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Tan was born in Mumbai and he completed his schooling in Surat. Tan holds an undergraduate degree with first class Hons. in Chemistry from Sir P. T. Sarvajanik College of Science which is affiliated to the Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Surat, India. He received an award for excellent academic performance at the College level in the 3rd year of his BSc in March 2009. He then moved to the UK to do his master’s degree. Tan completed his master’s degree with first class distinction from Loughborough University in Analytical and Pharmaceutical Science. During the MSc, he was awarded the AstraZeneca Postgraduate Prize for Outstanding Academic Performance. As a part of this degree, he did a student placement in the Research and Development at Tata Steel UK Ltd. in Rotherham, South Yorkshire.
After the placement, he was employed by Tata Steel and worked in the Coated Products Department for a year and half. His good work led to the sponsorship of his PhD studies. He started his full time PhD at the EIL labs in October 2012. He was also awarded the Dean’s Prize for Outstanding International Student which covers his International fees at UCL.
Research project
Title: Development and Characterisation of Coated Mild Steel as a Bipolar Plate Material for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells
The primary aim of Tan’s project is to study the feasibilities of Tata Steel’s mild steel and low carbon steel to be applied as bipolar plate material in Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC). The key areas of his study include fundamental understanding of the process of corrosion, especially corrosion in an acidic fuel cell environment, the characterisation and study of corrosion phenomenon using polarisation electrochemistry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.
It also includes the development of a novel coating solution. As compared to stainless steel, low carbon steel is low cost, but has poor chemical properties. Mild steel or low carbon steel substrate by itself has a high tendency to corrode and does not contain a protective passive layer as in case of stainless steel. Hence the project is looking to develop a novel protective coating for mild steel to be applied as a bipolar plate material in PEMFC.
Education
MSc in Analytical and Pharmaceutical Science, Loughborough University, 2011
BSc in Chemistry, Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, India, 2009
