Life at MAPLAB.

Kyung Hee University News featured MAPLAB’s recent advances in triboelectric wearable sensors, airflow-driven air purification, and electrostatic microdroplet control. The article also highlights a research community connecting undergraduate researchers, graduate students, and alumni faculty through continued collaboration and mentoring. Professor Dongwhi Choi and researchers Seonghun Hwang and Jeongseok Oh discuss the work and the experiences behind it.

Professor Dongwhi Choi and Professor Suk-Won Choi's teams combined a rotational triboelectric nanogenerator with a responsive liquid crystal to indicate wind speed through color changes. The battery-free platform produces red, green, blue and transparent states using wind-generated electricity. Sumin Cho and Soban Ali Shah contributed equally to the study, published in Advanced Functional Materials.

Dongik Kam in MAPLAB won the Best Academic Award (Engineering field) from the 2025 Spring Graduation Ceremony. Congratulation!

Dongik Kam in MAPLAB won the National Research Foundation of Korea President's Award from the 2025 BK21 FOUR Outstanding Participant Awards Ceremony. Congratulation!

Muhammad Ramzan Khawar in MAPLAB won the best paper award from Kyung Hee University BK21 four project. Congratulation!

Dongik Kam in MAPLAB won the best paper award from Kyung Hee University BK21 four project. Congratulation!

Soban Ali Shah in MAPLAB won the best paper award from Kyung Hee University BK21 four project. Congratulation!

Donghan Lee and Yu-seop Kim were awarded the Presidential Science Scholarship for Graduate Students. Congratulation!

Professor Dongwhi Choi and alumnus Professor Yoonsang Ra of Chonnam National University developed a flexible touch sensor using a single coating process. Gravity separates carbon particles within a polymer film, creating the structure needed for self-powered sensing. Combined with deep learning, the sensor achieved more than 98% touch-recognition accuracy and demonstrated virtual-piano and robotic-arm control. The study appeared in SusMat.

Jeongseok Oh, Donghan Lee, and Jaewoo Kim in MAPLAB won the grand prize at the 10th Precision Engineering Creativity Competition held by KSPE. Congratulation!

Hojae Kim, Dongik Kam, and Seungchan Ahn in MAPLAB won the encouragement prize at the 10th Precision Engineering Creativity Competition held by KSPE. Congratulation!

Joonmin Chae in MAPLAB won the best presentation prize at the 2025 ICMSR and RAAI conference. Congratulation!

Joonmin Chae in MAPLAB won the scholarship at 2025년도 국가우수장학금(이공계) in Korea Student Aid Foundation, KOSAF. Congratulation!

Hyeonyeong Choi, Dongik Kam, Sunmin Jang, and Soban Ali Shah in MAPLAB won the great prize at the KIEEME 2025 conference. Congratulation!

[Publication] Research with the Prof. Younghoon Lee's group (Kyung Hee University) is published in Advanced Functional Materials and selected as a front cover of Vol. 35. Issue. 9 (2025). Congratulations! Sunmin Jang* , Sangeun Lee , Soban Ali Shah , Sumin Cho , Yoonsang Ra , Gibeom Lee , Younghoon Lee** , Dongwhi Choi**, " Hydrogel-Based Droplet Electricity Generators: Intrinsically Stretchable and Transparent for Seamless Integration in Diverse Environments ", Advanced Functional Materials, Volume 35, Issue 9 (2025).

Dongik Kam in MAPLAB won the best paper award from Kyung Hee University BK21 four project. Congratulation!

Yu-seop Kim, Yoonsang Ra, and Donghan Lee in MAPLAB won the great prize at the KIEEME 2024 conference. Congratulation!

Sunmin Jang in MAPLAB won the Grand Prize at AMSM 2024 . Congratulation!

Donghan Lee in MAPLAB won the Excellent Prize at AMSM 2024. Congratulation!

Sumin Cho in MAPLAB won the Excellent Prize at AMSM 2024. Congratulation!

Yu-seop Kim in MAPLAB won excellent prize in 2024 Human Resources Development (Exellent research) held by Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning. Congratulation!

Dongik Kam in MAPLAB won the Encouragement Prize at AMSM 2024. Congratulation!

MAPLAB developed a rotational triboelectric nanogenerator that automatically adjusts its normal force to work across changing energy inputs. Wind experiments demonstrated electrical generation as conditions varied, without external user adjustment. First author Yu-seop Kim began the project as an undergraduate researcher and completed it during his master's studies. The research was published in the International Journal of Mechanical Sciences.

Girak Gwon, Dongik Kam, Yoonsang Ra, and Donghan Lee in MAPLAB won the Gold Prize at the NANO KOREA 2024 symposium. Congratulation!

MAPLAB advised by Prof. Dongwhi Choi won 2nd place from Khreative The Brain Awards for Lab held by Kyunghee University Graduate School. Congratulation! https://www.khu.ac.kr/kor/user/bbs/BMSR00044/view.do

Sunmin Jang in MAPLAB won the best paper award from Kyung Hee University BK21 four project. Congratulation!

Dongik Kam in MAPLAB won the best paper award from Kyung Hee University BK21 four project. Congratulation!

Hyeonyeong Choi and Sangeun Lee in MAPLAB participated in Independent Learning & Research Advancement and won the best award. Congratulation!

Sangbeom Nam and Seonghun Hwang in MAPLAB participated in Independent Learning & Research Advancement and won the best award. Congratulation!

Research published in Nano Energy is introduced in the media. https://www.khu.ac.kr/kor/focus/detail.do?seq=2176306 https://dhnews.co.kr/news/view/1065575722184365

Professor Dongwhi Choi's team developed STEP, a portable energy harvester that combines triboelectric and electromagnetic generation through a shared shaft. The device supplies high-voltage or high-current electricity for different needs and powered visible, infrared and ultraviolet LEDs. Undergraduate researcher Yu-seop Kim served as first author of the study, published in the January issue of Nano Energy.

Research with Prof. Dong Sung Kim's group (POSTECH) is selected as six major scientific and technological achievements in Korea in 2023. Congratulations! https://news.mt.co.kr/mtview.php?no=2023122614275291456&type=1

Girak Gwon, Dongik Kam, and Sunmin Jang in MAPLAB won the best presentation paper award at the KSCM 2023 conference. Congratulation!

Research published in Advanced Materials is introduced in the media (YTN science, etc ...). *D. Kam, G. Gwon, et al., Adv. Mater. 35(48), 2023 https://science.ytn.co.kr/program/view.php?mcd=0082&hcd=&key=202312061627347060 https://www.khu.ac.kr/kor/focus/detail.do?preview=1&seq=2174979&page=1

Prof. Donghwi Choi's interview titled 'Invitation to Electrostatic World' is introduced in the webzine NOW published by the National Nanotechnology Policy Center. https://blog.naver.com/nnpcnnpc4001/223232701032

Dongik Kam and Girak Gwon's paper is published in Advanced Materials and selected as the inside back cover of Volume 35, Issue 48 (2023). Congratulations! Dongik Kam*, Girak Gwon*, Sunmin Jang, Donghyeon Yoo, Sung Jea Park**, Moonwoo La**, Dongwhi Choi**, "Advancing Energy Harvesting Efficiency from a Single Droplet: A Mechanically Guided 4D Printed Elastic Hybrid Droplet-Based Electricity Generator", Advanced Materials, Volume 35, Issue 48 (2023).

MAPLAB is highlighted in Kyung Hee University and introduced in the media. https://www.khu.ac.kr/kor/focus/detail.do?seq=2171302

Girak Gwon, Dongik Kam, and Sunmin Jang in MAPLAB won the Grand Prize at the NANO KOREA 2023 symposium. Congratulation!

Girak Gwon, Dongik Kam, and Sunmin Jang in MAPLAB won the great prize at the KIEEME 2023 conference. Congratulation!

MEGA REVIEW paper, which Prof. Dongwhi Choi and Sumin Cho are participated as first author and co-author respectively, are pulbished in ACS nano and selected as a front cover of Vol. 17 (2023). Congratulations! Dongwhi Choi* , Younghoon Lee * , Zong-Hong Lin * , Sumin Cho , Miso Kim, Chi Kit Ao, Siowling Soh, Changwan Sohn, Chang Kyu Jeong, Jeongwan Lee, Minbaek Lee, Seungah Lee, Jungho Ryu, Parag Parashar, Yujang Cho, Jaewan Ahn, Il-Doo Kim, Feng Jiang, Pooi See Lee, Gaurav Khandelwal, Sang-Jae Kim, Hyun Soo Kim, Hyun-Cheol Song, Minje Kim, Junghyo Nah, Wook Kim, Habtamu Gebeyehu Menge, Yong Tae Park, Wei Xu, Jianhua Hao, Hyosik Park, Ju-Hyuck Lee, Dong-Min Lee, Sang-Woo Kim, Ji Young Park, Haixia Zhang, Yunlong Zi, Ru Guo, Jia Cheng, Ze Yang, Yannan Xie, Sangmin Lee, Jihoon Chung, Il-Kwon Oh, Ji-Seok Kim, Tinghai Cheng, Qi Gao, Gang Cheng, Guangqin Gu, Minseob Shim, Jeehoon Jung, Changwoo Yun, Chi Zhang, Guoxu Liu, Yufeng Chen, Suhan Kim, Xiangyu Chen, Jun Hu, Xiong Pu, Zi Hao Guo, Xudong Wang, Jun Chen, Xiao Xiao, Xing Xie, Mourin Jarin, Hulin Zhang, Ying-Chih Lai, Tianyiyi He, Hakjeong Kim, Inkyu Park, Junseong Ahn, Nghia Dinh Huynh, Ya Yang, Zhong Lin Wang ** , Jeong Min Baik ** , and Dukhyun Choi ** " Recent Advances in Triboelectric Nanogenerators: From Technological Progress to Commercial Applications ", ACS Nano, Vol. 17, (2023).

Research with the Prof. Dong Sung Kim's group (POSTECH) is published in Advanced Materials and selected as a front cover of Vol. 35. Issue. 26 (2023). Congratulations! Donghyeon Yoo*, Sunmin Jang*, Sumin Cho, Dongwhi Choi**, Dong Sung Kim **, "A liquid triboelectric series", Advanced Materials, Vol. 35, Issue. 26 (2023).

Research with Prof. Jin-Gyun Kim's group (Kyung Hee Univ.) is published in Composite Structures and it is introduced in the media. https://www.khu.ac.kr/kor/focus/detail.do?seq=2167767&page=28&pageSize=5 https://news.unn.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=543116

Sunmin Jang in MAPlab won the scholarship at 2023 Khreative U+ creative-innovation KHU-Fellowship held in BK21 four project. Congratulation!

Sumin Cho in MAPlab won the scholarship at 2023 Khreative U+ creative-innovation KHU-Fellowship held in BK21 four project. Congratulation!

Sunmin Jang in MAPlab won the gold prize at 2022 I-M Printing Idea Contest held in BK21 four project. Congratulation!

Dongik Kam in MAPlab won the grand prize at 2022 I-M Printing Idea Contest held in BK21 four project. Congratulation!

Dongik Kam in MAPlab won the best paper award at the Korean Society for Precision Engineering (KSPE) 2022 spring conference. Congratulation!

Donghan Lee, Sumin Cho, Sunmin Jang, Yoonsang Ra, Yungeon Jang, and Yeongcheol Yun in MAPlab won the best paper award at the KSPE 2022 conference. Congratulation!

Sumin Cho in MAPlab was awarded a certificate of completion at the KIC-TECH Frontier program to train entrepreneurship. Congratulation!

Sunmin Jang, Yoonsu Joung, Hyeonsu Kim, Sumin Cho, and Yoonsang Ra in MAPlab won the gold prize at the Nano Korea 2022 conference. Congratulation!

Sunmin Jang and Yoonsu Joung's paper is published in Nano Energy and selected as a front cover of Volume 97 (2022). Congratulations! Sunmin Jang*, Yoonsu Joung*, Hyeonsu Kim, Sumin Cho, Yoonsang Ra, Minchang Kim, Dahoon Ahn**, Zong-Hong Lin**, Dongwhi Choi**, "Charge transfer accelerating strategy for improving sensitivity of droplet based triboelectric sensors via heterogeneous wettability", Nano Energy, Vol. 97, (2022).

Sunmin Jang, Yoonsu Joung in MAPlab won the best presentation award at the KSPE 2021 conference. Congratulation!

Sumin Cho won the best thesis award from Kyung Hee University

Yoonsang Ra won the Minister prize in BK21. Congratulation!

Sumin Cho, Yoonsu Joung, and Hyeonsu Kim in MAPlab won the 3rd prize in X-corps festival. Congratulation!

Sumin Cho, Yoonsu Joung, Hyeonsu Kim won the participation prize at the Bio-mechatronics (실전문제연구단). Congratulation!

Yoonsang Ra, Jaehyoung Kim, Dongjin Shin, Dayeon Jang won the participation prize at the Bio-mechatronics (실전문제연구단). Congratulation!

Our group members Minseok Park and Sumin Cho's paper is published in International Journal of Energy Research and selected as a front cover of Volume 45, issue 12, (2021). Congratulations! Minseok Park*, Sumin Cho*, Yeongcheol Yun, Moonwoo La**, Sung Jea Park**, Dongwhi Choi**, "A highly sensitive magnetic configuration-based triboelectric nanogenerator for multidirectional vibration energy harvesting and self-powered environmental monitoring", International Journal of Energy Research, Vol. 45, (2021)

Sumin Cho and Zahid Hanif's paper is published in Nano Energy and selected as a front cover of Volume 88 (2021). Congratulations! Sumin Cho*, Zahid Hanif*, Yeongcheol Yun, Zeeshan Ahmad Khan, Sunmin Jang, Yoonsang Ra, Zong-Hong Lin, Moonwoo La**, Sung Jea Park**, Dongwhi Choi**,"Triboelectrification-driven microbial inactivation in a conductive cellulose filter for affordable, portable, and efficient water sterilization", Nano Energy, Vol. 88, (2021).

Donghan Lee and Sumin Cho in MAPlab won the best presentation award at the KSCM 2021 conference. Congratulation!

Sumin Cho in MAPlab won the best presentation award at the KSCM 2021 conference. Congratulation!

Sunmin Jang, Yoonsu Joung, Hyeonsu Kim, Sumin Cho, and Yoonsang Ra in MAPlab won the best presentation award at the KSCM 2021 conference. Congratulation!

Research with KOREATECH is online-published in Nano Energy and it is introduced in the media https://www.khu.ac.kr/kor/focus/detail.do?seq=2150953&page=1&pageSize=5

Yoonsang Ra won the best thesis award from Kyung Hee University

Sunmin Jang, Yoonsu Joung, Hyeonsu Kim, Sumin Cho, and Yoonsang Ra in MAPlab won the best presentation award at the KIEEME 2021 conference. Congratulation!

Yeongcheol Yun won the excellent research award from BK21 four project

Sumin Cho, Donghan Lee, Yoon Su Joung and Minseok Park in MAPlab won the 2nd prize in X-corps festival. Congratulation!

Our group member Yoonsang Ra's paper is published in IJPEM-GT! Congratulations! Yoonsang Ra*, Moonwoo La*, Sumin Cho, Sung Jea Park**, Dongwhi Choi**, "Scalable Batch Fabrication of the Flexible, Transparent and Self-triggered Tactile Sensor Array Based on Triboelectric Effect", International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing - Green Technology (IJPEM-GT), Vol. 8 (2021).

Sumin Cho, Sunghwan Cho, Min Seok Park, Jaehan Shim, Donghan Lee and Yoon Su Joung won the 1st prize at the Bio-mechatronics (실전문제연구단). Congratulation!

Our group member Yeongcheol Yun and Sunmin Jang's paper is published in Nano Energy. Congratulations! Yeongcheol Yun*, Sunmin Jang*, Sumin Cho, Sae Hyuk Lee, Hee Jae Hwang, Dongwhi Choi**, "Exo-shoe Triboelectric Nanogenerator: Toward High-Performance Wearable Biomechanical Energy Harvester", Nano Energy, Vol. 80 (2021).

Sumin Cho, Yeongcheol Yun, Sunmin Jang, Yoonsang Ra, Jun Hyuk Choi in MAPlab won the best paper award at the 2020 Korean Society for Precision Engineering conference. Congratulation!

Yoonsang Ra*, Jun Hyuk Choi*, Seung-Jun Choi, Moonwoo La, Sung Jea Park, Moon-Jo Kim**, Dongwhi Choi**, "Cold Rolled Robust Metal Assisted Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Extremely Durable Operation", Extreme Mechanics Letters, Vol. 40 (2020).

Sunmin Jang, Sumin Cho, Yoonsang Ra in MAPlab won the best poster award at the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers conference. Congratulation!

Yeongcheol Yun, Sumin Cho, Sunmin Jang, Jun Hyuk Choi and Yoonsang Ra in MAPlab won the best paper award at the AMSM 2019 conference (4th international conference on Active Materials and Soft Mechatronics). Congratulation!

Yoonsang Ra, Seungin Oh, JoonHo Lee, Yeongcheol Yun, Sumin Cho, Jun Hyuk Choi, Sunmin Jang, Hee Jae Hwang, Dukhyun Choi, Jin-Gyun Kim**, Dongwhi Choi**, "Triboelectric Signal Generation and Its Versatile Utilization During Gear-based Ordinary Power Transmission", Nano Energy, Vol. 73 (2020).

Our group member Seonbeen Choi and Sumin Cho's paper is published in Advanced Materials Technologies and selected as a back cover of Volume 5, Issue 4. Congratulations! Seonbeen Choi*, Sumin Cho*, Yeongcheol Yun, Sunmin Jang, Jun Hyuk Choi, Yoonsang Ra, Sung Jea Park**, Dongwhi Choi**, "Development of a High-Performance Handheld Triboelectric Nanogenerator with a Lightweight Power Transmission Unit", Advanced Materials Technologies, Vol. 5, (2020).

Our group member Sumin Cho and Sunmin Jang's paper is published in Materials. Congratulations! Sumin Cho*, Sunmin Jang*, Moonwoo La*, Yeongcheol Yun, Taekyung Yu, Sung Jea Park**, Dongwhi Choi**, "Facile Tailoring of Contact Layer Characteristics of the Triboelectric Nanogenerator based on Portable Imprinting Device", Materials, Vol. 13, (2020).

Our group member Sunmin Jang's paper is published in Nano Energy! Congratulations! Sunmin Jang*, Moonwoo La*, Sumin Cho, Yeongcheol Yun, Jun Hyuk Choi, Yoonsang Ra, Sung Jea Park**, Dongwhi Choi**, "Monocharged Electret Based Liquid-Solid Interating Triboelectric Nanogenerator for its Boosted Electrical Output Performance", Nano Energy, Vol. 70, (2020).

Dong-Ik Kam, Sae Hyuk Lee, and Minchang Kim join MAPlab as graduate researchers! Welcome!

Minchang Kim, Min Seok Park, Jae Han Shim, Donghan Lee and Sunghwan Cho join MAPLlab as undergraduate student researchers! Welcome!

Sumin Cho, Seon Been Choi and Saehyuk Lee in MAPlab won the best paper award at the NANO KOREA 2019 conference (The 18th International Nanotech Symposium). Congratulation!

Jun Hyuk Choi and Yoonsang Ra in MAPlab won the best paper award at the Korean Society for Composite Materials (KSCM) spring conference. Congratulation!

Yoonsang Ra and Jun Hyuk Choi in MAPlab won the best poster award at the Korean Society for Composite Materials (KSCM) spring conference. Congratulation!

Prof. Zong-Hong Lin from National Tsing Hua University visited MAPlab and the new collaborative project started

Multiscale Advanced material Processing laboratory is now starting from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Kyung Hee University

Yoonsang Ra joins MAPlab as a graduate student researcher! Welcome!

6 Undergraduate students join MAPlab! Welcome

Yoonsang Ra joins MAPlab as an undergraduate student researcher! Welcome!

Jun Hyuk Choi joins MAPlab as a graduate student! Welcome!

Research with undergraduate student of POSTECH is published in Applied Surface Science and it is introduced in the media (YTN science, etc ...) *D. Choi, et al., Appl. Surf. Sci. 2017

Undergraduate researchers in MAPlab won the 3rd prize. Congratulation!