Event Info Seminar Topic: Sustainable Growth Based on Chemical Innovation Professor Kookheon Char Professor Kookheon Char
21 Jan 2022 2:00 PM
Abstract: With ever-increasing human population, depleting natural resources and rapid climate change confronting humanity, the role of chemistry is becoming more crucial in addressing these issues and in establishing systems for sustainable growth. Herein, recent efforts in our research center (National CRI Center for Intelligent Hybrids)- utilizing both organic and inorganic material design and synthesis to address key issues to such an end, are described. We have established novel chemical methods for the direct utilization of elemental sulfur. More than seven million tons of elemental sulfur are produced in excess every year and are stockpiled in landfill-like deposits in the remote areas. While the elemental sulfur is known to be environmentally benign, the shear volume of it left unused is a major emerging issue in the petrochemical industry. To address the inherent chemical challenges associated with using elemental sulfur to prepare polymeric materials, we examined three different methods- 1) using molten liquid sulfur as both a reaction medium and a monomer; 2) synthesizing sulfur-rich polymer nanoparticles which are dispersible in organic and aqueous solvents and 3) preparation of well-defined sulfur-containing block copolyners for optical applications, to achieve processable polymers from direct utilization of elemental sulfur. Useful conversion of such industrial waste sulfur into functional materials, through novel chemistry and nanostructure, for high value-added applications such as next generation Li-sulfur batteries and thermal IR imaging, will be introduced.
Biography: Dr Kookheon Char obtained his B.S in Chemical Engineering from Seoul National University in year 1981 and M.S. from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in year 1983. In year 1989, He earned his PhD from Stanford University under the joint supervision of Professor Alice P. Gast (president, Imperial College, UK) and Professor Curtis W. Frank (Stanford University, USA). Dr Char worked in IBM Almaden Research Center in USA and LG Chemical before he became a professor in Seoul National University. He is currently a professor in School of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Seoul National University and the Director of The National Creative Research Initiative Center for Intelligent Hybridsand. He was the Dean of College of Engineering in Seoul National Univerisity too. He was granted the Inchon Award (2020), TOTAL Visiting Scholar Award (France, 2017), the Samsung Polymer Award (Korea, 2012), the Gutenberg Research Award (Germany, 2006), and many other national and international academic awards. He has published more than 350 research articles and filed more than 90 patents. His research interests include interfacial phenomena of Homo- or Block-Polymers, non-carbon (sulfur) based polymers for energy, optical and bio Applications, etc.
***Note***
Registration for this event has closed. |