Seoul National University's College of Engineering (Dean Byoungho Lee) announced on November 1 (Monday) that the research achievements of Professor Yongtaek Hong of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering were selected as one of "Top 100 Excellent National R&D Achievements of 2021" by the Ministry of Science and ICT.
 
Professor Yongtaek Hong's research team (Dr. Byeongmoon Lee, Researcher Hyeon Cho), through joint research with Dr.‪ Seungjun Chung of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology's (KIST) Soft Hybrid Materials Research Center, developed a technology that has been developed to simultaneously achieve "self-alignment of heat transfer materials in stretchable substrates" and "complexation of stretchable substrates and stretchable electrodes"
 
The research team developed a stretchable thermoelectric device with excellent power generation efficiency by integrating high-performance thermoelectric inorganic materials in a large-area array form using Stretchable Hybrid Electronics (SHE) technology on a stretchable platform, which is expected to contribute greatly to the popularization and marketability of battery-free self-powered wearable devices in the future.

 
In addition, this study is meaningful in that it achieved the world's best power generation efficiency of a stretchable thermoelectric device and developed a high-performance stretchable thermoelectric device that can operate actual wearable devices and further, since thermoelectric devices are attracting attention as being an eco-friendly energy generation device in that it converts thermal energy into electrical energy that can be used in real life, it is expected to contribute to resolving energy poverty, a major social problem of the future.
 
Professor Yongtaek Hong devoted himself to researching hybrid technology research that combines traditional semiconductor technology and new printing process technology on a stretchable platform and in particular, has greatly contributed to the development of next-generation flexible displays and flexible wearable fields by demonstrating flexible displays, sensors, and electronic skin systems that operate stably even during mechanical deformation and was awarded the Merck Award, the Minister of Science and Technology Award (This Month's Science and Technology Award), the The Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Award, and the Sinyang Outstanding Young Professor Award and was selected as one of the Top 100 Technology and Technicians to lead the Republic of Korea of 2025.