Yongha Lee Presents Predictive Framework for Ion Sorption in Weak Polyelectrolyte Membranes at GRC Membranes 2026
Advancing Molecular-Level Understanding of Ion Partitioning in Charged Membrane Materials
Our PhD student Yongha Kim represented the Group at the 2026 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Membranes: Materials & Processes, where he presented his research entitled:
“A Predictive Framework: Ion Sorption in Weak Polyelectrolyte Membranes.”
Yongha's work addresses a fundamental challenge in membrane science: understanding and predicting how ions partition into charged polymer membranes. Weak polyelectrolyte membranes exhibit dynamic charge regulation behavior, making ion sorption strongly dependent on membrane chemistry, solution composition, and environmental conditions. Developing predictive models for these systems is essential for the rational design of next-generation membranes for selective ion separations.
Building on the research that recently earned Yongha a prestigious graduate fellowship, this work combines systematic experiments with molecular-level analysis to establish a predictive framework for ion sorption in weak polyelectrolyte membranes. The framework provides fundamental insights into the relationships among membrane charge regulation, ion partitioning, and separation performance, helping bridge the gap between empirical observations and predictive membrane design.
The presentation generated engaging discussions with researchers from across the membrane community and highlighted the growing importance of rigorous, physics-based approaches to membrane materials development. Congratulations to Yongha on an outstanding presentation and for representing the Group at GRC Membranes 2026.
About our work
We design and create high-performance membranes that enable unprecedented separation opportunities. We pursue fundamental breakthroughs that translate into real-world applications, always seeking to bridge the microscopic understanding of materials with macroscopic performance. Our goal is to make separations systems cleaner, stronger, and more sustainable.
About the Oh Lab
At the Oh Lab, we are dedicated to advancing the world’s most important, but challenging, separations in the environment, energy, and health sector. We do this by focusing on the molecular-to-macroscopic design and characterization of polymer membranes. We work at the intersection of chemical engineering, materials science, and molecular transport, focusing on designing advanced polymer membranes for efficient chemical separation.