Pusan National University and Hokkaido University Joint Research Team Develops New Material Capable of Oxygen Absorption and Release at Low Temperatures

New Metal Oxide Developed for Stable Oxygen Exchange at Low Temperatures
Potential Applications in Next-Generation Fuel Cells and Smart Windows
Published in the International Journal Nature Communications

Pusan National University (President Choi Jaewon) announced on August 26 that a research team led by Professor Hyungjin Jin from the Department of Physics has developed a new metal oxide capable of stably absorbing and releasing oxygen at relatively low temperatures through joint research with Hokkaido University in Japan.

The research team demonstrated that a metal oxide composed of strontium (Sr), iron (Fe), and cobalt (Co) can repeatedly exchange oxygen even in a simple gas environment while maintaining structural stability.

The newly developed oxide functions much like a "lung," exhibiting the unique ability to inhale and exhale oxygen. During this process, it maintains reversibility by restoring its original crystal structure without collapse.

Professor Hyungjin Jin of Pusan National University stated, "Unlike conventional solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), which operate at high temperatures above 800 degrees Celsius, this crystal enables stable oxygen control even under mild conditions. It is expected to be applicable in a wide range of fields, including next-generation energy technologies."

Hiromichi Ohta, a professor at the Research Institute for Electronic Science at Hokkaido University, emphasized, "This material is key to the development of 'smart materials' that can autonomously regulate themselves in real time. It will open up broad application possibilities in clean energy, electronic devices, and eco-friendly building materials."

The research was led by Dr. Junhyuk Lee, who earned his Ph.D. at Pusan National University and is currently affiliated with the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, as the first author, with Professor Hyungjin Jin serving as the corresponding author.

Additionally, Dr. Younghak Kim from the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory and a research team led by Professor Sangmoon Yoon from Gachon University also participated as co-researchers. The paper was published in the August 15 issue of the international journal Nature Communications.

This research was supported by the Mid-career Researcher Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea under the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Infrastructure Advancement Project of the National Research Facilities & Equipment Center under the Korea Basic Science Institute and the Ministry of Education, and the Korea-Japan Cooperative Research Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea.