Kenneth Sandhage

Kenneth Sandhage is a Professor of Materials Engineering at Purdue University's College of Engineering. He earned a B.S. in Metallurgical Engineering from Purdue University and a Ph.D. in Ceramics from MIT. His career includes roles as a Senior Scientist at Corning and American Superconductor Corp., faculty positions at Ohio State University and Georgia Institute of Technology (where he held the B. Mifflin Hood Professorship), and a Humboldt Fellowship at the Technical University of Hamburg-Harburg.

Sandhage's research focuses on innovative materials processing techniques, including gas/solid reactions, liquid/solid transformations, and biomimetic conformal coatings. His work targets functional 3D materials for energy, environmental, medical, and aerospace applications. Key innovations include the patented DCP (Displacive Compensation of Porosity) and BASIC (Biological Assembly and Shape-preserving Inorganic Conversion) processes.

His recent publications emphasize corrosion-resistant materials, high-temperature composites, biomedical surface engineering, and compact heat exchanger design. Research trends show a strong interdisciplinary focus on scalable manufacturing, materials durability, and bio-inspired solutions.

Scientific Awards:

• Fellow, American Ceramic Society
• Humboldt Fellowship
• B. Mifflin Hood Professor, Georgia Tech

Sandhage leads research in advanced materials synthesis with ongoing projects in molten salt containment, refractory alloys, and nanostructured biomedical implants. He collaborates with industry consortia like the Purdue Heat Treating Consortium.