Chonbuk National University recently annouced that Professors Tae Sung Bae (Dentistry) and Jae Joon Lee (Civil Engineering) won the Minister Prize of SMEs and Startups, for their services to technical development of small enterprises and industrial development.

Professor Bae, along with Haas Co., Ltd., has developed a high-tempered glass liner to replace damaged teeth with zirconia ceramics.

As a result, he developed a spray-type adhesive (liner) that prevents the veneer coating from craking or falling off the all-ceramic crowns, which are made entirely of ceramic material for a more natural-looking color.

If the technology is launched as a product, it is expected to generate sales of 3.1 billion won (approximately 2.9 million US dollars) and exports of 2.4 million dollars within three years.

Prof. Lee has developed and optimized a technique to mass produce high-quality one-pack photocatalysts with B & D Networks Co., Ltd., and expanded it to an applicable method for roads.

Coating the road using this technique can effectively remove nitrogen dioxide (NOx), which is generated mainly from automobile exhaust gas, and causes atmospheric air pollution and serious human diseases.