Dr. Youngho Shin is a Senior Process Development Engineer in the Applied Materials Division at Argonne National Laboratory, recognized as an expert in synthesis and processing science with 17⁺ patents and 22⁺ papers. He has extensive research/industry experience of over 25 years in synthesis, process development, and mass-production of nano/micron-sized single-crystal materials. He possesses practical knowledge and abilities in the synthesis of single-crystal materials especially with respect to crystal growth mechanisms affecting physical and chemical performance. As a Professional Engineer in chemical engineering, he has achieved remarkable synthesis process commercialization through gradual process scale expansion (8 lab systems → 4 pilot plants → 4 commercial plants), which bridge the discovery of nano/micron-scale materials to low energy manufacturing. His expertise demonstrates an ideal combination of knowledge in the synthesis of nano/micron-scale materials and the process development enabling their mass production.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

• Professional Engineer (PE) in Chemical Engineering
• Ph.D., Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
• M.S., Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, South Korea
• B.S., Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, South Korea

RESEARCH AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Material synthesis, composition optimization, morphology engineering of nano- or micron-sized particles :

• Single-crystal Ni-rich cathodes with extreme rate capability
• Hydro/Solvothermal processes for single-crystal battery materials
• Scaling SrTiO₃ nanocuboid support catalyst for plastic waste upcycling
• Solvothermal synthesis and scale-up of silicon and silicon-containing nanoparticles
• Core-shell, Core-gradient, Tangent-gradient, Digital-gradient Ni-rich NMC battery materials
• Surface modification of NMC811 to enable fast charge/discharge battery application
• Particle structure engineering of cobalt-free high energy battery material
• Scale-up of Ni-rich, layered-layered, and layered-layered-spinel battery materials
• Aluminum fluoride surface coating on LTO and high-energy LMR-NMC battery material
• Continuous supercritical hydrothermal synthesis of LiFePO₄ battery material
• Continuous supercritical hydrothermal synthesis of LiCoO₂ battery material
• Continuous synthesis of surface-modified zinc oxide nanoparticles in supercritical methanol
• Continuous synthesis of surface-modified ceria oxide nanoparticles in supercritical methanol
• Synthesis of cobalt nanoparticles in supercritical methanol
• Synthesis process R&D of terephthalic acid from p-xylene using supercritical carbon dioxide
• Simultaneous synthesis of biodiesel and zinc oxide nanoparticles using supercritical methanol
• Simultaneous carbon capture and nitrogen removal during supercritical water oxidation
• Vegetable oil aided hydrothermal synthesis of cerium oxide nanocrystals
• Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of acrylic acid from super-absorbent polymer

Process development and optimization with scalability and economic feasibility :

• Reactor design and P&ID drawing for bench-scale and pilot-scale processes
• Evaluation of emerging manufacturing technologies for material synthesis
• Systematic process scale-up research using 1L, 10L, and 40L Tayler vortex reactors
• Experiment design, operation, process analysis and modification under development
• Develop hydrothermal synthesis process of LiFePO₄ battery material
• Develop a surface coating process for fast charge/discharge battery application
• Develop an advanced CSTR to control the particle size, distribution, and morphology
• Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction process for Paclitaxel
• Extensive experience of material preparation using batch, CSTR, and Tayler vortex reactor
• Extensive experience on calcination process such as box furnace, RHK and rotary kiln
• Design of Experiment to enhance material quality and process reproducibility
• Establish standard procedures for material synthesis and process operation

Process scale-up, commercialization, and mass production :

• Project leading of the world’s first supercritical hydrothermal plant of LiFePO₄ battery material
• Start-up, problem-shooting, normalization, and optimization of commercial plant 
• Extensive experience of hydro/solvothermal synthesis process from bench to commercial plant
• Process optimization of spray dryer from pilot to commercial-scale
• Process optimization of RHK and rotary kiln from pilot to commercial-scale
• Commercialization of continuous TPA (terephthalic acid) hydrothermal process
• Commercialization of continuous DNT (dinitrotoluene) supercritical hydrothermal process
• Commercialization of continuous Melamine hydrothermal process