• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.65-73
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• 2012

The Gas Diffusion Layer (GDL) of fuel cell, are required to provide both delivery of reactant gases to the catalyst layer and removal of water in either vapor or liquid form in typical PEMFCs. In this study, the fabrication of GDL containing Micro Porous Layer (MPL) made of the slurry of PVDF mixed with carbon black is investigated in detail. Physical properties of GDL containing MPL, such as electrical resistance, gas permeability and microstructure were examined, and the performance of the cell using developed GDL with MPL was evaluated. The results show that MPL with PVDF binder demonstrated uniformly distributed microstructure without large cracks and pores, which resulted in better electrical conductivity. The fuel cell performance test demonstrates that the developed GDL with MPL has a great potential due to enhanced mass transport property due to its porous structure and small pore size.

• Clean Technology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.218-226
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• 2022

As a result of the recent social transformation towards a hydrogen economy and carbon-neutrality, the demands for hydrogen energy have been increasing rapidly worldwide. As such, eco-friendly hydrogen production technologies that do not produce carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions are being focused on. Among them, ammonia (NH₃) is an economical hydrogen carrier that can easily produce hydrogen (H₂). In this study, Ru/Al₂O₃ catalyst coated onmetallic monolith for hydrogen production from ammonia was prepared by a dip-coating method using a catalyst slurry mixture composed of Ru/Al₂O₃ catalyst, inorganic binder (alumina sol) and organic binder (methyl cellulose). At the optimized 1:1:0.1 weight ratio of catalyst/inorganic binder/organic binder, the amount of catalyst coated on the metallic monolith after one cycle coating was about 61.6 g L^-1. The uniform thickness (about 42 ㎛) and crystal structure of the catalyst coated on the metallic monolith surface were confirmed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Also, a numerical optimization regression equation for NH3 conversion according to the independent variables of reaction temperature (400-600 ℃) and gas hourly space velocity (1,000-5,000 h^-1) was calculated by response surface methodology (RSM). This model indicated a determination coefficient (R²) of 0.991 and had statistically significant predictors. This regression model could contribute to the commercial process design of hydrogen production by ammonia decomposition.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.525-530
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• 2019

The performance and stability of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) depend on the microstructure of the electrode and electrolyte. In anode, porosity and pore distribution affect the active site and fuel gas transfer. In an electrolyte, density and thickness determine the ohmic resistance. To optimizing these conditions, using costly method cannot be a suitable research plan for aiming at commercialization. To solve these drawbacks, we made high performance unit cells with low cost and highly efficient ceramic processes. We selected the NiO-YSZ cermet that is a commercial anode material and used facile methods like die pressing and dip coating process. The porosity of anode was controlled by the amount of carbon black (CB) pore former from 10 wt% to 20 wt% and final sintering temperature from $1350^{\circ}C$ to $1450^{\circ}C$. To achieve a dense thin film electrolyte, the thickness and microstructure of electrolyte were controlled by changing the YSZ loading (vol%) of the slurry from 1 vol% to 5 vol. From results, we achieved the 40% porosity that is well known as an optimum value in Ni-YSZ anode, by adding 15wt% of CB and sintering at $1350^{\circ}C$. YSZ electrolyte thickness was controllable from $2{\mu}m$ to $28{\mu}m$ and dense microstructure is formed at 3vol% of YSZ loading via dip coating process. Finally, a unit cell composed of Ni-YSZ anode with 40% porosity, YSZ electrolyte with a $22{\mu}m$ thickness and LSM-YSZ cathode had a maximum power density of $1.426Wcm^{-2}$ at $800^{\circ}C$.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.786-789
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• 2011

In order to estimate the possibility of applying electrolytes generally used in solid oxide fuel cells(SOFCs) to direct carbon fuel cells(DCFCs), properties of YSZ(yttria stabilized zirconia) electrolyte were evaluated. In this study, vacuum slurry coating method was adapted to coat thin layer on anode support substrate. After sintering the electrolyte at $1400^{\circ}C$ for 5hrs, microstructure was analyzed by using SEM image. Also, gas permeability and ionic conductivity were measured to find out the potential possibility of electrolyte for DCFCs. The YSZ electrolyte represented dense coating layer and low gas permeability value. The ionic conductivity of YSZ electrolyte was high over $800^{\circ}C$. After measurement of the electrolyte properties, direct carbon fuel cell was fabricated and its performance was measured at $800^{\circ}C$.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.622-627
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• 2013

Colloidal silica is used in various industrial products such as chemical mechanical polishing slurry for planarization of silicon and sapphire wafer, organic-inorganic hybrid coatings, binder of investment casting, etc. An accurate determination of particle size and dispersion stability of silica sol is demanded because it has a strong influence on surface of wafer, film of coatings or bulks having mechanical, chemical and optical properties. The study herein is discussed on the effect of measurement results of average particle size, sol viscosity and electrophoretic mobility of particle according to the volume fraction of eight types of silica sol with different size and surface properties of silica particles which are presented by the manufacturer. The measured particle size and the mobility of these sol were changed by volume fraction or particle size due to highly active surface of silica particle and change of concentration of counter ion by dilution of silica sol. While in case the measured sizes of small particles less than 60 nm are increased with increasing volume fraction, the measured sizes of larger particles than 60 nm are slightly decreased. The mobility of small particle such as 12 nm are decreased with increase of viscosity. However, the mobility of 100 nm particles under 0.048 volume fraction are increased with increasing volume fraction and then decreased over higher volume fraction.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.266-270
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• 2014

Metal foams have a cellular structure consisting of a solid metal containing a large volume fraction of pores. In particular, open, penetrating pores are necessary for industrial applications such as in high temperature filters and as a support for catalysts. In this study, Fe foam with above 90% porosity and 2 millimeter pore size was successfully fabricated by a slurry coating process and the pore properties were characterized. The Fe and $Fe_2O_3$ powder mixing ratios were controlled to produce Fe foams with different pore size and porosity. First, the slurry was prepared by uniform mixing with powders, distilled water and polyvinyl alcohol(PVA). After slurry coating on the polyurethane(PU) foam, the sample was dried at $80^{\circ}C$. The PVA and PU foams were then removed by heating at $700^{\circ}C$ for 3 hours. The debinded samples were subsequently sintered at $1250^{\circ}C$ with a holding time of 3 hours under hydrogen atmosphere. The three dimensional geometries of the obtained Fe foams with an open cell structure were investigated using X-ray micro CT(computed tomography) as well as the pore morphology, size and phase. The coated amount of slurry on the PU foam were increased with $Fe_2O_3$ mixing powder ratio but the shrinkage and porosity of Fe foams were decreased with $Fe_2O_3$ mixing powder ratio.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.52-57
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• 1999

Funtional metal prototypes are often required in numerous industrial applications. These components are typically needed in the early stage of a project to determine form, fit and function. Recent R/P(Rapid Prototyping) part are made of soft materials such as plastics, wax, paper, these master models cannot be employed durable test in real harsh working environment. Parts by direct metal rapid tooling method, such as laser sintering, by now are hard to get net shape, pores of the green parts of powder casting method must be infiltrated to get proper strength as tool, and new type of 3D direct tooling system combining fabrication welding arc and cutting process is reported by song etc. But a system which can build directly 3D parts of high performance functional material as metal part would need long period of system development, massive investment and other serious obstacles, such as patent. In this paper, through the rapid tooling process as silicon rubber molding using R/P master model, and fabricate wax pattern in that silicon rubber mold using vacuum casting method, then we tranlsated the wax patterns to numerous metal prototypes by new investment casting process combined conventional investment casting with rapid pototyping & rapid tooling process. with this wax-injection-mold-free investment casting, we developed new investment casting process of fabricating numerous functional metal prototypes from one master model, combined 3-D CAD, R/P and conventional investment casting and tried to expect net shape measuring total dimension shrinkage from R/P part to metal part.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.9 no.12
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• pp.1188-1195
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• 1999

The effect of aluminosilicate sol on the formation of mullite layer in zircon shell mold was investigated. Aluminosilicate sol was prepared by mixing of colloidal silica(NALCO(R) 1130) and an aqueous solution of aluminium nitrate at room temperature. The sol gelled at 50$^{\circ}C$ for 48 hrs. It was identified that the gel consists of aluminosilicate complexes and gibbsite. The coordination number of all aluminium ion bonded with silicon ion was four. Mullite phase formed by sintering above 1300$^{\circ}C$. XRD peak of mullite sharpened with increasing sintering temperature and the content of aluminium nitrate. Mullite phase displayed whisker-like 0.5~5${\mu}m $ particles. Separation between 1st and 3rd layers during sintering and the difference in thermal expansion coefficient between residual silica and mullite.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.110-112
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• 2006

Membrane electrode assembly (MEA) for polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) are commonly prepared in the research laboratory by spraying, screen-printing and brushing catalyst slurry onto membrane or other support material like carbon paper or polyimide film in a batch style. These hand applications of the catalyst slurry are painstaking process with respect to precision of catalyst loading and reproducibility. It has been generally mentioned that the adoption of continuous process is very helpful to develop the reliable product. In the present work, we report the results of using continuous type coater with doctor-blade to coat catalyst slurry for preparing the MEA catalyst layers In a faster and highly reproducible fashion. We show that while expectedly faster than batch style, the machine coater requires the use of slurry of appropriate composition and a properly selected transfer decal material in order to achieve superior MEA plat lnw loading reproducibility. To make highly viscous catalyst slurry that is imperative for using coater, we use 40wt.% Nafion solution and minimize the content of organic solvent. And the choice of proper high surface area catalyst is important in the viewpoint of making well-dispersed slurry. After catalyst coating onto the support material, we transferred the catalyst layer to both sides of Nafion membrane by hot-pressing In this case, the degree of transfer was Influenced by hot-pressing condition including temperature, pressure, and time. To compare the transferring ability, we compared so many films and detaching papers. And among the support, polyethylene terephthalate(PET) film shows the prominent result.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.97-104
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• 2024

The electrodes of commercialized lithium secondary batteries are manufactured through a wet coating process, and the drying process (DC) is a very important factor as to electrode production speed and process cost. In this study, silicon anodes were manufactured under high-temperature (180 ℃) and low-temperature (50 ℃) DC to investigate the quality and the electrochemical performance of Si-electrodes according to DC. High-temperature DC can quickly evaporate the solvent in the Si-electrode slurry, improving the electrode production rate. However, this also causes the electrode composite to peel off from the current collector. As a result, the Si-electrode's adhesion weakened, and the electrode coating's quality deteriorated. In addition, the Si-electrode manufactured under high-temperature was found to have a thicker composite material than the Si-electrode manufactured under low-temperature. Si-electrodes manufactured under high-temperature had higher sheet resistance and lower electrical conductivity than those manufactured under low-temperature. Consequently, the Si-electrode manufactured under low-temperature showed 152.5% superior cycle performance compared to the Si-electrode manufactured under high-temperature. (Discharge capacities of Si-electrodes manufactured under high-temperature and low-temperature DC were 844 and 1287 mAh g^-1, respectively, after 300 cycles). Establishing the DC of Si-electrodes can easily provide new perspectives to improve the quality and stability of Si-electrodes.