Hi, I’m Kenny Brown!
I am the Director of Engineering at Torev Motors developing the next generation of electric machines. I completed my doctorate in mechanical & aerospace engineering at the University of Virginia researching innovative and sustainable materials and methods for producing multi-functional, multi-scale polymer composites and low-cost, high-performance carbon fiber in the lab of professor Xiaodong (Chris) Li.
I’m excited to be advancing the sustainability of human mobility by leading our team of engineers to develop new technologies for high performance electric propulsion and generation without rare earth materials.
Research Areas
⚡ Advanced Electric Machines
We interact with electric machines in nearly all parts of our lives ranging from our toothbrushes to cars. New motor topologies, control strategies, and structural and electromagnetic materials will unlock new levels of performance and efficiency.
💪 Multi-Scale Polymer Composites
Reinforcing polymers with fibrous and nanoparticle materials offers improved properties and additional functionalities that can be leveraged for inreased performance or reduced component weight and count. Understanding the interaction between the matrix and reinforcements is crucial to maximizing this effect.
🏎️ Carbon Fibers
I developed low-cost, high-performance carbon fibers by replacing its conventional precursor material, polyacrylonitrile, with low-cost commodity synthetic polymers or bio-renewable feedstocks.
🌎 Sustainable Manufacturing
Lightweight materials are not inherently sustainable without considering their embodied energy and emissions. Conducting thorough lifecycle analysis can enable holistic evaluations of new technologies, and encourage exploration of alternative production methods such as the replacement of petrochemical solvents with bio-derived alternatives.