The joint research team involving Korea University (KU), Kyungpook National University (KNU), Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), as well as Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI) developed a catalyst utilized to stimulate the process of water electrolysis. This catalyst defines environmental, social, and governance (ESG) values, enabling production of carbon-neutral hydrogen fuel. The combined efforts of these educational institutions were published in the material sciences international journal Matter.

This study has been conducted with the support of the National Supercomputing Center, Korea Research Foundation, and other university-focused research institutes. KU Department of Chemistry's Dr. Kim Byung-yoon stated that, "Bonding different crystalline materials is the core of this catalyst. We were able to secure high performances and semi-permanent durability by fixing highly-catalytic but unstable substances to the surface of stable ones." As a result, KU strives to experiment and discover ground-breaking results in the field of nature sciences.