Young scientist works on ’dream’ material

Research Institute of Peace Studies scientist Kwon Han-sang poses after receiving the Jang Young-sil Award at Gwacheon National Science Museum, Gyeonggi Province, late last month.

/ Korea Times file

By Kim Tae-gyu

After numerous failures over the past several years, scientists concluded that carbon nanotubes do not combine with aluminum to create reinforced composites called ``dream materials’’ for their wide potential applications.

However, a young Korean researcher is challenging the long-held belief, claiming that he has created a composite that is up to four times stronger than aluminum, without compromising its elasticity.

Kwon Han-sang, a scientist at the state-backed Research institute of Peace Studies, recently won the Jang Young-sil Award for his work. It was also covered by peer-reviewed monthly, the Composite Science and Technology, in 2010.

``Thus far, scientists could come up with advanced carbon nanotube composites with ceramics or polymers but they have failed to do so with metals, particularly aluminum,’’ Kwon said.

``I employed a unique method, ‘powder metallurgy,’ to generate aluminum-carbon nanotube composites with highly enhanced tensile strength and elasticity properties, the highly sought-after rare combination.’’

Kwon projected that the new substances could be used for the frames of vehicles as well as construction material. Over the long haul, he predicts that they will replace copper or ordinary aluminum for cable lines.

``Another advantage of the technology is that the materials can be produced in bulk based on existing facilities since the two core procedures of ‘power metallurgy’ are generally used in factories,’’ the 35-year-old said.

``Many companies including top-tier ones in Korea have tried to commercialize the technology with our team. We are in contact with multiple entities and will be able to produce tangible results in the not-so-distant future.’’

He added that as the price of carbon nanotubes keeps going down while that of aluminum continues to move upward, the new materials would gain competitiveness as far as expenses are concerned.

Kwon applied for a patent for the material in Korea earlier this year. But he is struggling to do so in other countries because of the high costs _ up to $20,000 in advanced countries on average, he said.

Kwon got his Ph.D. at Tohoku University in Japan and worked as a researcher at agencies in France and Switzerland.

Carbon nanotubes are cylindrical carbon molecules discovered in the early 1990s.

They have been highly touted because of their special physical and chemical properties, which make them useful in very small-scale electronic and mechanical applications.

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