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Hongseok Yun

Hanyang University · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

About the Lab

Professor Hongseok Yun's research lab specializes in the design, synthesis, and self-assembly of functional nanomaterials, with a focus on nanoparticle-polymer hybrids and their hierarchical organization. The lab investigates the interplay between nanoparticle softness, ligand architecture, and polymer matrix interactions to achieve precise control over nanostructure formation, particularly in confined environments. Key research directions include the tunable self-assembly of gold nanoparticles with stimuli-responsive ligands, the engineering of ordered superlattices, and the development of dynamic, light-responsive materials for smart applications.

nanoparticle self-assemblystimuli-responsive materialspolymer-nanoparticle hybridsordered superlatticesligand engineering

Research Overview

Papers
130
Total Citations
3,691
Papers (5y)
26
Primary Field
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Research Output Trend

Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.

Publications per year (5y)
26total
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Citations per year (5y)
125total
20222023202420252026

Selected Papers

15
1
Article|61 citations·2014
Size- and Composition-Dependent Radio Frequency Magnetic Permeability of Iron Oxide Nanocrystals
Hongseok Yun, Xiyu Liu, Taejong Paik, Duraivelan Palanisamy, Jungkwun Kim, William D. Vogel, A. J. Viescas, Jun Chen, Georgia C. Papaefthymiou, James M. Kikkawa, Mark G. Allen, Christopher B. Murray
SJR Q1ACS Nano

We investigate the size- and composition-dependent ac magnetic permeability of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanocrystals for radio frequency (RF) applications. The nanocrystals are obtained through high-temperature decomposition synthesis, and their stoichiometry is determined by Mössbauer spectroscopy. Two sets of oxides are studied: (a) as-synthesized magnetite-rich and (b) aged maghemite nanocrystals. All nanocrystalline samples are confirmed to be in the superparamagnetic state at room tempe

Materials ChemistryMaterials Science
2
Article|60 citations·2019
Symmetry Transitions of Polymer-Grafted Nanoparticles: Grafting Density Effect
Hongseok Yun, Ji Woong Yu, Young Jun Lee, Jin-Seong Kim, Chan Ho Park, Chongyong Nam, Junghun Han, Tae‐Young Heo, Soo‐Hyung Choi, Doh C. Lee, Won Bo Lee, Gila E. Stein
SJR Q1Chemistry of Materials

We examined the packing structure of polystyrene-coated gold nanoparticles (Au@PS) as a function of grafting density. A series of Au@PS nanoparticles with grafting densities in the range of 0.51–1.94 chains nm–2 were prepared by a ligand exchange process using thiol-terminated PS and then self-assembled at a liquid–air interface. We observed a transition from disordered to body-centered cubic (bcc) to face-centered cubic (fcc) arrangements with increasing grafting density, even though the ligand

Surfaces, Coatings and FilmsMaterials Science
3
Article|58 citations·2020
Softness- and Size-Dependent Packing Symmetries of Polymer-Grafted Nanoparticles
Hongseok Yun, Young Jun Lee, Meng Xu, Doh C. Lee, Gila E. Stein, Bumjoon J. Kim
SJR Q1ACS Nano

Achieving ordered arrays of nanoparticles (NPs) with controlled packing symmetry and interparticle spacing is of great importance to design complex metamaterials. Herein, we report softness- and size-dependent self-assembly behavior of polystyrene-grafted Au NPs (Au@PS NPs). We varied the core size of Au NPs from 1.9 to 9.6 nm and the number-average molecular weight (<i>M</i><sub>n</sub>) of thiol-terminated polystyrene from 1.8 to 7.9 kg mol<sup>-1</sup>. The optimal packing model based on an "

Surfaces, Coatings and FilmsMaterials Science
4
Article|42 citations·2021
Effect of Polymer Ligand Conformation on the Self-Assembly of Block Copolymers and Polymer-Grafted Nanoparticles within an Evaporative Emulsion
Meng Xu, Kang Hee Ku, Young Jun Lee, Tae‐Wan Kim, Jae Man Shin, Eun Ji Kim, Soo‐Hyung Choi, Hongseok Yun, Bumjoon J. Kim
SJR Q1Macromolecules

Precise control of spatial distribution of nanoparticles (NPs) within polymeric materials is critical to build nanostructures with programed functionalities. Herein, we systematically investigate the entropy-driven self-assembly of polystyrene-coated Au NPs (Au@PS NPs) and polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) block copolymers (BCPs) within a 3D-confined emulsion system. To understand the formation principle of the hybrid particles, four different parameters are examined: (1) the m

Materials ChemistryMaterials Science
5
Article|40 citations·2020
Entropy-Driven Assembly of Nanoparticles within Emulsion-Evaporative Block Copolymer Particles: Crusted, Seeded, and Alternate-Layered Onions
Meng Xu, Kang Hee Ku, Young Jun Lee, Jae Man Shin, Eun Ji Kim, Se Gyu Jang, Hongseok Yun, Bumjoon J. Kim
SJR Q1Chemistry of Materials

Hybrid organic/inorganic systems with modulated nanostructures and well-defined morphologies are of great importance to develop novel nanomaterials with tailored functionalities. Herein, we report the tunable assemblies of polystyrene-grafted Au nanoparticles (Au@PS NPs) within onion-like particles of polystyrene-b-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP), controlled by the molecular weight (Mn) of PS ligands. Coassembly of Au@PS and PS-b-P4VP through solvent-evaporative emulsions exhibits dramatic mor

Materials ChemistryMaterials Science
6
Article|38 citations·2021
Light-Active, Reversibly Shape-Shifting Block Copolymer Particles Using Photo-switchable Au Nanoparticle Surfactants
Seung Ho Kwon, Meng Xu, Jinwoo Kim, Eun Ji Kim, Young Jun Lee, Se Gyu Jang, Hongseok Yun, Bumjoon J. Kim
SJR Q1Chemistry of Materials

Dynamic particles with switchable shapes in response to light have attracted great interest to develop programmable smart materials with superior spatial and temporal resolution. Herein, a facile strategy for light-responsive, shape-changing block copolymer (BCP) particles is developed. Key to this strategy is the design of azobenzene-grafted Au nanoparticles (Au@Azo NPs) as photoswitchable surfactants through photoisomerization of Azo ligands. Under visible light, onion-like polystyrene-block-p

Organic ChemistryChemistry
7
Article|34 citations·2017
Impact of size control of graphene oxide nanosheets for enhancing electrical and mechanical properties of carbon nanotube–polymer composites
Jeong-Hwan Kim, Sang Woo Kim, Hongseok Yun, Bumjoon J. Kim
SJR Q1RSC AdvancesOA

The size effects of GOs on the dispersion behavior of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were evaluated, and the GOs were exploited to develop conducting film and polymer-CNT composites with excellent electrical and mechanical properties.

Materials ChemistryMaterials Science
8
Article|31 citations·2021
Fluorescence Switchable Block Copolymer Particles with Doubly Alternate‐Layered Nanoparticle Arrays
Tae‐Wan Kim, Meng Xu, Young Jun Lee, Kang Hee Ku, Do Joong Shin, Doh C. Lee, Se Gyu Jang, Hongseok Yun, Bumjoon J. Kim
SJR Q1Small

The precise self-assembly of block copolymers (BCPs) and inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) under 3D confinement offers microparticles with programmable nanostructures and functionalities. Here, fluorescence-switchable hybrid microspheres are developed by forming doubly alternating arrays of Au NPs and CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) within polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) BCP domains. These doubly alternating arrays afford controlled nonradiative energy transfer (NRET) between the QDs

BiomaterialsMaterials Science
9
Article|17 citations·2016
Alternate current magnetic property characterization of nonstoichiometric zinc ferrite nanocrystals for inductor fabrication via a solution based process
Hongseok Yun, Jungkwun Kim, Taejong Paik, Lingyao Meng, Pil Sung Jo, James M. Kikkawa, Cherie R. Kagan, Mark G. Allen, Christopher B. Murray
SJR Q2Journal of Applied PhysicsOA

We investigate the ac magnetic behavior of solution processable, non-stoichiometric zinc ferrite nanocrystals with a series of sizes and zinc concentrations. Nearly monodisperse ZnxFe3−xO4 nanocrystals (x = 0–0.25) with an average size ranging from 7.4 nm to 13.8 nm are synthesized by using a solvothermal method. All the nanocrystals are in a superparamagnetic state at 300 K, which is confirmed by Superconductive Quantum Interference Device magnetometry. Due to the doping of non-magnetic Zn2+ in

Materials ChemistryMaterials Science
10
Review|15 citations·2019
Colloidal Self-Assembly of Inorganic Nanocrystals into Superlattice Thin-Films and Multiscale Nanostructures
Hongseok Yun, Taejong Paik
SJR Q1NanomaterialsOA

The self-assembly of colloidal inorganic nanocrystals (NCs) offers tremendous potential for the design of solution-processed multi-functional inorganic thin-films or nanostructures. To date, the self-assembly of various inorganic NCs, such as plasmonic metal, metal oxide, quantum dots, magnetics, and dielectrics, are reported to form single, binary, and even ternary superlattices with long-range orientational and positional order over a large area. In addition, the controlled coupling between NC

Materials ChemistryMaterials Science
11
Article|15 citations·2007
EcoProDB: the Escherichia coli protein database
Hongseok Yun, Jeong Wook Lee, Joonwoo Jeong, Jaesung Chung, Jong Myoung Park, Han Na Myoung, Sang Yup Lee
SJR Q1BioinformaticsOA

UNLABELLED: EcoProDB is a web-based database for comparative proteomics of Escherichia coli. The database contains information on E. coli proteins identified on 2D gels along with other resources collected from various databases and published literature, with a special feature of showing the expression levels of E. coli proteins under different genetic and environmental conditions. It also provides comparative information of subcellular localization, theoretical 2D map, experimental 2D map and i

SpectroscopyChemistry
12
Article|14 citations·2024
Icosahedral supracrystal assembly from polymer-grafted nanoparticles via interplay of interfacial energy and confinement effect
Meng Xu, Eun Ji Kim, Young Jun Lee, Hyunsoo Lee, Kyunghyun Jung, Jaeyoung Choi, Shin‐Hyun Kim, YongJoo Kim, Hongseok Yun, Bumjoon J. Kim
SJR Q1Science AdvancesOA

Self-assembly of nanoparticles (NPs) in drying emulsion droplets paves the way for intricate three-dimensional (3D) superstructures, given the myriad of control parameters for fine-tuning assembly conditions. With their substantial energetic dynamics that are acutely responsive to emulsion confinements, polymeric ligands incorporated into a system can enrich its structural diversity. Here, we demonstrate the assembly of soft polymer-grafted NPs into Mackay icosahedrons beyond spherical body-cent

Materials ChemistryMaterials Science
13
Article|14 citations·2005
MFAML: a standard data structure for representing and exchanging metabolic flux models
Hongseok Yun, Dong‐Yup Lee, Joonwoo Jeong, Seung-Hyun Lee, Sang Yup Lee
SJR Q1BioinformaticsOA

SUMMARY: MFAML is a standard data structure designed for the formal representation and effective exchange of metabolic flux models. It allows for the explicit description of stationary states of a metabolic system by defining environmental/genetic conditions of the system, e.g. flux measurements, balancing constraints and physiological objectives as well as basic information on metabolites and reactions. In addition, a library of MFAML comprising a model parser and a converter provides an open f

Molecular BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
14
Article|10 citations·2024
Two‐Regime Conformation of Grafted Polymer on Nanoparticle Determines Symmetry of Nanoparticle Self‐Assembly
Ji Woong Yu, Hongseok Yun, Won Bo Lee, YongJoo Kim
SJR Q1Advanced ScienceOA

One of the key design factors that regulate the properties of grafted nanoparticles (GNPs) and their self-assembly is the conformation of the grafted polymer. On the curved surface of the GNP core, the conformation of the polymer chain is not uniform in the radial direction. The segment is a non-Gaussian chain in the concentrated polymer brush (CPB) regime near the interface between GNP core and grafted polymer, while it is less constrained in the semidilute polymer brush (SDPB) regime near the

Organic ChemistryChemistry
15
Article|8 citations·2025
3D Assembly of Polymer-Grafted Nanoparticles: Soft Confinement for Structural Diversity
Meng Xu, Zhengping Tan, Galim Baek, Gila E. Stein, Hongseok Yun, Bumjoon J. Kim
SJR Q1Macromolecules

Polymer-grafted nanoparticles (PGNPs) combine the flexible conformation and chemical diversity of polymer brushes with the modifiable properties of inorganic cores, offering a versatile platform for constructing advanced nanostructures. Compared to traditional hard NPs, PGNPs show unique assembly behavior driven by their adaptable polymer brush conformations and tunable surface properties. Introducing three-dimensional (3D) soft confinement further expands the structural diversity of PGNP assemb

Organic ChemistryChemistry

Research Areas

Molecular BiologyMaterials ChemistryElectrical and Electronic EngineeringOrganic ChemistryRenewable Energy, Sustainability and the EnvironmentBiomedical Engineering

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