Cheol Park

Portrait of Choel Park from the Advanced Materials and Processing Branch (D307).

Cheol Park (cheol.park-1@nasa.gov  Phone: 757-864-8360)

Senior Researcher, Advanced Materials and Processing Branch, NASA Langley Research Center, USA

 

EDUCATION:

PhD in Macromolecular Science & Engineering, The University of Michigan, Feb. 1997.

BS/MS in Textile Engineering, Seoul National University, Feb. 1987/1989

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2014-        Senior Researcher at NASA Langley Research Center

2003-14    Senior Research Scientist/Research Fellow at NIA

2000-02    Senior Staff Scientist of ICASE

1998-00    NRC Research Associate at NASA Langley Research Center

1997-98    Postdoc in Materials Sci & Eng, The University of Michigan

1989-90    Second Lieutenant in Korean Army

1987-89    Graduate Research Assistant in Textile Engineering, Seoul National University

RESEARCH INTERESTS

The research activities include synthesis of boron nitride nanotubes/carbon nanotubes and development of multifunctional nanocomposites for extreme space environments. Expertise in nanotube dispersion, sensing/actuation/electrical properties of nanocomposites, solar absorption/thermal emission materials, supercritical fluid infusion, chiral polymer metamaterials, radiation shielding materials, lunar dust mitigation materials, and thermal protection systems.

Selected Honors

2022     NASA Inventors Hall of Fame Induction

2021     NASA Silver Achievement Medal – Group National Pandemic Response Team

2019     NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal

2016     NASA Government Invention of the Year Award (BNNT)

2010     NASA H. J. E. Reid Award (Best paper award of the year)

2009     NASA Whitcomb and Holloway Technology Transfer Award (Carbon Nanotube dispersion license)

2007     Best Mentorship Research Site Award (VA New Horizon Governor’s School)

1989     Korean Government Overseas Scholarship

Over 45 patents and invention disclosures regarding BNNTs, CNTs, radiation shielding, sensing/actuation materials, thermoelectric, and adhesion: 11 licensed patents from six companies

Recent Publications (https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=QICYz4IAAAAJ&hl=en)

  • Bishop et al., “A Review on Direct Ink Writing of Polymer Derived Ceramics,” under review.
  • Khoury et al., “Lyotropic Liquid Crystalline Phase Behaviors of Boron Nitride Nanotube Aqueous Dispersions,” under review.
  • Liu et al., “Metal Passivation Strengthens the Interface in Titanium Composites Reinforced with Boron Nitride Nanotubes,” Materialia, 39, 102366 (2025).
  • Mohammed et al., “Neutron Radiation Induced Transmutation of Boron to Lithium in Aluminum-Boron Nitride Composite,” Mater. Today. Adv., 25, 100551 (2025).
  • Orikasa et al., “The Shape Effect: Influence of 1D and 2D Boron Nitride Nanostructures on the Radiation Shielding, Thermal, and Damping Properties of High-Temperature Epoxy Composites,” Comp. Sci. Tech., 261, 110995 (2025).
  • Erickson et al., “Elucidating Early Proton Irradiation Effects in Metal Halide Perovskites via Photoluminescence Spectroscopy,” iScience, 28, 111586 (2025).  
  • Sukumaran et al., “Erosion Behavior of Ti-hBN Multifunctional Coatings in a Custom-made Planetary Test Rig at Extreme Lunar Temperatures,” Tribology International, 202, 110339 (2025).
  • Moses et al., “E-beam and Solar Thermal Driven Oxygen and Metal Production from Lunar Regolith,” J. Aerospace Eng. Mech., 8, 636 (2024)
  • Stelter et al., “Dynamic Mechanical Analysis of Post-Cured Bismaleimide Resins for Composite-Overwrapped Combustion Chambers Cycled from Cryogenic to High Temperatures, NASA-TM 20240012459 (2024).
  • John et al., “Cold Sprayed Boron Nitride Nanotube-Reinforced Aluminum Matrix Composites with Improved Wear Resistance and Radiation Shielding,” Adv. Eng. Mater., 26, 2401490 (2024).
  • -Y. Chao et al., “Resistance of Boron Nitride Nanotubes to Radiation-Induced Oxidation,” J. Phys. Chem. C, 128, 18328 (2024).
  • Lewis et al., “Glassy Dynamics of Epoxy-Amine Thermosets Containing Dynamic, Aromatic Disulfides,” Macromolecules, 57, 7112 (2024)
  • K. Sukumaran et al., “Wear and Neutron Shielding Resilience of Titanium-Hexagonal Boron Nitride Coatings Against Extreme Lunar Radiation and Thermal Cycles,” Surface & Coatings Technology, 492, 131185 (2024).
  • Orikasa et al., “Foam with Direction: Unraveling the Anisotropic Radiation Shielding Properties of 2D Boron Nitride Nanoplatelet Foams,” NPG 2D Materials, 8, 13 (2024).
  • O’Connor et al., “Designing lightweight neutron absorbing composites using a comprehensive absorber areal density metric,” Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 206, 1112270 (2024).
  • O’Connor et al., “Mitigating Space Radiation Using Magnesium(-lithium) and boron carbide composites,” Acta Astronautica, 216, 37 (2024).
  • K. Sukumaran et al., “Tribological and Radiation Shielding Response of Novel Titanium-Boron Nitride Coatings for Lunar Structural Components,” Surface & Coatings Technology, 476, 130300 (2024).
  • Rodrigues De Oliveira et al., “Novel Polyimide-Hexagonal Boron Nitride Nanocomposites for Synergistic Improvement in Tribological and Radiation Shielding Properties” Tribology International, 189, 108936 (2023).
  • -H. Chu et al., “B4C-Al Metal Matrix Composites for Extreme Space Environments,” NASA/TM-20230003044 (2023).
  • Jiang et al., “Exceptionally Strong Boron Nitride Nanotube Aluminum Composite Interfaces,” Extreme Mechanics Letters, 59, 101952 (2023).
  • Jiang et al., “Exceptionally strongly boron nitride nanotube aluminum composite interfaces,” Extr. Mech. Lett. 59, 101952 (2023).
  • Bacca et al., “Tribological and Radiation Properties of Boron Nitride Nanotubes Reinforced Titanium Composites under Lunar Environment,” J. Mater. Res., 37, 4582 (2022).
  • Anjum et al., “Mechanical Characterization of Electrospun Boron Nitride Nanotube-Reinforced Polymer Nanocomposite Microfibers,” J. Mater. Res., 37, 4594 (2022).
  • Ginestra et al., “Liquid Crystals of Neat Boron Nitride Nanotubes and their Assembly into Ordered Macroscopic Materials,” Nature Communications, 13, 3136 (2022).
  • Clark et al. “Lightweight Thrust Chamber Composite Overwrap Lessons Learned,” Proceeding of CAMX, Dallas, TX (2021).
  • Choi et al., “Implementation Concept of Operation for a Multi-Purpose Cassegrain Solar Concentrator, Micro-Spectrometers, and Electrostatic Neutralizers to Enable In Situ Construction Activities plus Lunar, Planetary, and Deep Space Science Exploration on the Moon,” NASA-TM 20205009040 (2020).
  • Dmuchowski et al., “Oxidation Weakens Interfaces in Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Titanium Nanocomposites: An in situ Electron Microscopy Nanomechanical Study.” Extreme Mech. Lett., 41, 101045 (2020).
  • Snapp et al., “Tunable Piezoelectricity of Multifunctional Boron Nitride Nanotube/Polydimethylsiloxane Stretchable Composites,” Adv. Materials, 32, 2004607 (2020).
  • Alsmairat et al., “Quantifying the interfacial load transfer in electrospun carbon nanotube polymer nanocomposite microfibers by using in situ Raman micromechanical characterization techniques,” J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys., 53, 36530 (2020).
  • Cho et al., “Single- and double-walled boron nitride nanotubes: Controlled synthesis and application for water purification,” Sci. Rep, 10, 7416 (2020).
  • Kim et al., “Dual growth mode of boron nitride nanotubes in high temperature pressure laser ablation,” Sci. Rep. 9, 15674 (2019).
  • Chang et al., “Determination of the Orientation and Stress Transfer of Boron Nitride Nanotubes in Polyacrylonitrile Fibers,” ACS ANM 2, 6670 (2019).
  • Sauti et al., “NtGCM User’s Manual: 1.1 (High Pressure High Temperature Laser based) Nanotube Growth Chamber Monitor,” NASA/TM-2019-220395 (2019)
  • Jia et al., “Exceptional Thermal Properties of Polymer-Derived Ceramic Composites Reinforced with High Volume Fractions of Boron Nitride Nanotube at Elevated Temperature,” J. Am. Cer. Soc. 102, 7584 (2019).
  • Chang et al., “Polyacrylonitile/Boron Nitride Nanotubes Composite Precursor and Carbon Fibers,” Carbon, 147, 419 (2019)
  • Marincel et al., “Scalable Purification of Boron Nitride Nanotubes via Wet Thermal Etching,” Chem. Mater. 31, 1520 (2019)
  • Yi et al., “Direct Nanomechanical Measurements of Boron Nitride Nanotube – Ceramic Interfaces,” Nanotechnology, 30, 025706 (2019).
  • Leong et al., “Pore Diameter of Mesoporous Silica Modulates Oxidation of H2O2-Sensing Chromophore in a Porous Matrix,” Langmuir, 34, 11242 (2018).
  • Seo et al., “Diatom Microbubbler for Active Biofilm Removal in Confined Spaces,” ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 10, 35685 (2018).
  • Rohmann et al., “Interaction of Boron Nitride Nanotubes with Aluminium: A Computational Study,” J. Phys. Chem. C, 122, 15226 (2018).
  • Yi et al., Direct Nanomechanical Characterization of Carbon Nanotube-Titanium Interfaces, Carbon, 132, 548 (2018).

M. Adnan et al., “Extraction of Boron Nitride Nanotubes and Fabrication of Macroscopic Articles Using Chlorosulfonic Acid,” Nano Letters, 18, 1615