Hanyang University's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor Kim Gi-hyeon was introduced as a researcher who will break the limits in using composite materials in an interview with Edaily on June 11. Professor Kim is a researcher who has been developing diverse adhesion and catalysis materials to effectively remove volatile organic compounds existing in the atmosphere such as benzene and formaldehyde. He developed a monitoring system to comprehensively control the environment pollution index and is working on air purifying materials to apply in actual fields using the research outcomes checked in the laboratory.

The air purifiers that are already commercialized are helpful in removing a portion of the fine dust, but there are limits to detecting and removing organic compounds in gas forms. This is because volatile organic compounds are high in volatility and low in reactivity, which makes them difficult to effectively remove using normal adhesion and catalysis materials.

Professor Kim is focusing on developing complex functionality materials that allow adhesion and catalysis at the same time with normal temperature thermo catalysis technology that will change the previous photo catalysis removal methods of air purifiers. Adhesion and catalysis, each has different effects, are applied together to enhance the quality of air purifying technology.

Professor Kim said, “Making a perfect air purifier can be one of those impossible dreams, but the technologies on controlling pollution harmful to humans are constantly evolving and the chances to remove pollutants that were difficult to completely remove are emerging as new material technologies for environment purification are developed.”

He added, “The best method for enhancing indoor air quality is to remove pollutants or not creating one, which is realistically unmanageable.” He emphasized, “As a researcher, I will endlessly strive to develop  technology to comprehensively remove pollutants.”