Seoul National University · Materials Science
Professor Seung-Yeop Kwak's research lab specializes in the design and fabrication of advanced functional materials for environmental and energy applications. Key research directions include the development of novel thin-film composite membranes for water purification, with a focus on enhancing permeability and anti-fouling properties through nanomaterial integration. The lab also pioneers the synthesis of mesoporous and quantum-sized materials—such as TiO₂, hematite, magnetite, and carbon quantum dots—for efficient photocatalytic degradation of pollutants and improved performance in separation processes. Additionally, the group explores sustainable polymer additives, exemplified by phthalate-free plasticizers for flexible PVC, reflecting a commitment to green chemistry and materials innovation.
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
Hybrid organic/inorganic reverse osmosis (RO) membranes composed of aromatic polyamide thin films underneath titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanosized particles have been fabricated by a self-assembly process, aiming at breakthrough of biofouling problems. First, positively charged particles of the colloidal TiO2 were synthesized by a sol-gel process, and the diameter of the resulting particles in acidic aqueous solution was estimated to be approximately 2 nm by analyzing the UV-visible absorption chara
Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) and mesoporous hematite (α-Fe2O3) complex photocatalysts were successfully prepared using a facile solvent-thermal process in an aqueous solution. Mesostructured α-Fe2O3 clusters with a high surface area and a porous framework were an important consideration in the design of the photocatalysts because such structures enhance the absorption of photons and promote the decomposition of organic pollutants. More significantly, the CQDs in this catalyst play a pivotal role i
The present paper explores the role of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) used as an additive to modify the morphological as well as the molecular nature of aromatic polyamide during the formation of thin-film-composite (TFC) membranes. In addition, it elucidates the mechanism of enhancing the reverse osmosis (RO) permeation of the resulting membranes in proportion to the addition of DMSO. Morphological studies by atomic force microscopy (AFM) observed that as the concentration of DMSO increased, the sur
In the present article, some new events on the surface morphology of the aromatic polyamide thin-film-composite (TFC) membranes were demonstrated in conjunction with their inherent chemical nature. In addition, the detailed, quantitative understanding of the microscopic surface features was shown to be essential in controlling the water permeability and eventually developing the high performance membranes. The surface roughness and the surface area were mainly affected by the existence or nonexi
Spherical mesoporous magnetite (Fe3O4) aggregates with a wormhole-like pore structure were successfully synthesized for the first time using a single iron precursor (iron(III) ethoxide) and an amphiphilic poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(propylene oxide)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) triblock copolymer (PEO100–PPO65–PEO100) as a soft template. In this synthesis, the interaction between the iron precursor and the triblock copolymer self-assemblies in ethanol leads to the assembly of magnetite nanocry
We developed a plasticizer composed of alkyl terminal hyperbranched polyglycerol (alkyl-HPG) for the production of non-toxic, phthalate-free flexible poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC).
An iron-based metal-organic framework, MIL-53(Fe), was synthesized via the simple sonochemical method, which is a facial and fast strategy, and their adsorption performance for organic contaminants removal from aqueous solutions was studied. The crystal structure and morphology analysis indicate that the sonochemical synthesis of MIL-53(Fe) particles was faster than the solvothermal preparation method, showing high crystallinity with a downsized hexagonal bipyramid shape. Furthermore, the prepar
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