Kulandai(Velu) S. Sivanandan PhD
(US permanent resident)
Fremont, CA 94536; 805-757-4914
velussk@gmail.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kulandaivelu-sivanandan-a4633231/
Passionate scientist with a strong background in polymer chemistry; exceptionally proficient in design, synthesis, isolation and characterization of organic small molecules, monomers, dendrimers and polymers; proven ability in analytical and problem-solving skills. Successfully led and accomplished several projects and collaborations in industry and academia. Highly articulate and an effective communicator with excellent team building, collaborating and other interpersonal skills. An efficient manager of personnel, personnel safety, training, lab organization, equipment maintenance and chemical inventory.
EDUCATION
Ph.D., Chemistry (UMass Amherst, Massachusetts) 2001-2006
M.Sc., Chemistry (Indian Institute of Technology Madras, India) 1999-2001
TECHNICAL SKILLS
• Synthesis: Multi-step synthesis of small molecules, monomers and polymers in mg to Kg scale; experienced in performing air/moisture sensitive reactions; skilled in handling reactive/pyrophoric metals, metal hydrides and reagents (Li, Na, LiH, LiAlH4, NaBH4, t-BuLi); experienced in using Schlenk apparatus and glove box; knowledgeable about cGMP.
• Polymerization: Expert in living polymerization techniques such as anionic, NMP, ATRP, ARGET, ROMP, ADMET and Grignard metathesis (GRIM); proficient in synthesis of polyesters and polyamides through polycondensation; expert in Suzuki and Kumada cross-coupling reactions for synthesizing oligo and poly(thiophenes).
• Characterization: Highly experienced in characterization of small molecules, macro-molecules and composites using NMR, GPC, GCMS, FTIR; UV-Vis and Fluorescence spectroscopy; DSC, TGA and DMA .
• Purification/isolation: Adept in flash chromatography, prep-TLC, re-crystallization, distillation, Kugelrohr distillation, sublimation, precipitation, fractional precipitation, prep-GPC and soxhlet extractions.
• Functionalization/conjugation: Expert in functionalization of macromolecules (block copolymers, dendrimers), nanoparticles, cathode active materials (CAM) such as NCA and NCM using click chemistries such as azide-alkyne, thiol-ene, Diels alder and polymer grafting methods.
• Coating and cell building: Well-trained in coating techniques such as spin, drop and doctor blading of solutions and slurries; experienced in building lithium, aluminum symmetric cells (coin and pouch).
• Crosslinking/curing: Expert in solution and solid phase crosslinking of polymers, block copolymers and dendrimers using thermal, photo chemical and epoxy-amine, isocyanate-amine chemistries.
• Softwares/programs: Proficient in MS office, EC-lab, Chemdraw, Sci-finder, MestreNova and Adobe illustrator.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Sr. Scientist, Seeo Inc., (a subsidiary of Robert Bosch LLC), Hayward, CA 2009-2019
• Instrumental in design, development and industrial scale (>100 Kg) production of Seeo’s 1st generation block copolymer separator (DrylyteTM) for fully solid-state lithium battery.
• Demonstrated 3x improvement in mechanical stability of DrylyteTM by thermal and photochemical cross-linking of the non-conducting phase.
• The lead scientist in development of Seeo’s 2nd generation separator based on poly(diesters) for improved room temperature conductivity and high voltage stability.
• Established new methods to passivate NCA/NCM cathode active materials using high voltage-stable polymers to improve stability of catholyte materials.
• Led syntheses of a variety of lithium salts, small-molecule additives, polymers that are stable against lithium metal, oxidatively stable in the cathode, and superior in lithium ion conductivity.
• Involved in improving the quality of lithium metal anode by performing surface treatment chemistries.
• As a Senior scientist, was responsible for lab organization, safety, chemical inventory and training of junior colleagues.
Post-doctorate Research (Professor Craig J. Hawker group, UCSB, Santa Barbara) 2006- 2009
• Developed a novel technique to create high surface area poly(thiophene) thin films to improve efficiency of organic solar cells.
• Demonstrated the ability to create n-type materials from oligo and polythiophenes by oxidation of sulfur to sulfones and use of these materials in FET devices were studied.
• Established a novel procedure to create a well-ordered nonoporous thin film that can be used as a template for lithography in semiconductor industry.
Graduate student (Professor S. Thayumanavan group, UMass Amherst) 2001-2006
• Established three complementary synthetic strategies to build benzyl ether dendrimers with multiple peripheral functionalities and demonstrated the ability to vary each and every repeat unit. The ability of dendrimers to mimic bioactive molecules is the inspiration for this work.
• Incorporated a single probe unit (electroactive and photoactive) in every layer of a benzyl ether dendrimer and accessibility of a guest molecule to these layers was measured and studied using photoinduced electron transfer (PET) process and electrochemistry. This study enabled us to understand structure-property relationship in dendrimers.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
1. Amir, E.; Sivanandan, K.; Cochran, J. E.; Cowart, J. J.; Ku, S, -Y.; Seo, J. H.; Chabinyc, M. L.; Hawker, C. J. “Synthesis and Characterization of Soluble Low-bandgap Oligothiophene-[all]-S,S-dioxides-based Conjugated Oligomers and Polymers” Journal of Polym. Sci. Part A: Polymer Chemistry 2011, 49, 1933-1941. (COVER PAGE)
2. Tang, C.; Sivanandan, K.; Stahl, B. C.; Fredrickson, G. H.; Kramer, E. J.; Hawker, C. J. “Multiple Nanoscale Templates by Orthogonal Degradation of a Supramolecular Block Copolymer Lithographic System” ACS Nano 2010, 4, 285-291.
3. Sivanandan, K.; Chatterjee, T.; Treat, N.; Kramer, E. J.; Hawker, C. J. “High Surface Area Poly(3-hexylthiophenes) Thin Films from Cleavable Graft Copolymers” Macromolecules 2010, 43, 233-241.
4. Sivanandan, K.; Aathimanikandan, S.; Arges, C. G.; Bardeen, C. J.; Thayumanavan, S. “Probing Every Layer in Dendrons” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 2020-2021.
5. Sivanandan, K.; Sandanaraj, S. B.; Thayumanavan, S. “Sequences in Dendrons and Dendrimers” J. Org. Chem. 2004, 69, 2937-2944.
6. Dharma Rao, V.; Sivanandan, K.; Thayumanavan, S. “Synthesis of Dendrimers with Multifunctional Periphery Using an ABB’ Monomer” Chem. Commun. 2003, 6, 796-797.
7. Sivanandan, K.; Dharma Rao, V.; Thayumanavan, S. “Functional Group Diversity in Dendrimers” Org. Lett. 2002, 4, 3751-3753.
SELECTED PATENTS
1. Patent: “Polyalkoxysiloxane Catholytes for High Voltage Lithium Batteries” Issued in US as 10170792 on Jan 1, 2019
2. Patent: “Long Cycle-life Lithium Sulfur Solid State Electrochemical Cell” Issued in US as 10044064 on Aug 7 2018; Issued in Europe as 3132482 on Oct 10, 2018; Issued in Germany as 60 2014 034 091.1 on Oct 10 2018.
3. Patent: “PEO-based Graft Gopolymers with Pendant Fluorinated Groups for use as Electrolytes” Issued in US as 10038216 on July 31, 2018.
4. Patent: “Fluorinated Electrolytes with Nitrile groups” Issued in US as 9917329 on March 13, 2018.
5. Patent: “Multi-phase Electrolyte Lithium Batteries” Issued in US as 9893337 on Feb 13, 2018.
