To address the significant global challenges of climate change, energy transition, and environmental sustainability, this research center actively promotes forward-looking interdisciplinary research. It focuses on three main development pillars: “Low-Carbon Energy”, “Healthy Environment”, and “Sustainable Development” with a commitment to co-creating technological innovation and societal well-being.

I. Low-Carbon Energy: Developing Key Technologies for Hydrogen Production via Electrolysis

As the world moves toward net-zero carbon emissions, hydrogen is regarded as one of the most promising clean energy sources. With high energy density and the only byproduct of combustion being water, hydrogen can be used for power generation, transportation, and as a decarbonization solution in industrial processes, offering vast application potential.

Hydrogen can also be integrated with renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power to store and convert excess electricity, enabling grid balancing and long-term energy storage while enhancing energy system resilience. Moreover, in high-energy-consuming industries that are difficult to electrify—such as steel, cement, and petrochemicals—hydrogen can replace fossil fuels to reduce carbon emissions significantly. With advances and scaling in water electrolysis technology, hydrogen production efficiency and cost-effectiveness are continually improving. Green hydrogen is expected to replace traditional gray and blue hydrogen, becoming the mainstream energy source.

Given hydrogen’s role as a foundational pillar of the “energy of the future,” its integration with renewable energy and net-zero strategies is transitioning from laboratory research to real-world deployment. Many countries have begun implementing policies and infrastructure for hydrogen. Hydrogen will play a critical role in global energy transition, industrial innovation, and sustainable development. In response to the global trend toward a hydrogen economy, the center is dedicated to R&D in water electrolysis for hydrogen production. Key research areas include the design of high-efficiency electrocatalytic materials, optimization of electrolysis systems, and control of hydrogen purity. These efforts aim to improve production efficiency, reduce costs, and promote the practical application of clean energy toward a low-carbon future.

II. Healthy Environment: Advancing Air Quality Monitoring Technologies

PM_2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter less than 2.5 micrometers) can penetrate deep into the respiratory tract and enter the bloodstream, causing multiple adverse health effects. PM_2.5 contains various organic pollutants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds (VOCs/SVOCs), and secondary organic aerosols (SOAs). Among these, PAHs are mutagenic and carcinogenic, capable of causing DNA damage and abnormal cell proliferation. SOAs, formed from the atmospheric oxidation of VOCs, have even finer particle sizes and can penetrate human tissues, posing serious risks such as oxidative stress and chronic inflammation.

Therefore, analyzing the composition, sources, and health impacts of PM_2.5 organic compounds is a key research priority at the center. The research examines the contributions and toxicity of organic pollutants from various emission sources, including traffic, industrial activities, and biomass burning. By employing GC-MS, TD-GC/MS, and receptor models (e.g., PMF), the center performs source apportionment of pollutants. Shifting from mass concentration monitoring to chemical characterization, the research emphasizes the roles of organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), and specific PAHs in human health. The development of advanced analytical techniques also supports the tracking of persistent organic pollutants and their potential environmental and health risks. Additionally, integration with IoT and big data enables dynamic regional air quality forecasting.

Given the direct impact of air quality on public health and quality of life, PM_2.5 and its organic components have a widespread and profound effect on health. The center’s research focuses on high-resolution monitoring, toxicity profiling of pollutant components, source tracing, and comprehensive health risk assessments. These efforts provide a scientific foundation for precise mitigation strategies and informed policy-making, ensuring both improved air quality and enhanced public health.

III. Sustainable Development: Focusing on Water Resource Management and Circular Economy

In response to increasing water scarcity and resource wastage, the center focuses on research in water purification technologies and water resource management. This includes the development of water-saving strategies, wastewater recycling, and circular resource utilization, such as using electrochemical/electrolytic technologies to remove common pollutants while recovering valuable metals, acids, and bases from water. Additionally, with the rapid growth of electric vehicles, portable electronics, and energy storage systems, global demand for lithium-ion batteries is surging. Improper disposal of spent batteries not only leads to environmental pollution but also the loss of valuable resources. Lithium batteries contain heavy metals (e.g., nickel, cobalt, manganese) and electrolyte solvents that can contaminate soil and water, posing ecological and health risks. Given the limited global reserves of metals such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel, recycling can help reduce dependence on natural mineral extraction and mitigate environmental damage. Establishing a recycling and reuse system enables closed-loop management of materials and promotes green supply chains. Recycled materials also help reduce battery production costs and enhance industrial economic efficiency. Therefore, the development of battery recycling and reprocessing technologies is a key focus in low-carbon transition and resource strategies.

Although traditional high-temperature smelting and acidic solvent extraction methods offer high efficiency, they are hindered by high energy consumption and significant pollution. New-generation green technologies emphasize low energy consumption, minimal pollution, and high selectivity, including bioleaching, deep eutectic solvent (DES) extraction, organic acid leaching, and the use of ionic liquids. Battery recycling is not only an environmental measure but a core component of green energy transition and resource sustainability. By introducing green chemistry and novel materials technology, efficient recovery of valuable metals, pollution reduction, and industrial upgrading can be achieved. The center focuses on DES extraction technology and is developing eco-friendly solvents for recovering lithium, cobalt, manganese, and nickel from waste batteries, thereby contributing to circular economy goals and net-zero emissions.

In summary, this research center will continue to deepen core technological development, promote academia-industry collaboration, and engage in international cooperation. By acting as a key platform for scientific innovation, the center injects new momentum into the energy transition, environmental health, and sustainable development, fulfilling its responsibility and commitment to the future of society.

This center combines the research resources of Ming Chi University of Technology, Chang Gung University and Chang Gung University of Science and Technology in the fields of environmental science, material science, public health and environmental medicine to form a series of upstream, midstream and downstream technologies, and participates in Industry-academia cooperation programs to enhance corporate social responsibility and industrial economic competitiveness.The initial investment is about 56 million to build five laboratories: (1) Inorganic Analysis Laboratory‘ (2) Organic Analysis Laboratory, (3) Pretreatment Laboratory, (4) Biological Analysis Laboratory and (5) Physical Analysis Laboratory, around 80 square feet in total.The equipment purchased by the center will provide the research team to develop environmental trace analysis technology, to establish data analysis and environmental identification technology, to achieve source reduction and prevention and to reduce environmental burden.