About

Jaehong Kim is an environmental engineer whose research focuses on innovative water treatment and solar energy technologies. His work includes the development of a self-healing water filtration membrane that autonomously restores its water flux and particle rejection properties. He critically analyzes solar-based disinfection technologies, comparing the efficiency of various methods that utilize solar energy for point-of-use water disinfection, such as photocatalysts, photosensitizing chromophores, UVC-light emitting diodes, and visible-to-UVC upconversion phosphors. Kim's research also extends to the synthesis of multifunctional silica-based nanocapsules designed to target breast and colon cancer cells selectively, demonstrating his interdisciplinary approach to environmental engineering and biomedical applications. Kim's group has advanced the field of solar energy by developing a red-to-blue upconversion system based on triplet-triplet annihilation in a solid-state film configuration, significantly enhancing the photocurrent of model solar cell devices. His studies include the in-situ photocatalytic synthesis of hydrogen peroxide through sensitized triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion of low-energy, sub-bandgap photons, highlighting the chemical's importance for energy and environmental applications. Additionally, Kim has investigated the photocatalytic properties of titanium dioxide nanoparticles, revealing that their photoelectrochemical performance depends on the dye's binding energy and the crystalline structure of the facet rather than surface energy alone. Further contributions include the use of first-principles density functional theory to analyze fullerene-water interactions, elucidating polarization and charge transfer mechanisms. Kim has developed novel triplet-emulsion-based architectures for efficient triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion in aqueous phases, improving encapsulation systems to reduce phosphorescence interference and chromophore loss. His pioneering work with fullerenes includes employing C70 fullerene for photocatalytic singlet oxygen production in water, achieving rapid inactivation of MS2 bacteriophage under sunlight and oxidation of organic contaminants. He also reported the most rapid and efficient viral inactivation for colloidal fullerene aggregates, with his research featured as a journal cover, underscoring his significant contributions to environmental photocatalysis and viral disinfection.

Research topics

• Chemistry
• Photochemistry
• Chemical engineering
• Organic chemistry
• Nanotechnology
• Materials science
• Combinatorial chemistry
• Inorganic chemistry
• Process engineering
• Environmental science
• Environmental engineering
• Waste management
• Biochemical engineering
• Thermodynamics
• Chromatography
• Engineering
• Chemical physics

Selected publications

• Learning Dexterous Bimanual Catch Skills Through Adversarial-Cooperative Heterogeneous-Agent Reinforcement Learning

  2025-05-19

  articleSenior author

  Robotic catching has traditionally focused on single-handed systems, which are limited in their ability to handle larger or more complex objects. In contrast, bimanual catching offers significant potential for improved dexterity and object handling but introduces new challenges in coordination and control. In this paper, we propose a novel framework for learning dexterous bimanual catching skills using Heterogeneous-Agent Reinforcement Learning (HARL). Our approach introduces an adversarial reward scheme, where a throw agent increases the difficulty of throws-adjusting speed-while a catch agent learns to coordinate both hands to catch objects under these evolving conditions. We evaluate the framework in simulated environments using 15 different objects, demonstrating robustness and versatility in handling diverse objects. Our method achieved approximately a <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$2 x$</tex> increase in catching reward compared to single-agent baselines across <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$\mathbf{1 5}$</tex> diverse objects.

  PublisherDOI

• Recognizing Excellence in Environmental Engineering Research: The 2024 <i>ACS ES&amp;T Engineering</i> ’s Best Paper Awards

  ACS ES&T Engineering · 2025-11-14

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Sorptive removal of neonicotinoid pesticides by nanobiochars: Efficiency, kinetics, and reusability

  Journal of Hazardous Materials · 2025-04-21 · 13 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Photo-Electrochemical Reduction of PFAS in Complex Water Matrices

  Research Square · 2025-07-08 · 1 citations

  preprintOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Advancements in nanomaterials for solar energy harvesting: Challenges, innovations, and future prospects

  Chemical Engineering Journal · 2025-05-30 · 21 citations

  articleCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Biocompatible Zinc Copper Ferrite Nanomaterial Modified Carbon Based Electrochemical Sensor for Biomolecules and Heavy Metal Ions Detection

  Topics in Catalysis · 2025-07-05

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Validity of Systematic Behavioral Analysis in Detecting High-Stakes Deception

  Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology · 2025-10-09

  articleOpen access

  Abstract The aim of this study was to expand the ecological validity in the area of human deception detection by examining empirical field data of Behavioral Analysis for Veracity Assessment (BAVA) which was a technique developed to assess the veracity of the statements made by the criminal suspects or victims during the course of the investigation. We predicted that deception occurring in high-stakes situations would be correctly detected by BAVA analysts. To examine the validity of the BAVA analysts’ decisions in the absence of ground truth, we compared their lie-truth decisions with the final court judgments and estimated the accuracy of BAVA based on three methods (Spencer’s (2007) method, latent class model, and overwhelming evidence). The BAVA decision of the defendant’s guilt or innocence was highly consistent with the court’s judgment (agreement rate = 87.4%, N = 222), and the accuracy of BAVA was estimated to be between 0.86 and 0.93. In comparison with previous findings that the human ability to detect deception is mediocre, the results of this study suggest that high-stakes lies can be detected with high accuracy. Theoretical and practical implications for improving detection accuracy are discussed.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Recycling of unsorted post-consumer polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate via mechanochemical compatibilization for food packaging

  Sustainable materials and technologies · 2025-07-28 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessCorresponding

  The rising accumulation of plastic waste from packaging materials poses a severe environmental threat, emphasizing the need for advanced recycling technologies to repurpose post-consumer (PC) polymers effectively. Conventional mechanical recycling methods for plastic waste treatment involve sorting, chopping, cleaning, and melt-reprocessing. However, packaging materials often consist of multiple tightly adhered polymer layers that are difficult to separate completely. As a result, incompletely sorted mixtures of PC polymers undergo melt-reprocessing, typically producing recycled products with inferior material properties unsuitable for reuse. To address this limitation, an advanced recycling approach enabling in situ compatibilization of mixed polymers during melt-reprocessing is essential. In this study, we applied mechanochemistry (MC) and plasma-assisted mechanochemistry (PMC) to reprocess unsorted blends of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). By applying high-energy mechanical forces—and plasma gas in the case of PMC—in a dry environment, these mechanochemical treatments generated covalent linkages between LDPE and PET, forming amphiphilic copolymers that acted as compatibilizers. This enhanced interfacial compatibility resulted in improved mechanical, barrier, and optical properties in the melt-reprocessed blend, making it suitable for reuse as food packaging material. By promoting in situ compatibilization through MC and PMC, our study offers a breakthrough in the mechanical recycling of unsorted, multicomponent PC plastic blends, potentially reducing dependence on virgin polymers and mitigating the environmental impact of plastic waste. • Mechanochemical treatments for recycling multicomponent post-consumer plastics. • Recycled LDPE/PET blend with mechanical properties comparable to virgin plastics. • In situ compatibilization of LDPE and PET for high-performance packaging material. • Improved interfacial affinity in polymer blend via amphiphilic copolymer formation. • Excellent water, gas, and UV barrier achieved for food packaging applications.

  PublisherDOI

• Mediation of Osseointegration, Osteoimmunology, and Osteoimmunologic Integration by Tregs and Macrophages: A Narrative Review

  International Journal of Molecular Sciences · 2025-06-05 · 7 citations

  reviewOpen access

  Osseointegration is the direct contact between living bone and a dental implant, with supporting evidence confirming the direct connection between bone and titanium, found using an electron microscope. However, the fundamental mechanisms and interconnections between the bone and titanium are not clearly understood. At present, osteoimmunology explores the interaction between bone and immune cells not only in the medical field but also in dentistry. Immunology in bone cell formation has long been a research topic; however, interest in these effects has recently surged. Through subsequent studies, osteoimmune reaction occurs in response to dental implant insertion into the bone and this mechanism portrays more accurate tissue response compared to the traditional term osseointegration. Additionally, osseointegration is a foreign body defense mechanism to protect the implant when bone forms at the contact surface between the dental implant and the alveolar bone. The term "osteoimmunology" refers to the relationship between the immune system and bone tissues. Understanding osteoimmunologic concepts may enable the development of immunomodulatory strategies to improve, maintain, and ultimately restore osseointegration. In order for biocompatible materials such as dental implants to settle and be maintained in the body, it is necessary to understand the complex interrelationships of the bone immune environment, which will enable the development of biomaterials that are more favorable to osteoimmune environments. Therefore, this review presents previous insights into cellular and molecular interactions between bone and the immune system, specifies the roles of T-regulatory cells (Tregs) and macrophages, and demonstrates their potential for translational applications worldwide.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Best practices for catalytic water treatment

  Nature Sustainability · 2025-11-17 · 4 citations

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• Quantitative Insights on Environmental Implications of Functionalizing Fullerenes

  NSF · $310k · 2012–2014

• Environmental Materials Beyond and Below Nanoscale: Palladium Single Atom

  NSF · $390k · 2020–2024

• Collaborative Research: Developing Novel Surface Immobilized Photocatalysts Using Functionalized C60

  NSF · $160k · 2009–2013

• Converting Visible Light to UVC: Lanthanide Upconversion Nano-Phosphors for Light-Activated Biocidal Surface Development

  NSF · $321k · 2011–2014

• Quantitative Insights on Environmental Implications of Functionalizing Fullerenes

  NSF · $250k · 2014–2017

Frequent coauthors

• Kwang‐Soon Ahn

  53 shared

• Stephanie K. Loeb

  McGill University

  52 shared

• Pedro J. J. Alvarez

  Systems Engineering Research Center

  47 shared

• Hyuk‐Joon Kwon

  Seoul National University

  44 shared

• Jaesang Lee

  Andong National University

  42 shared

• Min Cho

  41 shared

• Chiheng Chu

  Zhejiang University

  37 shared

• Dahong Huang

  CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion

  34 shared

Education

• Ph.D., Civil and Environmental Engineering

  University of Illinois System

  2002

• M.S., Chemical and Biological Engineering

  Seoul National University

  1997

• B.S., Chemical and Biological Engineering

  Seoul National University

  1995

Awards & honors

• First Runner-Up, Environmental Science & Technology 2017
• Ackerman Award for Teaching and Mentoring, Yale University (…
• Elected Member, Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineeri…
• Distinguished Service Award, Association of Environmental En…
• Barton L. Weller Endowed Professorship, Yale University (201…