PROGRAMME
DIVISIONS
- All Divisions
- Built Environment and Engineering Design (BE)
- Basic Science (BS)
- Chemical Engineering and Material Science (CM)
- Environment and Energy (EE)
- Electrical/Electronics Engineering & Information Engineering (EI)
- Life Science & Health (LH)
- Mechanical and Aerospace Technology (MA)
- Medical Science & Engineering (ME)
- Marine and Ocean Engineering (MO)
- Nuclear & Fusion Technology (NF)
- Women in Science & Technology (WS)
- Multidisciplinary Research (MR)
- Poster Session
Chemical Engineering and Material Science (CM)
Chemical Engineering and Materials Science play a central role in developing solutions for energy, sustainability, and advanced manufacturing. These fields provide key insights ranging from the
synthesis of new materials to advanced characterization techniques, supporting progress in areas such as mobility, electronics, and environmental technologies. At EKC 2026, the Chemical Engineering and Materials Science (CM) division will highlight recent advances and emerging research directions, with particular attention to the growing role of AI in materials and process innovation. The CM division consists of the following 8 sessions:
• Electrocatalysis for Sustainable Energy Conversion
• Beyond the Road: Diversified Battery Chemistries and Architectures for Next-Gen Applications
• Hydrogen: Innovation and Beyond
• Sustainable and Power-to-X Fuel Technologies
• Characterization Techniques on Material Science
• Advanced Functional Materials and Manufacturing with AI-Driven Approaches
• Accelerating Materials Design using AI: From Simulations to Synthesis and Characterization
• Next-Generation Batteries: From Fundamental Research to Application and Emerging Digital Innovations
This division will serve as a platform for interdisciplinary discussions, bringing together researchers and industry professionals to explore how chemical engineering and materials science, empowered by AI, can drive the next generation of technological breakthroughs.
Programme Committee
DR. LEE, Jongmin (이종민)
Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa)
jongmin.lee@empa.ch
Show Profile
DR. PARK, Junbeom (박준범)
Institute of Energy Technologies - Fundamental Electrochemistry (IET-1), Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ), Germany
j.park@fz-juelich.de
Show Profile| Date / Time | 2026-07-20 13:30 -- 15:00 |
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| Room | Pierre Baudis - Spot |
| Conveners / Chairs |
DR. YOO, Jimun
Teamleader, Institute for a sustainable Hydrogen Economy: Catalytic Interface (IHE-1) Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH Show Profile |
| Synopsis | The global transition towards a sustainable, low-carbon energy system increasingly relies on electrocatalysis to convert renewable electricity into chemical fuels and feedstocks. Electrocatalytic processes such as water splitting, CO2 or N2 reduction, and liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC) (de)hydrogenation are pivotal in enabling the efficient production and storage of green hydrogen, the utilization of captured CO2, and the production of value-added molecules.
This session aims to highlight recent advances and emerging directions in electrocatalytic science and technology. The growing integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning is innovating catalyst discovery and optimization through high-throughput screening, predictive modelling, and closed-loop experimentation. Combined with operando characterization, multiscale modeling, and scalable synthesis, these approaches are deepening our understanding of structure-activity-stability relationships and accelerating the development of robust and efficient electrocatalysts.
Contributors from both academia and industry are invited to present on topics including AI-assisted catalyst design, novel materials and reaction mechanisms, electrochemical conversion of carbon- or nitrogen-based molecules, and renewable energy-coupled electrolysis. Participants will discuss key scientific and engineering challenges, identify opportunities for interdisciplinary integration, and explore strategies to establish electrocatalysis as the foundation of a sustainable energy future.
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| Speakers |
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| Date / Time | 2026-07-21 09:00 -- 10:30 |
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| Room | Mercure Hotel - We Novation |
| Conveners / Chairs |
PROF. CHANG, Jin Hyun
Associate Professor, Technical University of Denmark (DTU) / Co-founder & CTO, PhaseTree ApS Show Profile |
| Synopsis | The discovery and development of advanced materials are central to addressing global challenges in energy, sustainability, and next-generation technologies. Traditionally, materials innovation has relied on time-consuming experimental cycles and computational screening, often requiring years or decades to move from theoretical design to practical realization. Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and data-driven research are beginning to transform how materials are designed, studied, and optimized.
This session will explore how AI can accelerate different stages of the materials discovery and development process. Contributions may cover topics such as machine learning for materials property prediction, generative and inverse design methods, data-driven analysis of experimental or simulation results, and AI-augmented computational and experimental workflows. The session also welcomes research related to emerging self-driving laboratory (SDL) concepts, including autonomous experiment planning, robotics-assisted synthesis, and automated characterization and data interpretation.
Aligned with the EKC2026 theme, AI-Driven Future of Science and Technology, the session aims to highlight recent advances where AI enables faster insights, more efficient experimentation, and improved materials design strategies. The session encourages contributions addressing any component of the AI-enabled materials research workflow, from computational modeling and data generation to experimental synthesis and characterization.
By bringing together researchers from materials science, chemistry, physics, and artificial intelligence, this session will showcase emerging methodologies and discuss how AI can accelerate innovation in materials discovery and development. |
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| Date / Time | 2026-07-21 13:30 -- 15:00 |
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| Room | Mercure Hotel - We Novation |
| Conveners / Chairs |
DR. CHOI, Yejung
Research Scientist at Electrochemical Hydrogen Technology Group, SINTEF Show Profile |
| Synopsis | Hydrogen remains a critical pathway toward carbon neutrality, yet momentum in the green hydrogen sector has slowed. Project pipelines have shrunk, final investment decisions remain scarce, and funding is under pressure. If hydrogen is to fulfil its role in the energy transition, the field must look beyond incremental improvements. This session invites contributions on green hydrogen production technologies, including electrolyser development (alkaline, PEM, AEM, and solid oxide systems) and emerging approaches such as alternative anodic reactions for co-production of valuable chemicals, electrosynthesis using hydrogen as a feedstock, membraneless and novel cell architectures, and safety considerations for scale-up. Contributions on hydrogen storage, transport, and utilisation are also welcome, including next-generation carriers, fuel cells, combustion applications, and industrial processes. The question facing the hydrogen community is no longer whether hydrogen matters, but whether we can make it work at the scale and cost the world demands. This session aims to bring together the research that will shape that answer. |
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| Date / Time | 2026-07-21 17:00 -- 18:30 |
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| Room | Mercure Hotel - We Novation |
| Conveners / Chairs |
DR. LEE, Jongmin
Scientist, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA) Show Profile |
| Synopsis | The Fuel Technologies session aims to address both fundamental and applied research on fuels across conventional and emerging energy systems. Contributions cover petroleum-based fuels as well as power-to-x alternative and low-carbon options, including biofuels, synthetic fuels (e-fuels), and hybrid fuel systems. Topics of interest span the full fuel value chain, including refining and upgrading processes, catalytic and thermochemical conversion pathways, fuel characterization and quality control, integration of renewable feedstocks or hydrogen/CO2 into existing fuel infrastructures, and system-level comparisons between conventional and sustainable fuel technologies. The session encompasses experimental, computational, and systems-level studies, as well as industrial case studies that provide insight into current technical challenges and future directions in fuel technologies.
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| Date / Time | 2026-07-22 09:00 -- 10:30 |
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| Room | Mercure Hotel - We Novation |
| Conveners / Chairs |
DR. JOO, Hyunsang
Executive/Co-founder, PRELI GmbH / Guest Researcher, ISEA, RWTH Aachen University Show Profile |
| Synopsis | As the global energy transition matures, the paradigm of secondary batteries is rapidly expanding beyond the established electric vehicle (EV) sector. We are entering an era of “Battery Everywhere,” where electrochemical energy storage is becoming the core enabler for diverse frontiers, including humanoid robotics, Urban Air Mobility (UAM), aerospace, and advanced defense systems. As these applications diversify, the industry is realizing that the “one-size-fits-all” approach of standard lithium-ion batteries is no longer sufficient. Each new platform demands highly specific performance metrics, ranging from extreme power-to-weight ratios and wide-temperature operational stability to unprecedented safety protocols in volatile environments.
This session will discuss how battery technologies can be tailored and scaled for emerging industry applications. The program will cover application-specific requirements for lithium-ion batteries, scalability strategies for next-generation aqueous batteries, rational catalyst design for metal–air energy storage, and high-energy-density battery platforms for weight-critical systems.
The session will conclude with an interactive panel discussion featuring the invited speakers. Guided by audience questions, the discussion will explore how battery specifications should be specialized for different applications and how academia, industry, and technology developers can collaborate to accelerate practical implementation. Eventually, this session aims to identify future directions in application-driven battery development and foster cross-border collaboration. |
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| Date / Time | 2026-07-22 13:30 -- 15:00 |
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| Room | Mercure Hotel - We Novation |
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| Synopsis | The battery sector is undergoing a major transformation driven by increasing industrial demand, sustainability imperatives, and rapid technological advances. Alongside these developments, emerging digital innovations—including AI, automation, and data-driven approaches—are opening new opportunities across the entire research and development landscape.
These changes call for a stronger and more dynamic interface between academia and industry, where fundamental scientific discovery is more effectively connected to real-world applications, scalable processes, and accelerated technology translation.
This session will explore how next-generation battery research can evolve from predominantly academia-driven efforts toward a more integrated and application-aware innovation ecosystem. Key topics will include fundamental materials discovery, application-oriented research, industrially relevant challenges, as well as emerging digital approaches such as AI-assisted development, automated experimentation, data infrastructures, and smart manufacturing.
Organized as a tutorial, forum, and panel discussion, the session will bring together academic researchers, industry experts, and policymakers to exchange perspectives on future collaboration models. The goal is to identify practical strategies for fostering a more agile, inclusive, and globally competitive battery R&D ecosystem that bridges fundamental research, application, and emerging digital innovation.
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| Date / Time | 2026-07-22 15:30 -- 17:00 |
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| Room | Mercure Hotel - We Novation |
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| Synopsis | Advanced functional materials are playing an increasingly important role in enabling next generation technologies across aerospace, energy, electronics, and sustainable manufacturing. Recent advances in materials science have expanded beyond conventional performance enhancement toward the development of multifunctional and intelligent material systems with tailored mechanical, electrical, optical, and electrochemical properties. From hierarchical natural fibre reinforcements and nanoscale interphase engineering in composites to carbon crystal growth, smart polymeric optical materials, and molten salt based synthesis routes, researchers are exploring new approaches to control material structure and functionality across multiple length scales.
This session will highlight emerging strategies for material design, characterization, processing, and performance optimization through the integration of advanced experimental techniques, data-driven analysis, and artificial intelligence. Topics include AI-assisted microstructural characterization, multifunctional composite materials with self-sensing capabilities, controlled crystallization and nanostructure growth, responsive polymer systems, and innovative electrochemical manufacturing processes. Through interdisciplinary discussion, the session aims to provide insights into structure–property relationships and accelerate the development of intelligent, sustainable, and high-performance materials for future engineering applications.
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| Date / Time | 2026-07-22 17:00 -- 18:30 |
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| Room | Mercure Hotel - We Novation |
| Conveners / Chairs |
DR. PARK, Junbeom
Staff scientist, Institute of Energy Technologies - Fundamental Electrochemistry (IET-1), Forschungszentrum Jülich Show Profile |
| Synopsis | In materials research, characterization is one of the most important procedures during scientific research, because characterization results can support to prove proposed hypothesis about mechanisms, effects or phenomena. Unfortunately, there is no ultimate characterization technique that can do everything we want. Each characterization technique has advantages and limitations, so we need to know several characterization techniques. Here is the list of popular characterization techniques: Microscopy (TEM, SEM, STM, AFM, XRM, etc.), Spectroscopy (FT-IR, Raman, XRD, XPS, MS, etc.) or Property Measurement (Strength, Conductivity, BET, Chromatography, etc.). However, as each characterization technique evolves towards higher resolution, efficiency or feasibility, it becomes complicated to learn and manipulate even a single characterization technique. In addition, the adaptation of in-situ/in-operando and AI-driven data processing accelerates both the quality of the analysis result and the technical requirements to perform it. To keep these technical developments high potential, this session brings researchers to share their knowledge and know-how on different characterization techniques. Facing with a non-similar characterization technique can open not only a good insight but also a direct solution. |
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