Biography

Kevin Kit received his BS in Materials Engineering from Virginia Tech in 1990 and his MS and PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Delaware in 1993 and 1997, respectively. Kit is an Associate Professor with tenure in the Materials Science and Engineering Department at the University of Tennessee.  He held the position of Assistant Professor in the same department from 1996 until 2003. His research has focused on the processing-structure-property relationships of polymer blends including melt miscible thermoplastic blends and radiation-cured rubber-toughened epoxy resins.  His currently funded research programs include development of natural fiber composite materials and the production and characterization of nonwoven electrospun fibers and fabrics. Kit teaches polymer science and engineering courses at the undergraduate and graduate level and has helped to develop a multidisciplinary polymer processing unit operations laboratory course at the University of Tennessee.

Education

• PhD, Delaware
  Effect of Diffusion of Impurities on Structure Development During Crystallization of Polymer Blends 

Professional Service

• American Chemical Society
• Society of Plastics Engineers
• The Fiber Society

Awards & Recognitions

• 2014 Departmental Faculty Award for Exemplary Service
• 2004 Named to Engineering Properties & Structure Division of SPE
• 2001 Named University of Tennessee student SPE chapter Faculty Advisor

Research Publications

1. S. Zivanovic, J. Li, P. M. Davidson, and K. Kit, (2007) “Physical, Mechanical and Antibacterial Properties of Chitosan/PEO Blend Films”, Biomacromolecules, 8(5): 1505-1510.
2. Yin, S., S. Wang , T.G. Rials, M. Hansen, and K. Kit, (2007) “Polypropylene composites filled with steam-exploded wood flour from insect-killed loblolly pine by compression-molding.” Wood and Fiber Science, 39(1): 95–108.
3. S. Wongsasulak, K.M. Kit, D.J. McClements, T. Yoovidhya, and J. Weiss, (2007) “The effect of solution properties on the morphology of ultrafine electrospun egg albumen-PEO composite fibers”, Polymer, 48: 448-457
4. S Wang, Q. Cheng, T. Rials, K. Kit, and M. Hansen, (2006) “Fiber-reinforced polypropylene composites from small-diameter southern pine trees by wet process”, The 1st International Conference on Energy Conversion and Efficient Utilization of Woody Biomass (CECUWB), May 14-16 Beijing, China