Yong Ju Yun
Pohang University of Science and Technology · 化学工学
研究室紹介
Professor Yong Ju Yun's research lab specializes in surface science and heterogeneous catalysis, with a strong focus on enantioselective processes at chiral interfaces. The lab investigates the fundamental mechanisms of enantiospecific adsorption and surface reactions of chiral molecules—particularly amino acids—on naturally chiral metal surfaces such as Cu{3,1,17}(R&S). By combining advanced experimental techniques like isotopic labeling and temperature-programmed desorption with DFT-based modeling, the group uncovers the role of surface chirality, metal-support interactions, and molecular aggregation in enantioselective transformations. A key research direction involves designing and optimizing transition metal catalysts (e.g., Ru and Pt-based) for sustainable chemical processes, including ammonia decomposition and enantioselective hydrogenation.
Research Overview
Research Output Trend
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Selected Papers
15Unequivocal evidence of enantioselective, equilibrium separation of a racemic mixture on a naturally chiral metal surface is presented for the first time. The enantioselectivity is much higher than that of chiral molecules on mineral surfaces. Furthermore, the quantitative nature of the 13C labeling method provides the first direct measure of an enantiospecific adsorption energy difference on a chiral metal surface. As a service to our authors and readers, this journal provides supporting inform
Gas-phase equilibrium adsorption of D- and L-serine (Ser) mixtures and D- and L-phenylalanine (Phe) mixtures has been studied on the naturally chiral Cu{3,1,17}(R&S) surfaces. (13)C labeling of the l enantiomers (*L-Ser and *L-Phe) has enabled mass spectrometric enantiodiscrimination of the species desorbing from the surface following equilibrium adsorption. On the Cu{3,1,17}(R&S) surfaces, both equilibrium adsorption and the thermal decomposition kinetics of the D and *L enantiomers exhibit dia
The development of highly efficient Ru-based catalysts for NH3 decomposition is necessary to enable the utilization of NH3 as a COx-free H2 carrier. Modulation of the interactions between the basic support materials and Ru particles significantly enhances the performance of Ru-based catalysts for NH3 decomposition. In this study, the strong metal–support interaction (SMSI) interface between the BaCeO3 perovskite support and Ru particles was controlled by yttrium (Y) doping in the range of 0–20 m
Equilibrium adsorption of gas phase mixtures of d - and l -alanine (Ala) onto the naturally chiral Cu{3,1,17} R&S surfaces has been studied by both experiment and DFT-based modeling. Isotopically labeled * l -Ala (HO 2 13 CCH(NH 2 )CH 3 ) and unlabeled d -Ala allow mass spectrometric enantiodifferentiation of the adsorbed species during temperature-programmed decomposition, following equilibrium adsorption. Measurements of the relative equilibrium coverages of d - and * l -Ala on the Cu{3,1,17}
The enantiospecific adsorption of enantiomer mixtures on surfaces is dictated by two competing forces: the enantiospecificity of adsorption energetics and the propensity of enantiomers to aggregate into homochiral (conglomerate) or heterochiral (racemate) clusters. These phenomena have been studied by measuring the surface enantiomeric excess, ee s, of chiral amino acid mixtures adsorbed on Cu single-crystal surfaces and in equilibrium with gas-phase mixtures of varying enantiomeric excess, ee g
Heterogeneous enantioselective catalysis is considered a promising strategy for the large-scale production of enantiopure chemicals. In this work, polymer-capped Pt nanocatalysts having a uniform size were synthesized using poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) and poly(vinyl alcohol) and supported on γ-Al2O3. After a facile heat treatment process, their catalytic performance for enantioselective hydrogenation of α-keto esters, a structure-sensitive reaction, was investigated. The presence of residual c