Professor of Chemical Engineering

Research Areas

Polymer Chemistry

Research Interests

Our lab provides a platform of challenging environment for the research of innovative polymeric materials with high performance and unique applications for medicine, environment, energy, electronics, and textiles. With a focus on polymer chemistry, primarily directed towards the design and synthesis of structurally novel polymers, we aim to synthesize, characterize, and test polymeric materials in an interdisciplinary manner. Current research efforts include:

BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERIC MATERIALS
Our biodegradable polymeric research theme is focused on the design, synthesis and characterization of biodegradable and bioresorbable polymers, based on PGA, PLA and their copolymers for biomedical implants and drug delivery. Biodegradable PGA, PLA and their copolymers are designed innovatively, starting through monomer selection and mechanism of synthesis, maintaining stereochemistry, control of molecular weight, microstructures and degradation profiles, while increasing mechanical strength of the products.

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF HIGH POLYMERS
We focus on the synthesis and characterization of high performance, high functional polymers such as modified polyamides, polynorbornenes and poly(arylene ether ketone)s. In order to meet the challenging requirements of both academic and industrial issues, we control the properties of polymers by regulating basic polymer parameters.

Selected Publications

1. Y. J. Kim, T.E. Glass, G. D. Lyle, and J. E. McGrath, “Kinetic and Mechanistic Investigations of Formation of Polymides under Homogeneous Conditions”, Macromolecules, 26, 1344, 1993.

2. Young Jun Kim and H.p.park, “preventing Gelation in Polyisoimide Synthesis”, Polymer International, 49(1), 8-10, 2000.

3. Young Jun Kim, Gum Im Son and Ji-Heung Kim, “Studies of cure kinetics of polyisoimide by differential, 49(1), 8-10, 2002.

4. Youn Jun Kim, Ji-Heung Kim, Jong Chan Won, Studies of Thermal lmidization Kinetics of Polyisoimide Based upon 4,4-[1,4-phenylene-bis-(1-methylethylidene)] Bisaniline and 4,4-Oxydiphthalic Anhydride in Solid State, High PerFormance Polymers, 17(1), 19-34, 2005.

5. Kim, Young Jun; Einsla,Brian R.; Tchatchoua, Charles N.; McGrath, James E. Synthesis of high molecular weight polybenzoxazoles in polyphosphoric acid and investigation of their hydrolytic stability under acidic conditions.
High Performance Polymers, 17(3), 377-401, 2005.

Professional Experience

Post-Doc (Virginia Tech, 1992~1993)
제일합섬(1993-1994) Visiting Professor (Virginia Tech, 2003)
Visiting Professor (Virginia Tech, 2003)