Newswise — Lithium-ion batteries serve as the core energy storage devices in various industries and everyday products, including smartphones, electric vehicles, and ESS (energy storage systems). However, conventional lithium-ion batteries use liquid electrolytes, posing a risk of fire or explosion when subjected to external impact or overheating. Recent electric vehicle fire incidents have heightened concerns about their safety. As an alternative to overcome these limitations, ‘all-solid-state batteries’-which use non-flammable solid materials as electrolytes-are gaining attention as next-generation battery technology.

However, amorphous solid electrolytes-the core material for all-solid-state batteries-have faced limitations in analyzing lithium-ion transport mechanisms due to the irregularity of their internal structure. Consequently, performance improvements have been achieved empirically by altering electrolyte composition or compression conditions, making it difficult to systematically explain the causes of performance differences.

A research team led by Dr. Byungju, Lee at the Computational Science Research Center of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST, President Sang-Rok Oh) has identified key factors governing lithium ion movement in amorphous solid electrolytes through AI-based atomic simulations. The team analyzed lithium-ion movement by distinguishing it into ‘ease of movement between sites’ and ‘connectivity of movement paths’. They confirmed that overall performance is more significantly influenced by the difficulty of ions moving from one site to the next than by path connectivity.

In fact, while ion conductivity performance varied by up to fivefold depending on lithium ion mobility, the effect of pathway connectivity was limited to approximately a twofold difference. This provides a quantitative basis for interpreting performance variations that were previously difficult to explain due to the amorphous structure. Furthermore, the research team identified specific structural conditions that enhance lithium ion mobility. The higher the proportion of structures where four sulfur atoms surrounded a lithium ion, the faster the ion migration became. Optimal performance was achieved when the size of the internal void space fell within an appropriate range. Notably, excessively large voids actually hindered ion migration and degraded performance. This finding overturns the conventional wisdom that ‘lower density leads to higher conductivity’.

The results of this study can be directly applied to the design and manufacturing process of solid electrolytes for all-solid-state batteries. Simply controlling the internal structure by adjusting the electrolyte composition ratio or compression/molding conditions can improve ionic conductivity performance without requiring additional material changes, making it highly applicable in industrial settings. Furthermore, the analytical method proposed in this study can be extended to the development of various solid electrolyte materials. By pre-selecting high-performance candidate materials, it can dramatically enhance performance prediction and accelerate material development speed. This is expected to advance the commercialization of all-solid-state batteries in fields where safety and energy density are critical, such as electric vehicles and energy storage devices.

Dr. Byungju, Lee of KIST stated, “This research is significant in that it clearly identifies the key factors determining the performance of amorphous solid electrolytes.” He added, “As it presents design criteria enabling systematic improvement of material performance, we expect it to contribute to accelerating the commercialization of all-solid-state batteries.”

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KIST was established in 1966 as the first government-funded research institute in Korea. KIST now strives to solve national and social challenges and secure growth engines through leading and innovative research. For more information, please visit KIST’s website at https://kist.re.kr//eng/index.do

This research was conducted as part of KIST’s major projects and the Materials Global Young Connect Project (RS-2024-00407995), supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT (Minister Bae Kyung-hoon). The research findings were published in the latest issue of the international journal Advanced Energy Materials (IF 26.0, JCR field 2.5%).

Newswise — Environmental pollutant analysis typically requires complex sample pretreatment steps such as filtration, separation, and preconcentration. When solid materials such as sand, soil, or food residues are present in water samples, analytical accuracy often decreases, and filtration can unintentionally remove trace-level target pollutants along with the solids.

To address this challenge, a joint research team led by Dr. Ju Hyeon Kim at the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), in collaboration with Professor Jae Bem You’s group at Chungnam National University, has developed a microfluidic-based analytical device that enables direct extraction and analysis of pollutants from solid-containing samples without any pretreatment.

Water, food, and environmental samples encountered in daily life may contain trace amounts of hazardous contaminants that are invisible to the naked eye. Accurate detection requires selective extraction and concentration of target analytes, a process traditionally achieved using liquid–liquid extraction (LLE). However, conventional LLE requires large volumes of solvents and is difficult to automate. Although liquid–liquid microextraction (LLME) has been introduced to overcome these limitations, its practical application has remained limited because samples containing solid particles still require a filtration step prior to extraction.

Existing analytical approaches typically follow a multistep workflow—solid removal, extraction, and analysis—which increases time and cost while reducing analytical reliability. These limitations pose significant challenges in fields closely related to public health, including environmental monitoring, drinking water safety, and pharmaceutical residue analysis.

The research team overcame these issues by designing a trap-based microfluidic device that confines a small volume of extractant droplet inside a microchamber while allowing the sample solution to flow continuously through an adjacent microchannel. This configuration enables rapid and selective mass transfer of target analytes into the extractant, while solid particles pass through the channel without interference. After extraction, the extractant droplet can be retrieved for downstream analysis.

Using this device, the researchers successfully detected perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a representative per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) increasingly regulated due to environmental and health concerns, as well as carbamazepine (CBZ), an anticonvulsant pharmaceutical compound. Notably, CBZ was extracted directly from sand-containing slurry samples without filtration. PFOA signals were detected within five minutes, and CBZ extracted from slurry samples was clearly identified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

The results demonstrate that the proposed microfluidic platform significantly reduces analytical steps while maintaining high reliability, highlighting its potential as a compact and automatable solution for environmental pollution monitoring, food safety inspection, and pharmaceutical and bioanalytical applications.

Dr. Kim noted that “integrating multiple pretreatment steps into a single process offers substantial advantages for on-site analysis and automated systems,” while KRICT President Young-Kuk Lee emphasized that “this technology can enhance the reliability of environmental and food safety analyses that directly impact public health.”

The study was published as a cover article in ACS Sensors (Impact Factor: 9.1; top 3.2% in JCR Analytical Chemistry) in December 2025. Dr. Ju Hyeon Kim (KRICT) and Professor Jae Bem You (Chungnam National University) served as corresponding authors, with Sung Wook Choi as the first author.

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KRICT is a non-profit research institute funded by the Korean government. Since its foundation in 1976, KRICT has played a leading role in advancing national chemical technologies in the fields of chemistry, material science, environmental science, and chemical engineering. Now, KRICT is moving forward to become a globally leading research institute tackling the most challenging issues in the field of Chemistry and Engineering and will continue to fulfill its role in developing chemical technologies that benefit the entire world and contribute to maintaining a healthy planet. More detailed information on KRICT can be found at https://www.krict.re.kr/eng/

The research was supported by the KRICT Core Research Program, the National Research Foundation of Korea, and the Korea–Switzerland Innovation Program.

Newswise — The Hong Kong Institute for Advanced Study (HKIAS) hosted its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on October 15, 2025, gathering Senior Fellows from across the globe to mark the Institute’s 10^th anniversary and engage in discussions centered on strategic advancements in research and international collaboration. Under the leadership of Chairman Professor Serge Haroche, the meeting commenced with a heart-warming welcome to the new appointed HKIAS Senior Fellows: Professor Françoise Combes, Professor Étienne Ghys, Professor Dame Madeleine Atkins, Professor Alessio Figalli and Professor Sylvie Méléard. The Executive Director, Professor Shuk Han Cheng, presented a comprehensive review of the recent initiatives undertaken by City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) and HKIAS, highlighting current news, activities, collaborative interactions with faculty members between CityUHK and the home institutions of our Senior Fellows and the significant achievements of Senior Fellows to underscore a decade of excellence.

As a key component of the HKIAS 10^th anniversary celebration activities, HKIAS organised a series of distinguished lectures and round table discussion. These activities, which showcased the cutting-edge research contributions of our Senior Fellows across multitude of disciplines, were supported partially by the Kwang Hua Educational Foundation. Their reception among students and faculty at CityUHK and various academic institutions across Hong Kong highlighted a profound interest and active engagement within the academic community. 

13 October: Professor Serge Haroche, an esteemed Nobel laureate in Physics, unveiled the intricacies of laser and quantum physics. On the same day, Professor Pierre-Louis Lions, the 1994 recipient of the Fields Medal, engaged the audience with a discourse on the intersection of mathematics and artificial intelligence (AI).

14 October: Professor George Fu Gao, a world-renowned virologist, delivered an insightful lecture on AI-empowered vaccine and antibody development. Additionally, Professor Mu-ming Poo, a distinguished figure in neuroscience and brain-inspired technology illuminated the audience on brain science and its implications for AI development.

15 October: Professor Dame Madeleine Atkins, President Emeritus of Lucy Cavendish College at the University of Cambridge, led a Round Table Discussion on Additional Models of Research Grant Funding, with Mr David Foster, Executive Director of the Croucher Foundation, as the online guest speaker.

Throughout the AGM week, interdisciplinary meetings and networking events were integral to fostering mentorship opportunities and collaboration among HKIAS Senior Fellows, CityU Faculty members, emerging researchers and students from various disciplines.

These events reaffirmed HKIAS’s unwavering commitment to fostering global collaboration and scientific excellence over the past decade. As the Institute celebrated its 10^th anniversary, we look forward to organizing further initiatives that will enhance the international profile of the science and engineering community at CityUHK and explore new frontiers in research and collaboration.

For more details on the celebration events, please visit HKIAS past events.

Newswise — West Virginia University empowered budding innovator Don Brodie to succeed by nurturing his passion for science and sense of curiosity. More than 50 years later, Brodie and his wife, Linda, are enriching academics, research and more to help future generations excel with a $5 million gift to strengthen leadership at the WVU Eberly College of Arts and Sciences.

The couple’s gift, made through their family foundation, establishes the Linda and Don Brodie Deanship at the WVU Eberly College. The associated endowment provides broad support to advance the mission of the University’s largest academic unit, which serves more than 5,000 students across over 60 undergraduate and graduate programs. 

“From literature and the humanities to mathematics, natural sciences, and social and behavioral sciences, the reach of the WVU Eberly College is wide,” WVU President Michael T. Benson said. “This gift is an investment in the future of the University’s largest College, which serves as a launch point for students of all interests and majors, and we thank Linda and Don Brodie for their incredible show of support for WVU.”

The Brodie gift comes as WVU seeks a new leader to guide the Eberly College. Longtime Dean Gregory Dunaway will conclude 10 years at the College’s helm on June 30, although he will remain a faculty member.

Greenwood Asher & Associates is leading the national search for the next Eberly College dean.

“Education is the most powerful investment we can make in the future,” Don and Linda Brodie said. “Our hope is that this deanship strengthens leadership, inspires discovery and opens doors for students to reach their full potential.”

Eberly programs span diverse disciplines including chemistry, which sparked Don’s scientific interest.

A native of Philadelphia, Brodie was drawn to WVU by affordable out-of-state tuition and initially chose chemistry because the registration line was short. He said he appreciates the education he received from his professors, who encouraged his innovative mind and laid the groundwork for a career rooted in chemistry. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree in 1969.

Brodie worked as a chemist and sales associate in the Philadelphia area through the 1970s. After he met and married Linda, they were inspired by their entrepreneurial parents to start a business.

With Linda’s support, Don partnered with his brother, Steve, to launch the Purolite Company from the couple’s basement in 1981. Over the next 40 years, the family-owned business grew into a global manufacturer of pharmaceutical and bioprocessing production products, industrial water treatment, chemical and refining for food processing, metals extraction, finishing and electroplating, and products used for nuclear power generation.

Brodie’s leadership as co-founder of Purolite contributed to the development of cost-effective ways to manufacture products for a cleaner environment, as well as groundbreaking innovations in medical treatment.

Linda Brodie played a pivotal role during Purolite’s formative years, applying her experience managing a law firm to lay the foundation for administration and finance operations. As the company grew, she continued to provide critical support, guidance and leadership.

The Brodies have amplified their impact in recent years through philanthropy. They established the Don and Linda Brodie Family Foundation to support the communities in which they live and create opportunities through education. Their giving is driven by their Jewish faith and shared values, anchored by strong beliefs in tradition, responsibility and integrity.

Their generous support for WVU includes two funds established within the Eberly College to support chemistry students and faculty pursuing research and discovery with the potential for commercialization.

“The Eberly College has been so fortunate to benefit from the generosity of Linda and Don Brodie,” Dunaway said. “They have made so many investments in the College to ensure opportunity and success for our students and faculty. This extraordinary gift reflects Don and Linda’s deep belief in Eberly and their desire to help the College thrive well into the future. It strengthens the foundation of the Eberly community to reach new heights in academic excellence, innovation and opportunities for those inside and outside of WVU.”

Don Brodie has also shared his time with WVU, serving as chair of the Eberly Advisory Committee and assisting with development efforts. He was inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Alumni in 2012 and selected last year to receive an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the Eberly College.

Don and Linda reside in Boca Raton, Florida. They are deeply devoted to their family, including their three adult children and five grandchildren.

The Brodie gift was made through the WVU Foundation, the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of the University.

Newswise — In medicine, security, nuclear safety and scientific research, X-rays are essential tools for seeing what remains hidden.

The materials used to create X-ray detectors can be rigid, expensive and laborious to produce. But new research led by FSU Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Professor Biwu Ma is creating lower-cost, adaptable materials that could revolutionize X-ray detection technologies.

In two separate research studies, Ma’s group offers solutions to long-standing challenges in X-ray imaging. In the first study, published in Small, the team developed a new material that generates electric signals when exposed to X-rays, enabling direct X-ray detection. In the second study, published in Angewandte Chemie, the researchers used a related material to produce low-cost scintillators, which are materials that emit visible light when exposed to X-rays or other high-energy radiation.

“We have traditionally relied on inorganic materials for X-ray detection, but they are often rigid, expensive to manufacture and energy-intensive to produce, and they have many limitations,” Ma said. “What we have been trying to develop is a new class of materials that can address the issues and challenges faced by existing materials.”

In these studies, researchers created new hybrid materials composed of both organic and inorganic components, known as organic metal halide complexes (OMHCs) and organic metal halide hybrids (OMHHs). By tailoring the structures of these materials at the molecular level, the team enabled different forms of X-ray detection. This research represents a major step toward developing lower-cost, scalable and flexible X-ray detector technologies capable of overcoming key limitations of conventional inorganic systems.

Glassy OMHC films for direct X-ray detectors

Commercially available direct X-ray detectors are constructed using inorganic semiconductors, made from non-carbon materials, such as cadmium telluride (CdTe) and cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe). These materials contain toxic elements and require energy-intensive processing, making them expensive.

In the first study, the team demonstrated, for the first time, the use of OMHCs as a material for making direct X-ray detectors. These are materials composed of carbon-based semiconducting molecules that are bonded to metal halides, which are compounds made of metal and a halogen element. The specific OMHC compound developed by the team was created out of zinc, bromine, and a carbon-based molecule, enabling efficient X-ray absorption and electron transport within a single material.

Using a melt-processing approach, similar to melting plastics and allowing them to cool into a desired shape, the researchers transformed OMHC molecular crystals into amorphous, glass-like materials that can be molded into ready-to-use forms. They used these materials to make direct X-ray detectors that convert incoming X-rays into electrical signals.

Results

The resulting detectors produced strong electrical responses even at low X-ray exposure levels, making them more effective than detectors made from traditional materials. The team also evaluated the long-term stability of detectors made with the new material. After storing the detectors for four months under ambient conditions, testing showed they retained 98% of their initial performance.

OMHCs offer additional practical advantages. They are less expensive to produce than materials currently used in commercially available X-ray detectors because they can be synthesized from abundant and non-toxic raw materials. Moreover, the simple melt-processing method also makes device fabrication easier and more scalable than existing approaches.

“This is actually the first time these OMHC materials have been used to fabricate direct X-ray detectors,” said Ma. “They can be prepared in a low-cost way while delivering high performance. From a sustainability perspective, this new class of materials offer tremendous advantages over conventional materials.”

Bright, fast and flexible scintillators: X-ray components on fabric

In the second study, the team developed a new version of OMHH-based scintillators that exhibit high light yield and fast response, meaning they emit strong visible light and respond almost instantly when exposed to X-rays. OMHHs are similar to OMHCs, but a different type of chemical bond brings together organic components and metal halides into a single material.

The work builds on the team’s years of effort in the area since 2020, when they demonstrated the first ecofriendly OMHH scintillators. Earlier versions of OMHH scintillators relied on slow crystal growth processes that limited their size and flexibility, and their light emission faded relatively slowly. This latest generation of OMHH scintillators overcomes both challenges by eliminating the need for crystal growth and by dramatically speeding up the light response.

Results

By carefully designing the molecular structure, the team created a new amorphous OMHH material that shows fast response in nanoseconds. Unlike earlier versions of OMHH scintillators, in which light emission comes from metal halide centers and lingers for longer periods, the new material emits from the organic components of the material, exhibiting a faster response while maintaining excellent X-ray absorption and high light output.

Fast-response scintillators are especially important for advanced radiation detection and imaging. Their rapid light emission allows for clearer images, improved timing accuracy and reduced signal overlap, which are critical for applications such as medical imaging, security screening and real-time radiation monitoring.

The amorphous nature of the material also allows it to be easily processed into thin films and coatings. Using this approach, the team created fabric-based X-ray scintillators that can be integrated into clothing, enabling wearable and portable radiation detectors. These flexible scintillating fabrics represent a significant departure from traditional rigid detectors and open new possibilities for comfortable, adaptable and low-cost X-ray detection technologies.

Why it matters

While the two studies focused on different X-ray detection approaches, both used similar material design strategies to address major challenges in developing next-generation X-ray detection technologies.

FSU has begun filing patents to commercialize the technologies developed in Ma’s group and test them in real-world conditions. These advancements offer exciting and cost-effective solutions for next-generation X-ray detection technologies. Commercialization of these materials could benefit many fields, including medical imaging, security scanning, nuclear safety and more.

In addition to the team’s internal efforts, the group has collaborated with research institutions and industrial partners to explore diverse applications of these materials. These collaborations include Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) for photon-counting computed tomography, the University of Antwerp for luminescent dosimeters for radiotherapy, the University at Buffalo for pixelated X-ray imagers, and Qrona Technologies for X-ray microscopy technologies.

“The materials are very unique and were developed here at FSU,” Ma said. “We believe our materials and devices have tremendous potential to outperform existing technologies and address key challenges in the field.”

The research has been supported by federal funding from the National Science Foundation Division of Materials Research and Innovation and Technology Ecosystems. The lead authors of the two publications are Oluwadara Joshua Olasupo, who recently graduated with a Ph.D., and Tarannuma Ferdous Manny, a fourth-year graduate student. Collaborators from TU Delft and the University at Buffalo also contributed to the work. The research additionally involved high school students through the FSU Young Scholars Program.