The Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS), a government-funded research institute under the Ministry of Science and ICT, selected 「KIMS Materials News Top 3 of the Year」in 2022. This year’s selection of exceptional research achievements was conducted through a referendum method in which the public directly selects excellent research achievements that can be felt to highlight the institution’s representative research achievements and increase public consensus on science and technology.

As a result of the referendum, △‘Multi-functional carbon nanotube fiber technology development’ took first place with 735 votes (14.2%) out of a total of 5,172 votes. This technology is the first research in the world to develop multifunctional carbon nanotube fibers with high energy storage and high strength properties. Next, △‘Development of functional antibacterial/antiviral additives’, which received 649 votes (12.5%), took second place. This study is about developing a material that imparts antibacterial/antiviral function without changing the physical properties of various products we commonly use. The research that ranked third last was △ ‘The world’s first development of 5G electromagnetic wave low-reflection and high-absorption material’, which received 612 votes (11.8%). This study is the world’s first development of an ultra-thin composite film that absorbs more than 90% of electromagnetic waves for 5G communication without reflecting them.

President Jung-hwan Lee of KIMS said, “This result will have a great meaning in that the excellent research achievements of the institute were directly selected by the public. We sincerely thank the people who participated in the vote, and the KIMS will continue to make efforts to grow into an institution that continues to repay the people through better performance next year.”

Meanwhile, to continuously publicize excellent research achievements that can be felt by the public, the KIMS plans to hold an annual referendum on the top 3 outstanding research achievements to shed light on the representative research achievements of the institute.