Ji Mun is a chemical engineer. He completed his PhD in chemical engineering at Seoul National University, South Korea, where he explored the functional correlation between chemical structures of metal electrode surfaces and their electrocatalytic performances, especially for fuel cell and water electrolyzer. He developed several catalyst designs on organic-inorganic junctions for platinum-based nanomaterials to boost both activity and stability in fuel cell systems.
As a Schmidt Science Fellow, Ji Mun aims to pivot from energy science into the environmental science sector with electrochemistry as a core principle working at the Lukatskaya Group in ETH Zürich. He plans to discover how tailored local chemical environments between electrode and electrolyte and so-called electrochemical interface can facilitate the conversion of toxic chemicals in wastewater into inert states or even upcycling to new valuable resources. For this purpose, his research work will cover not only molecular-scale understanding of water-waste species such as heavy metal ions or organic molecules, but also the interaction of nearby electrified metal surfaces with engineering approaches to optimize overall water purification efficiency at the device level.
Ji Mun is highly motivated to learn multi-level scientific techniques, understand fundamental principles in electrochemical reactions, and eventually develop engineering solutions for both energy and environmental issues in the world.