
Graduated from the University of Sydney with PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Professor Kim has been with Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology for 26 years before joining the UNSW in 2022. Prior to that, he was Lecturer at the Australian National University for two years. At HKUST, Kim took up various academic leadership roles, including Associate Dean of Engineering (Research & Graduate Studies), Director (PI) of the HKUST-Finetex R&D Center, and Director of Advanced Engineering Materials Facilities. As an esteemed scholar and internationally renowned researcher, Kim is one of the leading authorities in the field of composites, nanocomposites and nanostructured energy storage materials. He has pioneered in the development of multifunctional composites reinforced with 2D and nanocarbon materials for polymer dielectrics, EMI shielding, flexible electronics and emerging rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors. Kim is prolific with impactful publications: he wrote more than 420 referred journal papers and book chapters; co-authored three research monographs and edited ten books; and hold/filed 16 international/regional patents. His works are of exceptionally high impact, attracting over 47,000 citations with an h-index of 112 (November 2022) according to Google Scholar.
Professor Kim is the Editor of Composites Part A and Associate Editor of Aerospace Science and Technology apart from sitting in the editorial/advisory boards of 12 refereed journals in advanced materials, including Nanoscale Horizons and Energy Storage Materials. Kim was the President of the Asian-Australasian Association for Composite Materials. He has been honored with many awards, including the Tan Chin Tuan Exchange Fellowship, numerous Best Paper Awards from conferences and competitions together with graduate students under his supervision, HKUST President Cup Silver Medal, multiple Reviewer Awards, and the Life-long Achievement Award. In recognition of his scholarly achievements and outstanding contributions to professional societies, Kim has been elected as fellows of prestigious academy and learned societies, including the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Science, the Royal Aeronautical Society, the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers. He has been named Highly Cited Researcher since 2018 by Clarivate Analytics.
· Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=4ME93EEAAAAJ
· ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5390-8763
Current Research Interests and Available Projects:
· Development of multifunctional namocomposites containing low-dimensional fillers, such as CNTs, graphene, MXene and BN nanosheets
· Development of electronic skins (E-skins) that imitate the tactile sensing functionalities of human skins
· Rational design of electrodes and electrolytes of rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors with ultrahigh energy/power densities
· Advanced materials and structures for energy savings/conservation, efficient thermal interface in modern electronic devices, superinsulating energy-efficient buildings/smart textiles.
Most recent publications:
K.Y. Chan, X. Shen, J. Yang, K.T. Lin, H. Venkatesan, E. Kim, H. Zhang, J.-H. Lee, J. Yu, J. Yang, J.‐K. Kim. Scalable anisotropic cooling aerogels by additive Freeze casting. Nature Comm. 13 (2022) 5553. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-33234-8
N. Mubarak, F. Rehman, M. Ihsan-Ul-Haq, M. Xu, Y. Li, Y. Zhao, Z.T. Luo, B. Huang, J.K. Kim. Highly sodiophilic, defect-rich, lignin-derived skeletal carbon nanofiber host for sodium metal batteries. Advanced Energy Materials 12 (2022) 2103904. https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202103904
N. Mubarak, J.K. Kim. Liquefication for performance versatility. Nature Energy 7 (2022) 478–479. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-022-01043-4
J.H. Lee, E. Kim, H. Zhang, H. Chen, H. Venkatesan, K.Y. Chan, J. Yang, X. Shen, J.L. Yang, S. Jeon, J.K. Kim. Rational design of all resistive-type multifunctional sensors with stimulus discriminability. Advanced Functional Materials 32 (2022) 2107570. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202107570
M. Xu, Y. Li, M. Ihsan-Ul-Haq, N. Mubarak, Z. Liu, J. Wu, Z.T. Luo, J.K. Kim. NaF-rich Solid Electrolyte Interphase for Dendrite-free Sodium Metal Batteries. Energy Storage Materials 44 (2022) 477-486. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ensm.2021.10.038
H. Chen, D.W. Cho, K.H. Ko, C. Qin, M.S. Kim, H. Zhang, J.H. Lee, E. Kim, D.W. Park, X. Shen, J.L. Yang, H.H. Ko, J.W. Hong, J.K. Kim, S. Jeon. Interdigitated 3D heterogeneous nanocomposites for high-performance mechanochromic smart membranes. ACS Nano 16 (2022) 68–77. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.1c06403
J. Yang, K.Y. Chan, H. Venkatesan, E. Kim, M.H. Adegun, J.H. Lee, X. Shen, J.K. Kim. Superinsulating BNNS/PVA composite aerogels with high solar reflectance for energy-efficient buildings. Nano-Micro Letters 14 (2022) 54. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-022-00797-6
H. Zhang, X. Shen, E. Kim, M. Wang, J.-H. Lee, H. Chen, G.C. Zhang, J.K. Kim. Integrated water and thermal managements in bioinspired hierarchical MXene aerogels for highly efficient solar-powered water evaporation. Advanced Functional Materials 32 (2022) 2111794. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202111794
Y. Li, S. Yang, Y. Zhao, N. Mubarak, M. Xu, M. Ihsan-Ul-Haq, T.S. Zhao, Q. Chen, J.K. Kim. Deciphering the exceptional kinetics of hierarchical nitrogen-doped carbon electrodes for high-performance vanadium redox flow batteries. Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 10 (2022) 5605-5613. https://doi.org/10.1039/D2TA00324D
W. Hou, Y. Li, S.B. Li, Z.J. Liu, P.R. Galligan, M. Xu, J.K. Kim, B. Yuan, R.Z. Hu, Z.T. Luo. Lithium dendrite suppression with Li3N-rich protection layer formation on 3D anode via ultra-low temperature nitriding. Chemical Engineering Journal 441 (2022) 136067. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2022.136067
Y. Zhao, Y. Li, J. Mao, Z. Yi, N. Mubarak, Y. Zheng, J.K. Kim, Q. Chen. Accelerating the dissolution kinetics of iodine with a cosolvent for a high-current zinc-iodine flow battery. J Materials Chemistry A 10 (2022) 14090-14097. https://doi.org/10.1039/D2TA03195G
X. Shen, J.K. Kim. Graphene and MXene-based porous structures for multifunctional electromagnetic interference shielding. Nano Research, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-022-4938-6
H. Zhang, H. Chen, J.H. Lee, E. Kim, K.Y. Chan, H. Venkatesan, M.H. Adegun, O.G. Agbabiaka, X. Shen, Q.B. Zheng, J.L. Yang and J.K. Kim. Bioinspired chromotropic ionic skin with strain/temperature/pressure multimodal sensing and ultrahigh stimuli discriminability. Adv. Funct. Mater. 32 (2022) 2208362. DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202208362
X. Shen, Q.B. Zheng, J.K. Kim. Rational design of two-dimensional nanofillers for polymer nanocomposites toward multifunctional applications. Prog. Mater. Sci. 115 (2021) 100708. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmatsci.2020.100708
S.G. Yu, X. Shen, J.K. Kim. Beyond homogeneous dispersion: oriented conductive fillers for high κ nanocomposites. Materials Horizons 8 (2021) 3009-3042. https://doi.org/10.1039/D1MH00907A
M. Ihsan-Ul-Haq, H. Huang, J. Wu, N. Mubarak, A .Susca, Z. Luo, B. Huang, J.K. Kim. Unveiling solid electrolyte interface morphology and electrochemical kinetics of amorphous Sb2Se3/CNT composite anodes. Carbon 171 (2021) 119-129. DOI.org/10.1016/j.carbon.2020.09.011
J. F. Guo, Y.Q. Zhang, X. Shen, J.K. Kim, L. Shao. Unravelling intercalation-regulated nanoconfinement for durably ultrafast sieving graphene oxide membranes. J. Membrane Science 619 (2021) 118791. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2020.118791
J. Wu, M. Ihsan-Ul-Haq, F. Ciucci, B. Huang, J.K. Kim. Rationally designed nanostructured metal chalcogenides for advanced sodium-ion batteries. Energy Storage Materials 34 (2021) 582-628. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ensm.2020.10.007
Y. Li Y. Li, L. Ma, Z. Yi, Y. Zhao, J. Mao, S. Yang, W.Q. Ruan, D.W. Xiao, N. Mubarak, J. Wu, T.S. Zhao, Q. Chen, J.K. Kim. Metal organic framework-derived carbon as the positive electrode for high-performance vanadium redox flow batteries. Journal of Materials Chem. A 9 (2021) 5648-5656. https://doi.org/10.1039/D0TA10580E
H. H. Zhang, D. Liu, J.H. Lee, H. Chen, E.Y. Kim, X Shen, Q. Zheng, J.L. Yang, J.K. Kim. Anisotropic, wrinkle, and crack-bridging structure for ultrasensitive, highly selective multidirectional strain sensors. Nano-Micro Lett. 13 (2021) Article No. 122. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-021-00615-5
M. Wang, H. Zhang, J. Cui, S. Yao, X. Shen, T.J. Park, J.K. Kim. Recent advances in emerging non-aqueous K-ion batteries: from mechanistic insights to practical applications. Energy Storage Materials 39 (2021) 305-346. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ensm.2021.04.034
N. Mubarak, F. Rehman, J. Wu, M. Ihsan-Ul-Haq, Y. Li, Y. Zhao, X. Shen, Z. Luo, B. Huang, J.K. Kim. Morphology, chemistry, performance trident: insights from hollow, mesoporous carbon nanofibers for dendrite-free sodium metal batteries. Nano Energy 86 (2121) 106132 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nanoen.2021.106132
J J.H. Lee, H. Chen, E. Kim, H. Zhang, K. Wu, X. Shen, Q. Zheng, J. Yang, S. Woo, J. K. Kim. Flexible temperature sensors made of aligned electrospun carbon nanofiber films with outstanding sensitivity and selectivity towards temperature. Materials Horizons 8 (2021) 1488-1498. https://doi.org/10.1039/D1MH00018G
J. Wu, M. Ihsan-Ul-Haq, Y. Chen, J.K. Kim. Understanding solid electrolyte interphases: advanced characterization techniques and theoretical simulations. Nano Energy 89B (2021) 106489. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nanoen.2021.106489
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