processes. Materials for Environmental compliance through IMDS and REACH
 6+ years of hands on experience in developing and functionalization of nonwovens for use in
chemical and biological aerosol filter media
 Developed and designed a fibrous media incorporating nanofibers in layered orientation with
higher quality factor
 Expertise in manufacturing technologies using Meltblown, Electrospinning, Needlepunching
processes and technologies in development of micro webs, nano webs and supporting layers of a
filter
 Hands on experience in constructing and handling different kind of commercial grade glass
fibers and filter media manufactured by Hollingsworth and Vose and Johns Manville
 Modeling and experimental verification expertise on fiber diameters using Image pro
software; Porosity, MPPS, pressure drop, quality factor by using TSI 3160; Physical
characteristics of the developed webs using ASTM standards
 Characterizing and testing Aerosol filtration on TSI 3160 machine using Certi Test software.
Expertise in testing and characterizing filter media including testing permeability, porosity,
hardness. Tested at different aerosol sizes, particle flow rates, basis weights and fiber diameters
for filtration performance
 Hands on experience with shop equipment on universal testing machine
 Extensive academic expertise in microscopic techniques and analytical techniques
 2 Publications as first author and 7 conference presentations
 Excellent interpersonal skills, team player and strong interdisciplinary work
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TECHNICAL EXPERTISE
 Aerosol
filtration testing: TSI 3160, Certi test software, particle spectrometer and counter, aerosol
generator
 Micro porous materials testing: air permeability and porosity
 Physical structure testing: Tensile Strength testing (Instron), MVTR (breathability measurement),
Air Permeability, SEM, Optical microscopy
 Generic lab equipment: Gas chromatography (GC), FTIR, UV-vis spectroscopy
Software Skills
 Image pro software, Microsoft office suite, Chem Draw, Endnote, R-statistics
 Basics of Solid Works
 MS Office, Adobe Photoshop
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EDUCATION
PhD – Environmental Toxicology (specialization in Nonwovens and Advanced Materials) (2007-2013), Texas Tech
University, Lubbock, TX, GPA: 3.7/4.0, Advisor: Dr. Seshadri Ramkumar
Bachelors – Biotechnology (2003-2007)
Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad, India
GPA: 3.9 / 4.0
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WORK EXPERIENCE
Product Development Engineer (April 2014 – Present)
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New product development including latest technology media, and working with suppliers to
provide media solutions for current, and future applications
Evaluating and participating in value analysis of filtration media currently used, and to study, and
make recommendations of similar performing media at improved/better price points
Reviewing materials for environmental compliance i.e. IMDS and REACH
Managing and reviewing Engineering Change Orders as needed for media, and media pleat
packs
Working closely with design department, product development, and sales to select, recommend,
and apply the proper filtration media to meet customer requirements
Graduate Research Assistant (September 2007 – December 2013)
Nonwovens and Advanced Materials Laboratory, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Dissertation: Developing and characterizing of surface enhanced composite media for air filtration
applications
Advisor: Prof. Seshadri Ramkumar
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Developed single layer submicron fiber webs by optimizing the process parameters in meltblown
process and comparing them to the micron webs in the market today
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Designed novel nano-microfibrous standalone webs by optimizing electrospinning conditions of
commercially available PVA and shown that the single layered webs are performing on par wit
HEPA filter industrial standards
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Established relationship between micro and nano fiber diameters, basis weights, thickness and
filtration performance of the webs
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Filtration efficiency, pressure drop, quality factors of the webs of nano and micro fiber webs were
modeled by experimental verification
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Various substrate materials using cotton and polypropylene were developed for composite filter
design by needlepunching and thermal bonding process.
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Composite filters were developed using nanowebs and activated carbon for chemical and
biological protection
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Activated carbon filters were developed for toxicology studies and filtration in water
Summer Intern (December 2006 – May 2007)
Environmental protection and training institute, Hyderabad, India
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Assisted in development of technologies for water purification using naturally available aquatic
species and analyzing them in laboratory pilot scale setup
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------PUBLICATIONS
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Muralidhar Lalagiri, Vinit Singh, Gajanan Bhat, Siva Parameswaran, Ronald J. Kendall and
Seshadri Ramkumar, “Filtration Efficiency of Submicrometer Filters”, Industrial & Engineering
Chemistry Research 2013 52 (46), 16513-16518
Muralidhar Lalagiri, Seshadri Ramkumar, “Filtration Efficiency of the Composite Media Prepared
by Meltblown & Electrospun Nanofibers”, TAPPI Journal, 2011
Muralidhar Lalagiri, Uday Turaga and Seshadri Ramkumar, “New Generation nanofiber filters
for air filter applications” (to be submitted for Journal of Applied Polymer Science)
Venkata R Kolli, Ajoy Sarkar, Muralidhar Lalagiri, Sudheer Jinka & Seshadri Ramkumar.
“Review on Efficacy of Antimicrobial Finishes in Textiles” (manuscript under preparation)
Uday Turaga, Vinit Singh, Muralidhar Lalagiri, Paul Kiekens , and Seshadri Ramkumar, 2012,
Nanomaterials for Defense Applications, Defense-related Intelligent Textiles and Clothing for
Ballistic and NBC Protection: Technology at the Cutting Edge, NATO Science for Peace and
Security Series-B: Physics and Biophysics. SpringerLink Publishing Company, pp.197-218
Uday Turaga, Ronald J. Kendall, Vinit Singh, Muralidhar Lalagiri, and Seshadri Ramkumar,
2012, “Recent Advances in Chemical Biological and Nuclear Protection”, Advances in Military
Textiles and Personal Equipment, Woodhead Publishing Limited
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------BOOK OF ABSTRACTS/CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
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Ecofriendly Filters for Human Health, Poster Presentation, Society of Environmental Journalists
22nd Annual Conference, Lubbock, Texas, October 17-21, 2012
 Nanofiber-Cotton Fabric Composites: New Developments, 2012 AATCC International
Conference, Charlotte, N.C., USA, March 21-23, 2012
 Filtration Efficiency of the Composite Media Prepared by Meltblown & Electrospun
Nanofibers, Beltwide Cotton Conferences, Atlanta, Georgia, January 2011
 Nanofiber-Cotton Fabric Composites: New Developments, AATCC 2011, Charleston, South
Carolina, March 2011
 Functionalized Nonwovens for Water Filtration, TAPPI 2011, Atlanta, Georgia, September 2011
 Filtration Efficiency of the Composite Media Prepared by Meltblown & Electrospun
Nanofibers, American Filtration Society, Houston, Texas, October 2011
 Nanoparticles for Functionalization of Textiles, Techtextil, Las Vegas, Nevada April 2009
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------AWARDS AND ACTIVITIES
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IFF Student Scholarship from IFAI, Roseville, MN, 2012
J.Watmull Scholarship from J.Watmull fund , 2010, 2012
Study Abroad Competitive Scholarship from TTU, 2010, 2011, 2012
Travel grants from TTU, 2009, 2010, 2011
TTU Graduate Summer Scholarship, 2012
Graduate Senator of Student Government Association, Texas Tech University, 2011-2012
Secretary/Treasurer of LE-SETAC (Llano Estacado Student Chapter for
The Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry), 2009-2011
 Secretary of India Student Association at Texas Tech University, 2008-2009
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