Tag: Inha University

▲The research team led by Professor Choi Jin-seop of the Department of Battery Convergence Engineering.

A research team led by Professor Choi Jin-seop from Inha University’s Department of Battery Convergence Engineering has recently synthesized lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathode materials using waste stainless steel resources, presenting the possibility of utilizing them as recycled battery materials.

As the electric vehicle (EV) and energy storage system (ESS) markets grow rapidly, the importance of resource circulation and recycling technologies for battery materials is increasing. However, in actual recycling processes, various metal components are mixed together, leaving impurities such as nickel and chromium in iron-based precursors. Until now, complex high-purity refining processes have been applied to remove these impurities, but high costs and energy consumption have posed an industrial burden.

Through experimental analysis and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the research team confirmed that nickel and chromium impurities play different roles within the lithium iron phosphate structure.

The study found that small amounts of nickel are stably incorporated into the lithium iron phosphate crystal structure, promoting charge transfer and lithium-ion movement while showing excellent high-rate performance. In contrast, chromium is unable to be stably incorporated into the structure and instead separates into an inactive oxide phase, interfering with lithium-ion movement and reducing electrochemical performance.

In particular, the research team confirmed that the best performance balance appears at a nickel content of approximately 1 mol%. They also identified that performance decreases beyond a certain level due to increased structural distortion and defects.

This study is meaningful because it moves beyond the conventional view that impurities must always be removed, presenting a new direction in which impurities can be managed and utilized depending on their type and concentration.

In addition, the study was conducted based on impurity conditions that may occur in actual recycling environments, comprehensively analyzing the structural, electronic, and electrochemical effects of impurities in recycled iron precursors. It also proposed realistic design directions and impurity tolerance standards for recycled lithium iron phosphate cathode materials.

The research results were published in the international academic journal Advanced Science (Impact Factor 14.1 based on 2024 JCR). The study was carried out as part of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s project, “Development of New Smelting and Extraction Process Technologies for Extracting and Materializing Nickel and Chromium from Waste Scraps Containing Nickel and Chromium.”

Professor Choi Jin-seop, the corresponding author, said, “This study is meaningful in that it systematically presents which impurities can be tolerated and up to what level.” He added, “In the future, material design strategies that focus on understanding and managing impurity behavior, rather than completely removing impurities, are expected to become increasingly important.”

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▲ The A.I.M. team poses for a commemorative photo after winning the ‘A1 Challenge.’ From left to right: Kim Yong-jun, Moon Seung-jae, Lee Yong-ha, Park Jong-woo, and Park Seo-jin.

The A.I.M. team (Advisor: Professor Won Jong-hoon) of Inha University has won the ‘A1 Challenge’ for the second consecutive year.

The A.I.M. team secured first place in the ‘A1 Challenge,’ hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and organized by the Korea Intelligent Automotive Parts Promotion Institute. Following its victory in the 2024 University Student Autonomous Driving Competition, the team once again received the Prime Minister’s Award this year.

Unlike the rule-based autonomous driving competition held in 2024, this year’s event was a Formula racing simulation competition that applied End-to-End (E2E) AI autonomous driving technology. E2E AI autonomous driving technology directly outputs steering, acceleration, and braking commands through AI after receiving sensor data such as camera images as input.

After the preliminary round, ten teams were selected. Beginning with the inauguration ceremony in January, the final competition was recently held at the SOOP Colosseum in Sangam.

The top three winning teams will have the opportunity this November to transfer the algorithms verified through simulation into an actual Formula 3 (F3) vehicle at Everland Speedway in Yongin. They will directly validate the autonomous driving technologies they developed and conduct demonstration runs using real vehicles.

The A.I.M. team, which receives support through the Future Mobility Project Group’s club and competition support program, consists of five students: team leader Lee Yong-ha from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Park Jong-woo from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Kim Yong-jun, Park Seo-jin, and Moon Seung-jae from the Department of Smart Mobility Engineering. They served respectively as Captain, System Chief, Driving Manager, Strategist, and AI Operator.

The A.I.M. team shared its thoughts, saying, “We went through many difficult processes and numerous trials and errors, reading research papers every day, collecting data, and training AI models together. However, because we never gave up until the end, we were able to achieve this excellent result. We will continue to work hard to achieve strong results in the upcoming real-vehicle competition as well.”

Kim Hak-il, Director of the Future Mobility Project Group, stated, “Implementing E2E AI autonomous driving in a virtual environment in line with recent technological trends must have been a new challenge for the students. All the autonomous driving technologies they experienced through this competition will serve as valuable experience in establishing their future research directions.”

Meanwhile, the Advanced Fields Innovation Convergence University Project is an undergraduate education initiative supported by the Ministry of Education and the National Research Foundation of Korea. Since joining the Future Mobility Consortium in May 2021, the Future Mobility Project Group has been operating an interdisciplinary major and minor in Future Mobility Engineering, along with eleven micro-degree programs. Among the members of the A.I.M. team, Kim Yong-jun, Park Seo-jin, and Moon Seung-jae from the Department of Smart Mobility Engineering are enrolled in the interdisciplinary major in Future Mobility Engineering.

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▲President Cho Myeong-Woo and other participants in the Open Campus opening ceremony are taking a commemorative photo.

Inha University recently held an opening ceremony for the Open Campus at “I-RISE Open Campus Baengnyeon Ieum No. 2,” located in Jung-gu, Incheon.

The event was organized to celebrate the launch of a future education cooperation hub in the old downtown area, jointly established by six universities in Incheon: Inha University, JEI University, Incheon National University, Inha Technical College, Kyung-in Women’s University, and Yonsei University. The occasion was particularly meaningful because it marked the beginning of an open innovation platform in which local communities, as well as educational, industrial, and administrative institutions, participate together beyond inter-university cooperation.

“Baengnyeon Ieum” is an open educational platform that connects universities with local communities, industries, and citizens. It has been established as a key hub for implementing a sustainable regional innovation model by integrating the historical significance of Incheon’s old downtown area with future-oriented educational resources. Based on this foundation, it will be operated as a comprehensive innovation space linked to Incheon’s Jemulpo Renaissance Project, encompassing youth talent development, regional industrial innovation, and lifelong education for citizens.

The event was attended by representatives from major administrative, educational, and public institutions in Incheon, including the Incheon Metropolitan Government, the Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education, Incheon Housing & City Development Corporation, Incheon Tourism Organization, and the Incheon RISE Center, who reaffirmed their commitment to building a regional innovation ecosystem.

The program proceeded in the following order: ▲tape-cutting ceremony ▲introduction to the Baengnyeon Ieum Campus and presentation of the I-RISE Campus CI and BI ▲opening commemorative ceremony ▲special lecture at the I-RISE Leaders Forum.

During the commemorative ceremony, participants declared a shared vision for the future through a performance completing the word “Jemulpo,” a symbolic name associated with Incheon’s old downtown area. This was followed by a special lecture by Kim Woo-Seung, President of the Accreditation Board for Engineering Education of Korea, who presented recommendations on the vision of the Regional Innovation System and Education (RISE) initiative and the role of universities, while sharing regional innovation strategies with attendees.

President Cho Myeong-Woo stated, “Baengnyeon Ieum is an innovation hub where the entire region can learn and grow together beyond the boundaries of the university. Based on a cooperative model involving Incheon City, the Office of Education, public institutions, and local universities, we will create new future value for Incheon’s old downtown area.”

▲ An exterior view of Baengnyeon Ieum No. 2

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▲The 2026 first-half job fair was held at the 60th Anniversary Memorial Hall.

Inha University’s University Job Plus Center recently held the “2026 First-Half Job Fair” with great success.

This fair was organized to provide students with practical direction regarding career paths and employment through direct communication with working professionals. Since its inception in 2017, the event has been expanded to twice a year in response to high student demand.

This year’s fair was held under the theme, “My Job Story: Hearing Directly from Alumni.”

A total of 39 professionals participated as mentors, representing fields such as management support, sales/marketing, logistics, production/R&D, semiconductor processes, and AI engineering. These mentors, employed at 30 companies including major domestic and multinational firms, provided practical advice at each booth based on their actual job responsibilities and field experience.

Around 1,500 participants, including enrolled students, graduates, and local youth, attended the event. Through Q&A sessions with alumni, participants improved their understanding of various roles and resolved questions about the recruitment process. The program received high satisfaction ratings for offering concrete insights into actual workplace duties.

Interest was especially strong in semiconductor and artificial intelligence (AI) roles, reflecting recent industrial growth. The “IPP Zone,” featuring companies from the IPP-type work-and-learn program, was also crowded with students. Additionally, organizations such as the Central Regional Employment and Labor Office and the Incheon Metropolitan Government’s Youth Policy Division provided information on government employment services and policies.

President Cho Myeong-woo said, “The job fair is a key opportunity to turn vague career concerns into a concrete understanding of specific roles,” adding, “Communication with professionals will help students understand the industry and design their own career paths.” He continued, “We will continue to expand field-oriented employment support programs for both our students and local youth.”

▲President Cho Myeong-Woo is talking with graduates participating in the first-half job fair.

▲President Cho Myeong-Woo and distinguished guests are taking a commemorative photo with graduates participating in the first-half job fair.

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