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KAIST Uncovers the “Core Secret” of Energy Reactions—from Phone Charging to Hydrogen Production
<(From Left) Professor Hyungjun Kim, Ph.D candidate Dong Hyun Kim, Ph.D candidate Minho M. Kim, Ph.D candidate Junsic Cho, Professor Chang Hyuck Choi, Professor Seung-Jae Shin>
From smartphone charging to hydrogen production, the fundamental principles of energy technology have been revealed. Korean researchers have, for the first time, identified how molecular structures change within the ultra-small space called the “electric double layer” (a thin interface where the electrode and electrolyte meet; the electrode is a material through which electricity flows, and the electrolyte is a liquid through which ions move), where electrochemical reactions occur. This study opens a new path to simultaneously improve efficiency and performance in battery, hydrogen, and carbon-neutral technologies by reducing energy loss and selectively inducing desired reactions.
KAIST (President Kwang Hyung Lee) announced on the 3rd of May that a research team led by Professor Hyungjun Kim from the Department of Chemistry, in collaboration with Professor Chang Hyuck Choi from POSTECH (President Sung Keun Kim) and Professor Seung-Jae Shin from UNIST (President Jong Rae Park), has identified structural “phase transitions” (phenomena in which the state or arrangement of matter changes) occurring within the electric double layer. In particular, they revealed at the molecular level the cause of the phenomenon in which the pattern of electrical storage capacity (capacitance) changes from a “camel shape” to a “bell shape” depending on electrolyte concentration.
Electrochemical reactions occur within the ultra-small space called the “electric double layer,” where the electrode and electrolyte meet. In the field of electrochemistry, it has long been known that as electrolyte concentration increases, the capacitance curve changes from a “camel shape” with two peaks to a “bell shape” with a single peak, but the underlying cause had remained unexplained at the molecular level.
Through atomically precise simulations and experiments, the research team discovered that two key changes occur depending on the voltage applied to the electrode.
At the cathode, water molecules collectively realign in a uniform direction, while at the anode, anions (negatively charged particles) accumulate densely on the surface, forming a two-dimensional structure in a phenomenon known as “condensation.” These two processes each create peaks in the capacitance curve, and as electrolyte concentration increases, they merge into one, causing the curve to transition from a “camel” to a “bell” shape.
In simple terms, on one side, water molecules line up in an orderly fashion, while on the other side, ions gather densely. As the concentration increases, these two phenomena merge into one, and the graph changes from two peaks to a single peak.
In particular, the research team presented, for the first time in the world, a “phase diagram” that shows at a glance how the structure of the electric double layer changes depending on electrode potential (the voltage applied to the electrode) and electrolyte concentration. They also experimentally validated these theoretical predictions in real time using infrared spectroscopy (ATR-SEIRAS, an experimental technique that observes molecular movements in real time).
<Transition from a ‘camel-shaped’ to a ‘bell-shaped’ curve caused by changes in the electric double-layer structure>
In simple terms, they created a map that shows how structures change under different conditions and verified through experiments that the map is accurate.
Professor Hyungjun Kim stated, “This study is meaningful in that it provides the first understanding of the otherwise invisible, microscopic electrochemical reaction environment and opens the way to design it,” adding, “If we can precisely control phase transitions in the electric double layer, we will be able to accurately enhance the performance of energy technologies, such as increasing battery charging speed or maximizing hydrogen production efficiency.”
This study, with Minho Kim, a doctoral student in the Department of Chemistry at KAIST, and Dong Hyun Kim and Junsic Cho, doctoral students from the Department of Chemistry at POSTECH, as co-first authors, was published on March 7 in the international journal Nature Communications.
※ Paper title: “Electric double layer structure in concentrated aqueous solution,”
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-70322-5
This research was supported by the Samsung Future Technology Development Program, the InnoCore program of UNIST Hydro*Studio, and the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) through the Top-Tier Research Institution Collaboration Platform and Joint Research Support Program, as well as the Nano and Materials Technology Development Program.
2026.05.04 View 234 -
Development of Dream Battery Material: Air-Stable and Fast-Charging All-Solid-State Battery
<(Bottom row, from left) Dr. Jae-Seung Kim (Seoul National University), Prof. Dong-Hwa Seo (KAIST), Researcher Heeju Park (KAIST), Researcher Jiwon Seo, Researcher Jinyeong Choe.
(Top row, from left) Researcher Hae-Yong Kim (Dongguk University), Prof. Eunryeol Lee (Chungbuk National University), Prof. Kyung-Wan Nam (Dongguk University), Prof. Yoon Seok Jung (Yonsei University)>
Expectations are rising for all-solid-state batteries—the "dream battery" with low fire risk—not only for electric vehicles but also for various fields such as robotics and Urban Air Mobility (UAM). A research team at our university has presented a new design principle that simultaneously overcomes the limitations of solid electrolytes, which were previously vulnerable to air exposure and suffered from low performance. This technology is gaining significant attention as it can enhance both battery safety and charging speeds, demonstrating the feasibility of commercializing next-generation all-solid-state batteries.
KAIST announced on April 16th that a research team led by Professor Dong-Hwa Seo from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, through joint research with teams from Dongguk University (President Jae-Woong Yoon), Yonsei University (President Dong-Sup Yoon), and Chungbuk National University (Acting President Yu-Sik Park), has developed a design technology for solid electrolytes used in all-solid-state batteries. This technology maintains structural stability even when exposed to air while dramatically increasing ionic conductivity.
Unlike conventional lithium-ion batteries that use liquid electrolytes, all-solid-state batteries are spotlighted as next-generation batteries due to their low fire risk. Among these, halide-based solid electrolytes—which contain halogen elements such as chlorine (Cl) and bromine (Br)—are advantageous in terms of performance due to their high ionic conductivity. However, they are known to be difficult materials to manufacture and handle because they are highly vulnerable to moisture in the air, which easily degrades their performance.
To solve this problem, the research team introduced a new structure called "Oxygen Anchoring." This method involves stably bonding oxygen inside the electrolyte to strengthen its structural intergrity, a process in which the element Tungsten plays a key role.
< Research image on tungsten-based oxygen fixation strategy >
As a result, it was confirmed that the electrolyte maintains a stable structure without collapsing, even in air-exposed environments.
Furthermore, the research team improved battery performance in addition to stability. The changes in the internal structure of the electrolyte widened the pathways for lithium ions, allowing them to move more smoothly and increasing the ion migration speed. It was confirmed that the oxygen-incorporated material exhibited an ionic conductivity approximately 2.7 times higher than that of conventional zirconium (Zr)-based halide solid electrolytes.
Another feature of this technology is that it is not limited to a specific material. The research team applied the same strategy to various halide solid electrolytes, including those based on zirconium (Zr), indium (In), yttrium (Y), and erbium (Er), and confirmed similar effects. This demonstrates that it is a "universal design principle" applicable to a wide range of battery materials.
< Research image (AI-generated image) >
The research team expects this technology to contribute to the development of solid electrolytes that possess both air stability and high performance.
Professor Dong-Hwa Seo stated, "This study presents a new material design principle that optimizes multiple performances through a structural design strategy that simultaneously improves air stability and ionic conductivity. It will serve as a key indicator for future all-solid-state battery research and process development."
This study involved Jae-Seung Kim (formerly KAIST, now SNU), Heeju Park, and Hae-Yong Kim as joint first authors. The research included contributions from Eunryeol Lee, Heewon Kim, Soeul Lee, Jinyeong Choe, Jiwon Seo, Hyeon-Jong Lee, Hojoon Kim, Jemin Yeon, and Yoon Seok Jung. The findings were published on March 6, 2026, in the international academic journal Advanced Energy Materials.
Paper Title: Universal Oxychlorination Strategy in Halide Solid Electrolytes for All-Solid-State Batteries
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202506744
This research was conducted with support from the Samsung Electronics Future Technology Promotion Center and the Nano and Materials Technology Development Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea. Computational studies were performed using the resources of the National Supercomputing Center.
2026.04.16 View 568 -
KAIST Achieves 3-fold Increase in Hydrogen Production Using “High-Entropy” Design—More Mixing, More Strength
<(From Left) Professor Kang Taek Lee, Ph.D candidate Seeun Oh, Researcher Incheol Jeong, Dr. Dongyeon Kim, Ph.D candidate Hyeonggeun Kim>
While mixing materials typically leads to instability, there exists a phenomenon known as “high entropy,” where increasing compositional complexity can actually enhance stability. KAIST researchers leveraged this principle to enable faster proton transport and more efficient reactions within electrochemical cells, developing a technology that significantly improves hydrogen production efficiency. This breakthrough is expected to reduce hydrogen costs and accelerate the transition to clean energy.
KAIST (President Kwang Hyung Lee) announced on the 5th of April that a research team led by Professor Kang Taek Lee from the Department of Mechanical Engineering has developed a novel oxygen electrode material that dramatically improves reaction kinetics and power performance through entropy-maximized design. The oxygen electrode is a key component in electrochemical cells where oxygen evolution occurs during hydrogen production.
Green hydrogen—produced from water without carbon emissions—is considered a cornerstone of future clean energy systems. In particular, protonic ceramic electrochemical cells (PCECs), which generate hydrogen by splitting water using electrical energy while protons migrate through the cell, have attracted attention for their high efficiency. However, their performance has been limited by slow reaction kinetics at the oxygen electrode.
To address this issue, the research team adopted a high-entropy strategy, introducing multiple metal elements simultaneously to increase configurational disorder. Although mixing many elements typically destabilizes structures, under certain compositions, maximizing entropy can instead stabilize a single-phase structure.
<Structural and chemical characterization of PBSCF and PLNNCBSCF. XRD patterns of a) the synthesized PBSCF and PLNNCBSCF and b) enlarged view of the XRD patterns from 31.5 to 33.5°. c) Rietveld refinement results of the XRD profile for PLNNCBSCF, with the inset showing the idealized structure. d) HR-TEM image of PLNNCBSCF with the inset showing lattice fringes. e) Corresponding EDS mappings of the PLNNCBSCF elements. XPS of F) survey peak, G) Pr 3d, and H) O 1s spectra for PBSCF and PLNNCBSCF>
Based on this concept, the researchers designed a high-entropy double perovskite oxygen electrode by incorporating seven different metal elements (Pr, La, Na, Nd, Ca, Ba, Sr) into the A-site of the electrode structure. This material combines a perovskite crystal framework with a double perovskite structure, further enhanced by high-entropy design.
The presence of multiple mixed metal elements improves charge transport and oxygen-related reactions within the electrode, resulting in significantly faster electrochemical reactions for both electricity generation and hydrogen production.
Notably, density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed that the energy required to form oxygen vacancies—active sites where reactions occur—was reduced by more than 60% compared to conventional materials. This indicates that reactive sites can form more easily and in greater abundance.
Additionally, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) analysis showed that proton transport speed increased by more than sevenfold, demonstrating that hydrogen generation processes proceed much more efficiently within the electrode.
The performance improvements were substantial. Cells incorporating the new electrode achieved a power density of 1.77 W cm⁻² at 650°C, approximately 2.6 times higher than conventional systems. Hydrogen production performance also improved by approximately threefold (4.42 A cm⁻²) under the same conditions.
Moreover, in long-term testing under steam conditions for 500 hours, performance degradation was only 0.76%, confirming excellent durability and stability over extended operation.
Professor Kang Taek Lee stated, “This study demonstrates that the thermodynamic concept of entropy can be used to control electrode reactivity,” adding, “It has the potential to significantly enhance green hydrogen production efficiency and accelerate the commercialization of the hydrogen economy.”
This study was co-led by Seeun Oh of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at KAIST and Incheol Jeong of the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources. The findings were published on December 16, 2025, in the international journal Advanced Energy Materials (IF: 26.0) and were selected as a front cover article, highlighting their scientific impact.
※ Paper title: “Unveiling Entropy-Driven Performance Enhancement in Double Perovskite Oxygen Electrodes for Protonic Ceramic Electrochemical Cells,” DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202503176※ Authors: Seeun Oh (KAIST, first author), Incheol Jeong (Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, first author), Dongyeon Kim (second author), Hyeonggeun Kim (second author), Kang Taek Lee (corresponding author)
This research was supported by the Mid-Career Researcher Program and the Global Basic Research Laboratory Program funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT), Korea.
2026.04.06 View 348 -
KAIST Reconstructs the Power Map Behind Gyeyu Coup, Revealing the Dynamics of Joseon Bureaucracy
<(From Left) Professor Juyoung M. Park, Dr. Donghyeok Choi>
With the recent popularity of the film The King’s Warden, public interest has grown in the tragic history of King Danjong and Prince Suyang (later King Sejo), particularly surrounding Suyang’s Revolt of 1453 (the Gyeyu Coup). While the film dramatizes the political conflict, how did the fates of the real historical figures diverge? A joint team of KAIST and Hong Kong-based researchers has scientifically uncovered the patterns of success and downfall in Joseon’s bureaucratic society by analyzing data from the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty and Mungwa Bangmok, the higher civil service examination (gwageo) records.
KAIST (President Kwang Hyung Lee) announced on the 1st of April that a research team led by Professor Juyong M. Park of the Graduate School of Culture Technology, in collaboration with Dr. Donghyeok Choi (a KAIST alumnus) of Hong Kong Baptist University and the University of Hong Kong, analyzed the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty and Mungwa Bangmok using digital humanities and complex systems science methodologies. From these they were able to characterize the career patterns of over 14,600 Joseon officials.
<The original text of the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty from the time of the Gyeyu Jeongnan (left) and its online Korean translation (right)>
The team found that when Joseon’s recruitment system through gwageo was functional, its bureaucracy exhibited stability. When power became concentrated in oligarch families in the later period through abnormal means, however, inequality and stratification in the bureaucratic system intensified, ultimately leading to a national decline. In other words, the fall of Joseon was not the result of a single isolated event but can be seen as a consequence of a ‘systemic collapse,’ as demonstrated through data.
The Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, a globally recognized historical record spanning over 600 years, provides extensive data that allows for the precise reconstruction of political and social structures of the time. The researchers first conducted a quantitative analysis of the 1453 Revolt of Suyang, a dramatic event in early Joseon’s power structure. By constructing a network of officials connected to King Danjong, Prince Suyang (later King Sejo), and Prince Anpyeong during the event, they found data-driven findings that those closely aligned with Sejo were decorated, while those aligned with Anpyeong were purged.
<A network of connections among key royal figures of the Gyeyu Jeongnan—King Danjong, Grand Prince Suyang (later King Sejo), Grand Prince Anpyeong—and government officials, reconstructed from the records of the Annals>
But considering such a forced dethronement of a king was rare in Joseon’s history, the team turned to characterizing the more long-term features of the bureaucracy. To do this they developed a metric called “Total Success Index” that combines the rank of official positions held and the duration of service. The analysis then revealed that for approximately 400 years after the founding of Joseon, some positive correlation existed between individual background (family, regional origin, etc.) and individual success, but the correlation remained relatively stable, suggesting a certain degree of fairness and social mobility persisted.
<A Method for Defining a Bureaucrat’s Total Success Index Based on the Sum of Ranks Recorded in the Annals>
However, this stability began to disappear in the later Joseon period as powerful oligarch families such as the Andong Gims and Pungyang Jos passed higher civil service exams and assumed official positions through influence and power rather than competition, leading to a rapid intensification of inequality and stratification within the bureaucracy, indicating the breakdown of the traditional recruitment system. The researchers observed that Joseon society, unable to resolve these issues, ultimately declined and collapsed.
<A Correlation Between the Total Success Index Calculated from the Annals and the Region and Family Background Recorded in the Civil Service Examination Rosters>
Professor Juyong M. Park stated, “This study tries to go beyond the limitations of focusing on short-term historical events, examining the long-term structural changes across the entire history of a nation,” adding, “Understanding how individual and group actions influence the rise and fall of a state provides important insights into issues of fairness and talent recruitment, relevant to this modern day.”
<A Diagram Illustrating the Domination of the Bureaucracy by Specific Families (the Andong Kim, Pungyang Jo, Yeoheung Min, and Bannam Park Clans) in the Late Joseon Period>
He further added, “The integration of digitized historical data and scientific data analysis will become a key tool not only for understanding the past but also for guiding the future of society.”
The research team now plans to expand the Joseon historical database using artificial intelligence (AI), compare Joseon’s bureaucratic system with other countries’, and analyze the records of international interactions to further explore the global historical significance of Joseon.
This study was conducted with Dr. Donghyeok Choi (Ph.D. graduate of KAIST’s Graduate School of Culture Technology) as the first author, published in the April issue of Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and Its Applications.
※ Paper title: “Total Success Index and the Longitudinal Dynamics of Bureaucratic Stratification in Joseon Korea” (https://shm.to/bYJ0SBo) / DOI: 10.1016/j.physa.2026.131353
This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea’s interdisciplinary research program, the Humanities and Social Science Research Institute Support Program, the BK21 Phase 4 Program, the Korea Creative Content Agency’s R&D program for copyright service innovation, KAIST’s Post-AI program, and the Korea Institute for Advanced Study (KIAS).
2026.04.02 View 541 -
KAIST solves solar cell dilemma… achieving over 25% efficiency and long lifespan simultaneously
<(Upper Left) Dr. Chansu Moon,(From Left) Dr. Namjoong Jeon, Ph.D candidate Jaehee Lee, M.S candidate Hajin Na, Professor Jangwon Seo>
A KAIST research team has solved the “solar cell dilemma,” in which increasing efficiency shortens lifespan, while extending lifespan lowers efficiency. The team developed a technology to precisely control the internal structure of a surface passivation layer in perovskite solar cells, successfully achieving both high efficiency exceeding 25% and long-term stability at the same time.
KAIST (President Kwang Hyung Lee) announced on the 24th that a research team led by Distinguished Professor Jangwon Seo of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, in joint research with the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT) (President Young-guk Lee), developed a 2D passivation layer design technology that simultaneously improves the efficiency and long-term stability of perovskite solar cells.
<Research Concept Diagram (AI-Generated Image)>
As the need to respond to the climate crisis and transition energy systems grows, improving the efficiency of solar power generation and securing long-term reliability have emerged as important challenges. In particular, perovskite solar cells, which are attracting attention as next-generation high-efficiency solar cells, have recently achieved rapid efficiency improvements. However, they have been pointed out as having commercialization barriers due to performance degradation under high temperature, high humidity, or prolonged light exposure.
Previously, a “3D/2D structure” strategy—adding a 2D layer on top of a 3D perovskite layer—has been used. This method helps reduce surface defects and improve stability. However, if the structure of the 2D layer is not sufficiently robust, it has limitations in that the structure may deform over time or performance may gradually decline.
To address this, the research team introduced a structurally more stable Dion–Jacobson (DJ) type 2D perovskite passivation layer and proposed a design strategy that precisely controls the “n value,” which refers to the number of stacked perovskite layers within the passivation layer. The DJ structure enhances structural stability by firmly connecting perovskite layers with organic molecules on both sides. In simple terms, it is similar to binding bricks together with a stronger adhesive so that the structure does not easily collapse.
The research team controlled the stacking structure (n value) of perovskite layers inside the 2D passivation layer in a desired manner by adjusting heat treatment conditions, analogous to how controlling temperature and time during the curing of adhesive after stacking bricks results in a more solid and orderly structure.
As a result, charge transport became more efficient, improving solar cell efficiency, and the robust characteristics of the DJ structure also enhanced long-term stability. In addition, the team experimentally revealed that during the heat treatment process, the internal structure of the 2D passivation layer changes as the structure is rearranged at the interface where different materials meet. They also presented the principles for controlling the passivation layer structure and reproducible process conditions.
The perovskite solar cell applying this design strategy recorded a high power conversion efficiency of 25.56% (certified efficiency of 25.59%). It also maintained a high level of performance under conditions of 85°C and 85% relative humidity (85% RH) as well as continuous light exposure, confirming long-term stability. The research team further applied this technology to the fabrication of large-area modules and verified excellent performance.
<Schematic Diagram of Structure Formation Strategy (left) and Structural Evolution (right)>
Distinguished Professor Jangwon Seo stated, “This study demonstrates that the longstanding challenge—where increasing efficiency reduces lifespan and increasing lifespan lowers efficiency—can be solved simultaneously through structural design of the surface passivation layer.” He added, “This technology operates relatively stably even under changes in process conditions, making it helpful for large-area manufacturing processes for commercialization.”
This study, co-first-authored by Jaehee Lee (integrated M.S./Ph.D. student at KAIST) and Dr. Chansu Moon (KRICT), was published in the international energy journal Joule (IF 35.4) on February 24, 2026.
※ Paper title: “Tailored n value engineering of Dion-Jacobson 2D layers enables efficient and stable perovskite solar cells,” DOI: 10.1016/j.joule.2025.102301
※ Author information: Jaehee Lee (integrated M.S./Ph.D. program, KAIST, co-first author), Chansu Moon (former KRICT, co-first author), Dr. Namjoong Jeon (KRICT, corresponding author), Distinguished Professor Jangwon Seo (KAIST, corresponding author)
This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) (Nano and Materials Technology Development Program [Materials Hub], Basic Research Program [Mid-career], Engineering Research Center [ERC]) and the core program of KRICT. Some experiments were supported by beamlines at the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory (PAL).
2026.03.26 View 975 -
KAIST Develops Motor-less Robotic Hand Actuation Technology Capable of Bending in Under One Second
< (From left) KAIST Ph.D. students Sangyoon Bae and Professor Seong Su Kim, Ph.D. student Dajeong Kang, and Dr. Wonvin Kim >
While space structures and robotic arms require lightweight actuation devices capable of repetitive movement, conventional motor-based systems face limitations due to their heavy weight and complex structures. A KAIST research team has developed a smart material-based actuation technology that operates rapidly in less than a second without a motor, suggesting new possibilities for next-generation robotics and space deployable structures.
KAIST announced on the 22nd that a research team led by Professor Seong Su Kim from the Department of Mechanical Engineering has developed a "two-way shape memory material-based hybrid smart actuator" capable of "reversible self-shape change." This technology allows the material to change its shape in response to external stimuli, such as heat, and return to its original state without the need for additional complex mechanical devices.
The research team designed a hybrid composite actuator that combines Shape Memory Alloys (SMA) and Shape Memory Polymers (SMP) to leverage the advantages of both materials. SMAs are metallic materials that return to their original shape when heated, while SMPs are polymer materials that change shape in response to heat or other external stimuli.
Conventional shape memory materials had limitations; they either could not return to their original state once deformed (one-way) or had extremely slow recovery speeds. Furthermore, because metal alloys and polymer materials have different levels of stiffness, they often failed to restore their shape accurately during repetitive use.
To solve these issues, the research team improved both the material and its structure. First, they adjusted the chemical composition of the SMP and reinforced it with carbon fibers to make the material more rigid. Additionally, they applied a "tape spring" structure—similar to a retractable measuring tape—to the actuator. This structure creates a "snap-through" phenomenon, where energy is stored during deformation and released instantaneously, significantly increasing both the speed and accuracy of the movement.
As a result, the developed actuator achieved full two-way actuation, bending when heated and flattening again as the temperature drops. The technology also demonstrated a significantly increased range of deformation and a nearly 100% recovery rate to the initial shape. The recovery speed was also greatly improved, confirming that the actuator can operate repeatedly without the need for complex control systems.
< Development process of the SMA-SMP hybrid two-way actuator >
The shape memory actuator developed in this study is highly significant as it simultaneously achieves two-way deformation, sub-second actuation speed, and high deployment accuracy. This achievement is evaluated as a major step forward in the practical application of shape memory material-based actuation technology.
Professor Seong Su Kim stated, "This research overcomes the physical limitations of materials through original structural design, elevating the performance of shape memory actuators to the next level. We expect this technology to be applied in various fields, such as robotic grippers requiring repetitive motions or deployable structures for space applications."
Dajeong Kang, a Ph.D. student, participated as the lead author of this study. The paper was published online on January 19, 2026, in Advanced Functional Materials, an international journal published by Wiley. In recognition of its excellence, the study was featured as the Front Cover of the March 2026 issue of Advanced Functional Materials.
Paper Title: Two-Way Shape Memory Alloy and Polymer Composite Hybrid Smart Actuator With High Speed, Accuracy, and Reversible Deformation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202528863 Author Information: Dajeong Kang (KAIST, First Author), Seong Yeon Park (KAIST, Co-author), Yitro Samuel Aditya (KAIST, Co-author), Ha Eun Lee (KAIST, Co-author), Wonvin Kim (KAIST, Co-author), Sangyoon Bae (KAIST, Co-author), and Seong Su Kim (KAIST, Corresponding Author)
< Image of the Front Cover of Advanced Functional Materials >
This research was conducted with the support of the Nano and Materials Technology Development Program (Project No. RS-2024-00450477) and the National Semiconductor Research Laboratory Core Technology Development Program (Project No. RS-2023-00260461) funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea.
2026.03.23 View 646 -
Professor Jihyeon Yeom Selected as Early Career Advisory Board Member for Top Chemistry and Materials Journal
< Professor Jihyeon Yeom >
KAIST announced on the 13th that Professor Jihyeon Yeom from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering has been selected as a member of the Early Career Advisory Board (ECAB) for Chemical Reviews, widely considered the world's most prestigious academic journal in the field of chemistry.
Published by the American Chemical Society (ACS), Chemical Reviews is a flagship review journal that comprehensively organizes and surveys the most influential research achievements across all areas of chemistry and materials science. It is evaluated as a top-tier international journal in the field.
The journal boasts an Impact Factor (IF) of 56, ranking it among the highest of all scientific journals worldwide. Its authority is particularly significant because it is a review journal that analyzes global research trends to suggest future academic directions, rather than simply publishing individual experimental data.
The ECAB, which began its term in January 2026, consists of 10 researchers selected from among rising global science leaders. Candidates are evaluated based on academic originality, research impact, and contributions to the scientific community. Members provide advisory roles for the journal's academic direction and strategic planning, contributing to the discovery of next-generation research trends and the expansion of global research networks.
This selection highlights that Professor Yeom’s research achievements are receiving high international acclaim.
Professor Yeom is conducting research on applying "chirality"—a property where objects, like DNA or proteins, are mirror images of each other but cannot be perfectly superimposed—to nanomaterials. Her core work involves precisely controlling atomic arrangements to realize artificial materials that can interact naturally with biological signals.
In particular, she is gaining attention for developing next-generation smart healthcare technology that combines light-responsive chiral materials with Artificial Intelligence (AI) to detect and analyze minute changes in the human body in real time. Professor Yeom explained that these chiral characteristics offer new possibilities for expanding information transmission and processing capabilities beyond simple structural properties.
Building on this foundation, she plans to expand her research into various fields, including precision medical diagnostic technology, next-generation optoelectronic devices utilizing circularly polarized light, and AI-based platforms.
Professor Yeom has established herself as a global leader in chiral materials research, recently publishing results in world-renowned journals such as Nature Communications, Advanced Materials, ACS Nano, and Accounts of Chemical Research.
"Chirality is not just a structural characteristic, but a new degree of freedom that expands the functional and information-processing capabilities of matter," said Professor Yeom. "I plan to expand my research into chiral-based electronic and optical devices, bio-diagnostic technologies, and AI-based spectroscopic platforms in the future."
This ECAB selection once again demonstrates the research competitiveness and international standing of the KAIST Department of Materials Science and Engineering. It is expected to further strengthen KAIST's role as a global research hub in the field of next-generation materials research.
2026.03.13 View 1197 -
KAIST Explores Solutions for African Youth Employment with World Bank and African Union
< Group photo of meeting participants >
KAIST announced on the 6th that the 'Jobs for Youth in Africa Knowledge Exchange' platform was held in Nairobi, Kenya, from March 3 to 5 (local time). The event was hosted by the Kenyan government and co-organized by the World Bank Group, the African Union, and the KAIST Global Center for Development and Strategy (G-CODEs).
As a high-level policy implementation platform dedicated to addressing youth employment challenges in Africa, the event drew approximately 200 participants, including government officials from over 20 African nations, international organizations, the private sector, academia, and development cooperation partners. KAIST participated as a key global partner linking technology and policy, presenting innovation models for employment systems based on digital and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies.
< Scene from the meeting hosted by the Kenyan government >
With Africa’s youth population projected to double by 2050, the continent faces significant hurdles such as high unemployment rates and informal employment. This event marked the second face-to-face meeting of the 'Jobs for Youth in Africa Community of Practice (CoP),' which was launched in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2025. The meeting aimed to share policy experiences among member states and materialize scalable implementation models. Salim Mvurya, Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy, and Sports, attended the opening ceremony and emphasized that youth job creation is a critical priority at both national and continental levels.
The program focused on several key themes:
Evidence-based youth employment strategies
Innovation in employment systems through digital and AI technologies
Improving labor market outcomes through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
Business environment reforms and strengthening value chain linkages
Notably, in the session titled "Digital and AI-based Employment System Innovation," Professor Kyung Ryul Park of KAIST shared Korea’s digital transformation experiences and AI application cases, proposing directions for data-driven policy design and the development of technology-based employment platforms. Additionally, KAIST Professor Ga-young Park facilitated mutual learning and connected cases of scalable youth employment projects across countries during the "Global Cafe Session."
< Professor Kyung Ryul Park of KAIST delivering a presentation >
Participants visited the project site of "National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA)," an initiative pursued by the Kenyan government and the World Bank. There, they observed a comprehensive youth employment model that integrates vocational training, job matching, and entrepreneurship support. The site visit served as a practical learning opportunity to share the processes of policy design and execution.
Since last year, KAIST has been involved in digital innovation projects for youth employment in East Africa through the Korea-World Bank Partnership Facility (KWPF). Through this event, the university reaffirmed its status as a global cooperation hub leading technology-based policy innovation.
"The issue of youth employment is a structural challenge that combines digital transformation, industrial strategy, and educational reform," stated Professor Kyung Ryul Park. "KAIST will continue to present actionable policy models based on data and technology while strengthening international cooperation."
This Knowledge Exchange platform is evaluated as a significant milestone that reaffirmed the African youth employment agenda as a core priority of international cooperation and solidified the foundation for enhancing policy implementation capabilities. A follow-up workshop is scheduled to be held early next year at the Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (Kenya-AIST) campus in Konza, Nairobi, which is modeled after KAIST.
2026.03.10 View 1147 -
KAIST Surpasses the Limits of AlphaFold… AI Now Predicts Whether Drugs Actually Work
<(From Left) Ph.D candidate Hyojin Son, Professor Gwan-su Yi>
Proteins in our body function like switches. When a drug binds to a protein, the structure at the binding site changes, and this structural change propagates throughout the protein, turning its function on or off. Google DeepMind’s AlphaFold3 successfully predicted whether drugs bind to proteins and the three-dimensional structure of binding sites. However, it could not predict how signals propagate inside the protein after drug binding, how the entire structure changes, or whether the protein’s function is ultimately activated or inhibited. KAIST researchers have developed an AI that predicts not only whether a drug binds but whether it actually works.
KAIST (President Kwang Hyung Lee) announced on the 4th of March that a research team led by Professor Gwan-Su Yi of the Department of Bio and Brain Engineering has developed an artificial intelligence model called “GPCRact” that predicts whether candidate molecules not only bind to G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs)—a major drug target—but also actually activate the protein.
GPCRs act as “signal receivers” on the surface of cells. When hormones, neurotransmitters, or drugs send signals from outside the cell, GPCRs function as gates that receive these signals and transmit them into the cell. There are about 800 types of GPCRs in the human body, and roughly 30–40% of currently marketed drugs target them. They are key proteins involved in numerous physiological functions, including heart rate regulation, blood pressure control, pain sensing, immune responses, and emotional regulation.
However, a drug binding to a GPCR does not always trigger the desired biological function. Structural changes inside the protein and subsequent signal transmission determine whether the drug actually produces an effect. This process is known as allosteric signal propagation.
The research team designed the AI to learn the drug action process in two stages: ① the drug–target binding stage, and ② the intracellular signal propagation stage within the protein. The three-dimensional protein structure was represented as an atom-level graph, and an attention mechanism was applied to enable the model to learn important signaling pathways. Through this approach, the AI analyzes not only the drug binding signal but also the internal signaling pathways of the protein to predict whether the protein becomes activated.
As a result, the model significantly improved the prediction performance of drug activity even in proteins with complex structures that existing models struggled to analyze. Importantly, the model does not simply output “active” or “inactive.” It also presents the key internal signaling pathways that form the basis of its predictions, overcoming the limitations of so-called “black-box AI.”
<Schematic diagram of drug activity prediction and mechanism interpretation using the GPCRact artificial intelligence model>
This represents an important advance, as it allows researchers to interpret and verify predictions while simultaneously improving the reliability and efficiency of drug discovery. In the future, the model is expected to serve as a precision drug discovery AI platform capable of predicting not only whether drugs bind to GPCRs but also whether they truly activate them in various diseases targeting GPCRs.
<AI-generated image to help illustrate the research>
Professor Gwan-Su Yi explained, “Allosteric structural change refers to a phenomenon in which a drug binds to one part of a protein and its influence propagates internally, altering the function of other regions,” adding, “The key contribution of this research is incorporating this operational principle into deep learning.” He further noted, “We plan to expand the model to various proteins and ultimately develop technologies capable of predicting cellular and whole-body responses.”
Ph.D candidate Hyojin Son participated as the first author in this study. The paper was published on January 15 in the international journal Briefings in Bioinformatics, one of the leading journals in the field of bioinformatics.
※ Paper title: “GPCRact: a hierarchical framework for predicting ligand-induced GPCR activity via allosteric communication modeling”
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/bib/bbaf719※ Author information: Hyojin Son (KAIST, first author), Gwan-Su Yi (KAIST, corresponding author)
This research was supported by the Basic Research Program for Individual Research funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea (RS-2025-24533057).
2026.03.09 View 1204 -
KAIST Breaks Ground on 'Innovative Digital Institute of Medical Science' to Cultivate Physician-Scientists and Medical Engineers
<Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Innovative Digital Institute of Medical Science>
The success of the AI and bio-health industries depends on how many convergence-oriented talents, who understand both medicine and science/technology simultaneously, can be secured. While major global universities are accelerating the establishment of medical schools and convergence education, our university has officially commenced the construction of core infrastructure that will determine South Korea's bio-health competitiveness.
KAIST announced on February 19th that the Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering held a groundbreaking ceremony for the ‘Innovative Digital Institute of Medical Science,’ a key infrastructure that will lead the future of the Korean bio-health industry, and has begun full-scale construction.
The Innovative Digital Institute of Medical Science, to be built at the KAIST Munji Campus, is a project designed to support the national development goal of ‘Realizing a Powerhouse in Medical AI, Pharmaceuticals, and Bio-health’ by fostering key talent and establishing an innovative startup infrastructure. A total project cost of 42.232 billion KRW will be invested through cooperation between the government, Daejeon City, and KAIST. It is being constructed with a total floor area of approximately 10,000 square meters (3,025 pyeong) and is scheduled for completion in November 2027.
Through the establishment of this institute, our university expects to create a foundation to expand the scale of physician-scientist training from the current level of about 20 per year to 50–70 per year, which accounts for approximately 50% of the national demand. Through this, we plan to establish a full-cycle support system so that convergence-type talents, who possess medical and clinical experience as well as science, technology, and AI capabilities, can grow into leading figures in the development of innovative new drugs, vaccines, and medical devices.
This talent cultivation strategy is also in line with global trends. Convergence models of science/engineering and medicine are spreading around global science and technology universities, such as the approval for the new medical school at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (November 2025), the merger between Tokyo Institute of Technology and Tokyo Medical and Dental University (October 2024), and the establishment and operation of the medical school at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. This demonstrates the strategic importance of cultivating physician-scientists and medical engineers who will lead the future bio-health industry.
In contrast, the proportion of medical school graduates in Korea entering the fields of physician-scientists or medical engineers remains below 1%, leading to concerns about a decline in future bio-health competitiveness due to a shortage of manpower.
The Innovative Digital Institute of Medical Science will feature advanced research and support facilities, including an AI Precision Medicine Platform Research Center, a Data-driven Convergence Healthcare R&D Center, an Advanced Biomedical Data Analysis Center, a Digital Medical-Bio Open Lab, and open networking halls and seminar rooms.
In particular, the 6th floor, the top floor, will host the Daejeon Bio-Medical Venture Cluster. Similar to ‘LabCentral’ in Boston, USA, this is planned to be operated as an open innovation space where high-cost research equipment can be shared not only by KAIST researchers but also by researchers from government-funded research institutes in the Daedeok Innopolis and bio-medical startups, allowing them to share research results and technologies and collaborate freely.
The Innovative Digital Institute of Medical Science is expected to serve as an innovation hub that supplements the structural limitations of the Daejeon Bio Cluster, moving beyond being a simple education and research facility. Leading domestic bio companies such as Alteogen, LigaChem Bio, and Peptron are concentrated nearby, and the site is adjacent to the ‘Wonchon-dong Advanced Bio-Medical Innovation District’ being promoted by Daejeon City, providing an ecosystem where industry, academia, research, and hospitals are organically connected.
KAIST plans to use this to vitalize translational research that connects clinical demands from hospitals with basic research from the university, and to promote the development of medical AI and digital data-based technologies to continuously create success stories of physician-scientist startups such as Sovagen and Enocras.
Kwang Hyung Lee, President of KAIST, stated, “The KAIST Innovative Digital Institute of Medical Science will become a core base for the future AI digital health industry, growing science and engineering talents into physician-scientists and medical engineers. Through translational research and startups based on industry-academia-research-hospital cooperation, we will enhance national bio-health industrial competitiveness and contribute to the promotion of human health.”
<Bird’s-Eye View of the Innovative Digital Medical Science Institute>
2026.02.19 View 2195 -
KAIST Uses Sandpaper to Polish Semiconductors… Opening a New Path for AI Semiconductor Processing
<(From Left) Dr. Sukkyung Kang, Professor Sanha Kim from Department of Mechanical Engineering>
The performance and stability of smartphones and artificial intelligence (AI) services depend on how uniformly and precisely semiconductor surfaces are processed. KAIST researchers have expanded the concept of everyday “sandpaper” into the realm of nanotechnology, developing a new technique capable of processing semiconductor surfaces uniformly down to the atomic level. This technology demonstrates the potential to significantly improve surface quality and processing precision in advanced semiconductor processes such as high-bandwidth memory (HBM).
KAIST (President Kwang Hyung Lee) announced on the 11th of February that a research team led by Professor Sanha Kim of the Department of Mechanical Engineering has developed a “nano sandpaper” that utilizes carbon nanotubes—tens of thousands of times thinner than a human hair—as abrasive materials. This technology enables more precise surface processing than existing semiconductor manufacturing processes, while also reducing environmental burdens generated during fabrication, presenting a new planarization technique.
< Nano Sandpaper AI-Generated Image >
Although sandpaper is a familiar tool used to smooth surfaces by rubbing, it has been difficult to apply it to fields such as semiconductors, where extremely precise surface processing is required. This limitation arises because conventional sandpaper is manufactured by attaching abrasive particles with adhesives, making it difficult to uniformly secure extremely fine particles.
To overcome such limitations, the semiconductor industry has adopted a planarization process known as chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), which uses a chemical slurry in which abrasive particles are dispersed in liquid. However, this method requires additional cleaning steps and generates large amounts of waste, making the process complex and environmentally burdensome.
To address these issues, the research team extended the concept of sandpaper to the nanoscale. By vertically aligning carbon nanotubes, fixing them inside polyurethane, and partially exposing them on the surface, they implemented a “nano sandpaper.” This structure structurally suppresses abrasive detachment, eliminating concerns about surface damage and maintaining stable performance even after repeated use.
The nano sandpaper developed in this study achieves an abrasive density approximately 500,000 times higher than that of the finest commercially available sandpaper. The precision of sandpaper is expressed in terms of “abrasive density (grit number),” which indicates how densely abrasive particles are arranged on the surface. While everyday sandpaper typically ranges from 40 to 3000 grit, the nano sandpaper exceeds 1,000,000,000 grit. Through this extremely dense structure, surfaces could be processed with precision down to several nanometers—equivalent to the thickness of only a few atoms.
The effectiveness of the nano sandpaper was confirmed through experiments. Rough copper surfaces were polished to a smoothness at the nanometer level, and in semiconductor pattern planarization experiments, the technique reduced dishing defects by up to 67% compared with conventional CMP processes. Dishing defects refer to the phenomenon in which the center of interconnect lines becomes recessed, a major defect affecting the performance and reliability of advanced semiconductors such as HBM.
In particular, because the abrasive materials are fixed on the sandpaper surface, the technology does not require continuous supply of slurry solutions as in conventional processes. This reduces cleaning steps and eliminates waste slurry, presenting the possibility of transitioning semiconductor manufacturing toward more environmentally friendly processes.
< Nano Sandpaper Schematic Diagram >
< Detailed Image of Nano Sandpaper >
The research team expects that this technology can be applied to advanced semiconductor planarization processes such as HBM used in AI servers, as well as to hybrid bonding processes, which are gaining attention as next-generation semiconductor interconnection technologies. The study is also significant in that it expands the everyday concept of sandpaper into nano-precision processing technology, suggesting the possibility of securing core technologies required for semiconductor manufacturing.
Professor Sanha Kim stated, “This is an original study demonstrating that the everyday concept of sandpaper can be extended to the nanoscale and applied to ultra-fine semiconductor manufacturing,” adding, “We hope this technology will lead not only to improved semiconductor performance but also to environmentally friendly manufacturing processes.”
In this study, Dr. Sukkyung Kang of the Department of Mechanical Engineering participated as the first author. The research was recognized for its excellence by receiving the Gold Prize (1st place) in the Mechanical Engineering Division at the 31st Samsung Human Tech Paper Award, hosted by Samsung Electronics. The findings were published online on January 8, 2026, in the international journal Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials (IF 21.8).
※ Paper title: “Carbon nanotube sandpaper for atomic-precision surface finishing”
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42114-025-01608-3
This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (Mid-Career Researcher Program; Ministry of Science and ICT, NRF, RS-2025-00560856), the Glocal Lab Program (Ministry of Education, NRF, RS-2025-25406725), the InnoCORE Program (Ministry of Science and ICT, NRF, N10250154), and the KAIST Up Program.
2026.02.11 View 1720 -
KAIST Team Wins Grand Prize at Kakao AI Incubation Project
<(From Left) Professor Jongse Park, Professor youngjin Kwon, Professor Jaehyuk Huh, Professor Knunle Olukotun>
Currently, Large Language Model (LLM) services like ChatGPT rely heavily on expensive GPU servers. This structure faces significant limitations, as costs and power consumption skyrocket as service scales increase. Researchers at KAIST have developed a next-generation AI infrastructure technology to address these challenges.
KAIST announced on January 30th that the ‘AnyBridge AI’ team, led by Professor Jongse Park from the School of Computing, has developed a next-generation AI infrastructure software. This software allows for efficient LLM services by integrating various AI accelerators instead of relying solely on GPUs. The technology won the Grand Prize at the "4 ISTs (Science & Tech Institutes) × Kakao AI Incubation Project" hosted by Kakao.
This project is a joint industry-academic collaboration between Kakao and the four major science and technology institutes (KAIST, GIST, DGIST, and UNIST). It selected outstanding teams by evaluating the technical prowess and business viability of preliminary startup teams based on AI technology. The Grand Prize winning team receives a total of 20 million KRW in prize money and up to 35 million KRW in Kakao Cloud credits.
AnyBridge AI is a technical startup team led by Professor Jongse Park (CEO), with Professors Youngjin Kwon and Jaehyuk Huh from KAIST's School of Computing participating. Based on research achievements in AI systems and computer architecture, the team aims to develop technology applicable to actual industrial sites. Furthermore, Professor Kunle Olukotun of Stanford University—co-founder of the Silicon Valley AI semiconductor startup SambaNova—is participating as an advisor to push for global technology and business expansion.
The AnyBridge team noted that most current LLM services are dependent on expensive GPU infrastructure, leading to structural limits where operating costs and power usage surge as services scale. The researchers analyzed that the root cause of this issue lies not in the performance of specific hardware, but in the absence of a system software layer capable of efficiently connecting and operating various AI accelerators, such as NPUs (AI-specialized chips) and PIMs (next-gen chips that process AI within memory), alongside GPUs.
<Technical diagram of AnyBridge: Enhancing LLM performance by flexibly utilizing various AI accelerators>
In response, the AnyBridge team proposed an integrated software stack that can service LLMs across the same interface and runtime environment, regardless of the accelerator type. Specifically, they received high praise for pointing out the limitations of existing GPU-centric LLM serving structures and presenting a "Multi-Accelerator LLM Serving Runtime Software" as their core technology.
This technology enables the implementation of a flexible AI infrastructure where the most suitable AI accelerator can be selected and combined based on the task's characteristics, without being tied to a specific vendor or hardware. This is evaluated as a major advantage that can reduce costs and power consumption while significantly increasing scalability for LLM services.
<Illustration of the Multi-Accelerator LLM Service Platform - AI-generated image>
Additionally, based on years of accumulated research in LLM serving system simulation, the AnyBridge team possesses a research foundation that can pre-verify various hardware/software design combinations without building a large-scale physical infrastructure. This point demonstrated both the technical maturity and the industrial feasibility of their work.
"This award is a result of recognizing the necessity of system software that integrates various AI accelerators, moving beyond the limits of GPU-centric AI infrastructure," said Professor Jongse Park. He added, "It is meaningful that we could expand our research results into industrial fields and entrepreneurship. We will continue to develop this into a core technology for next-generation LLM serving infrastructure through cooperation with industrial partners."
This award is seen as a prime example of KAIST's research moving beyond academic papers toward next-generation AI infrastructure technology and startups. AnyBridge AI plans to advance and verify its technology through future collaborations with Kakao and related industrial partners.
<Photo of the Grand Prize ceremony: Left - Kakao Investment CEO Do-young Kim; Right - KAIST Prof. Jongse Park>
2026.01.30 View 1984