Senior Kim So-hyun’s achievement with ‘research on electric energy storage materials’
Developed highly efficient new material that can store high electric energy
High value for industrial use such as electric vehicles, military rail guns, medical defibrillators, etc.
[March 13, 2019]
<School of Materials Science and Engineering senior Kim So-hyun (center) who published a study as the primary author in an international journal as an undergraduate student)>
An undergraduate student at YU published a study as the primary author in an international journal.
A paper on her studies on electric energy storage materials by School of Materials Science and Engineering senior Kim So-hyun (21) was recently released on the online version of an international journal on electric materials <Electronic Materials Letters, impact factor (IF 2.884)>.
In this research, Ms. Kim developed highly efficient new materials that can save high electric energy. This device that releases high electric energy instantaneously such as for electric vehicles and defibrillators uses a material called a high energy capacitor bank. Kim developed the material used for high energy capacitor banks through this study.
Kim said, “High energy capacitor banks need materials that can instantaneously release much higher electric energy compared to batteries generally used when storing electric energy. Ceramic materials that have high genetic capacities (ability to store electricity) are affected little by the temperature or user environment compared to polymer materials that were used in the past. In addition, even if the same electric energy is stored, it can significantly lower its volume and weight.” She explained further saying, “I successfully developed new materials with very high efficiency that stores high electric energy by developing a PLZT [lead (Pb), lanthanum (La), zirconium (Zr), titanium (Ti), oxygen (O) compound] ceramic material among reinforced genetic ceramic materials.”.
Professor Ryu Jung-ho, who advised Ms. Kim at the YU School of Materials Science and Engineering functional materials and element research lab, said, “Just as a lot of electric energy is needed when a stopped electric vehicle starts, it can be applied in energy storage devices of systems that supply large amount of electric energy instantaneously.” He added, “It has high industrial value as it can be used as energy sources for electric vehicles, military rail guns, and medical defibrillators.”
Kim said, “I am planning to go on to graduate school through the integrated bachelor’s and master’s course. I believe that I have gained the fundamentals as an undergraduate through this research. In graduate school, I will conduct research on developing new materials that are academically and industrially useful.” She added, “I especially want to do research in ‘energy harvesting’ technologies that convert energy that not used and thrown away into electric energy.”
