“Materials selected for their usefulness, ultimately surviving.”
About the material that makes up all visible matter
Unraveling the Invisible Secret

Every moment of groundbreaking advancement in human civilization was accompanied by the creation of novel materials.
Synthetic rubber, nylon, semiconductors, graphene, quantum dots… … .
The discovery and invention of new materials has been the driving force behind changing the world.
In other words, the materials that are still being used today are those that survived and were selected for their ‘usefulness.’

The reason the importance of new materials is being emphasized more than ever recently is because the infinite possibilities of life that will unfold in future society are closely related to the emergence of novel materials that transcend limitations.
In other words, examining the past, present, and future of materials is essential not only for predicting the society to come, but also for securing future competitiveness.
It is not a choice, but a necessity for survival.
Therefore, 『The Science of Usefulness, New Materials: Stories of New Materials Beneficial to the World』 presented by Yongsu Cho, a professor of materials science and engineering at Yonsei University and an authority in the field of electronic ceramics, can be said to be the most perfect guidebook for predicting the ever-changing future society.


This book, which aims to cover scientific principles at a common-sense level without using complex formulas as much as possible, is written so that anyone interested in new materials, even those who are not familiar with it, can easily access it.
Especially for middle and high school students, I hope that this will be an important opportunity to discover their potential and choose a career path.
I hope that intellectual curiosity about new materials for usefulness continues.

We often come across articles and reports suggesting that our lives will change, but it is not easy to gauge the hidden reality and possibilities.
This book is designed for the general public and middle and high school students who are interested in science, even if they are not experts in new materials science or engineering.
Starting with the definition of new materials, we will cover the importance and limitations of the field of new materials, as well as scientific principles at a common-sense level without using formulas.
--- p.5

As you can imagine by imagining how pottery was made in the Stone Age, this is something that humans have learned over the long history of human existence.
In other words, the materials we currently use are the result of continuous development and have been artificially created or improved through continuous advancement.
These are the materials that survived in the end.

--- p.8

The reason new materials are important is because they are the starting point of advanced products as we know them.
We have reached an era where securing the best materials is directly linked to competitiveness, as the selection of the right materials is directly related to the performance of the final product.
(……) Therefore, the limitations of materials are also the limitations of parts and finished products.
This is also the reason why we are dedicated to developing original materials.

--- p.30

The discovery of new materials is closely related to the development of human civilization.
Human civilization has gone through the Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age.
Interestingly, the fact that the periods were divided by material shows that the changes in human history are deeply connected to the discovery of materials.

--- p.51

There is no such thing as perfect material.
Therefore, the inherent unstable structure or defects that develop over time degrade the properties of the material.
But academically, flaws aren't always a bad thing.
Sometimes, defects are intentionally exploited to improve the properties of a material.
Let's take a look at what scientists and developers are doing to understand and exploit flaws.
--- p.92

Every year, new electronic products are introduced, adding features and capabilities we never imagined before.
If existing materials cannot be made on a smaller scale, it will be difficult to make electronic products lighter or thinner.
New semiconductors are also related to the performance and power consumption of electronic products.
(……) Most of the new materials recently discovered are new materials that have been artificially synthesized.
--- p.130

I would like to introduce in more detail how materials react when given constant external stimuli, such as electricity, light, heat, and force.
This specific reaction is being used to develop a variety of advanced products, and the materials with the best reactions are the most novel materials and may become materials with great future utility.

--- p.146

We often come across the words energy crisis and depletion.
While we are concerned about oil reserves, we also need to address the serious environmental problem of carbon dioxide emissions.
Is it possible to develop energy technologies that can replace existing fossil fuels? Energy production based on scientific technology, known as renewable energy, depends entirely on the selection and improvement of materials.
--- p.208

Why can't cell phones use solar cells? If solar cells were used instead of batteries, there would be no need for external power sources for charging.
Due to limitations in the semiconductor materials currently used in solar cells, it is difficult to provide sufficient power to charge the batteries.
Why haven't rollable or foldable displays been developed yet? The technology is there, but there are still clear material limitations to overcome before widespread adoption.
(……) There are countless future materials that are receiving ongoing attention, such as research on metals that automatically recover from scratches, research on polymers that can be made lighter while maintaining the strength of metals, and the development of biodegradable plastics.

--- p.232

The intention behind planning this book is to introduce past, present, and future materials based on a more common-sense understanding of science.
Beyond knowing the existence and background of famous materials from the past, I also want to consider their value as a product and why they were chosen.
Because it is a prerequisite for the material to survive in the future.

--- p.241