Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology · Materials Science
Professor Hong Chul Moon's research lab specializes in the development of advanced functional materials, particularly ion gels based on block copolymers and ionic liquids, for next-generation flexible and wearable electronics. The lab focuses on integrating multiple functionalities—such as electrochromism, electrochemiluminescence, and energy storage—into single, compact, and mechanically robust devices. Key research directions include designing ultrastretchable and transparent ionic conductors, optimizing low-voltage electrochromic and electroluminescent devices, and creating multifunctional systems that combine sensing, actuation, and energy management in one platform. The lab emphasizes molecular engineering of polymer-ionic liquid systems to achieve tunable mechanical, electrical, and optical properties for real-world applications in smart textiles, wearable sensors, and energy-efficient displays.
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
Ion gels composed of a copolymer and a room temperature ionic liquid are versatile solid-state electrolytes with excellent features including high ionic conductivity, nonvolatility, easily tunable mechanical properties, good flexibility and solution processability. Ion gels can be functionalized by incorporating redox-active species such as electrochemiluminescent (ECL) luminophores or electrochromic (EC) dyes. Here, we enhance the functionality of EC gels for realizing multicolored EC devices (
The functionality of ion gels can be enhanced by incorporating different types of redox-active species. Here, we have expanded the functionality of ion gels composed of polystyrene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate)-block-polystyrene and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide to include electrochromism by adding an electrochromic (EC) redox molecule, methyl viologen. Ferrocene was also added to the EC gel as an anodic species. The EC gel was inserted between two indium–tin ox
Ion gels comprising ABA triblock copolymers and ionic liquids have received much attention as functional materials in numerous applications, especially as gate dielectrics in organic transistors. Here we have expanded the functionality of ion gels by demonstrating low-voltage, flexible electrochemiluminescent (ECL) devices using patterned ion gels containing redox-active luminophores. The ECL devices consisted only of a 30 μm thick emissive gel and two electrodes and were fabricated on indium ti
Abstract The primary technology of next‐generation wearable electronics pursues the development of highly deformable and stable systems. Here, nonvolatile, highly transparent, and ultrastretchable ionic conductors based on polymeric gelators [poly(methyl methacrylate‐ ran ‐butyl acrylate), PMMA‐ r ‐PBA] and ionic liquids (IL) are proposed. A crucial strategy in the molecular design of polymer gelators is copolymerization of PMMA and IL‐insoluble low glass transition temperature ( T g ) polymers
Herein, high-performance, reliable electrochromic supercapacitors (ECSs) are proposed based on tungsten trioxide (WO<sub>3</sub>) and nickel oxide (NiO) films. To maximize device performance and stability, the stoichiometric balance between anode and cathode materials is controlled by carefully adjusting the thickness of the anodic NiO film while fixing the thickness of WO<sub>3</sub> to ∼660 nm. Then, a small amount (≤10 mol %) of metal (e.g., copper) is doped into the NiO film, improving the e
Integration of several functionalities into one isolated electrochemical body is necessary to realize compact and tiny smart electronics. Recently, two different technologies, electrochromic (EC) materials and energy storage, were combined to create a single system that supports and drives both functions simultaneously. In EC energy storage devices, the characteristic feature of EC materials, their optical modulation depending on the applied voltage, is used to visually identify the stored energ
Abstract Mechanically robust, highly ionic conductive gels based on a random copolymer of poly[styrene ‐ran‐ 1‐(4‐vinylbenzyl)‐3‐methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate] (P[S ‐r‐ VBMI][PF 6 ]) and the ionic liquid 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([EMI][TFSI]) are successfully prepared. The gels with either homo P[VBMI][PF 6 ] or conventional PS‐ block ‐poly(methyl methacrylate)‐ block ‐PS (SMS) show significant trade‐off between ionic conductivity and mechanical resil
The development of elastic ionic conductors offers opportunities to fabricate key wearable ionic components such as ionoskins that can perceive mechanical deformation. However, there is still plenty of room to overcome the trade-off between sensitivity and detectable range of previous systems and impart additional functionality. Here, we propose porous ion gels for high-performance, functional ionic sensory platforms. The porous ion gels can be effectively deformed by closing pores even with a s
Ion gels consisting of room-temperature ionic liquids and polymer gelators are considered attractive solid-state electrolyte platforms for functional electrochemical applications due to their tunable electrochemical/mechanical properties, nonvolatility even in a vacuum, and compatibility with various solution processes. Accordingly, a number of studies have been reported on improving the functionality of ion gels and their use in diverse applications. In this Perspective, we highlight recent rep
Transparent displays have emerged as a class of cutting-edge electronics. Here, we propose user-customized, design-it-yourself (DIY) transparent displays based on electrochromic (EC) ion gels including viologens. To achieve multiple colors and enhance the functionality of EC displays (ECDs), the incorporation of several EC chromophores is inevitable. However, the issue related to the discrepancy of coloration voltages is inherent due to the different electrochemical characteristics of each mater
We introduced a facile synthetic strategy of coil-rod-coil triblock copolymers containing regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) block via anionic coupling reaction. Two different coil blocks (poly(2-vinylpyridine) (P2VP) and polyisoprene (PI)) were selected. P2VP-b-P3HT-b-P2VP copolymer was synthesized in a polar solvent of tetrahydrofuran, whereas PI-b-P3HT-b-PI copolymer was synthesized in a nonpolar solvent of benzene. For the synthesis of both block copolymers, the chain ends of the P3H
Viologens are one of the most well-known electrochromic (EC) chromophores. In particular, symmetric dialkyl viologens have been widely used in EC devices (ECDs), but suffer from the formation of viologen radical cation dimers that deteriorate device performance. In this work, we propose an effective route to suppress dimer formation through molecularly altering one of the N-substituents. We prepare 1-benzyl-1'-heptyl viologens and find that such asymmetric molecular structures attribute to the s
A facile random copolymer strategy based on poly(styrene-<italic>ran</italic>-methyl methacrylate) (PS-<italic>r</italic>-PMMA) is proposed for the preparation of highly conductive and mechanically elastic solid-state gel electrolytes.
Open papers in the app to read, cite, and organize with AI.
