연구/산학
PKNU Research 1000
총 1/12
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Young-Mok Kim | Food-Biomedical Engineering Convergence Research, Published in Top 1% International Journal
Pukyong National University Research Team Publishes Food-Biomedical Engineering Convergence Study in Top 1% International Journal― Professor Young-Mok Kim’s Team Develops Eco-Friendly Antimicrobial Platform Based on Marine-Derived Natural Materials, Opening New Possibilities for Food Safety and Biohealth Applications Professor Young-Mok Kim’s research team in the Division of Food Science and Biotechnology at Pukyong National University has developed an eco-friendly antimicrobial platform technology based on marine-derived biosurfactants. The research was published in Ultrasonics Sonochemistry (2025 Impact Factor: 10.2), a globally renowned international journal ranked in the top 1.2% of the Journal Citation Reports (JCR). The research team developed a nanoemulsion platform that simultaneously delivers emulsion stability and antimicrobial functionality by utilizing natural biosurfactants produced by microorganisms isolated from the marine environment. Conventional nanoemulsions have relied on surfactants primarily to stabilize emulsions. In this study, however, the researchers designed the biosurfactant itself to perform both interfacial stabilization and antibacterial functions, successfully creating a next-generation eco-friendly antimicrobial platform that combines high stability with enhanced functionality. The study was conducted jointly by Dr. Geum-Jae Jeong of the Marine Bionics Convergence Technology Center, the first author of the paper, Professor Young-Mok Kim and Professor Won-Kyo Jung of the Division of Biomedical Engineering at Pukyong National University, along with researchers from the National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea and the Korea Food Research Institute. The findings were published in the paper, ‘Novel Biosurfactant-Stabilized Nanoemulsions Integrating Interfacial Stabilization and Antibacterial Activity for Safe Surface Disinfection.’ The study is regarded as significant for demonstrating the potential to expand the applications of marine-derived biomaterials beyond food safety to the fields of biohealth and living environments. In particular, collaborative research with specialized domestic institutions, including the National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea and the Korea Food Research Institute, further enhanced the potential for the industrial application and practical commercialization of marine-derived biomaterials. Professor Young-Mok Kim has been consecutively named to the World’s Top 2% Scientists list, jointly announced by Elsevier and Stanford University, since 2024. He continues to conduct research on the development of antimicrobial and antibiofilm materials using marine-derived biomaterials, as well as their applications in the fields of food safety and biohealth. Meanwhile, the study was supported by the Priority Research Institute Program and the Basic Research Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF).
대외홍보센터 (2026-07-20)조회수 62
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Hyun-Ho Shin | Controlling Microalgal Growth with Light
Technology Developed to Boost the Production of Functional Microalgal Materials Using Light― Pukyong National University-Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology Joint Research Team Confirms Simultaneous Increases in Microalgal Cell Productivity and the Production of Fucoxanthin and Omega-3 Fatty Acids under Red-Light Conditions― Next-Generation Platform for Optimizing Microalgae Cultivation Proposed through Image-Based Single-Cell Analysis A research team led by Professor Hyun-Ho Shin of the Major of Aquaculture and Applied Life Sciences in the Division of Fisheries Life Sciences at Pukyong National University, together with a team led by Dr. Jun Lee of the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), has developed a new light-based cultivation technology capable of simultaneously enhancing microalgal growth and the production of functional materials. The joint research team conducted cultivation experiments using the marine microalga Tisochrysis lutea, combining white, red, and blue light with plant hormones. The researchers comprehensively analyzed growth characteristics, photosynthetic capacity, fucoxanthin and fatty acid production, and cellular population structure. The findings confirmed that light wavelength is a key environmental factor that regulates not only microalgal growth, but also the morphology of cell populations and the production of functional metabolites. The research team found that microalgae cultivated under red light exhibited approximately 1.5 times higher cell productivity than those grown under white light and approximately 1.4 times higher productivity than those grown under blue light. Under red-light conditions, the production of fucoxanthin, an antioxidant functional pigment, increased by up to 1.62%, while total fatty acid production rose by up to 14.6%. In particular, omega-3 fatty acids―including DHA, a key ingredient in health functional foods and high-quality aquaculture feed―showed the highest productivity under red-light conditions. Fucoxanthin is a natural carotenoid that has attracted attention for its various bioactive properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-obesity effects. Omega-3 fatty acids such as DHA are also high-value biomaterials widely used in health functional foods and the aquaculture industry. This study presents a strategy for efficiently producing these functional materials simultaneously under a single set of cultivation conditions. Going beyond conventional analyses limited to biomass or pigment content, the joint research team applied image-based single-cell cytometry to analyze real-time changes in cell morphology and population structure during cultivation. The results showed that cell aggregation decreased substantially under red light, with more than approximately 97% of the total cells maintaining a uniform single-cell state. This approach is attracting attention as a new evaluation technology that could improve not only the productivity of functional materials, but also the efficiency of future large-scale cultivation and harvesting processes. The research team also confirmed that although plant hormones had some effects on microalgal growth and metabolism, overall productivity and cellular characteristics were primarily determined by light wavelength. These findings indicate that prioritizing the optimization of the light environment is the most effective strategy for controlling the production of functional substances in microalgae. Professor Hyun-Ho Shin said, “This study demonstrates that light wavelength can simultaneously regulate not only microalgal growth, but also cell population structure and the production of functional materials. It is particularly meaningful in that it presents a new platform for precisely evaluating microalgal cultivation conditions by incorporating image-based single-cell analysis.” The findings were published in Bioresource Technology, a leading international journal in the fields of biomass and bioprocessing ranked in the top 3% by JCR with an impact factor of 9, under the title “Light Spectra Shape Population Structure and the Allocation of Fucoxanthin and Fatty Acids with Secondary Phytohormone Modulation in Tisochrysis lutea.”
대외홍보센터 (2026-07-20)조회수 61
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Yang-Won Lee | Selected to Lead KRW 7 Billion R&D Project by the Korea AeroSpace Administration
Pukyong National University Selected to Lead KRW 7 Billion R&D Project by the Korea AeroSpace Administration― Five-Year Project to ‘Advance AI-Based Aerospace Research and Development’― Development of a CubeSat for Marine Environmental Monitoring and Acquisition of Core AI Technologies to Begin in Earnest Pukyong National University (President Sang-Hoon Bae) has been selected as the lead research institution for the Space Technology Innovation Talent Development (R&D)―Advancement of AI-Based Aerospace Research and Development Projects, a major national research and development initiative promoted by the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA). The large-scale national project will receive a total of KRW 7 billion in government R&D funding over five years, from this year through 2030. Through the project, Pukyong National University will lead next-generation research and development integrating AI with space technologies, while cultivating specialized professionals in the field. Professor Yang-Won Lee of the Major of Satellite Information Convergence Engineering at Pukyong National University will serve as the principal investigator. The Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) and space startup Nara Space Technology will participate as partner institutions, forming an industry-academia-research collaboration network. Pukyong National University’s research team will include Professor Yang-Won Lee, along with Professors Chul-Woong Choi, Jin-Soo Kim, Han-Lim Lee, Wook-Gyo Jeong, Joon-Hwa Chi, Moon-Gab Joo, Ji-Yeol Ryu, and other experts in remote sensing, big data, and information and communications technology. The project’s core objective is to establish a Space+AI convergence talent development platform for marine environmental monitoring using CubeSats. The Pukyong National University consortium plans to directly design and manufacture an engineering model of a CubeSat specialized for marine environmental monitoring and secure core AI technologies capable of analyzing satellite-collected data in real time. To achieve this goal, the research team will develop an onboard AI inference engine and FPGA-based real-time image processing technology; marine remote-sensing preprocessing technologies such as atmospheric correction, sunglint removal, reflectance normalization, and spatiotemporal missing-data reconstruction; AI models for deriving marine ecological indicators, including chlorophyll-a, total suspended solids (TSS), colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), and surface currents; and approximately 20 core AI technologies for marine environmental monitoring, including the detection of harmful algal blooms, marine debris, port air pollution, and vessels engaged in illegal fishing. In particular, the consortium plans to apply multimodal AI convergence technologies that combine existing satellite imagery from sources such as Sentinel-2 and PlanetScope with data from its own CubeSat. This approach is expected to improve the quality of low-cost CubeSat data and establish a next-generation foundation for the more precise monitoring and utilization of marine environmental information. Having been selected for the project through competition with leading universities nationwide, the Pukyong National University consortium has demonstrated its research competitiveness in satellite information engineering. Going forward, it plans to lead the development of self-reliant core technologies in aerospace and AI-based remote sensing by developing a CubeSat for marine environmental monitoring and securing foundational AI technologies. The consortium also aims to establish itself as a hub for cultivating interdisciplinary professionals who will lead the New Space era.
대외홍보센터 (2026-07-20)조회수 72
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Wan-Young Chung·Hyun-Ho Shin | Selected for the Ministry of Science and ICT’s Basic Research Laboratory Support Program
Two Pukyong National University Research Teams Selected for the Ministry of Science and ICT’s Basic Research Laboratory Support Program― Teams Led by Professors Wan-Young Chung and Hyun-Ho Shin to Pioneer Future Marine Technology and Climate Change Research― Each Team to Receive KRW 1.5 Billion and Conduct Research Projects over Three YearsTwo research teams from Pukyong National University (President Sang-Hoon Bae) have been selected for the Basic Research Laboratory Support Program (BRL), administered by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea. The teams will conduct research on future technologies in the fields of advanced marine technology and climate change response. The Basic Research Laboratory Support Program is a national research and development initiative designed to foster research groups with world-class capabilities in fundamental research. At Pukyong National University, the research team led by Professor Wan-Young Chung of the Major of Electronic Engineering was selected in the Advanced Research category, while the team led by Professor Hyun-Ho Shin of the Major of Aquaculture and Applied Life Sciences was selected in the Pioneering Research category. Each team will receive KRW 1.5 billion in research funding and carry out its project for three years, from July through June 2029. Professor Wan-Young Chung achieved the distinction of being selected for the program for the second time as principal investigator, following his team’s previous selection in 2020. His research team will undertake the project titled “Development of an AI-Based Underwater Environment-Adaptive Optical Communication Receiver Module with Ultra-High-Sensitivity and High-Speed Dual-Receiver Modes.” The team will develop core next-generation underwater optical communication technologies capable of transmitting data reliably over long distances and at ultra-high speeds, even beneath the ocean surface. Professors Kang-Joon Baek of the Major of Next-Generation Semiconductor Engineering and Sang-Won Hwang of the School of Computer and Artificial Intelligence Engineering at Pukyong National University, along with Professor Myung-Gil Kim of the School of Advanced Materials Science and Engineering at Sungkyunkwan University, will participate in the research. Conventional underwater communication systems have faced significant performance degradation caused by turbidity and changing underwater conditions. To overcome these limitations, the team plans to develop an intelligent receiver module that uses AI to analyze the surrounding environment in real time and automatically optimize the reception method. To achieve this goal, the team will develop a large-area sensor array integrating blue-light-sensitive optical sensors, ultra-high-speed photodiodes, and high-performance CMOS circuitry. It will also implement dual-mode technology that selectively operates in either ultra-high-sensitivity or ultra-high-speed mode depending on environmental conditions. In addition, the researchers plan to build an adaptive receiver system that maintains stable communication despite changes in the underwater environment by applying AI-based non-mechanical beam tracking and precision pointing technologies. Ultimately, the team aims to secure world-class foundational technology by developing an underwater optical communication receiver module with a data transmission speed of approximately 1 Gbps and a communication range exceeding 100 meters. The research outcomes are expected to support real-time, high-speed underwater communication across a wide range of applications, including autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), marine observation, underwater structure management, marine robotics, submarines, and underwater leisure activities. Meanwhile, Professor Hyun-Ho Shin’s research team will conduct a project titled “Impacts of Atmospheric and Rainfall-Borne Microorganisms Entering the Ocean on Coastal Ecosystems in the Era of Climate Change.” The team will investigate how microorganisms transported through the atmosphere enter the ocean via rainfall and affect coastal ecosystems and food webs. It also plans to establish essential baseline data for predicting ecosystem changes driven by climate change. Professors Beom-Soo Park of the Department of Life Science at Hanyang University and Jin-Ho Kim of the Department of Earth and Marine Sciences at Jeju National University will participate in the joint research. As climate change alters precipitation patterns and atmospheric circulation, the movement of microorganisms through rainfall has recently gained increasing attention. However, its effects on marine ecosystems have yet to be fully understood. The research team plans to analyze the diversity of microorganisms and microalgae in rainwater and use molecular biological and ecological techniques to determine their effects on biodiversity and food-web structures in coastal ecosystems. In particular, the study is expected to identify atmospheric transport pathways and rainfall-driven microbial dispersal mechanisms in Northeast Asia, including Korea, thereby establishing essential baseline data for predicting ecosystem changes caused by climate change. New microalgal resources obtained during the research will be systematically preserved and managed through the Korea Marine Microalgae Culture Center (KMCC), located within the College of Fisheries Sciences at Pukyong National University. These resources will serve as essential research materials for studies on biodiversity, climate change response, and the marine bioindustry.
대외홍보센터 (2026-07-20)조회수 67
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Jong-Hoon Kim | Plastic-Biotransforming Microorganisms Discovered from Styrofoam Buoy Debris on the Busan Coast
Pukyong National University research team identifies oxidative biotransformation of polystyrene by EPS buoy debris-derived microorganisms- Three Paenibacillus strains isolated from EPS buoy debris collected from the Busan coast- Oxidation, increased wettability, and structural changes in polystyrene confirmed through multi-analytical approaches- Study published in the international journal Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology A research team led by Professor Jong-Hoon Kim of the Department of Biotechnology at Pukyong National University has isolated microorganisms from discarded styrofoam buoy debris collected along the Busan coast and identified their potential role in the biotransformation of polystyrene plastics. The research team investigated microorganisms inhabiting the surface of weathered expanded polystyrene (EPS) buoy debris collected from the Busan coast and isolated three Paenibacillusstrains, designated BS8-1, BS8-2, and BS11. EPS is widely used in aquaculture buoys and packaging materials due to its light weight and buoyancy, but once released into the marine environment, it can easily fragment and become a major source of microplastics. In this study, the isolated strains were incubated with polystyrene (PS) films for 30 days. The resulting changes were comprehensively analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), water contact angle analysis, thermal analysis, attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H NMR), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), whole-genome sequencing, and transcriptomic profiling. The results showed that all three strains attached to PS films and formed biofilm-like structures. Even after washing, the treated films exhibited surface roughening, pitting, and erosion-like features. Among the three strains, BS8-2 showed the most pronounced changes, including the highest apparent mass loss. In addition, the water contact angle of the PS films decreased after bacterial treatment, while oxygen-associated signals and oxidation-related chemical changes increased, indicating that the plastic surface became more hydrophilic and oxidized. Through whole-genome and transcriptome analyses, the team further confirmed that strain BS8-2 possesses functional traits associated with redox reactions, aromatic-compound processing, transport systems, and cellular adaptation. These findings suggest that the plastisphere, the microbial community formed on marine plastic surfaces, may actively participate in the environmental transformation of plastic materials. Rather than claiming complete degradation or mineralization of plastic, this study provides multi-layered evidence that microorganisms inhabiting coastal EPS buoy debris can induce oxidative biotransformation and partial chemical modification of polystyrene. The findings are significant because they show that marine plastics are not only physically fragmented in the environment, but may also undergo chemical changes through interactions with microorganisms. Professor Jong-Hoon Kim said, “This study shows that coastal EPS buoy debris can serve not only as a source of microplastics, but also as a biological interface where microorganisms and plastic materials interact. By further tracing the origin, environmental fate, and ecotoxicity of plastic transformation products, this research is expected to contribute to risk assessment and management strategies for marine plastic pollution.” The study was published in the international journal Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicologyunder the title “Oxidative surface biodeterioration of polystyrene by plastisphere-derived Paenibacillusstrains from weathered EPS buoy debris.” The journal has an Impact Factor of 12.3and ranks in the top 2.4% in Toxicologyand top 4.4% in Environmental Sciencesaccording to JCR. This work was supported by the National Institute of Biological Resources under the Ministry of Environment.
대외홍보센터 (2026-07-10)조회수 159
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Seung-Wook Kim | Research to Be Presented at ‘ECCV 2026’ in Sweden
Pukyong National University Research Team to Present Two Papers at ‘ECCV 2026’ in Sweden― One of the World’s Most Prestigious International Conferences in Computer Vision― Develops Smartphone Heterogeneous Stereo Image Restoration and 3DGS-Based 3D Style Transfer TechnologiesA research team led by Professor Seung-Wook Kim of the Department of Electronic Engineering at Pukyong National University, in collaboration with researchers from Jeonbuk National University and Konkuk University, will present two research papers in the fields of artificial intelligence and computer vision at ‘The 19th European Conference on Computer Vision (ECCV 2026).’ ECCV 2026, which will be held from September 8 to 12 in Malm？, Sweden, is an internationally recognized conference with global authority in the field of computer vision. The two papers to be presented include research on addressing image blur that occurs in multi-camera smartphone environments, as well as research on 3D content generation that artistically transforms not only the colors of three-dimensional scenes but also their structural forms. The first paper, “A Benchmark for Heterogeneous Stereo Deblurring with Physically- and Epipolar-constrained Cross Attention,” is the result of collaborative research with Konkuk University. It focuses on solving the problem of asymmetric blur that occurs in heterogeneous stereo camera systems, such as the wide-angle and ultra-wide-angle cameras used in smartphones. The research team constructed a dataset based on spatial videos captured with actual smartphones and proposed a neural network architecture that effectively restores blurred images by utilizing clear image information under physical and geometric constraints. Experimental results demonstrated that the proposed method consistently improved performance across a wide range of image restoration models. The second paper, “Geometry-Aware Style Transfer in 3D Gaussian Splatting,” is the result of collaborative research with Jeonbuk National University. It presents a 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS)-based style transfer technique, building on the emerging real-time 3D scene representation technology. Unlike previous studies that primarily focused on changes in color and texture, this research incorporates geometric structures―including depth and object boundaries―along with color information, enabling more immersive and artistically enhanced transformations of three-dimensional scenes. The two studies advance image restoration technology for real-world smartphone imaging environments and 3D content generation technology, respectively. The research is expected to find broad applications in XR content creation, mobile image processing, and immersive media fields such as gaming, film, and the metaverse. Professor Seung-Wook Kim said, “ECCV is one of the three most prestigious international conferences in the field of computer vision. Presenting these papers at ECCV 2026 demonstrates the AI and computer vision research capabilities of the Pukyong National University research team. We will continue to develop core AI technologies that can be applied in real-world industries and content production, while fostering outstanding talent in the field.” Professor Seung-Wook Kim’s research team conducted these studies with support from the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) under grants RS-2025-16067383 and RS-2026-25489106.
대외홍보센터 (2026-06-30)조회수 191
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Won-Doo Jang | Visual-Olfactory Interactions in Augmented Reality Environments Revealed
Pukyong National University-University of Yamanashi Research Team Identifies the Effects of Visual-Olfactory Interactions in Augmented Reality Environments on Emotional Responses- Findings Expected to Advance Immersive Entertainment and Affective Interface Technologies When visual and olfactory stimuli are presented simultaneously in an augmented reality (AR) environment, the interaction between the two sensory modalities has been found to influence users’ emotional responses. A research team comprising doctoral student Ye-Ji Jin and Professor Won-Doo Jang of the Department of Artificial Intelligence Convergence at Pukyong National University, together with Professor Xiaoyang Mao and Professor Masaki Omata of the University of Yamanashi, Japan, investigated how the interaction between visual particle effects and olfactory stimuli in an AR environment affects users’ emotional responses. The team analyzed these effects using electroencephalography (EEG) and questionnaire-based assessments. The results showed that the color and movement direction of particles influenced emotions induced by olfactory information. In particular, positive emotions tended to be enhanced when particles in colors matching the scent were presented together with olfactory stimuli. In contrast, most visual effects were found to lower the accuracy of EEG-based emotion classification, making the emotional signals formed by olfactory stimuli more complex. However, when particles in colors matching the scent moved backward, emotion classification accuracy remained at a level similar to that observed under the olfactory-only condition. This confirmed that an appropriate combination of visual and olfactory information can have a positive effect on emotion recognition. The study is significant in that it analyzed users’ emotional responses and EEG changes in an augmented reality (AR) environment combining olfactory and visual stimuli. The findings suggest that appropriately integrating scent with visual effects could help regulate users’ immersion and emotional experiences in AR environments. The technology is expected to have applications in stress reduction, psychological well-being, therapeutic support systems, immersive entertainment, and affective interface design. The research findings were published this month in the paper “The Effects of Visual？Olfactory Interactions with Moving Particles on EEG-based Emotional Classification in AR Environments” in "IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics", virtual and augmented reality, and user interfaces, ranked in the top 6% (JCR).
대외홍보센터 (2026-06-30)조회수 129
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Do-Jin Lim | Development of an Event-Driven Autonomous Droplet Control System
PKNU Research Team Develops Event-Driven Autonomous Droplet Control System- Research Published in the Prestigious International Journal Sensors & Actuators B: Chemical- Establishes a Foundation for a CCEP-Based Automated 3D Cell Culture Platform A research team led by Professor Do-Jin Lim of the Department of Chemical Engineering at Pukyong National University has developed SEDAR (Self-Evolving Droplet Autonomous Regulation), an event-driven autonomous droplet control system capable of recognizing the state of microscopic droplets and automatically responding without external intervention. Contact Charge Electrophoresis (CCEP)-based digital microfluidic technology has attracted significant attention because it enables the precise movement and manipulation of droplets, offering considerable potential for applications in cell culture, bioanalysis, and laboratory automation platforms. However, conventional systems have largely been confined to laboratory environments, relying on a range of external equipment such as high-voltage power supplies, computers, and cameras. As a result, they have faced limitations in long-term operation and full automation under practical cell-culture conditions. The research team developed a ‘self-contained CCEP’ platform that integrates a portable battery, high-voltage boost module, Raspberry Pi？based control system, camera, and wireless communication functions into a single device. Using this platform, the researchers successfully implemented a portable system capable of operating independently without the need for external equipment and confirmed that it could function stably for extended periods even inside a cell-culture incubator. The team also verified that the system’s remote monitoring capability enables real-time observation and control of cellular conditions within droplets without opening the incubator. Building on their previously developed L-SPAA, a universal droplet-control algorithm, the researchers implemented an event-driven routing function that recognizes the state of droplets and automatically responds accordingly. By employing image-analysis technology, the system was able to identify color changes and the presence of particles within droplets in real time and automatically alter droplet movement paths based on the detected conditions. In addition, the team successfully demonstrated the automatic sorting and collection of droplets containing spheroids, further highlighting the platform’s potential for autonomous biological and biomedical applications. This study is significant in that it greatly expands the potential applications of digital microfluidic technology by integrating the ‘Self-contained CCEP’ platform and ‘Event-driven Routing’ technology into a single system. In particular, the platform provides a foundation for the future development of an automated three-dimensional (3D) cell culture platform based on organoids and spheroids. The researchers noted that the addition of functions such as droplet dispensing, culture medium replacement, and sample sorting and retrieval could further advance the system toward fully automated 3D cell-culture applications. Dr. Seo-Jun Bae, the first author of the study and a postdoctoral researcher, explained, “While the previously developed L-SPAA was a control technology designed to move droplets efficiently, SEDAR is an autonomous platform capable of operating independently within an incubator and performing tasks based on the state of individual droplets.” He added, “Through this research, we have established the foundation for an integrated operational platform that connects droplet-control, culture-medium handling, and sample-recovery technologies, which had previously been developed separately. Moving forward, we plan to expand the system into a comprehensive platform capable of automating the entire process of organoid- and spheroid-based three-dimensional cell culture.” The research findings were published in Sensors & Actuators B: Chemical (Impact Factor: 7.7), a globally recognized international journal ranked within the top 2% of the JCR category for Instruments & Instrumentation, under the title “A Self-Contained Event-Driven Autonomous Routing (SEDAR) CCEP System for Droplet 3D Cell Culture.” The research team led by Professor Do-Jin Lim carried out this study with support from the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) under grant number RS-2026-25477068.
대외홍보센터 (2026-06-19)조회수 187
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Hyun-Ho Shin | Study on Using Microalgae to Suppress Parasites in Farmed Fish ‘Gains Attention’
PKNU Successfully Suppresses Parasites in Farmed Fish Using a Newly Discovered Korean Microalga- Research Team Led by Professor Hyun-Ho Shin Confirms Inhibitory Effects Against Parasitic Ciliates in Olive Flounder Professor Hyun-Ho Shin of the Division of Fisheries Life Sciences (Major in Aquaculture Applied Life Science) at Pukyong National University and a research team led by Professor Min-Jae Kim of the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology(KIOST) School have demonstrated the potential of using marine microalgae as an environmentally friendly method for controlling scuticociliatosis, one of the most serious diseases affecting the aquaculture industry. Through their collaborative research, the research team discovered that Fukuyoa koreensis, a benthic dinoflagellate species, can effectively inhibit the proliferation of Miamiensis avidus, a parasitic ciliate responsible for significant losses in olive flounder aquaculture farms. Notably, Fukuyoa koreensis is a newly identified microalgal species first reported to the world from Korean coastal waters by Professor Shin’s research team. The species name “koreensis” reflects its Korean origin. The study is considered highly significant from both academic and industrial perspectives, as it demonstrates how a marine biological resource discovered in Korea can be developed into a practical disease-control technology for the aquaculture sector. Scuticociliatosis is a disease caused by the parasitic ciliate Miamiensis avidus and is recognized as one of the most devastating diseases affecting olive flounder aquaculture, often resulting in mass mortality events. At present, fish farms primarily rely on chemical treatments and aquaculture management practices to control outbreaks, while antibiotics are sometimes used to prevent secondary bacterial infections. However, growing concerns over drug resistance and environmental residues have highlighted the need for environmentally friendly and sustainable disease-control technologies. To address this challenge, the research team compared the antiparasitic effects of 13 microalgal species isolated from Korean coastal waters. The results showed that Fukuyoa koreensis exhibited the strongest inhibitory activity against the parasite among all species tested. Notably, the researchers found that not only the microalgal cells themselves but also the cell-free filtrate obtained from the culture medium effectively suppress parasite growth. The inhibitory effect remained significant even under diluted conditions, demonstrating the robustness of the bioactive compounds produced by the microalga. The team also evaluated the safety of the treatment using olive flounder juveniles. No obvious abnormal behavior or signs of acute toxicity were observed in the treated fish. Although increased expression of several stress-related genes was detected, the overall results indicated a high level of safety, supporting the potential application of this technology in commercial aquaculture operations. The researchers believe that the antiparasitic activity is likely attributable to bioactive compounds or toxin-like substances secreted by Fukuyoa koreensis. Future studies will focus on identifying these active compounds and elucidating their mechanisms of action. The team also plans to advance the technology into a sustainable and environmentally friendly aquaculture solution through the development of mass-cultivation techniques and further commercialization research. The study is particularly significant because it demonstrates that the allelopathic effects of a benthic dinoflagellate can be utilized to control parasites affecting farmed fish. By presenting a novel biological control strategy capable of reducing reliance on antibiotics and chemical treatments, the research offers a promising pathway toward the development of a more sustainable and environmentally responsible aquaculture industry. Professor Hyun-Ho Shin stated, “This study demonstrates that a microalgal resource discovered in Korea can be utilized for the control of aquatic diseases. We expect the findings to contribute not only to the development of environmentally friendly aquaculture technologies but also to the expanded industrial utilization of marine biological resources.” The research findings were published on June 15 in 'Aquaculture Reports', an international journal in the field of aquaculture ranked within the top 10% of journals in the JCR category, under the title “Inhibitory Effects of Cells and Culture Filtrate of the Epiphytic Dinoflagellate Fukuyoa koreensis on the Parasitic Ciliate Miamiensis avidus.” The study was supported by the “Development of Marine Biotoxin Production and Functional Utilization Technologies” program funded by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.
대외홍보센터 (2026-06-19)조회수 149
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Ji-Soo Jang | Accelerate Development of Next-Generation AI Vision Sensors
PKNU and Korea Institute of Science and Technology Develop Two-Dimensional Metal Electrode Technology to Accelerate Next-Generation AI Vision Sensor Implementation - Research Achievement by Professor Ji-Soo Jang of Pukyong National University and Drs. Do-Kyung Hwang and Hyo-Won Moon of KIST - Paper Published in International Journal 'Materials Science and Engineering R: Reports' A joint research team from Pukyong National University and the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) has identified two-dimensional (2D) metal electrodes as a key factor determining the performance of next generation 2D semiconductor devices. Leveraging this discovery, the team successfully demonstrated both high-performance optoelectronic devices and In-sensor computing functionality. The findings are expected to provide a new technological pathway toward the realization of next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) vision sensors, which are designed to capture and process visual information in a manner similar to the human visual system. A joint research team consisting of Professor Ji-Soo Jang of the Department of Display and Semiconductor Engineering at Pukyong National University, and Dr. Do-Kyung Hwang (a faculty-affiliated professor at the KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University) and Dr. Hyo-Won Moon of the Quantum Technology Research Center, Center for Next-Generation Semiconductor Research, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), has developed a technology for designing a new optoelectronic device architecture utilizing two-dimensional (2D) metal electrodes. The research findings were published online on June 1 in a leading international journal in the field of materials science, Advanced Materials 'Materials Science and Engineering R: Reports' (IF=26.8). Two-dimensional semiconductors are emerging materials composed of ultrathin structures, only a few atomic layers thick and are considered promising candidates for applications in next-generation low-power electronic devices and artificial intelligence vision systems. However, defects formed at the interface where 2D semiconductors come into contact with electrodes, along with the phenomenon known as Fermi-level pinning, have long been recognized as major obstacles limiting device performance. To overcome these limitations, the research team designed a variety of optoelectronic device architectures incorporating different two-dimensional metal electrodes and systematically compared and analyzed how electrode characteristics influence optoelectronic performance. The study demonstrated that, unlike conventional bulk metal electrodes, 2D metal electrodes do not damage the surface of 2D semiconductors and instead form an almost defect-free, ideal interface. Furthermore, through photoluminescence measurements and temperature-dependent electrical characterization, the researchers confirmed that both interface defects and Fermi-level pinning effects between the 2D metal electrodes and WS₂ (tungsten disulfide) semiconductor were effectively suppressed. In addition, by applying various types of 2D metal electrodes to optoelectronic devices and conducting systematic experiments, the researchers identified the work function of the electrode as a critical factor governing photodetection performance. In particular, when chlorine (Cl)-doped two-dimensional tin diselenide (Cl-SnSe₂), a 2D metal with a high work function, was used as the electrode material, the photodetector achieved outstanding performance, exhibiting a linear dynamic range (LDR) of 135 dB and a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 13.6%. Building on these results, the team further demonstrated In-sensor Computing, a technology that enables image information to be processed directly within the sensor itself, using the newly developed high-efficiency optoelectronic devices. Experimental results showed that devices employing 2D metal electrodes delivered significantly superior image-processing capabilities compared with conventional devices based on traditional bulk metal electrodes. Professor Ji-Soo Jang, the principal investigator of the study, stated, “This research systematically demonstrates how the work function of two-dimensional metal electrodes determines the optoelectronic characteristics of devices. We expect the findings to be widely applicable to a range of future technologies, including artificial intelligence vision systems, next-generation low-power optical sensors, and edge computing platforms.” Meanwhile, the research was supported by the New Faculty Research Grant Program of Pukyong National University, as well as the KIST Institutional Program and the Mid-Career Researcher Program funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT.
대외홍보센터 (2026-06-19)조회수 175
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Gyun Huh | ‘Study on Cognitive Biases in Shy Adolescents’ Published in International Journal
“Adolescents with Higher Levels of Shyness Tend to Interpret Ambiguous Social Situations More Negatively” - PKNU Research on Cognitive Biases in Shy Adolescents Published in International Journal Research has found that adolescents with higher levels of shyness are more likely to interpret ambiguous social situations negatively not only when experiencing negative or neutral emotional states, but also under positive emotional conditions. A research team consisting of Ph.D. candidate Feng Zhang from the Department of Educational Consulting at the Graduate School of Pukyong National University, Professor Gyun Huh of the same department, and Research Professor Soon-An Hyun of Sunchon National University reported these findings in their paper titled “Online Interpretation Bias in Shy Adolescents Across Emotional Valence Conditions.” The study explores social cognition and emotional processing patterns among adolescents. The paper is scheduled for publication in 'Advances in Cognitive Psychology' Volume 22, Issue 2 (June 2026), an SSCI-indexed international journal. The journal publishes research on human cognitive processes, including cognitive psychology, emotional processing, attention, memory, and social cognition. The study is particularly noteworthy in that it experimentally investigated the relationship between adolescent shyness and online interpretation bias under different emotional conditions. The research examined how adolescents with varying levels of shyness interpret ambiguous social cues and whether these interpretation patterns differ depending on emotional conditions such as happiness, neutrality, and anger. To conduct the study, the researchers administered a shyness scale assessment to middle school students and classified participants into high-shyness and low-shyness groups. They then analyzed response times and interpretation acceptance rates using an online interpretation bias task developed on the E-Prime 2.0 platform. The analysis revealed that adolescents with higher shyness scores were more likely than their less shy peers to adopt negative interpretations of ambiguous social situations, accept negative meanings more quickly, and take longer to reject negative interpretations. In contrast, no statistically significant differences were found between the two groups with regard to positive interpretation bias. Based on these findings, the researchers explained that the social difficulties experienced by highly shy adolescents may not simply stem from passivity or reserved behavior but may instead be associated with a stable cognitive processing tendency to interpret ambiguous social information as threatening or negative. The fact that negative interpretation bias persisted even under positive emotional conditions further suggests that educational and counseling interventions for highly shy adolescents should focus not only on fostering positive emotions, but also on directly reducing and restructuring negative interpretive schemas. Professor Gyun Huh stated, “This study employed experimental psychological methods to identify the social-cognitive characteristics of shy adolescents and may provide important evidence for adolescent counseling and support programs aimed at helping students adapt to school life. In particular, publication in an SSCI-indexed international journal demonstrates the potential for broader international expansion of educational research on adolescent emotions and cognition.” Meanwhile, Ph.D. candidate Feng Zhang has been devoted to research since coming to Pukyong National University from China through the university’s ‘Global PKNU Graduate Degree Program for Faculty and Staff of Overseas Universities.’ Currently pursuing a doctoral degree in the Department of Educational Consulting at the Graduate School of Pukyong National University, Feng Zhang is also affiliated with L？liang University in China, where he continues to conduct research in the fields of adolescent development, emotional processing, and educational psychology. With support from the 2025 PhiNX Protected Academic Disciplines Graduate Student Research Scholarship Program, Zhang published a paper in the KCI-indexed journal Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education and has continued to build a strong research record, publishing a total of three KCI-indexed papers to date. Research Professor Soon-An Hyun earned a Ph.D. in Education from the Department of Educational Consulting at the Graduate School of Pukyong National University and has since been conducting research as a research professor at Sunchon National University. Her work has focused on educational technology, AI in education, educational assessment, and adolescent cognition and emotional development. In the present study, she contributed to the theoretical and empirical interpretation of the structural relationship between adolescent shyness and interpretation bias. In addition, Soon-An Hyun was recently selected as a recipient of the 2026 Humanities and Social Sciences Research Professor Program funded by the National Research Foundation of Korea. Under this program, she will carry out research with five years of support as a research professor at the Institute of Fisheries and Marine Education at Pukyong National University, directed by Professor Hyo-Heon Won. Professor Gyun Huh, who supervised the study, has conducted extensive research in the fields of educational technology, AI-based education, big data analytics, and advanced quantitative research methodologies, while continuously mentoring graduate students and early-career researchers in publishing their work in both international and domestic academic journals. The achievement is regarded as a notable example of the research capabilities and global competitiveness of Pukyong National University in adolescent educational psychology, reflecting the collaborative strengths of the university’s Department of Fisheries and Marine Industry Education (Chair: Professor Tae-Ho Lee), as well as the graduate programs in the Department of Educational Consulting and the Department of Fisheries and Marine Human Resource Development.
대외홍보센터 (2026-06-19)조회수 162
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Yoon-Tae Kim | Research on Landslides Published in Leading International Journals
Pukyong National University Research Team Publishes Consecutive Studies in Landslides- Research achievements by Dr. Chang-Ho Song, Ph.D. candidate Ho-Hong-Duy Nguyen, and Professor Yoon-Tae KimResearch conducted by a team from Pukyong National University (President Sang-Hoon Bae)―comprising Dr. Chang-Ho Song of the Smart Infrastructure Technology Research Institute, Ph.D. candidate Ho-Hong-Duy Nguyen of the Department of Ocean Engineering, and Professor Yoon-Tae Kim of the Department of Ocean Engineering―has been consecutively published in the May issue of 'Landslides', one of the world’s leading international journals in the fields of landslide science and geotechnical engineering. The research was carried out as part of the Marine Urban Disaster Mitigation Technology Education and Research Team, which is supported through the BK21 FOUR Program funded by the Ministry of Education. The team published two papers: “Physically Based Data-Driven Analysis for Large-Scale Investigation of the July 2025 Rainfall-Induced Landslide in Sancheong, South Korea” and “Deep Neural Network Framework for Predicting Debris Flow Entrainment Growth Rate in Diverse Terrain Conditions.” The first paper was authored by Ph.D. candidate Ho-Hong-Duy Nguyen as the first author, with Dr. Chang-Ho Song serving as a co-author, while the second paper was led by Dr. Chang-Ho Song as the first author, with Ho-Hong-Duy Nguyen participating as a co-author. Professor Yoon-Tae Kim served as the corresponding author for both studies. is a globally recognized international journal representing the fields of landslide science, debris flow research, slope failure analysis, and geohazard engineering. It is widely regarded as one of the top-ranked journals in geotechnical engineering according to the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) published by Clarivate Analytics. The first study presents a large-scale landslide investigation methodology that integrates physics-based analysis with data-driven analytical techniques to examine the rainfall-induced landslide that occurred in Sancheong County, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea, in July 2025. By comprehensively considering slope instability mechanisms caused by rainfall infiltration together with topographic and geotechnical characteristics, the research team was able to effectively analyze the actual behavior and triggering mechanisms of the landslide event. The second paper developed a deep neural network-based framework for predicting the entrainment growth rate of debris flows under a wide range of terrain conditions. By integrating artificial intelligence-driven analytical techniques with information on topographic, hydrological, and geotechnical characteristics, the research team proposed a methodology capable of quantitatively predicting how debris flows increase in size and volume as they travel downslope. The researchers expect that these studies will contribute to the development of foundational technologies for more accurate prediction and response to landslides and debris-flow hazards in an era characterized by increasingly frequent extreme rainfall events and compound disasters driven by climate change. Professor Yoon-Tae Kim stated, “As climate change continues to increase the risk of geotechnical disasters such as landslides and debris flows, we plan to further advance the development of high-precision disaster prediction and response technologies through research that combines physics-based analytical approaches with artificial intelligence technologies.”
대외홍보센터 (2026-06-19)조회수 125
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Gyun Heo | AI Evaluation System Research Published in an International Journal
“AI Evaluation Systems Reduce Teacher Authority but Strengthen Teacher？Student Collaboration”- Pukyong National University research team publishes findings in an international journal A new study has found that while AI-based evaluation systems reduce teachers’ authority in assessment, they also strengthen collaborative relationships between teachers and students. A research team consisting of Yuan Peng, a doctoral student in the Department of Educational Consulting at the Graduate School of Pukyong National University, Gyun Heo, Professor at Pukyong National University, and Soon-An Hyun, Research Professor at Sunchon National University, published these findings in the paper titled “Reconstructing Teacher？Student Relationship in AI-Based Assessment Systems: Authority Transfer or Collaborative Evolution?” The paper was published in the April issue of the international journal [ksii transactions on internet and information systems(tiis)] [tiis] is an SCIE-indexed international journal in the fields of internet and information systems, and the study was included in the journal’s special issue titled ‘Generative AI Service Limitations & Improvement Technologies.’ The study empirically analyzed how AI-based evaluation systems change the relationship between teachers and students. The research team conducted a survey of 462 university students in Shaanxi Province, China, and used a structural equation model to examine the relationships among the use of AI evaluation systems, perceptions of teacher authority, and perceptions of teacher？student collaboration. Meanwhile, doctoral student Yuan Peng of the research team has devoted herself to research since coming to Pukyong National University from China through the ‘Global PKNU Overseas University Faculty and Staff Graduate Degree’ Program. Following her receipt of the Outstanding Paper Award at the 2024 Fall Conference of the Korean Society for Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education for her study titled “Construction of a Language Laboratory Based on Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality Technologies,” she also published a paper in the KCI-indexed journal Journal of with support from the 2025 PhiNX Protected Academic Fields Graduate Student Research Encouragement Scholarship Program. To date, she has continuously produced research achievements, including the publication of three KCI papers. Research Professor Soon-An Hyun earned a doctoral degree in education from the Department of Educational Consulting at the Graduate School of Pukyong National University and has since been conducting research in the fields of educational technology, AI education, and educational assessment while serving as a research professor at Sunchon National University. In this study, she contributed to the theoretical and empirical interpretation of structural changes in teacher？student relationships within AI-based educational environments. Professor Gyun Heo, who supervised the study, has conducted research centered on educational technology, AI-based education, big data analysis, and advanced quantitative research methodologies, while continuously mentoring graduate students and early-career researchers in publishing papers in both international and domestic academic journals. This achievement is regarded as a case demonstrating the AI education research capabilities and global research competitiveness of Pukyong National University’s Department of Fisheries and Marine Industry Education at the undergraduate level, as well as the graduate school’s Department of Educational Consulting and Department of Fisheries and Marine Human Resources Development.
대외홍보센터 (2026-05-13)조회수 310
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Young-Mok Kim | Human-Derived Postbiotics to Be Used as Food Packaging Materials
Human Gut-Derived Postbiotics Draw Attention as Next-Generation Food Packaging Materials- Research achievement by the team of Professor Young-Mok Kim at Pukyong National University … proven effects in maintaining refrigerated salmon freshness as well as antibacterial and antioxidant properties- Published in the international journal
대외홍보센터 (2026-05-13)조회수 272in the field of chemical engineeringA research team led by Young-Mok Kim, Professor of the Major in Food Science and Engineering at Pukyong National University, has developed an active packaging film for food packaging using human gut-derived lactic acid bacteria metabolites (postbiotics). The study was conducted by Geum-Jae Jeong, Ph.D. at the Marine Bionics Convergence Technology Center of Pukyong National University, and Ye-Hyun Jo, a master’s student in the Interdisciplinary Program in Blue Food Convergence (co-first authors), together with Professor Young-Mok Kim (corresponding author) of the Major in Food Science and Engineering. The team published the paper titled ‘Chitooligosaccharide/Polyvinyl Alcohol Films Incorporated with Human Gut-Derived Postbiotics for Active Food Preservation.’ This study has been accepted for publication in the June 2026 issue of the internationally renowned journal Chemical Engineering Journal (IF 13.2, top 3% in JCR) in the field of chemical engineering. In this research, the team developed a next-generation active food packaging material by producing a composite film based on chitooligosaccharide (COS) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) incorporated with human gut-derived postbiotics, thereby imparting antibacterial and antioxidant functions. In particular, the composite film demonstrated its potential as a functional packaging platform by effectively incorporating postbiotics while maintaining excellent mechanical strength, biocompatibility, and stability. Because postbiotics do not use live microbial strains, they offer advantages over conventional probiotic-based materials, including greater safety and storage stability. In addition, their relatively simple production process makes them more suitable for mass production and industrial applications. The research team conducted verification experiments using refrigerated salmon and found that the film effectively suppressed microbial growth during storage while delaying lipid oxidation and protein degradation, demonstrating outstanding effects in maintaining the freshness and quality of the salmon. These findings show that the postbiotics incorporated into the packaging film can perform practical preservation functions even under refrigerated distribution conditions. This study was carried out in collaboration with the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) and is significant in that it presents a next-generation food packaging technology that overcomes the limitations of live bacteria-based functional materials while simultaneously ensuring safety, economic feasibility, and practicality. The technology is expected to be widely applied in the development of eco-friendly, high-functional packaging materials for fisheries products and fresh foods in the future. Meanwhile, this research was supported by the University-Focused Research Institute Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea and the Marine Blue Tech Future Leader Training Project of the Korea Institute of Marine Science & Technology Promotion (KIMST).
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Nam-Hyung Kim | Next-Generation All-Solid-State Battery Research
Extending Both Lifespan and Output of High-Nickel Cathodes for Next-Generation All-Solid-State Batteries- Joint research achievement by Pukyong National University and the Korea Institute of Energy Research- Published in 'Energy Storage Materials', a top 5% international journal in materials scienceA new particle design technology that simultaneously improves both the lifespan and output performance of high-nickel cathodes for next-generation all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries is drawing attention. A research team led by Nam-Hyung Kim, Professor of the Department of Materials System Engineering at Pukyong National University, and a team led by Hyeon-Yeon Cha, Senior Researcher at the Korea Institute of Energy Research, successfully secured both the lifespan and output performance of high-nickel cathodes for all-solid-state batteries through a “multi-scale structural design strategy” that simultaneously designs the nano- and micro-scale structures of particles. Recently, research on next-generation all-solid-state batteries for realizing high-energy-density batteries, which are essential for electric vehicles and large-scale energy storage systems, has been actively advancing. However, limitations in stability and performance have remained a major challenge. The research team focused on the issue of rapid performance degradation when applying NCM (lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide, LiNi？.？Co？.₁Mn？.₁O) cathode materials to all-solid-state batteries. The study found that while the same cathode material operates without issue in conventional liquid electrolyte environments, its capacity decreases by approximately 20% and reactions within the electrode and particles become uneven when applied to all-solid-state batteries using sulfide-based solid electrolytes. Conventional polycrystalline high-nickel cathode particles in all-solid-state batteries were unable to achieve sufficient structural changes during the lithium insertion and extraction process in charge？discharge cycles, making it difficult to realize optimal capacity and causing non-uniform reactions, in which only some particles actively reacted. In particular, under the high pressure essential for all-solid-state batteries, limitations arose as particle cracking and uneven contact with the solid electrolyte created large amounts of “dead zones,” where reactions could not occur inside the electrode. To solve this issue, the research team proposed a “multi-scale structural design strategy” that simultaneously controls both nano- and micro-scale structures. First, they synthesized high-nickel NCM with artificially introduced twin-boundary defects inside the cathode particles, securing internal pathways that allow faster lithium-ion transport. In addition, instead of the conventional secondary particle structure, in which multiple primary particles are clustered together at the micro scale, the team introduced single-crystal high-nickel NCM, where the entire particle consists of a single crystal. This approach takes advantage of the fact that the single-crystal structure has almost no grain boundaries inside the particle, preventing microcracks even under high-pressure conditions and enabling the long-term maintenance of both particle shape and electrode structure. When the research team evaluated high-nickel cathodes for all-solid-state batteries using this technology under actual all-solid-state battery conditions, the single-crystal NCM showed an initial discharge capacity of approximately 197 mAh/g and maintained more than 90% of its capacity even after 100 charge-discharge cycles. This demonstrates a lifespan comparable to that of conventional liquid electrolyte batteries. Professor Nam-Hyung Kim stated, “This study is significant in that it presents a new cathode structure design paradigm optimized for all-solid-state battery environments. Such a multi-scale materials design strategy will serve as an important guideline for the future development of commercial cathodes for next-generation all-solid-state batteries.” The research findings were published in the paper titled “Synergistic Nano-Micro Structuring Boosts High-Ni Cathode Performance for All-Solid-State Lithium-Ion Batteries” in 'Energy Storage Materials', an international journal ranked in the top 5% of the materials science field.
대외홍보센터 (2026-05-04)조회수 433
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Min-Sung Ko·Soo-Jong Chae | Development of Innovative Technology for Recycling Spent Secondary Batteries
Pukyong National University and Chung-Ang University Develop Eco-Friendly Innovative Technology for Recycling Spent Secondary Batteries with a 99% Metal Recovery Rate- Joint research achievement by the teams of Professors Min-Sung Ko, Soo-Jong Chae, and Hae-Sung Jang- Published in the international journal Energy & Environmental MaterialsA joint research team from Pukyong National University and Chung-Ang University has developed an innovative technology for recycling spent secondary batteries that enables the recovery of valuable metals without the use of external reducing agents. This technology is expected to provide a new solution to the growing problem of spent secondary battery disposal, driven by the rapid expansion of electric vehicle (EV) adoption. The joint research team led by Min-Sung Ko, Professor of the Major in Metallurgical Engineering, and Soo-Jong Chae, Professor of the Major in Energy and Chemical Materials Engineering at Pukyong National University, along with Hae-Sung Jang, Professor of the Major in Advanced Materials Engineering at Chung-Ang University, developed the “Simplified Direct Carbothermic Reduction (SDCR)” technology. The research findings were published in the March 2026 issue of
대외홍보센터 (2026-05-04)조회수 296(IF = 14.1), a world-renowned journal in the field of energy and environmental materials. The SDCR technology developed by the research team differs from conventional spent battery recycling methods by using the carbon components inherently contained in waste electrodes to directly reduce and recover valuable metals. Previously, recycling spent secondary batteries required complex pretreatment processes and the use of external chemical substances. Currently commercialized hydrometallurgy and pyrometallurgy processes involve burdens such as high-temperature calcination, the generation of hazardous gases and waste acids, and the need for large-scale facilities, resulting in significant environmental pollution and high costs. Because of these structural limitations, concerns have often been raised about the practical efficiency of secondary battery recycling. The SDCR method utilizes the carbon components contained in conductive materials and binders inside the electrode as an internal reducing agent. This technology makes it possible to simultaneously carry out reduction and metal recovery while maintaining the original physical structure of the waste electrode without destruction. In addition, compared to conventional pyrometallurgical processes that require high-temperature calcination, this method can operate at lower temperatures, significantly reducing energy consumption. This greatly enhances its industrial applicability, as it can maximize recycling efficiency while reducing environmental burdens. In experiments applying the SDCR process to spent lithium secondary batteries, the research team recorded high recovery rates of 99.5% for cobalt and 98.6% for lithium. Compared to conventional hydrometallurgical processes, energy consumption decreased by approximately 73%, while greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by about 41%. These figures demonstrate that the technology has secured strong competitiveness in both environmental sustainability and economic efficiency. Professor Min-Sung Ko stated, “The core of this technology lies in achieving recycling by inducing reduction using only the internal components of spent batteries, without the use of separate reducing agents or hazardous chemicals. We expect this technology to be widely applied to the recycling of various types of lithium secondary batteries and to become an important turning point in establishing a sustainable resource circulation system.” Meanwhile, this research was conducted with support from the Basic Research Laboratory Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea and the Materials and Components Technology Development Program of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
