Donga Kang

Dr. Kang is a chemical engineer specializing in membrane- and adsorption-based separation processes. At Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), his work focuses on process engineering—designing, evaluating, and scaling up separation systems to address critical supply chain and sustainability challenges.

His academic foundation is rooted in molecular-level materials science and engineering. Throughout his academic research, he focused on the design, synthesis, and characterization of polymeric and inorganic materials, including porous frameworks and functional composites, establishing a deep understanding of molecular transport and adsorption phenomena.

Leveraging these molecular-level insights, Dr. Kang now works as a process engineer at ORNL to develop scalable, process-level solutions. His current efforts center on the recovery and purification of critical minerals, including rare-earth elements, gallium, and germanium, as well as other energy-efficient separation challenges.