Sagar V. Kanhere

Biography

Sagar V. Kanhere joins the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering following his postdoctoral research at the Center for Advanced Engineering Fibers and Films at Clemson University. His research focuses on processing low-cost, high-performance carbon fibers. His lab at UT will investigate sustainable alternatives to carbon fiber precursors and develop carbon fibers with high compressive strength. As the first in his family to attend college and graduate school, Kanhere has long aspired to become a professor—driven by a desire to give back and honor the guidance and support he received from his teachers.

Education

• PhD, Chemical Engineering, 2022, Clemson University
• Graduate Certificate, Engineering and Science Education, 2022, Clemson University
• BTech, Dyestuff Technology, 2016, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai, India

Research

• Pitch-based carbon fiber processing and characterization
• Use of carbon fibers as redox flow battery electrodes with and without electrochemical activation
• Lignin-based carbon foams for high-temperature thermal insulation and electrodes for battery
• UV-based rapid stabilization of lignin fibers
• Asphaltene-based carbon fibers for low to moderate-performance applications
• Rheological characterization of the pitch and hydrogels
• Thermal conductivity characteristics of the polymeric nanocomposite films
• Modulus and strength characteristics of lignin-filled PVA hydrogels

Professional Service

• Member of Topical Advisory Panel for Polymers Journal
• Deputy Technical Chair for CAMX 2025 Technical Committee
• Reviewer of the manuscripts for journals like Green Chemistry, European Polymer Journal, Polymers, and Composites Part C

Awards and Recognitions

• Graduate Research Assistant of the Year Award, 2022
• 2nd place oral presentation, Graduate Research Symposium, 2022
• Graduate Research Assistant of the Year Award, Honorable Mention, 2021
• Earle C. Ray Fellowship for “Excellence at Research and Scholarship,” 2021
• Best poster award at SPE–Automotive Composites Conference and Exhibition Conference, 2019

Publications

Peer-reviewed Journal Articles

• Kanhere, S., Lynn, B., Thies, M.C., and Ogale, A.A.  Carbon fibers derived from environmentally benign, ethanol-fractionated corn-stover lignin. RSC Sustainability. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SU00138A
• Williams A., Kanhere S.*, Ogale A., Roberts M., “Non-woven pitch-based carbon fiber electrodes for low-cost redox flow battery” Sustainable Energy and Fuels  2024 (*co-first-authored) doi:10.1039/D4SE01124D.
• Kanhere, S., Güzdemir, Ö., Ogale, A., Micro-Finned Nanocomposite Films for Enhanced Transport Properties: Graphite Nanoplatelet-Filled Linear Low-Density Polyethylene. Polymers 2023 https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15224411
• Kanhere, S., Tindall, G.; Ogale, A.; Thies, M.; “Carbon Fibers Derived from Liquefied and Fractionated Poplar Lignins: the Effect of Molecular Weight”  iScience  2022 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2022.105449
• Gregorich, N., Kanhere, S; Stutts, J, Bethel, K, Tindall, G, Ogale, A, Thies, M, Davis, E, “Enhanced Mechanical Properties of Composite Hydrogels Containing Fractionated and Purified Lignin”ACS Applied Polymer Materials 2022 https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.2c01433
• Güzdemir, Ö.; Kanhere, S.; Bermudez, V.; Ogale, A.A. “Boron Nitride-Filled Linear Low-Density Polyethylene for Enhanced Thermal Transport: Continuous Extrusion of Micro-Textured Films.” Polymers. 2021 https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13193393
• Güzdemir, Ö.; Bermudez, V. ; Kanhere,S.; Ogale, A.A. “ Melt‐spun poly(lactic acid) fibers modified with soy fillers: Toward environment‐friendly disposable nonwovens,” Polym. Eng. Sci. (2020) https://doi.org/10.1002/pen.25369

Book Chapter

• Kanhere, S. V., Bermudez, V. & Ogale, A. A. 11. Carbon and Glass Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic Matrix Composites. in Fibre Reinforced composites: Constituents, compatibility, Persepective and applications (eds Kuruvilla, J., Oksman, K., Gejo, G., Wilson, R. & Appukuttan, S.) 273–306 (Elsevier, 2021). doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-821090-1.00007-7.

Conference Proceeding Articles

• Kanhere S., Lynn B., Thies M., Ogale A., “Carbon Fibers from fractionated corn stover lignin:
  effect of lignin molecular weight on the stabilization time and carbon fiber properties” in SPE-ACCE 2023, Novi, MI
• Kanhere, S., Jasmine McTyer, Courtney Owens, and Amod A. Ogale. 2022. “Mesophase Pitch-Based Carbon Fiber Composites For Electromagnetic Shielding And Electrostatic Dissipation Applications.” in SPE-ACCE 2022. Novi, MI.
• Kanhere, S., Wei, L., Taylor, E., Green, M., & Ogale, A. (2022, May 23). Carbon fibers derived from UV stabilization of lignin precursor fibers. SAMPE Conference Proceedings. Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering, Charlotte, NC.
• Kanhere, S., Guzdemir, O., Owens, C., Taylor, E., McTyer, J., & Ogale, A. (2022, May 23). Graphite nanoplatelet-filled linear low-density polyethylene: nanocomposites for enhanced heat transfer and electrostatic dissipation. SAMPE Conference Proceedings, Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering, Charlotte, NC.
• Kanhere, S.; Taylor, E.; Ogale, A. Poplar lignin-derived carbon fibers: Can they develop graphitic microtexture? In Proceedings of the SPE-ACCE 2021; Novi, MI.
• Kanhere, S. V., Bermudez, V., & Ogale, A. A. (2020). Transport properties of carbon fibers derived from petroleum-based mesophase pitch with modified transverse microstructure for enhanced tensile strength. CAMX 2020 – Composites and Advanced Materials Expo: Combined Strength. Unsurpassed Innovation.
• Kanhere S., Lukubira S., Tang M., Ozdemir O, Ogale A, Petroleum Pitch-Based Carbon Fibers with Modified Transverse Microstructure, in Carbon Conf., Lexington, 2019.
• Lukubira S., Kanhere S., Berger K., Haldeman A., Ogale A., Assessment of a High-Temperature Resistance Polyimide as a Self-Sizing Polymer Matrix for Carbon Fiber-Based Composites, in: SAMPE 2019 – Charlotte, NC, SAMPE, 2019.
• Deitzel J.M., Kubota M., Gillespie J.W, Hinton Z., Thursch L, Alvarez N., Palmese G, Fallon J., Bortner M., Zhang R, Joseph R., Schumaker T., Riffle J., Lukubira S., Kanhere S., Tang M, Ogale A., Surface Treatment of TUFF Pitch-Based Carbon Fiber for Adhesion Promotion in High TG Thermoplastic Composites, in SAMPE 2019 – Charlotte, NC, SAMPE, 2019.