A paper titled “Allomorphic Transformation of Cellulose for Enhancing Enzymatic Accessibility,” with Kim Geon Woo (advisor: Professor Kim Hyoung Jin) from the Department of Forest Products and Biotechnology at Kookmin University (President Jeong Seung Ryul) as the first author, has been published in Polymers, an international journal in the field of polymer science and bio-based materials.

Polymers (Impact Factor 4.9, top 20% in JCR) is an international journal covering fundamental and applied research in polymer science and bio-based materials. It publishes diverse interdisciplinary studies ranging from elucidating structure-property correlations in polymers to developing eco-friendly and sustainable materials.

This study is evaluated as a significant research achievement that systematically analyzes the mechanism of allomorphic transformation in cellulose and enhanced enzyme accessibility. By precisely elucidating crystallinity and polymer structural changes using XRD and Raman spectroscopy, it demonstrates the potential for enhancing functionality through structural control of bio-based polymers.

It is particularly noteworthy for scientifically demonstrating the correlation between allomorph changes and enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency, thereby establishing a foundation for sustainable biorefinery process technology.

First author Kim Geon Woo is currently a fourth-year undergraduate student in the Department of Forest Products and Biotechnology and has advanced to the integrated master's and doctoral program in the same department at the Graduate School. Kim stated his academic aspiration: “I aim to continuously expand the application areas of natural fibers in the pulp and paper sector and the bio-based materials industry.”