(4jy) Promoting Sustainable Engineering of Nanomaterials for Energy and Catalysis Toward Decarbonization

The energy crisis and climate change demand innovative solutions, where engineering and applied science play a crucial role. Our research interests in sustainable engineering of nanomaterials, particularly for energy and catalysis, address these challenges. By developing customized materials for efficient catalytic processes and energy storage applications, our research vision contributes to reducing energy consumption and emissions, and to the integration of renewable energy. These advancements are key in mitigating environmental impacts and transforming energy systems towards sustainability.

The Park Research Lab is at the forefront of sustainable nanomaterial engineering, focusing on energy and catalysis to tackle climate change and the energy crisis. Leveraging my expertise in catalyst engineering and materials science, our research is centered on developing sustainable pathways to innovative nanomaterials, enhancing performance, and realizing decarbonization together. This approach is aimed at mimicking natural processes in material design, offering novel solutions for environmental and energy challenges.

Postdoctoral Research in the US (since 2021)

My current research at Northwestern University, supervised by Dr. Justin Notestein, concentrates on catalyst design principles for hydrogen production and storage, focusing on efficient (de)hydrogenation processes. I utilize various metal-containing compounds as catalyst candidates, employ spectroscopy for structural analysis, and collaborate with Dr. Omar Farha’s group on metal-organic framework catalysis. Additionally, I’m integrating Dr. Edward (Ted) Sargent’s electrocatalytic reactor into our thermochemical reactor for a tandem system. Previously at The University of Texas at Austin, under Dr. Arumugam Manthiram, my work on metal oxide-based cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries aimed at new sustainable energy solutions.

Research Experience in Korea

During my PhD at KAIST, guided by Dr. Ryong Ryoo, I studied zeolite chemistry for energy and catalysis, focusing on greener synthesis methods. My work advanced nanoporous carbon materials for supercapacitors and other applications as a platform for chemical functionalization. Afterward, as a postdoctoral researcher at IBS, I shifted focus to Pt-based alloy nanoparticles in zeolite for propane dehydrogenation catalysis, exploring the principles for various industrial reactions.

Teaching Interests

My teaching experience encompasses physical chemistry, materials characterization, and catalyst engineering. At Northwestern, I earned a certification in effective, inclusive STEM teaching from the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (CIRTL). I plan to develop graduate-level courses: one on nanomaterials for energy engineering, highlighting chemical engineering's role in sustainability, and the other on energy and catalysis seminar, focusing on structure-property-performance relationships. Moreover, these are the example courses that I can cover:

Core: Physical Chemistry, Thermodynamics, Reaction Engineering

Elective: Heterogeneous Catalysis (incl. Electrocatalysis), Electrochemical Engineering, Instrumental Characterization, Nanotechnology

Service and DEI

Beyond teaching, I'm committed to diversity and inclusion in STEM. I've mentored students across various disciplines and served as a scientist mentor for K-8 students in an after-school program. Additionally, as President of several associations, I've organized initiatives for postdocs and graduate students, promoting a diverse community. Currently, I'm involved in lab management and formal training for graduate students in the Notestein Group at Northwestern. In my role as an assistant professor, I plan to implement good initiatives in my department and university.

Selected Publications – 9 lead-author papers among 23 publications (* co-corresponding authorship)

1. S. Khan, H. Park, K. Kim, H. Park*, R. Ryoo*, Hierarchically Porous Zeolite-Templated Carbon Embedded with Manganese Oxide for Long-Cycling Asymmetric Supercapacitor, Micropor. Mesopor. Mater., 2024, 369, 113050

2. H. Park, Z. Guo, A. Manthiram*, Effect of Oxidative Synthesis Conditions on the Performance of Single-Crystalline LiMn_2-xM_xO₄ (M = Al, Fe, and Ni) Spinel Cathode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries, Small, 2023, 20, 2303526

3. H. Park et al., Sodium-Free Synthesis of Mesoporous Zeolite to Support Pt-Y Alloy Nanoparticles Exhibiting High Catalytic Performance in Propane Dehydrogenation, J. Catal., 2021, 404, 760–770

4. H. Park* et al., White Fluorescence of Polyaromatics Derived from Methanol Conversion in Ca²⁺-Exchanged Small-Pore Zeolites, Mater. Chem. Front., 2021, 5, 4634–4644

5. H. Park et al., Template Dissolution with NaOH–HCl in Synthesis of Zeolite-Templated Carbons: Effects on Oxygen Functionalization and Electrical Energy Storage Characteristics, Carbon, 2019, 155, 570–579