Publications

2025

Structurally defined carbonized polymer dots with red-to-near-infrared emission and 86% quantum yield via rapid room-temperature aromatic coupling

Yoonsang Park, Yujin Kim, Sejeong Seo, Hyeonjin Park, Hyunda Jo, Young-Hoon Kim, Doh C. Lee* & Woosung Kwon*

DNA-functionalized nanomaterials for optical biosensors: mechanisms, applications, and design perspectives

Chaewon Han, Sehyeon Park, Dakyeon Lee, Soye Park, Hyunda Jo, Sejeong Seo, Hyunho Han, Sanghwa Jeong* & Woosung Kwon*

Red-emissive carbon dots via amine-rich surface engineering: from surface chemistry to photophysical mechanism

Hyunda Jo, Sejeong Seo, Hyeonjin Park, Seung Oh Jung, Hyemin Kim & Woosung Kwon*

Three-dimensional encrypted printing of carbon dots via meniscus-guided microprinting

Seobin Park, Sejeong Seo, Jae Eun Kim, Hyeonjin Park, Woosung Kwon* & Im Doo Jung*

Mater. Lab (2025) 

Advances  in transdermal delivery systems using polysaccharide-based natural enhancers: mechanisms and clinical potential

Seungchan Lee, Chaeheon Park, Yeon Woo Kim, Seung Oh Jung, Yujin Lee, Woosung Kwon & Hyemin Kim*

J. Pharm. Investig. (2025)

Versatile high-performance SWNT electrodes enabled by glycerol-doped PEDOT:PSS interfacial engineering

Dong-Jin Yun*, Hyemin Ra, Jung-Min Kim, Gyeongho Yun, Woosung Kwon* & Seunghyup Lee*

ACS Appl. Mater. Inter. 17 50994-51002 (2025)

2024

Insights into glucose-decorated carbon dot synthesis via Maillard reaction: From reaction mechanism to biomedical applications

Soohyun Cho, Hyemin Kim, Dongwook Song, Jungchan Jung, Sehyeon Park, Hyunda Jo, Sejeong Seo, Chaewon Han, Soye Park, Hyunho Han* & Woosung Kwon*

Sci. Rep. 14 31325 (2024)

Intermolecular naphthylamine cyclization-based synthesis of bandgap-modulated carbon dots for multicolor light-emitting diodes

Sehyeon Park, Su Hwan Lee, Yujin Kim, Hyeonjin Park, Gui-Min Kim, Young-Hoon Kim* & Woosung Kwon*

Opt. Mater. 159 116313 (2025)

Long-lived room-temperature phosphorescence from silica nanoparticles with in situ generated carbonaceous defects for blue light-emitting diodes

Chaewon Han, Su Hwan Lee, Kyurim Lee, Heemin Chang, Hyunda Jo, Sejeong Seo, Hyeonjin Park, Sei Kwang Hahn, Young-Hoon Kim* & Woosung Kwon*

ACS Appl. Mater. Inter. 16 65012-65023 (2024)

Room-temperature phosphorescence of defect-engineered silica nanoparticles for high-constrast afterglow bioimaging

Heemin Chang, Yoonsang Park, Kyunghwan Kim, Chaewon Han, Yeongjun Yoon, Woojung Yoo, Jounghyun Yoo, Dajin Lee, Hyunho Han, Kyeounghak Kim*, Jinmyoung Joo* & Woosung Kwon*

Chem. Eng. J. 493 152529 (2024)

Formation of homogeneous pyridinic emission states in carbon dots via  solid-state carbonization of aminoquinoline: Optical design principles and light-emitting diode applications

Yerim Byun, Dajin Lee, Sang Woo Bae, Sungyeon Won, Soohyun Cho, Su Hwan Lee, Yoonsang Park, Young-Hoon Kim* & Woosung Kwon*

J. Alloys Compd. 991 174435 (2024)

2023

Predictable incorporation of nitrogen into carbon dots: Insights from pinacol rearrangement and iminium ion cyclization

Soohyun Cho, Chanwoo Jung, Dajin Lee, Yerim Byun, Hyemin Kim, Hyunho Han, Ji-Hee Kim & Woosung Kwon*

Nanoscale Adv. 5 5613-5626 (2023)

Waste toner-derived carbon dots for bioimaging and photodynamic therapy

Dajin Lee, Wonchan Park, Hyemin Kim, Yoonsang Park, Yerim Byun, Soohyun Cho, Sei Kwang Hahn, Hyunho Han* & Woosung Kwon*

Dyes Pigm. 217 111441 (2023)

2022

A panchromatic graphite-derived-carbon-dot TiO2 photocatalyst: broad visible light absorption via ligand-to-metal charge transfer

Yoonsang Park, Hoang Tran Bui, Yurim Son, Cheolwoo Park, Bupmo Kim, Taehyung Lee, Daegun Kim, Dajin Lee, Kilwon Cho, Hyo Won Kim, Wooyul Kim* & Woosung Kwon*

Appl. Surf. Sci. 611 155636 (2023)

Clinical big-data-based design of GLUT2-targeted carbon nanodots for the accurate diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hye Jin Heo, Yoonsang Park, Jung Hee Lee, Yujin Kim, Eun-Kyoung Kim, Ga Hyun Kim, Yeoni Yu, So Youn Park, Hie Bum Seo, Kyoungjune Pak, Tae Sik Goh, Sehyeon Park, Sae-Ock Oh*, Yun Hak Kim* & Woosung Kwon*

Nanoscale 22 17053-17064 (2022)

Thermal control of oxygen-induced emission states in carbon dots for indoor lighting applications

Yerim Byun, Chan-Woo Jung, Ji-Hee Kim* & Woosung Kwon*

Dyes Pigm. 208 110895 (2022)

2021

Radiative and non-radiative decay pathways in carbon nanodots toward bioimaging and photodynamic therapy 

Yujin Kim, Yoonsang Park, Seulgi Han, Wonchan Park, Mungu Kim, Sei Kwang Hahn* & Woosung Kwon*

Nanomaterials 12 70 (2022)

Unraveling the origin of near-infrared emission in carbon dots by ultrafast spectroscopy 

Yoonsang Park, Tran Minh Dao, Yujin Kim, Sungyeon Won, Young-Hoon Kim, Tae-Woo Lee, Tom Gregorkiewicz, Young Hee Lee, Ji-Hee Kim* & Woosung Kwon*

Carbon 188 229-237 (2022)

Emerging phospholipid nanobiomaterials for biomedical applications to lab-on-a-chip, drug delivery, and cellular engineering 

Maedeh Rahimnejad, Navid Rabiee, Sepideh Ahmadi, Sepideh Jahangiri, Mohammad S. Sajadi, Omid Akhavan, Mohammad Reza Saeb, Woosung Kwon, Mungu Kim & Sei Kwang Hahn*

ACS Appl. Bio Mater. 4 8110-8128 (2021)

Energy-filtered acceleration of charge carrier transport in organic thermoelectric nanocomposites

Daegun Kim, Yoonsang Park, Jaeyong Lee, Kilwon Cho* & Woosung Kwon*

Chem. Mater. 33 4853-4862 (2021, Cover Article)

Oxygen-less carbon nanodots with an absolute quantum yield of 80% for display applications

Taehyung Lee, Sungyeon Won, Yoonsang Park* & Woosung Kwon*

ACS Appl. Nano Mater. 4 2462-2469 (2021)

2020

Biocompatible nitrogen-doped carbon dots: synthesis, characterization, and application

Yoonsang Park, Yujin Kim, Heemin Chang, Sungyeon Won, Hyemin Kim & Woosung Kwon*

J. Mater. Chem. B 8 8935-8951 (2020)

Biocompatible organosilica nanoparticles with self-encapsulated phenyl motifs for effective UV protection

Jounghyun Yoo, Hyemin Kim, Heemin Chang, Wonchan Park, Sei Kwang Hahn* & Woosung Kwon*

ACS Appl. Mater. Inter. 12 9062-9069 (2020)

Multifunctional materials for implantable and wearable photonic healthcare devices

Geon-Hui Lee, Hanul Moon, Hyemin Kim, Gae Hwang Lee, Woosung Kwon, Seunghyup Yoo, David Myung, Seok Hyun Yun*, Zhenan Bao* & Sei Kwang Hahn*

Nat. Rev. Mater. 5 149-165 (2020)

2019

Formation of TiO2@carbon core/shell nanocomposites from single molecular layer of aromatic compounds for hydrogen peroxide generation

Taehyung Lee, Hoang-Tran Bui, Jounghyun Yoo, Wooyul Kim* & Woosung Kwon*

ACS Appl. Mater. Inter. 11 41196-41203 (2019)

Photoluminescent and biodegradable porous silicon nanoparticles for biomedical imaging

Yoonsang Park, Jounghyun Yoo, Myunghee Kang, Jinmyoung Joo* & Woosung Kwon*

J. Mater. Chem. B 7 6271-6292 (2019, Cover Article)

Controlled growth of fluorescent silica nanoparticles using two-phase orthogonal solvents for bioimaging

Heemin Chang, Jounghyun Yoo, Hyemin Kim, Wonchan Park, Sei Kwang Hahn & Woosung Kwon*

J. Lumin. 214 116529 (2019)

Hyaluronic acid derivatives for translational medicines

Hyemin Kim, Myeonghwan Shin, Seulgi Han, Woosung Kwon & Sei Kwang Hahn*

Biomacromolecules  20 2889-2903 (2019, Cover Article)

Multifunctional hyaluronate-nanoparticle hybrid systems for diagnostic, therapeutic and theranostic applications

Hyemin Kim, Yoonsang Park, Molly M. Stevens, Sei Kwang Hahn* & Woosung Kwon* 

J. Control. Release 303 55-66 (2019)

Highly conductive, transparent, and metal-free electrodes with a PEDOT:PSS/SWNT bilayer for high-performance organic thin-film transistors 

Taehyung Lee, Minwoo Park* & Woosung Kwon* 

Org. Electron. 67 26-33 (2019)

A multi-dye containing MOF for the ratiometric detection and simultaneous removal of Cr2O72- in the presence of interfering ions 

Jounghyun Yoo, UnJin Ryu, Kyung Min Choi* & Woosung Kwon* 

Sensor. Actuat. B-Chem. 283 426-433 (2019)

Synthesis of Ag/Mn co-doped CdS/ZnS (core/shell) nanocrystals with controlled dopant concentration and spatial distribution and the dynamics of excitons and energy transfer between co-dopants

Wonseok Lee, Juwon Oh, Woosung Kwon, Dongho Kim & Sungjee Kim* 

Nano Lett. 19 308-317 (2019)

2018

Defect-induced fluorescence of silica nanoparticles for bioimaging applications 

Jounghyun Yoo, Seulgi Han, Wonchan Park, Taehyung Lee, Yoonsang Park, Heemin Chang, Sei Kwang Hahn* & Woosung Kwon* 

ACS Appl. Mater. Inter. 10 44247-44256 (2018)

Highly luminescent organic nanorods from air oxidation of para-substituted anilines for freestanding deep-red color filters 

Yoonsang Park, Cheolwoo Park, Joo Sung Kim, Tae Kyu Ahn, Ho Sun Lim, Tae-Woo Lee & Woosung Kwon* 

Adv. Opt. Mater. 6 1800577 (2018)

In vivo photoacoustic imaging of livers using biodegradable hyaluronic acid-conjugated silica nanoparticles 

Donghyun Lee, Songeun Beack, Jounghyun Yoo, Su-Kyoung Kim, Changho Lee, Sei Kwang Hahn, Chulhong Kim* & Woosung Kwon* 

Adv. Funct. Mater. 28 1800941 (2018, Cover Article)

Multi-functional photonic nanomaterials for diagnostic, therapeutic, and theranostic applications 

Hyemin Kim, Songeun Beack, Seulgi Han, Myeonghwan Shin, Taehyung Lee, Yoonsang Park, Ki Su Kim, Ali K. Yetisen, Seok Hyun Yun, Sei Kwang Hahn* & Woosung Kwon* 

Adv. Mater. 30 1701460 (2018)

2017

Tailoring nanocrystalline metal-organic frameworks as fluorescent dye carriers for bioimaging 

UnJin Ryu, Jounghyun Yoo, Kyung Min Choi* & Woosung Kwon* 

Inorg. Chem. 56 12859-12865 (2017)

Dual-color-emitting carbon nanodots for multicolor bioimaging and optogenetic applications 

Hyemin Kim, Yoonsang Park, Songeun Beack, Seulgi Han, Dooyup Jung, Hyung Joon Cha, Sei Kwang Hahn* & Woosung Kwon* 

Adv. Sci. 4 1700325 (2017, Cover Article)

Flexible and highly efficient perovskite solar cells with a large active area incorporating cobalt-doped poly(3-hexylthiophene) for enhanced open-circuit voltage 

Jae Woong Jung, Joon-Suh Park, Il Ki Han, Yujeong Lee, Cheolmin Park, Woosung Kwon & Minwoo Park* 

J. Mater. Chem. A 5 12158-12167 (2017)

Highly efficient light-emitting diodes of colloidal metal-halide perovskite nanocrystals beyond quantum size 

Young-Hoon Kim, Christoph Wolf, Young-Tae Kim, Himchan Cho, Woosung Kwon, Sungan Do, Aditya Sadhanala, Chan-Kyung Park, Shi-Woo Rhee, Sang Hyuk Im, Richard H. Friend & Tae-Woo Lee* 

ACS Nano 11 6586-6593 (2017)

Effects of oxygen plasma generated in magnetron sputtering of ruthenium oxide on pentacene thin film transistors 

Taehyung Lee, Boram Lim,  Minwoo Park* & Woosung Kwon* 

Kor. J. Chem. Eng. 34 2502-2506 (2017)

High efficiency perovskite light-emitting diodes of ligand-engineered colloidal formamidinium lead bromide nanoparticles 

Young-Hoon Kim, Geon-Hui Lee, Young-Tae Kim, Christoph Wolf, Hyung Joong Yun, Woosung Kwon, Chan-Kyung Park & Tae-Woo Lee* 

Nano Energy 38 51-58 (2017)

2016

Biodegradable nitrogen-doped carbon nanodots for non-invasive photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy 

Woosung Kwon, Changho Lee, SongeunBeack, Donghyun Lee, Yoonsang Park, Hyemin Kim, Sei Kwang Hahn*, Shi-Woo Rhee* & Chulhong Kim* 

Theranostics 6 2196-2208 (2016, Cover Article)

Improving functionality of carbon nanodots: doping and surface functionalization 

Yoonsang Park, Jounghyun Yoo, Boram Lim, Shi-Woo Rhee* & Woosung Kwon* 

J. Mater. Chem. A 4 11582-11603 (2016)

High color-purity green, orange, and red light-emitting diodes based on chemically functionalized graphene quantum dots

Woosung Kwon, Young-Hoon Kim, Ji-Hee Kim, Taehyung Lee, Sungan Do, Yoonsang Park, Mun Seok Jeong, Tae-Woo Lee* & Shi-Woo Rhee* 

Sci. Rep. 6 24205 (2016)

N,S-induced electronic states of carbon nanodots toward white electroluminescence 

Woosung Kwon, Sungan Do, Young-Hoon Kim, So Rang Kang, Taehyung Lee, Tae-Woo Lee* & Shi-Woo Rhee* 

Adv. Opt. Mater. 4 276-284 (2016, VIP Article)

2015

Control of photoluminescence of carbon nanodots via surface functionalization using para-substituted anilines 

Woosung Kwon, Sungan Do, Ji-Hee Kim, Mun Seok Jeong & Shi-Woo Rhee* 

Sci. Rep. 5 12604 (2015)

Photoelectrochemical hydrogen generation using C-dot/ZnO hierarchical nanostructure as an efficient photoanode 

Woosung Kwon, Heejin Kim, Mingi Choi, Shi-Woo Rhee* & Kijung Yong* 

J. Electrochem. Soc. 162 H366−H370 (2015)

Electrochemical properties of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) :poly(styrenesulfonate) and carbon black composite as an electron injector into the electrolyte containing iodide redox couple 

Jung-Min Kim, Woosung Kwon & Shi-Woo Rhee* 

Electrochim. Acta 161 205−211 (2015)

2014

Soft-template synthesis of nitrogen-doped carbon nanodots: tunable visible-light photoluminescence and phosphor-based light-emitting diodes 

Woosung Kwon, Sungan Do & Shi-Woo Rhee* 

J. Mater. Chem. C 2 4221−4226 (2014)

Electroluminescence from graphene quantum dots prepared by amidative cutting of tattered graphite 

Woosung Kwon, Young-Hoon Kim, Chang-Lyoul Lee, Minkyung Lee, Hee Cheul Choi, Tae-Woo Lee* & Shi-Woo Rhee*

Nano Lett. 14 1306−1311 (2014) 

Size-controlled soft-template synthesis of carbon nanodots toward versatile photoactive materials 

Woosung Kwon, Gyeongjin Lee, Sungan Do, Taiha Joo & Shi-Woo Rhee* 

Small 10 506−513 (2014)

2013

Freestanding luminescent films of nitrogen-rich carbon nanodots towards large-scale phosphor-based light-emitting devices 

Woosung Kwon, Sungan Do, Jinuk Lee, Sunyong Hwang, Jong Kyu Kim & Shi-Woo Rhee* 

Chem. Mater. 25 1893−1899 (2013)

Sulfur-incorporated carbon quantum dots with a long-wavelength absorption band 

Woosung Kwon, Jongchul Lim, Jinuk Lee, Taiho Park* & Shi-Woo Rhee* 

J. Mater. Chem. C 1 2002−2008 (2013)

Carbon quantum dot-based field-effect transistors and their ligand length-dependent carrier mobility 

Woosung Kwon, Sungan Do, Dong Chan Won & Shi-Woo Rhee* 

ACS Appl. Mater. Inter. 5 822−827 (2013)

Electrocatalytic carbonaceous materials for counter electrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells 

Woosung Kwon, Jung-Min Kim & Shi-Woo Rhee* 

J. Mater.Chem. A 1 3202−3215 (2013, Feature Article) 

2012

Formation of highly luminescent nearly monodisperse carbon quantum dots via emulsion-templated carbonization of carbohydrates 

Woosung Kwon, Sungan Do & Shi-Woo Rhee* 

RSC Adv. 2 11223−11226 (2012)

Facile synthesis of graphitic carbon quantum dots with size tunability and uniformity using reverse micelles 

Woosung Kwon & Shi-Woo Rhee* 

Chem.Commun. 48 5256−5258 (2012, Cover Article) 

A new equivalent circuit for porous carbon electrodes in charge transfer reaction of iodide/triiodide redox couples

Woosung Kwon, Jung-Min Kim & Shi-Woo Rhee* 

Electrochim. Acta 68 110−113 (2012)

A light scattering polymer gel electrolyte for high performance dye-sensitized solar cells 

Woosung Kwon, Yong-June Chang, Yun-Cheol Park, Hyun Myung Jang & Shi-Woo Rhee* 

J. Mater. Chem. 22 6027−6031 (2012)

2011

Carbon-nanofiber counter electrodes for quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells

Veerappan Ganapathy, Woosung Kwon & Shi-Woo Rhee*

J. Power Sources 196 10798−10805 (2011)

Key technological elements in dye-sensitized solar cells 

Shi-Woo Rhee* & Woosung Kwon 

Kor. J. Chem. Eng. 28 1481−1494 (2011, Invited Review)

High performance quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells based on poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) 

Woosung Kwon & Shi-Woo Rhee*

J. Power Sources 196 10532−10537 (2011)

Multiwall carbon nanotube and PEDOT:PSS composite films for transistor and inverter devices

Dong-Jin Yun, Ki Pyo Hong, Se hyun Kim, Won-Min Yun, Jae-young Jang, Woosung Kwon, Chan-Eon Park & Shi-Woo Rhee*

ACS Appl. Mater. Inter. 3 43−49 (2011)