Nanocatalyst Research Laboratory

Let's sing a "Song" for Nanocatalysts!

What We Do

We are trying to establish basic design principles of nanostructures catalyzing energy and environment-related reactions to Make the Earth Green Again (MEGA).

Why are nanocatalysts important in green energy processes?

We are thoroughly investigating chemistry on well-defined nanostructures and surfaces. We have generated numerous nanostructures with uniform morphologies and studied various catalytic functions stimulated by renewable energy sources. We now focus on nano-assemblies for multi-dimensional functions and small molecule activation by photo- and electrochemical processes using designed nanoparticles.

Starting from the model catalysts, we explore fundamental principles of nanocatalyst design exhibiting high conversion efficiency and selectivity of energy conversion reactions, such as hydrogen generation and carbon dioxide reduction, and pursue to establish green chemical processes beneficial for human life on Earth.

Nano-plasmonics

Nano-photocatalysis

Nano-electrocatalysis

→ More about our research

Recent Publications

J.-Y. Jung, J. Lee, Y. Kim, D. Shin, J. Park, S. Kim, H. R. Byon, H. Kim, H. Song, ACS Catal. 15, 2642-2653 (2025).

170. Switching Methane Selectivity in Carbon Dioxide Electroreduction via Confining Cu(I) Oxide Nanocubes by Polyimine Shells

B. Park, W.-W. Park, J. Y. Choi, K. Bang, S. Kim, Y.-J. Choi, S. Sul, O.-H. Kwon, H. Song, Chem. Eur. J. 30, e202402370 (2024).

169. Metal Cocatalyst Engineering in Metal-Semiconductor Hybrid Photocatalysts Achieves a Fivefold Enhancement of Hydrogen Evolution

B. Choi, C. K. Lim, M. Kim, B. Park, W.-W. Park, O.-H. Kwon, H.-S. Lee, H. Song, ChemCatChem 16, e202400759 (2024).

168. Robust Junction Formation of Copper(I) Oxide on Graphitic Carbon Nitride Enhances Aqueous Carbon Dioxide Photoreduction without Sacrifical Reagents

J. Han, W. Huang, S.-H. Yu, N. Gu, S. Li, H. Song, R. Palgrave, C. Yan, Electron 1, e4 (2023)

167. Energizing the future: Empowering sustainability with Electron

Group News

Prof. Song won the Advisor Award for the 2024 R&E research.

2025. 3.20

Thanks to our TA, Joung-Yeong Jung, Prof. Song won the Advisor Award for the 2024 R&E research from the Ministry of Science and ICT. It is noted that Prof. Song is not a KSA teacher.

Our KSA R&E team in 2024 won two Awards.

2024.11.23 & 12.30

The KSA team 2024 (Yulun Kwon, Youngjun Seo, and Jeongwoo Hong), supervised by Prof. Hyunjoon Song and Jong-Yeong Jung, won the award (우수 연구팀) of the 2024 KSA R&E. They also won the best award of the 2024 R&E (과학영재창의연구). Congraturations!

Jong-Yeong Jung received the Best Poster Award for MRS Symposium EN07.

2023.12.07

The poster presentation at the 2023 Materials Research Society (MRS) Fall Meeting has been recognized with the Best Poster for Symposium 07: Emerging Electrocatalytic Materials and Devices for Clean Energy and Environmental Applications, sponsored by ACS Energy Letters. Congratulations!