Hydrogen, Biotech and AI Technologies Abound... But 'Economic Viability' Ultimately Determines Industrialization

Ammonia-Based Hydrogen and Microalgae Materials: Feedstock Prices and Production Costs Determine Competitiveness
Advances in Plant Nanosensors and AI-Developed Catalysts... Field Validation and Commercialization Remain Challenges

Research into advanced technologies in Korea, including hydrogen, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence (AI), is yielding results, but significant barriers remain before these technologies can be industrialized. The cost of raw materials, production costs, and a lack of demonstration data were cited as major obstacles to commercialization. Korean researchers stressed that economic viability and field testing must support efforts to turn research and development achievements into real industrial competitiveness.

At Press Day for the 2026 Fall Meeting of the Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, held on October 29 at BEXCO in Busan, researchers in hydrogen, biotechnology, advanced materials, and AI presented both their technological achievements and the limits to industrialization.

Koo Kiyoung, a principal researcher at the Korea Institute of Energy Research, answers questions from reporters. Photo provided by the Korean Science Journalists Association.

Ammonia-Derived Hydrogen and Microalgae: Lowering Production Costs Is Key to Industrialization

Koo Kiyoung, a principal researcher at the Hydrogen Research Group of the Korea Institute of Energy Research, introduced catalyst and reactor technologies for producing hydrogen by decomposing ammonia. He said the research team had developed an ammonia decomposition reactor system and successfully transferred the technology. The team had also demonstrated a carbon-free power generation system that uses ammonia and hydrogen as fuels.

However, achieving economic viability remains a challenge. Asked whether the technology could compete on price with existing hydrogen production methods, Koo said, "If we import ammonia at less than $600 per metric ton, it would not be able to compete with green hydrogen produced through renewable-energy-powered water electrolysis." The price of ammonia imported from overseas, as well as the hydrogen production technology itself, determines its competitiveness, he explained.

Korea University Professor Shim Sangjun (right) and Yonsei University Professor Kim Jeonghwan answer reporters' questions. Provided by the Korea Science Journalists Association.

Shim Sangjun, a professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Korea University, introduced technology that uses microalgae to absorb carbon dioxide and produce biomass that can be used as a raw material for plastics. Shim said, "We have been able to lower the cost of producing biomass to around $600 per metric ton."

Putting the price of conventional petroleum-based plastics at about $1,000 per metric ton, Shim said the technology was approaching a level at which commercialization could be considered if environmental incentives were applied. However, the cost of producing biomass must be distinguished from the cost of manufacturing the final plastic product. He said the carbon dioxide reduction rate generally ranges from 40% to 60%, depending on the production method.

Je Jeongho, a professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Pusan National University, said, "Securing feedstock is the biggest obstacle to industrializing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)." He explained that domestically generated waste cooking oil alone is insufficient to meet the volume required for mandatory aviation fuel blending, so feedstock needs to be diversified to include animal and vegetable fats and oils, alongside expanded policy support.

Professor Je Jeongho of Pusan National University answers questions from reporters. Photo provided by the Korean Science Journalists Association.

Sulfur-Based Optical Materials and Plant Nanosensors: Environmental Impact and Field Testing Are Key

Kim Yongseok, a professor in the Department of Chemistry at Sejong University, introduced research into using sulfur generated in petroleum refining as a high-performance polymer material. Korea's petroleum refining processes generate about 1.7 million metric tons of sulfur as a byproduct each year.

Kim said, "Sulfur-based polymer materials have properties that allow infrared light to pass through them, giving them the potential to replace optical materials for high-end infrared cameras or protective films."

However, no quantitative assessment has yet been conducted to determine whether recycling waste sulfur is environmentally friendly across the entire manufacturing process. Kim said, "Byproducts such as hydrogen sulfide may be generated during manufacturing, and we also need to consider the possibility of sulfur dioxide being produced in a fire if the material is used in construction."

He said, "It is not easy to find applications that can use hundreds of thousands of metric tons on a large scale, but there is plenty of potential in applications that make use of the material's functional properties."

Kim Yongseok, a professor at Sejong University (right), answers questions from reporters. Provided by the Korean Science Journalists Association.

Kwak Seonyeong, a professor in the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Bioresources at Seoul National University, introduced technology that uses nanomaterials to deliver RNA into plants and increase tissue regeneration rates. The technology improves the process of regenerating plants after gene editing and can also be applied to food crops such as wheat, she explained.

Her team is also researching optical nanosensors that detect signaling molecules produced by plants when they are infected by pathogens or exposed to environmental stress. Kwak said, "We can detect infection signals in plants faster than with polymerase chain reaction (PCR)."

Seoul National University Professor Kwak Seonyeong (center) answers questions from reporters. Professor Kang Taekjin of Dongguk University is on the left, and Professor Kim Jinung of Sungkyunkwan University is on the right. Provided by the Korea Science Journalists Association.

However, further testing is needed to determine whether the performance observed in the laboratory can be maintained in real-world growing conditions.

Kang Taekjin, a professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Dongguk University, introduced cell-free protein synthesis technology, which produces proteins without cell cultivation. He said, "Synthesis is already possible at a substantial scale, but commercializing the technology for pharmaceuticals requires consideration of downstream processes, including purification and quality control."

Kim Jinung, a professor in the School of Chemical Engineering at Sungkyunkwan University, said that Korea's manufacturing competitiveness in K-beauty was not matched by equally strong brands and underlying technologies. He stressed, "To secure long-term competitiveness, we need basic research into cosmetic ingredients and formulations, as well as training for specialized professionals."

Even If AI Finds a Catalyst to Replace Platinum... Lab Experiments and Factory Applications Are Different Matters

Han Jung-woo, a professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Seoul National University, introduced research using large language model (LLM)-based AI agents to search for new catalysts.

The research team used AI to explore the compositions of high-entropy alloys, which combine multiple metals, in an effort to replace platinum catalysts used in fuel cells. Han said, "We manufactured an alloy using a composition suggested by AI and confirmed that its catalytic performance was better than platinum's. We are preparing to submit a paper."

However, he did not provide specific figures on how much AI had shortened the catalyst development period. Han explained, "Errors in AI and computational models can accumulate, and actual experimental conditions may differ from the computational conditions, so the predictions need to be verified and calibrated through experiments."

Han Jung-woo, a professor at Seoul National University (right), answers questions from reporters. Photo courtesy of the Korean Association of Science Journalists.

Kim Jeonghwan, a professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Yonsei University, said, "The AI transformation of Korea's manufacturing sector is still at an early stage." He explained, "There are not yet any domestic cases in which AI has been fully applied across factory operations, and many companies are setting up dedicated teams to assess its potential applications."

Shim said, "Ultimately, achieving economic viability will likely be the most important issue for carbon neutrality," adding, "The shortcut to overcoming the existing petrochemical economic system is to develop carbon-neutral technology models that are economically viable and commercially feasible."

Meanwhile, the 2026 Fall Meeting of the Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, which opened on October 28 at BEXCO in Busan, will conclude on October 30. With support from Dongjin Semichem, the Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry plans to invite a Nobel Prize winner to its annual meeting starting this year.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.