Sung-Fu Hung Group

Congratulate Kang-Shun, Yu-Jhih Shen, and  on completing 30 hours​ VLSI training courses - Advanced Processing for VLSI Technology and passing the examinations. We hope that they have learned knowledge regarding Semiconductor process, and utilize what they learned to their researches.

Prof. Hung published "Operando XAS and Raman Perspectives on Catalyst Design" as the corresponding author in Chemistry Asia Journal. 

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The following is the publication information:

Peng, K.-S.; Shen, Y.-J.; Liu, Y.-C.; Chou, C.-H.; Chang, Y.-C.; Li, M.-H.; Hsu, S.-H.; Hung, S.-F.* Operando XAS and Raman Perspectives on Catalyst Design. Chem. Asia J. 2026, 21, e00900.

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https://aces.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/asia.202500900

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Abstract:

Driven by accelerating global warming and the imperative of carbon neutrality, the search for efficient electrochemical energy-conversion technologies has intensified. Recent advances in electrocatalysis have introduced strategies to overcome kinetic, selectivity, and stability constraints in the carbon dioxide reduction reaction, oxygen reduction reaction, and water splitting. These developments range from atomic-scale structural modulation to microenvironment engineering, yielding substantial gains in product selectivity, reduced overpotential, and enhanced operational durability. This review consolidates representative breakthroughs across these three reaction domains and emphasizing design principles that couple performance optimization with mechanistic insight through operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and Raman spectroscopy. XAS resolves chemical states and local coordination environments, while Raman tracks surface-bound intermediates; together, they enable a comprehensive elucidation of catalytic mechanisms. The review also outlines key directions for advancing efficient, robust, and scalable electrochemical energy-conversion systems.

At the end of the year of Horse, we went to a Chamonix Teppanyaki Restaurant.  The advisor prepared a capsule-toy game. Each student strived their own Year-end-bonuses by capsule the number for the red envelope and the luck for the year of Horse. Happy Lunar New Year!!!

Prof. Hung published "Plasma-engineered ultra-low RuPt alloy loading on N-doped carbon nanotubes for efficient methanol oxidation in direct methanol fuel cells" as the corresponding author in Chemical Engineering Journal. 

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The following is the publication information:

Qin, C.; Wang, W.; Zhang, Q.; Wang, Y.; Jiang, Z.-J.;* Hung, S.-F.;* Jiang, Z.* Plasma-engineered ultra-low RuPt alloy loading on N-doped carbon nanotubes for efficient methanol oxidation in direct methanol fuel cells. Chem. Eng. J. 2026, 532, 174611.

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https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S138589472602070X

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Abstract:

Developing efficient and low-cost catalysts with minimal noble metal usage remains a key challenge for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). Herein, we present a plasma-assisted dual-strategy that integrates direct-current plasma magnetron sputtering (DC-PMS) and radio-frequency (RF) plasma treatment to fabricate RuPt alloy nanoparticles on CoFe-embedded nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes supported on carbon fiber cloth (p-RuPt-CoFe@NCNT/CFC). With only 0.11 wt% Ru and 0.73 wt% Pt, the catalyst achieves ultra-low platinum group metal (PGM) loading while maintaining abundant structural defects, including carbon vacancies and nitrogen dopants. These plasma-induced modifications increase the density of active sites, promote the generation of Pt0 and Ru0 species, and strengthen metal–support interactions, thereby enhancing catalytic stability and CO tolerance. With a PGM loading of only 0.35 mg cm−2, the p-RuPt-CoFe@NCNT/CFC catalyst delivers a mass activity of 402.6 mA mg−1PGM, demonstrating competitive performance compared with recently reported low-loading PtRu catalysts. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that carbon defects and nitrogen dopants in NCNTs strongly promote RuPt nucleation and growth, enhance binding affinity at the metal–support interface, shift the Pt d-band center away from the Fermi level, and reduce CO adsorption energy—collectively accounting for the enhanced CO tolerance and high methanol oxidation reaction activity.

Prof. Hung published "Cr and Nd co-doped cobalt oxide for stable proton exchange membrane water electrolysis" as the corresponding author in Nature Communications. 

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The following is the publication information:

Gao, T.;† Li, F.;† Hung, S.-F.;† Yang, H.; Sun, Y.; Peng, K.-S.; Sha, Q.; Mao, Q.; Tao, H.;* Chen, P.;* Liu, B.* Cr and Nd co-doped cobalt oxide for stable proton exchange membrane water electrolysis. Nature Commun. 2026, accepted.

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Abstract:

Developing noble-metal-free electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction in a proton exchange membrane water electrolyzer is a key to sustainable and economical hydrogen production. Herein, we rationally design and develop a chromium and neodymium co-doped cobalt oxide (CrNd-Co3O4) electrocatalyst that exhibits high activity and durability in the acidic oxygen evolution reaction condition. Furthermore, an in-situ acid circulation strategy is proposed to tackle the ubiquitous issue of membrane poisoning by leached cations in proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers. Consequently, the proton exchange membrane water electrolyzer with CrNd-Co3O4 anode achieves a stable operating current density of 2 amperes per square centimeter at 2.27 volts and 4 amperes per square centimeter at 2.54 volts for 1,000 hours.

We congratulate Kang-Shun on winning Best Presentation Award at HERCULES 2026.

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