- Tailoring the molecular structure of organic carbonates in commercial electrolytes reduces the fire hazard of batteries - Nonfluorinated, nonflammable electrolytes present a viable route to achieving thermally stable high-performance batteries The Korea Institute of Science and Technology(KIST, President Seok-Jin Yoon) announced that a collaborative research team led by Dr. Minah Lee of the Energy Storage Research Center, Professor Dong-Hwa Seo of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology(KAIST), and Drs. Yong-Jin Kim and Jayeon Baek of the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology(KITECH) has developed a nonflammable electrolyte that does not catch fire at room temperature by tailoring the molecular structure of linear organic carbonate to prevent fire and thermal runaway in lithium-ion batteries. As the use of medium and large-scale lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles and energy storage systems(ESS) expands, concerns about fires and explosions are growing. Fires in batteries occur when batteries are short-circuited due to external impacts, abuse or aging, and the thermal runaway phenomenon accompanied by a serial exothermic reactions makes it difficult to extinguish the fire and poses a high risk of personal injury. In particular, the linear organic carbonate used in commercial electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries has a low flash point and easily catches fire even at room temperature, which is a direct cause of ignition. Until now, in order to reduce the flammability of the electrolyte, Intensive fluorination in the solvent molecules or highly concentrated salts has been widely adopted. As a result, the lithium-ion transport in the electrolyte was reduced or those were incompatible with commercial electrodes, limiting their commercialization. By simultaneously applying alkyl chain extension and alkoxy substitution to the diethyl carbonate(DEC) molecule, a typical linear organic carbonate used in commercial lithium-ion battery electrolytes, the researchers developed a new electrolyte, bis(2-methoxyethyl) carbonate(BMEC), with enhanced flash point and ionic conductivity by increasing intermolecular interactions and the solvation ability. The BMEC solution has a flash point of 121°C, which is 90°C higher than that of the conventional DEC solution, and thus is not ignitable in the temperature range for conventional battery operation. BMEC can dissociate lithium salt stronger than its simple alkylated counterpart, dibutyl carbonate(DBC), solving the problem of slower lithium ion transport when reducing flammability by increasing intermolecular interaction. As a result, it retains more than 92% of the original rate capability of the conventional electrolyte while significantly reducing the fire hazards. In addition, the new electrolyte alleviated 37% of combustible gas evolution and 62% of heat generation than those of the conventional electrolyte. The research team demonstrated the stable operation of 1Ah lithium-ion batteries over 500 cycles by combining the new electrolyte with a high nickel cathode and a graphite anode. They also conducted a nail-penetration test on a 70% charged 4Ah-level Li-ion battery and confirmed the suppressed thermal runaway. Dr. Minah Lee of the KIST stated, "The results of this research provide a new direction for designing nonflammable electrolytes, which has been inevitably sacrificed the electrochemical property or economic feasibility." "The developed nonflammable electrolyte has cost competitiveness and excellent compatibility with high-energy density electrode materials, so it is expected to be applied to the conventional battery manufacturing infrastructure. Ultimately, it will accelerate the emergence of high-performance batteries with excellent thermal stability." Dr. Jayeon Baek of KITECH stated, "The BMEC solution developed in this research can be synthesized by transesterification using low-cost catalysts and easily scaled up. In the future, we will develop the synthesis method using C1 gas (CO or CO2) to enhance its eco-friendliness further." ### KIST was established in 1966 as the first government-funded research institute in Korea. KIST now strives to solve national and social challenges and secure growth engines through leading and innovative research. For more information, please visit KIST’s website at https://eng.kist.re.kr/ This research was supported by the the National Research Council of Science & Technology and the Mid-Career Research Progam of the National Research Foundation of Korea grant by the Korea government Ministry of Science and ICT(Minister Jong-Ho Lee). The research result was published in the latest issue of Energy & Environmental Science (IF 32.5, JCR top 0.4%), an international journal in the field of energy and environmental science. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Journal : Energy & Environmental Science Title : Molecularly engineered linear organic carbonates as practically viable nonflammable electrolytes for safe Li-ion batteries Publication Date : 12-July-2023 DOI : https://doi.org/10.1039/d3ee00157a

- Developing a new type of fuel cell utilizing three-dimensional structures - Solving water management issues by improving the structure of the fuel cell's electrode layer, electrolyte membrane, and transport layer A research team led by Dr. Yoo Sung Jong of the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Research Center at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) has developed a fuel cell technology with high stability over a long period of time and improved power density compared to conventional fuel cells by introducing three-dimensional structure control technology. A three-dimensional structure is a three-dimensional arrangement of electrode layers, electrolyte membranes, and transport layers, which are necessary components for fuel cell operation, and are closely related to fuel cell performance. Fuel cells are a technology that utilizes hydrogen, the most abundant element on Earth, to generate electricity, and are attracting attention as a clean energy source that can overcome the limitations of charging speed and storage capacity of secondary batteries. Among the various types of fuel cells, polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have a high potential for commercialization because they can deliver power quickly and operate at relatively low temperatures. However, the water generated inside them during long-term operation reduces their durability and performance, hindering their commercialization. The research team developed a three-dimensional structured electrode control technology based on a multiscale architecture to manage water generation within PEMFCs. This technology combines structures of different sizes to improve the performance of fuel cells, and this study shows that designing electrode layers with multidimensional structures of one and three dimensions can solve the problem of performance degradation due to overgenerated water while utilizing existing catalysts and electrolyte membranes. Furthermore, by patterning the surface of the three-dimensional electrolyte membrane with a single or multi-layer structure, the researchers were able to reduce the resistance and increase the electrochemically active surface area in the fuel cell, resulting in the mechanical strength of the fuel cell has improved and the power density of the fuel cell has increased by more than 40% compared to the previous one. The research team also developed a three-dimensional structure of the transport layer with improved mass transfer properties due to pore gradients and humidified gas diffusion. Using the high surface stress of the electrolyte membrane, the researchers found that the crack due to stretching in the electrode layer act as efficient channels for the water generated inside the cell, resulting in an 18% increase in maximum power density compared to conventional fuel cells without cracks. "Using a three-dimensional structure, it is possible to maximize the utilization of various catalysts, which was difficult with the existing fuel cell structure, and to stably manage the generanted water in PEMFCs" said Dr. Yoo sung jong of KIST. "In the future, we expect to be able to apply new three-dimensional structures that are totally different from conventional simple structures to fuel cells for hydrogen vehicles or power generation." ### KIST was established in 1966 as the first government-funded research institute in Korea. KIST now strives to solve national and social challenges and secure growth engines through leading and innovative research. For more information, please visit KIST’s website at https://eng.kist.re.kr/ The research was supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT (Minister Lee Jong-ho) under the KIST Major Project and the Nano and Materials Technology Development Project, and the results were published in the latest issue of the international journal Advanced Materials (IF 32.086, JCR top 2.51%). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Journal : Advanced Materials Title : Multiscale Architectured Membranes, Electrodes, and Transport Layers for Next-Generation Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells Publication Date : 23-June-2023 DOI : https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202204902

- Analyzed ultra-high resolution carbon atom nuclear magnetic resonance information in a single measurement - First to present precise analytical results of large complex structure natural products and isomeric mixtures In the late 1950s and 1960s, more than 12,000 malformed babies with short arms and legs were born as a side effect of thalidomide, a drug sold to pregnant women to prevent morning sickness. The tragedy was caused by the drug's side effect, which exists in a racemic mixture of two mirror-image forms. Research to determine the molecular structure of various compounds is essential for understanding biological phenomena and developing drugs to treat diseases and is mainly based on the interpretation of frequency signals measured by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). Drs. Jinwook Cha and Jinsoo Park of the Natural Product Informatics Research Center at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) announced that they have developed the first NMR method (Ultraselective Heteronuclear Polarization Transfer Method, or UHPT) that can selectively measure the information of carbon atom nuclei linked to specific hydrogen in a single measurement. Even with existing ultra-high field NMR equipment costing 10 billion won, only selective NMR signal measurement of specific hydrogen nuclei was possible. Still, rapid measurement of carbon nuclei signals was not possible, making it difficult to secure a satisfactory level of specific hydrogen-carbon NMR signal resolution. In addition, there were limitations in identifying the chemical structure of pharmaceutical raw materials and drugs of toxicity concern. With the UHPT method, the researchers were able to distinguish the carbon associated with a specific hydrogen atom nucleus in a single measurement among complex carbon-carbon NMR signals, with a signal resolution of several hertz (Hz). The method enabled them to clearly analyze the structure of natural products with complex molecular structures, such as the anticancer drug dactinomycin, which is composed of optical isomers of amino acids. It also enabled the accurate assignment of the fungicide iprovicarb, a mixture of diastereoisomers. The UHPT method is fast, accurate, and economical compared to conventional methods. When applied to NMR equipment owned by universities and companies, it has been confirmed that equivalent NMR signal resolution can be achieved in about one-fifth the measurement time of ultra-high field NMR equipment. "The new NMR method can be used as a standard analysis technique for identifying and standardizing the active ingredients of new materials in the natural product bio industry," said Dr. Jin-Wook Cha of KIST. "It is expected to contribute to the development of the natural product bio industry by solving the challenges of the drug development process by using it to identify the structure of partial particulate matter, which plays a crucial role in determining the efficacy and safety of drugs." ### KIST was established in 1966 as the first government-funded research institute in Korea. KIST now strives to solve national and social challenges and secure growth engines through leading and innovative research. For more information, please visit KIST’s website at https://eng.kist.re.kr/ The research was supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT (Minister Lee Jong-ho) through the KIST Major Project and was published on June 2 as the cover article in the latest issue of Angewandte Chemie International Edition (IF 16.82), an academic journal in the field of chemistry. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Journal : Angewandte Chemie International Edition Title : A Single-Scan Ultraselective Heteronuclear Polarization Transfer Method for Unambiguous Complex Structure Assignment Publication Date : 2-June-2023 DOI : https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202304196

- Development of 100% self-reinforced composites for urban air mobility (UAM) and other applications - Significant improvement in bonding strength, tensile strength, and impact resistance compared to previous work In order for future mobility, such as urban air mobility (UAM), to become a reality, it must be fuel efficient and reduce carbon emissions, which requires the development of new materials with excellent physical properties and recyclability. Self-reinforced composites (SRCs) are inexpensive, lightweight, and have advantages in terms of disposal and recycling as the reinforcement and the base material are composed of the same material. For this reason, it is attracting attention as a next-generation composite material to replace carbon fiber-reinforced composites used in aircraft. Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST, President Seok Jin Yoon) announced that Dr. Jaewoo Kim of the Solutions to Electromagnetic Interference in Future-mobility(SEIF), together with Prof. Seonghoon Kim of Hanyang University and Prof. O-bong Yang of Jeonbuk National University has successfully developed a 100% SRC using only one type of polypropylene (PP) polymer. Until now, in the manufacturing process of SRCs, chemically different components have been mixed in the reinforcement or matrix to improve fluidity and impregnation, resulting in poor physical properties and recyclability. The research team succeeded in controlling the melting point, fluidity, and impregnation by adjusting the chain structure of the polypropylene matrix through a four-axis extrusion process. The developed SRCs achieved the highest level of mechanical properties, with adhesion strength, tensile strength, and impact resistance improved by 333%, 228%, and 2,700%, respectively, compared to previous studies. When applied as a frame material for a small drone, the material was 52% lighter than conventional carbon fiber reinforced composites and the flight time increased by 27%, confirming its potential for next-generation mobility applications. Dr. Kim of KIST said, "The engineering process for 100% SRCs developed in this study can be immediately applied to industry, and we will continue to work with the joint research team and industries to secure the global competitiveness of magnetically reinforced composites." ### The research was funded by the National Science Foundation of Korea (NST)'s Convergence Research Center Project (CRC22031-000) on "Development of Materials and Component Technologies for High Frequency/High Power Electromagnetic Wave Solutions to Secure Future Mobility Operation Reliability" (2016R1A6A1A03013422), the Korea Research Foundation's Basic Research Project (2016R1A6A1A03013422), the Mid-Career Researcher Support Project (2021R1A2C11093839), and the Ministry of Education's LINC 3.0. The results were published in the Chemical Engineering Journal (IF:16.744, top 2.448% in JCR), a world-class international journal in the field of chemical engineering. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Journal : Chemical Engineering Journal Title : True self-reinforced composites enabled by tuning of molecular structure for lightweight structural materials in future mobility Publication Date : 20-April-2023 DOI : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2023.142996

- KIST increases charge and discharge efficiency with magnesium metal chemical activation process - Expected to commercialize magnesium secondary batteries by utilizing non-corrosive general electrolyte A research team led by Dr. Minah Lee of the Energy Storage Research Center at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology(KIST) has developed a chemical activation strategy of magnesium metal that enables efficient operation of magnesium batteries in common electrolytes that are free of corrosive additives and can be mass-produced. While the demand for lithium-ion batteries is exploding due to the rapid growth of the electric vehicle and energy storage system(ESS) markets, the supply and demand of their raw materials such as lithium and cobalt are mostly dependent on specific countries, and thus there are great concerns about securing a stable supply chain. For this reason, research on next-generation secondary batteries have been actively conducted, and secondary batteries utilizing magnesium, which is abundant in the earth's crust, are gaining attention. Magnesium secondary batteries can be expected to have a high energy density because they utilize Mg2+, a divalent ion instead of monovalent alkali metal ions such as lithium. The highest energy density can be obtained by directly utilizing magnesium metal as a anode, of which volumetric capacity is about 1.9 times higher than lithium metal. Despite these advantages, the difficulty of efficiently charging and discharging magnesium metal due to its reactivity with electrolytes, has hindered its commercialization. KIST researchers have developed a technology to induce a highly efficient charge and discharge reaction of magnesium metal, opening the possibility of the commercialization of magnesium secondary batteries. In particular, unlike previous studies that utilized corrosive electrolytes to facilitate the charging and discharging of magnesium, the researchers utilized a common electrolyte with a similar composition to existing commercial electrolytes, enabling the use of high-voltage electrodes and minimizing corrosion of battery components. The team synthesized an artificial protective layer with a novel composition based on magnesium alkyl halide oligomers on the magnesium surface by a simple process of dipping the magnesium metal to be used as the anode into a reactive alkyl halide solution prior to cell assembly. They found that selecting a specific reaction solvent facilitated the formation of nanostructures on the magnesium surface, which in turn facilitated the dissolution and deposition of magnesium. Based on this, they suppressed unwanted reactions with electrolytes and maximized the reaction area through nanostructuring to induce highly efficient magnesium cycling. By applying the developed technology, the overpotential can be reduced from more than 2 V to less than 0.2 V when charging and discharging magnesium metal in a common electrolyte without corrosive additives, and the Coulombic efficiency can be increased from less than 10% to more than 99.5%. The team demonstrated stable charging and discharging of activated magnesium metal more than 990 cycles, confirming that magnesium rechargeable batteries can operate in conventional electrolytes that can be mass-produced. "This work provides a new direction for the existing magnesium secondary battery research, which has been using corrosive electrolytes that prevent the formation of interfacial layers on magnesium metal surfaces," said Dr. Minah Lee of KIST. "It will increase the possiblity of low-cost, high-energy-density magnesium secondary batteries based on common electrolytes suitable for energy storage systems (ESS).“ ### KIST was established in 1966 as the first government-funded research institute in Korea. KIST now strives to solve national and social challenges and secure growth engines through leading and innovative research. For more information, please visit KIST’s website at https://eng.kist.re.kr/ The research was funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) through the KIST Major Project and the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) Mid-Career Researchers Program, and the results were published in the latest issue of ACS Nano (IF:18.027, JCR top 5.652%), an international journal in the field of nanomaterials. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Journal : ACS Nano Title : Reversible magnesium metal cycling in additive-free simple salt electrolytes enabled by spontaneous chemical activation Publication Date : 8-May-2023 DOI : https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.2c08672

- First Approval of COVID-19 AOPs in Work Plan for an OECD Project - Globally Recognized for Excellence of AOPs Published in EURL ECVAM Status Report The EURL ECVAM Status Report describes research, dissemination and promotion activities undertaken recently by the European Commission Joint Research Centre’s EU Reference Laboratory for Alternatives to Animal Testing (EURL ECVAM) to further the uptake and use of non-animal methods and approaches in science and regulation. The principle of the Three Rs of animal use, i.e. Replacement, Reduction and Refinement, in basic, applied and translational research, as well as for regulatory testing purposes, is firmly anchored in EU legislation, with complete phasing out of animal procedures being the ultimate goal. This report provides an overview of the activities and achievements of EURL ECVAM, which is hosted by the Joint Research Centre, and covers topics such as the development, validation and dissemination of non-animal methods in testing and research. As a hands-on initiative into that direction, EURL ECVAM has been facilitating an interdisciplinary crowdsourcing project, called CIAO (Modelling the Pathogenesis of COVID-19 using AOPs). CIAO is operated on the assumption that AOPs can provide an integrative means for organizing the abundant, rapidly-evolving and dispersed knowledge on COVID-19’s pathogenesis. Figure 1 More than 80 scientists from 70 institutions worldwide were collaborating in the CIAO project (https://www.ciao-covid.net). The Korea Institute of Science and Technology Europe (KIST Europe) first registered AOP 319 and 320, and then received approval on an OECD Work Plan to seek a new breakthrough in the pandemics field with the development of a reliable assessment tool for COVID-19. Since then, Dr. Youngjun Kim's research team from the Environmental Safety Group at KIST Europe has been involved with a CIAO project which can effectively evaluate the toxic effects of COVID-19 using a mechanistic understanding of the disease. More than 70 scientists from around the world were (and still are) participating in the CIAO project and developing AOPs which are able to model the COVID-19 disease process. While AOPs are widely acknowledged in chemical safety assessment and regulatory toxicology, they also have the potential to be of great value for biomedical research. The COVID-19 pandemic presented a unique opportunity to introduce the biomedical community to the AOP framework, which is not chemical-specific in nature. Figure 2. COVID-19 related AOPs developed within CIAO published in EURL ECVAM policy report (OECD project 1.96). A mechanistic understanding of the disease permits the combination of data from in vitro models for virus characterization with data from animal and human studies depicting the inflammatory response and various clinical outcomes. This AOP-based description of how the SARS-CoV-2 virus infects the body also helps to capture how various factors modulate the clinical outcomes, increasing our understanding of why some populations are more vulnerable than others. The modular aspect of AOPs also allows the development of a COVID-19-related AOP network where key biological events, interrelations between outcomes, and knowledge gaps become more evident. In a statement, Dr. Kim mentioned, "The COVID-19 AOPs published in the EURL ECVAM Status Report represent the first trial of this kind in the world. They carry significant meaning for conventional chemical-specific AOPs since they can be expanded to include biomedical applications and linked to specific diseases, while also holding regulatory relevance in terms of non-animal testing methods." The Joint Research Centre (JRC) has been closely involved with promoting the development of COVID-19 AOPs. It has contributed to the advancement of these non-animal testing methods through research, validation and regulation efforts such as OECD test guidelines approval and databases related to non-animal methods, which provide valuable resources for scientists, regulators and other stakeholders. In conclusion, this report presents an overview of the newest AOPs in the area of non-animal methods. It covers topics such as in vitro methods, computational models and integrated testing strategies, providing insights into their potential applications and limitations, ultimately leading to improved scientific practices and more ethical approaches in research and regulatory toxicology. This research was conducted as part of KIST Europe’s Significant Research Program. The research results were published online in the latest issue of the EURL ECVAM Status Report, a world-renowned policy report prepared by the Joint Research Centre (JRC), the European Commission’s science and knowledge department. (Publications Office of the European Union, 2023, ISSN 1831-9424).

- Substantially reducing the amount of platinum and iridium used in water electrolysis devices - Reducing iridium usage to one-tenth of current levels while maintaining high performance Green hydrogen, which produces hydrogen without the use of fossil fuels or the emission of carbon dioxide, has become increasingly important in recent years as part of efforts to realize a decarbonized economy. However, due to the high production cost of water electrolysis devices that produce green hydrogen, the economic feasibility of green hydrogen has not been very high. However, the development of a technology that drastically reduces the amount of rare metals such as iridium and platinum used in polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis devices is opening the way to lower production costs. A research team led by Dr. Hyun S. Park and Sung Jong Yoo of the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Research Center at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) announced that they have developed a technology that can significantly reduce the amount of platinum and iridium, precious metals used in the electrode protection layer of polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis devices, and secure performance and durability on par with existing devices. In particular, unlike previous studies that focused on reducing the amount of iridium catalyst while maintaining the structure that uses a large amount of platinum and gold as the electrode protection layer, the researchers replaced the precious metal in the electrode protection layer with inexpensive iron nitride having large surface area and uniformly coated a small amount of iridium catalyst on top of it, greatly increasing the economic efficiency of the electrolysis device. The polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis device is a device that produces high-purity hydrogen and oxygen by decomposing water using electricity supplied by renewable energy such as solar power, and it plays a role in supplying hydrogen to various industries such as steelmaking and chemicals. In addition, it is advantageous for energy conversion to store renewable energy as hydrogen energy, so increasing the economic efficiency of this device is very important for the realization of the green hydrogen economy. In a typical electrolysis device, there are two electrodes that produce hydrogen and oxygen, and for the oxygen generating electrode, which operates in a highly corrosive environment, gold or platinum is coated on the surface of the electrode at 1 mg/cm2 as a protective layer to ensure durability and production efficiency, and 1-2 mg/cm2 of iridium catalyst is coated on top. The precious metals used in these electrolysis devices have very low reserves and production, which is a major factor hindering the widespread adoption of green hydrogen production devices. To improve the economics of water electrolysis, the team replaced the rare metals gold and platinum used as a protective layer for the oxygen electrode in polymer electrolyte membrane hydrogen production devices with inexpensive iron nitride (Fe2N). To do so, the team developed a composite process that first uniformly coats the electrode with iron oxide, which has low electrical conductivity, and then converts the iron oxide to iron nitride to increase its conductivity. The team also developed a process that uniformly coats an iridium catalyst about 25 nanometers (nm) thick on top of the iron nitride protective layer, reducing the amount of iridium catalyst to less than 0.1 mg/cm2, resulting in an electrode with high hydrogen production efficiency and durability. The developed electrode replaces the gold or platinum used as a protective layer for the oxygen generating electrode with non-precious metal nitrides while maintaining similar performance to existing commercial electrolysis units, and reduces the amount of iridium catalyst to 10% of the existing level. In addition, the electrolysis unit with the new components was operated for more than 100 hours to verify its initial stability. "Reducing the amount of iridium catalyst and developing alternative materials for the platinum protective layer are essential for the economical and widespread use of polymer electrolyte membrane green hydrogen production devices, and the use of inexpensive iron nitride instead of platinum is of great significance," said Dr. Hyun S. Park of KIST. "After further observing the performance and durability of the electrode, we will apply it to commercial devices in the near future." The research was supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (Minister Lee, Chang-Yang) and KIST Major Projects, and the results were published online in the latest issue of the international scientific journal Applied Catalysis B:Environmental (IF: 24.319, top 0.926% in JCR). ### KIST was established in 1966 as the first government-funded research institute in Korea. KIST now strives to solve national and social challenges and secure growth engines through leading and innovative research. For more information, please visit KIST’s website at https://eng.kist.re.kr/ This research was conducted through the KIST Major Projects supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT (Minister Lee Jong-ho), and the results were published online in the latest issue of the international scientific journal Applied Catalysis B:Environmental (IF: 24.319, top 0.926% in JCR). --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Journal : Applied Catalysis B:Environmental Title : High-performance water electrolyzer with minimum platinum group metal usage : Iron nitride-iridium oxide core-shell nanostructures for stable and efficient oxygen evolution reaction Publication Date : 9-March-2023 DOI : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apcatb.2023.122596

- Development of 3D bioprinting ink that induces tissue regeneration without photocuring - Expected applications including patient-specific regenerative treatment technologies, such as artificial organs The development of biomaterials for artificial organs and tissues is active due to an increase in accidental injuries and chronic diseases, along with the entry into a super-aged society. 3D bioprinting technology, which uses cells and biomaterials to create three-dimensional artificial tissue structures, has recently gained popularity. However, commonly used hydrogel-based bioinks can cause cytotoxicity due to the chemical crosslinking agent and ultraviolet light that connect the molecular structure of photocuring 3D-printed bioink. Dr. Song Soo-chang's research team at the Center for Biomaterials, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST, President Yoon Seok-jin), revealed the first development of poly(organophosphazene) hydrogel-based temperature-sensitive bioink that stably maintained its physical structure only by temperature control without photocuring, induced tissue regeneration, and then biodegraded in the body after a certain period of time. Current hydrogel-based bioinks must go through a photocuring process to enhance the mechanical properties of the 3D scaffold after printing, with a high risk of adverse effects in the human body. In addition, there have been possibility of side effects by transplanting externally cultured cells within bioink to increase the tissue regeneration effect. Accordingly, the research team developed a new bioink material using a temperature-sensitive poly(organophosphazene) hydrogel, which existed in a liquid form at low temperatures and changed to a hard gel at body temperature. This enabled the regeneration of tissues only by temperature control without chemical crosslinking agents or UV irradiation and the manufacture of a three-dimensional scaffold with a physically stable structure, minimizing the possibility of immune adverse effects in the human body. The developed bioink also had a molecular structure that could interact with growth factors, which were proteins that help in tissue regeneration to preserve growth factors that regulated cell growth, differentiation, and immune responses for a long period of time. The research team was able to maximize the effect of tissue regeneration by creating an environment in which cell differentiation could be autonomously regulated within the 3D scaffold printed with bioink. The research team fabricated the 3D scaffold by printing it with a 3D bioprinter using bioink containing transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) and bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), which were required for cell infiltration and bone regeneration, and conducted an experiment by implanting it into a damaged bone in a rat. As a result, cells from the surrounding tissue were migrated into the scaffold, and the defected bone was regenerated to a normal tissue level, and the implanted 3D scaffold slowly biodegraded in the body over 42 days. Dr. Song Soo-Chang of KIST said, "The research team has transferred technology for the thermo-sensitive polyphosphazene hydrogel to NexGel Biotech Co., Ltd. in June 2022, and the development of products such as bone graft materials and cosmetic fillers is underway." "As the bioink developed this time has different physical properties, follow-up research to apply it to the regeneration of other tissues besides bone tissue is being conducted, and we expect to finally be able to commercialize bioink tailored to each tissue and organ," he said. ### KIST was established in 1966 as the first government-funded research institute in Korea. KIST now strives to solve national and social challenges and secure growth engines through leading and innovative research. For more information, please visit KIST’s website at https://eng.kist.re.kr/ This research was conducted through the KIST Major Projects supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT (Minister Lee Jong-ho), and the research results were published as the inside back cover in the latest issue of "Small" (IF: 15.153, top 7.101% in the JCR field), an international academic journal in the field of materials. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Journal : Small Title : Thermo-Responsive Nanocomposite Bioink with Growth-Factor Holding and its Application to Bone Regeneration Publication Date : 1-Mar-2023 DOI : https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202203464 Public

- KIST developed an annealing activated carbon that improves the adsorption efficiency of nitrogen-containing odorous compounds by up to 38 times - The multidentate adsorption mechanism of nitrogen-containing odorous gases such as ammonia was revealed for the first time Odorous gases, which are unpleasant and strongly irritating to the eyes, nose, and respiratory tract, are ubiquitous in facilities such as septic tanks, sewage systems, livestock farms, and waste disposal plants. These gases exert a negative impact on the human body as well as the surrounding environment, thus numerous ways have been developed to eliminate them. Typical odor removal methods use activated carbon as an adsorbent. However, activated carbon has low recyclability, making it difficult to remove the sources of complex odorous gases for reuse. A research team led by Dr. Jiwon Lee and Youngtak Oh of the Sustainable Environment Research Center at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST, President Seok-Yeol Yoon) announced that they developed an activated carbon manufacturing technology that dramatically improves the removal of four representative nitrogen-containing odorous compounds (NOCs) from air: ammonia, ethylamine, dimethylamine, and trimethylamine. Not only did the research team improve the adsorption efficiency of activated carbon for removing odor substances, but they have also discovered the adsorption mechanism between adsorbents and odorous gases, making it possible to develop a wider variety of adsorbents for complex odor substances. The research team was able to precisely control the degree of surface oxidation to increase the adsorption efficiency of NOCs through an thermal annealing process after oxidizing the activated carbon with nitric acid. They found that the most oxidized heat-treated activated carbon could increase the removal efficiency of odor substances by up to 38 times compared to conventional activated carbon. For the first time, the researchers revealed that the oxygen atoms on the surface of oxidized activated carbon form strong hydrogen bonds with the amines in nitrogen-containing odor molecules. This finding reflects the principle of optimizing the adsorption effect of NOCs by increasing the degree of oxidation so that more hydrogen bonds can be formed with amines on the surface of activated carbon. Furthermore, the research team also demonstrated that unlike typical gas reactions, the interaction between the adsorbent and odor substances was primarily influenced by the number of hydrogen bonds, rather than proton affinity. Furthermore, thermally dried activated carbon(TDAC) was found increase selectivity for trimethylamine by more than 13 times. This result represents a substantial improvement, as trimethylamine has the lowest adsorption efficiency among conventional NOCs. Trimethylamine, a designated odor substance regulated by law in Korea, is a typical source of odors in agriculture, landfills, and sewage and waste water treatment plants. In particular, the heat-dried activated carbon has an average recyclability of 93.8% for trimethylamine, showing high economic efficiency compared to the 63% recyclability of conventional activated carbon. "By identifying the adsorption mechanism of odorous gases, we can develop materials that are specialized for removing specific gases, and heat-dried activated carbon, which undergoes an oxidation process, is relatively simple to produce and can be reused. Thus, it can be applied as a material for purification devices such as filters and masks,” claimed Dr. Jiwon Lee of KIST. ### KIST was established in 1966 as the first government-funded research institute in Korea. KIST now strives to solve national and social challenges and secure growth engines through leading and innovative research. For more information, please visit KIST’s website at https://eng.kist.re.kr/ This research was conducted through the KIST Major Projects supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT, and the results were published in the latest issue of the Journal of Cleaner Production (IF: 11.072, top 8.423% in JCR), an international journal in the environmental science field. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Journal : Journal of Cleaner Production Title : Adsorption Enhancement of Hazardous Odor Gas using Controlled Thermal Oxidation of Activated Carbon Publication Date : 20-Mar-2023 DOI : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.136261 T

- A KIST research team succeeds in the development of a simplified CO2 conversion process without a CO2 capture process - Outperforms conventional CO2 conversion technology in terms of economic feasibility and environmental impact The issue of achieving the target of net-zero CO2 emissions has emerged as a matter of future survival of mankind, with the impact of climate change causing a palpable sense of crisis in the everyday lives of people. The technology of Carbon dioxide Capture Utilization and Storage(CCUS), one of the methods for achieving net-zero CO2 emissions has drawn attention as an innovative technology for reducing CO2 emissions. CCUS is the very technology for which Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla Inc., announced his funding of $100 million in prize money over four years starting in 2021. However, the high energy consumption required in the process of purification, pressurization, separation, and reuse of CO2 poses a challenge to the industrial application of these technologies in practice. The research team led by Drs. Ung Lee and Da Hye Won at the Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST, President Seok Jin Yoon), announced that they succeeded in developing a process for producing high-value-added synthesis gas (syngas) by direct electrochemical conversion of CO2 captured using a liquid absorbent. The research achievement is expected to provide a cost-effective solution for CCUS technology, which has restricted wider applications of the technology. The CO2 conversion process developed by the research team utilizes the CO2 captured in a liquid absorbent; in this way, the conventional CCU pathways with complex and energy-consuming processes of purification and pressurization of CO2 for pure gaseous CO2 production are no longer needed. For this reason, the proposed method outperforms the conventional CCUS technology, with superior cost-effectiveness and enhanced effect of reducing CO2 emissions. In addition, since unreacted CO2 is still captured in the liquid absorbent, there is no need for an additional separation process with syngas, a product from the pathway; another advantage is that the ratio of hydrogen to CO in the syngas can be more easily controlled. Also, the research team was able to maximize the efficiency of the direct CO2 conversion in the liquid phase by conducting experiments for selecting the best absorbent, optimizing the catalyst, designing electrochemical reactor as well as testing long-term stability. In addition, simulation studies with numerical modeling of the industrial-scale process were also carried out to examine the feasibility of commercialization of the developed process. Furthermore, through techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment, it is estimated that the newly developed CO2 conversion process will be able to reduce production costs by 27.0% and CO2 emissions by 75.7% compared to the conventional CCUS technology. In addition, the proposed technology demonstrated an equivalent level of competitive price when compared to the current market price of chemicals dominated by fossil fuel-based technologies. In particular, in the case of syngas, the production cost was reduced by 27.02% compared to the conventional process (reduction of the production cost from $0.89/kg to $0.65/kg, and CO2 emissions from 1.13kg CO2/kg to 0.27kg CO2/kg. If the developed CO2 conversion process is applied to a major CO2 emission source such as a thermal power plant, the proposed technology is expected to be able to produce high-value chemicals such as ethylene at a low cost while reducing CO2. Dr. Da Hye Won, a senior research scientist at KIST, reported, “The significance of the proposed technology lies in that we have achieved technological progress in the efficient production of high-concentration syngas through the electrochemical process by utilizing captured CO2.” Dr. Ung Lee, the principal research scientist at KIST, commented, “We expect that the proposed technology will be applicable to a range of electrochemical conversion systems that utilize CO2, and we plan to move onto the next stage of continuous process demonstration and verification as well as technology transfer to business entities in the future.” ### KIST was established in 1966 as the first government-funded research institute in Korea. KIST now strives to solve national and social challenges and secure growth engines through leading and innovative research. For more information, please visit KIST’s website at https://eng.kist.re.kr/ This research was conducted as a part of the “Carbon to X project for the production of useful materials” with the support of the Ministry of Science and ICT (Minister Lee Jong-Ho), and the results were published in Nature Communications (IF 17.694, JCR 7.432%), a world-renowned scientific journal, on December 5, 2022. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Journal : Nature Communications Title : Toward economical application of carbon capture and utilization technology with near-zero carbon emission Publication Date : 5-Dec-2022 DOI : https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-35239-9