Hyehee Kim
Over 10 years translating polymer research into scalable, manufacturable products. Deep expertise in thermoplastic systems, powder sintering, and process–structure–property relationships — with direct alignment to powder-based additive manufacturing and SLS technology.
Polymer Science
for Real-World Manufacturing
I bridge the gap between fundamental polymer research and production-ready materials. With over a decade of hands-on experience across industry and academia, I specialize in thermoplastic systems, binder optimization, and powder-based processing — domains that sit at the heart of modern additive manufacturing.
At A123 Systems, I led end-to-end formulation of complex polymer-containing systems, defining thermal processing windows, optimizing particle dispersion, and transitioning lab discoveries into manufacturable products. My workflow is deeply data-driven: rigorous DOE design, DSC/TGA correlation with microstructure, and tight feedback loops between characterization and reformulation.
My background maps naturally onto selective laser sintering — from melt/crystallization behavior and powder flowability to sintering kinetics, interfacial defect analysis, and densification gradient control.
Selected Figures from Papers
Data visualizations reconstructed from published work — illustrating the breadth of experimental characterization and materials systems investigated.
Areas of Expertise
Career Timeline
- Led formulation and optimization of polymer-containing material systems, balancing powder/precursor flow behavior, thermal stability, and end-use mechanical performance.
- Designed experiments to define processing and thermal windows by correlating material chemistry, thermal transitions, and processing parameters with functional performance.
- Optimized binder and additive systems to improve particle dispersion, consolidation behavior, and defect suppression during thermal processing.
- Performed root-cause analysis of defects related to thermal gradients, densification, and interfacial bonding.
- Partnered with process and manufacturing teams to transition lab-scale formulations into production-ready materials.
- Developed polymer composite systems with controlled thermal behavior and mechanical response under constrained processing conditions.
- Built rapid screening workflows to evaluate material flow, thermal stability, and consolidation behavior across the formulation space.
- Engineered polymer electrolytes and composite architectures with tunable crystallinity, melting behavior, and mechanical integrity.
- Conducted extensive formulation studies linking thermal transitions, microstructure, and electrochemical performance.
- Developed flexible solid-state supercapacitors, ultra-low-power X-ray detectors, CNT/epoxy nanocomposites, and graphitic nanocup structures.
- Produced 5+ first/co-first-author publications and contributed to 2 US patents during this period.
- Teaching Assistant at Northeastern University (Sep 2016 – Dec 2017).
- Undergraduate Research Assistant at Bio-process System Engineering Lab, Kyungpook National University (Sep 2009 – Aug 2013).
Publications & Patents
Open to
new opportunities
Currently exploring senior materials scientist roles in additive manufacturing, polymer systems, and energy storage. Based in Greater Boston — open to local and hybrid positions.