• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.196-200
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• 2011

The formation of niobium oxide microcones on niobium substrates was investigated in NaF to the HF electrolytes. This condition builds on the uniqueness of the microstructures niobium oxide. The dimensions and integrity of the bulk microstructures were found to be strongly dependent on potential, temperature, electrolyte composition, and anodization time. The anodic oxide was initially amorphous at all temperatures, but crystalline oxide nucleated during anodization. From XRD patterns of the anodized specimens, the microcones consisted of crystalline $Nb_2O_5$. We demonstrated niobium oxide microcone structures with nanorods. The anodized niobium oxide microcone texture revealed nanorod bundles. The surface of $Nb_2O_5$ microcones is very regular and has a nano-scale. The surface morphologies of the nanorods were examined using FE-SEM. EDS analyses show that the anodically prepared niobium oxide consists of $Nb_2O_5$. The aim of this study is to find the condition of forming the favorable nanorods by anodization method.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.183-188
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• 2019

Flexible dye-sensitized solar cells using binder free $TiO_2$ paste for low temperature sintering are developed. In this paste a small amount of titanium gel is added to a paste of $TiO_2$ nanoparticle. Analysis of titanium gel paste prepared at $150^{\circ}C$ shows that it has a pure anatase phase in XRD and mesoporous structure in SEM. The formation of the titanium gel 1-2 nm coated layer is confirmed by comparing the TEM image analysis of the titanium gel paste and the pristine paste. This coating layer improves the excited electron transfer and electrical contact between particles. The J-V curves of the organic binder DSSCs fabricated at $150^{\circ}C$ shows a current density of $0.12mA/cm^2$ and an open-circuit voltage of 0.47 V, while the titanium gel DSSCs improves electrical characteristics to $5.04mA/cm^2$ and 0.74 V. As a result, the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the organic binder DSSC prepared at low temperature is as low as 0.02 %, but the titanium gel paste DSSCs has a measured effciency of 2.76 %.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.24 no.10
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• pp.565-571
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• 2014

Nitrogen-doped ZnO nanoparticle-carbon nanofiber composites were prepared using electrospinning. As the relative amounts of N-doped ZnO nanoparticles in the composites were controlled to levels of 3.4, 9.6, and 13.8 wt%, the morphological, structural, and chemical properties of the composites were characterized by means of field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In particular, the carbon nanofiber composites containing 13.8 wt% N-doped ZnO nanoparticles exhibited superior catalytic properties, making them suitable for use as counter electrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). This result can be attributed to the enhanced surface roughness of the composites, which offers sites for $I_3{^-}$ ion reductions and the formation of Zn3N2 phases that facilitate electron transfer. Therefore, DSSCs fabricated with 13.8 wt% N-doped ZnO nanoparticle-carbon nanofiber composites showed high current density ($16.3mA/cm^2$), high fill factor (57.8%), and excellent power-conversion efficiency (6.69%); at the same time, these DSSCs displayed power-conversion efficiency almost identical to that of DSSCs fabricated with a pure Pt counter electrode (6.57%).

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.405-410
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• 2010

The photovoltaic performance of DSSCs fabricated with different electrode thickness and different annealing temperature with the P25 $TiO_2$ and the Dyesol $TiO_2$ was measured. Thickness change of $TiO_2$ electrodes was measured using cross-sectional FE-SEM before and after annealing. Photovoltaic efficiencies of DSSCs were also measured by changing annealing temperature of platinum (Pt) paste on the counter electrode. Photovoltaic performances of DSSCs made with one layer of P25 (${\sim}20.4\;{\mu}m$) and one layer of Dyesol $TiO_2$ (${\sim}9.1\;{\mu}m$) annealed at $500^{\circ}C$ for 30 min. showed highest efficiencies of 3.8% and 5.8%, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.250-257
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• 2016

Octahedral $Co_3O_4$/carbon nanofiber (CNF) composites are fabricated using electrospinning and hydrothermal methods. Their morphological characteristics, chemical bonding states, and electrochemical properties are used to demonstrate the improved photovoltaic properties of the samples. Octahedral $Co_3O_4$ grown on CNFs is based on metallic Co nanoparticles acting as seeds in the CNFs, which seeds are directly related to the high performance of DSSCs. The octahedral $Co_3O_4$/CNFs composites exhibit high photocurrent density ($12.73mA/m^2$), superb fill factor (62.1 %), and excellent power conversion efficiency (5.61 %) compared to those characteristics of commercial $Co_3O_4$, conventional CNFs, and metallic Co-seed/CNFs. These results can be described as stemmnig from the synergistic effect of the porous and graphitized matrix formed by catalytic graphitization using the metal cobalt catalyst on CNFs, which leads to an increase in the catalytic activity for the reduction of triiodide ions. Therefore, octahedral $Co_3O_4$/CNFs composites can be used as a counter electrode for Pt-free dye-sensitized solar cells.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.59 no.12
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• pp.2218-2224
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• 2010

Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) is a promising alternative solar cell to the conventional silicon solar cell due to several advantages. Development of large scale module is necessary to commercialize the DSC in the near future. A scribing technology of the transparent conductive oxide (TCO) is one of the important technologies on the fabrication of DSC module. A quality of the scribed line on the TCO has a decisive effect on the efficiency of DSC module. Among several scribing technologies, the fiber laser is a suitable for scribing the TCO more precisely and accurately because of their own characteristics. In this study, we try to improve the quality of the TCO scribed line by using the fiber laser. Consequently, the operating parameter of fiber laser is optimized to get the TCO scribed line with good quality. And the fiber laser scribing technology of the TCO is applied to the fabrication of the DSC with optimal operating parameter, operating current 3900mA. As a result, the current density and fill factor are improved and the total efficiency is increased because the internal resistances of DSC such as TCO sheet resistance and the resistance concerned to the electron movement in the $TiO_2$ are reduced. This is analyzed by the electrochemistry impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and the equivalent circuit model of the DSC.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.323-328
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• 2004

Down-conversion of Eu$^{3+}$ doped LiGdF$_4$ (LGF) for increasing the cell efficiency on dye-sensitized Ti $O_2$ solar cells has been studied. The dye sensitized solar cell (DSC) consisting of mesoporous Ti $O_2$ electrode deposited on transparent substrate, an electrolyte containing I$^{[-10]}$ /I$_3$$^{[-10]}$ redox couple, and Pt counter electrode is a promising alternative to the inorganic solar cell. The structure of DSC is basically a sandwich type, viz., FTO glass/Ru-red dye-absorbed Ti $O_2$/iodine electrolyte/sputtered Pt/FTO glass. The cell without down converter had open circuit potential of approximately 0.66 Volt, the short circuit photocurrent density of 1.632 mA/$\textrm{cm}^2$, and fill factor of about 50 ％ at the excitation wavelength of 550 nm. In addition, 5.6 mW/$\textrm{cm}^2$ incident light intensity beam was used as a light source. From this result, the calculated monochromatic efficiency at the wavelength of 550 nm of this cell was about 9.62 ％. The incident photon to current conversion efficiency (IPCE) of N3 used as a dye in this work is about 80 ％ at around 590 nm and 610 nm, which is the emission spectrum of Eu$^{3+}$ doped LGF, results in efficiency increasing of DSC.C.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.435-436
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• 2008

Dye-sensitized Solar Cells(DSSCs) which convert incident sun light into electricity were expected to overcome global warming and depletion of fossil fuels. And it is one of study that is lately getting into the spotlight because manufacturing method is more simple and inexpensive than existing silicon solar cells. In this respect, DSSCs are in the limelight as the next generation solar cells. DSSCs are generally composed of a dye-modified $TiO_2$ photoelectrode, a Pt counter electrode, and an electrolytes containing a redox couple$(I^-/I_3^-)$. Among these elements, pt electrode were prepared by applying electric potential to FTO substrate in the $H_2PtCl_6$ solution. In this study, we report the solar cell efficiency depending on $PtCl_4$ concentration change. $PtCl_4$ concentration was 1mM, 5mM, 10mM, and 20mM, and adhered on FTO glass substrate by sintering process. When applied each $PtCl_4$ counter electrode on DSSC, the best efficiency was found at 10mM of $PtCl_4$ concentration. The catalyst promotes the movement of electron from the counter electrode to the electrolyte the higher the molarity, the better the efficiency. However, in case of 20mM, it is estimated that over-deposited $PtCl_4$ tends to restrict the movement of electron due to its bundle formation.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.251-255
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• 2009

Nanocomposites based on coupling $TiO_2$ matrix with nanosized noble metals (Pt,Au) particles exhibited promising photoelectrode properties. The $M/TiO_2$ (M=Pt,Au) nanocomposite thin films were deposited on quartz and ITO glass substrates using a co-sputtering method. $TiO_2$ in rutile form is the dominant crystalline phase for as-deposited nanocomposite films. Along with heat treatment up to $600^{\circ}C$, XRD peaks of the rutile phase as well as those of noble metal increased in intensity and decreased in width, indicating the growth of crystallites. The anodic photocurrents of $M/TiO_2$ (M=Au,Pt) thin films were observed not only in the UV range but also in the visible light range. The photocurrent of the nanocomnosite films extended to the visible light region by dispersion of nano-sized noble metal in the $TiO_2$ matrix.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.170-176
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• 2014

Effective glass frit compositions enabled to absorb laser energy, and to seal a commercial dye-sensitized solar-cell-panel substrate were developed by using $V_2O_5$-based glasses with various amounts of $TeO_2$ substitution. The latter was intended to increase the lifetime of the solar cells. Substitution of $V_2O_5$ by $TeO_2$ provided a strong network structure for the glasses via the formation of tetrahedral pyramids in the glass, and changed the various glass properties, such as glass transition temperature ($T_g$), dilatometric softening point ($T_d$), crystallization temperature, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), and glass flowage without any detrimental effect on the laser absorption property of the glasses. The thermal expansion mismatch (${\Delta}{\alpha}$) between the glass frit and the substrate could be controlled within less than ${\pm}5%$ by addition of 10 wt% of ${\beta}$-eucryptite. An 810 nm diode laser was used for the sealing test. The laser sealing test revealed that the VZBT20 glass frit with 10 wt% ${\beta}$-eucryptite was successfully sealed the substrates without interfacial cracks and pores. The optimum sealing conditions were provided by a beam size of 3 mm, laser power of 40 watt, scan speed of 300 mm/s, and 200 irradiation cycles.