Laboratory Research Focus
Our laboratory is dedicated to elucidating the mechanisms governing retention behavior in liquid chromatography and to the design of chromatographic purification processes. By integrating interdisciplinary theoretical and experimental techniques—including spectroscopic analysis, thermodynamics, and transport phenomena—we probe and predict the molecular recognition mechanisms responsible for retention behavior.
Purification Technologies for Biomass
In recent decades, growing concerns over the depletion of petroleum resources and environmental sustainability have driven interest in eco-friendly materials, including their applications in 3D printing. Lignocellulosic biomass—one of the most abundant raw materials on Earth—comprises approximately 95 % cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, along with minor amounts of protein and other extractives. Owing to its renewability, non-toxicity, and biocompatibility, lignocellulosic biomass has been extensively used in papermaking, biofuels, and biocomposite materials. Over the past few decades, the efficient conversion and utilization of renewable lignocellulosic biomass has emerged as a major research focus worldwide. Since the upstream purification and separation steps account for the majority of overall processing costs, our core objective is to develop effective and economically viable separation methods for biomass mixtures—specifically targeting the purification of feedstocks suitable for printing and packaging applications—and to optimize these processes toward a competitive green manufacturing platform.
Chiral Recognition Mechanism
The separation of chiral molecules remains a critical purification technique in the pharmaceutical industry, as many drugs are chiral and their enantiomers can exhibit markedly different biological activities. LC has become the predominant method for chiral separations. Although chiral separation techniques are now widely adopted, their theoretical underpinning remains poorly understood; separation outcomes still largely rely on empirical rules, thereby constraining both the development and potential advancement of chiral chromatography.
In this project, we employ LC, molecular spectroscopy, and molecular simulation to investigate the most commonly used polysaccharide-based chiral sorbents. Our aim is to elucidate the molecular mechanisms driving enantioselective retention, to construct a generalizable mechanistic model, and ultimately to enable the prediction and assessment of separation performance.
Retention Modeling in Liquid Chromatography
Accurate prediction of solute retention is essential for the development and optimization of liquid chromatographic separations. Retention models provide a quantitative relationship between chromatographic retention and operating conditions, particularly mobile-phase composition, enabling efficient solvent selection, separation optimization, and process design. Although various empirical and semi-empirical models have been widely adopted, their predictive capabilities are often limited by complex molecular interactions, nonideal solvent behavior, and changes in the chromatographic environment. A deeper understanding of the fundamental mechanisms governing retention is therefore crucial for improving model accuracy and extending their applicability across different separation systems.
Our laboratory focuses on investigating the thermodynamic and molecular mechanisms underlying retention behavior in both normal-phase and reversed-phase liquid chromatography. By combining experimental retention measurements, adsorption thermodynamics, and theoretical modeling, we systematically examine the interactions among solutes, solvents, and stationary phases, including the effects of solvent adsorption and chromatographic hold-up volume. Our research aims to evaluate the validity and limitations of existing retention models and to develop more accurate, physically grounded models for predicting retention behavior, ultimately facilitating rational chromatographic method development and efficient purification process design.
Rare-Earth and Critical Metal Purification
Rare-earth elements (REEs) and other critical and precious metals play essential roles in advanced electronics, renewable energy technologies, electric vehicles, and many high-value industrial applications. The growing demand for these materials has highlighted the importance of efficient separation and purification technologies, not only for producing high-purity materials but also for recovering valuable metals from industrial waste and recycled resources. However, the similar physicochemical properties of many rare-earth elements make their selective separation particularly challenging.
Our laboratory extends its expertise in liquid chromatography and adsorption science to the separation and purification of rare-earth and other valuable metal mixtures. Our research focuses on ion-exchange chromatography and adsorption-based separation processes, with particular emphasis on adsorption and complexation equilibria, metal–ligand interactions, and chromatographic separation mechanisms. By integrating experimental studies with thermodynamic analysis, predictive modeling, and process optimization, we aim to advance the fundamental understanding of metal ion separations and contribute to the development of efficient, selective, and economically viable purification technologies.
Simulated Moving Bed (SMB)
Packed-column chromatography is widely used in chemical-process separations, offering higher product purity and ambient-temperature operation compared to traditional distillation. However, relatively high operational costs have historically limited its use to high-value products, such as pharmaceuticals, foods, and fine chemicals. The advent of simulated moving bed (SMB) technology has transformed batch-mode chromatographic processes into continuous operations. Similar to the design of a distillation column, SMB allows partial recycling of the mobile-phase solvent, dramatically reducing solvent consumption and operating expenses. These advantages have led to mature SMB equipment and process designs in Europe and North America, with configurations customized to specific process requirements.
In Taiwan, local expertise and equipment development for SMB remain in their infancy. Only a few companies actively promoting SMB face resistance due to the higher capital costs and the technical demands of process design and operation. Addressing these challenges, our research team focuses on advancing SMB process-design technologies to facilitate wider adoption within Taiwan’s industrial sector.