• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.373-380
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• 1993

The preparation method of Raney nickel catalyst and the effect of promotor for the hydrogen electrode in alkaline fuel cell were investigated with electrochemical methods. The best electrode performance was observed with the Raney nickel which was obtained at $700^{\circ}C$ of sintering temperature and 60:40 of nickel:aluminum. As titanium was added for promotor, the activity of catalyst and characteristic of electrode was improved. Especially, the electrode containing 2w/o of titanium showed the maximum mass activity of 2.4A/g and its mean particle size was $5.7{\mu}m$. The resistance and capacitance of the electrode containing 2w/o of titanium, measured with AC impedance spectroscopy, were calculated to the $0.3{\Omega}cm^2$ and $0.42F/cm^2$, respectively.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.507-512
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• 2005

When carbon electrode is used as an anode in Li ion battery, passivation film forms on the electrode surface during the initial charge process due to so called Solid-Electrolyte Interphase (SEI). The passivation film formed by solvent decomposition during the initial charge process affects charge/discharge capacity. In this paper, 1 M $LiPF_6,EC:DEC$ (1 : 1, volume ratio) electrolyte with $Li_2CO_3$, at various temperatures, the electrochemical characteristics of passivation film formed on Kawasaki Mesophase Fine Carbon electrode surface were investigated by using chronopotentiometry, cyclic voltammetry, and impedance spectroscopy. Experimental observations indicated that as solvent decomposition occurred, the decomposition voltage was strongly dependent on ionic conductivity, which was low in the process at low temperature. The impedance of passivation film formed during the initial charge process, were dependent on the temperature.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.143-147
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• 2004

An investigation upon the characterization of MCMB anodes with different vapor grown carbon fiber (VGCF) content for application in lithium polymer battery(LPB) was carried out. When VGCF material was used as conducting agent with MCMB active material, the impedance and the initial coulombic efficiency of test cells were found to decrease with the increasing amount of VGCF. On the other hand, as a function of added VGCF the discharge capacity and the utilization linearly with increased. Impedance of test cell with MCMB anode containing $6wt\%$ VGCF exhibited the lowest value whereas the impedance of $8wt\%$ VUF contained anode was similar to that of MCMB anode without VGCF. Interestingly, $6wt\%$ VUF contained anode showed the best battery characteristics. Internal resistance and rate capacity of the cell were. respectively, $0.918{\Omega}\;at\;25C\;and\;93\%$ at 2C. Generally, rate capability and the cycleability of MCMB based test cells with $4\~6wt\%$ VGCF content exhibited better results than the other cells. In the case of $6wt\%$ VGCF containing anode, the discharge capacity of the cell faded slowly with an ultimate charge-discharge cycling capacity of 178mAh/g at the 100th cycle. Thereafter, the discharge capacity faded negligibly and the utilization of the cell at the 100th cycle was more than $90\%$. The effect of addition of VGCF is discussed in detail.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.50-56
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• 2016

Spherical lithium manganese oxide spinel, $Li_{1.10}Mn_{1.86}Al_{0.02}Mg_{0.02}O_4$ was prepared by wet-milling, spray-drying, and sintering process. In the spray-drying process, solid content in slurry was varied from 20 to 30 wt%. In the sintering process, the precursors have been sintered under air or $O_2$ atmosphere. While the as-prepared samples exhibit excellent electrochemical properties at room temperature, the discharge voltage profiles at 5.0C are very different one from another. The origin for the difference especially at initial state of discharge is oxygen defect. The sample prepared in air has larger capacity related to the plateau at 3.3 V (vs. $Li/Li^+$) which is caused by the oxygen defects than the one prepared in $O_2$. The difference of discharge voltage profiles especially at the final state of discharge comes from different diffusion rate of $Li^+$ ions. The sample prepared from 30 wt% solid content of slurry shows twice higher diffusion rate than the samples prepared from 20 wt% solid content, which is attributed to better compactness between primary particles for the sample prepared from 30wt % solid content than the one prepared by 20 wt%.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.444-448
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• 2016

Hollow silicon/carbon (H-Si/C) composites as anode materials for lithium ion batteries were investigated to overcome the large volume expansion. H-Si/C composites were prepared as follows; hollow $SiO_2\;(H-SiO_2)$ was prepared by adding $NaBH_4$ to $SiO_2$ synthesized using $st{\ddot{o}}ber$ method followed by magnesiothermic reduction and carbonization of phenolic resin. The H-Si/C composites were analyzed by XRD, SEM, BET and EDX. To improve the capacity and cycle performance, the electrochemical characteristics of H-Si/C composites synthesized with various $NaBH_4$ contents were investigated by charge/discharge, cycle, cyclic voltammetry and impedance tests. The coin cell using H-Si/C composite ($SiO_2:NaBH_4=1:1$ in weight) in the electrolyte of $LiPF_6$ dissolved in organic solvents (EC : DMC : EMC = 1 : 1 : 1 vol%) has better capacity (1459 mAh/g) than those of other composition coin cells. It is found that the coin cell ($SiO_2:NaBH_4=1:1$ in weight) has an excellent capacity retention from 2nd cycle to 40th cycle.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.73-80
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• 2010

A solid oxide fuel cells(SOFC) is a clean energy technology which directly converts chemical energy to electric energy. When the SOFC is used in cogeneration then the efficiency can reach higher than 80%. Also, it has flexibility in using various fuels like natural gases and bio gases, so it has an advantage over polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells in terms of fuel selection. A typical cathode material of the SOFC in conjunction with yttria stabilized zirconia(YSZ) electrolyte is still Sr-doped $LaMnO_3$(LSM). Recently, application of mixed electronic and ionic conducting perovskites such as Sr-doped $LaCoO_3$(LSCo), $LaFeO_3$(LSF), and $LaFe_{0.8}Co_{0.2}O_3$(LSCF) has drawn much attention because these materials exhibit lower electrode impedance than LSM. However, chemical reaction occurs at the manufacturing temperature of the cathode when these materials directly contact with YSZ. In addition, thermal expansion coefficient(TEC) mismatch with YSZ is also a significant issue. It is important, therefore, to develop cathode materials with good chemical stability and matched TEC with the SOFC electrolyte, as well as with high electrochemical activity.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.746-752
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• 2016

In this study, soft carbon was prepared by carbonization of carbon precursor (pitch) obtained from PFO (pyrolysis fuel oil) heat treatment. Three carbon precursors prepared by the thermal reaction were 3903 (at $390^{\circ}C$ for 3 h), 4001 (at $400^{\circ}C$ for 1 h) and 4002 (at $400^{\circ}C$ for 2 h). After the prepared soft carbon was ground to a particle size of $25{\sim}35^{\circ}C$, the soft carbon was synthesised by the chemical treatment with boric acid ($H_3BO_3$). The prepared soft carbon were analysed by XRD, FE-SEM and XPS. Also, the electrochemical performances of soft carbon were investigated by constant current charge/discharge test, cyclic voltammetry and impedance tests in the electrolyte of $LiPF_6$ dissolved inorganic solvents (EC:DMC=1:1 vol%+VC 3 wt%). The coin cell using soft carbon of $25{\sim}35^{\circ}C$ with 3903 soft carbon ($H_3BO_3$/Pitch=3:100 in weight) has better initial capacity and efficiency (330 mAh/g, 82%) than those of other coin cells. Also, it was found that the retention rate capability of 2C/0.1C was 90% after 30 cycles.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.175-180
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• 2011

In this study, the $TiO_{2}/V_{2}O_{5}$ hybrid semiconductors were prepared by mixing $TiO_{2}$ and $V_{2}O_{5}$, and a subsequent smash process to reduce the recombination of electron and improve the efficiency of solar cells. Dye-sensitized solar cells were constructed using the resultant hybrid semiconductor, and their electrochemical properties were also investigated. The photocurrent-voltage curve obtained with the cells indicated a significant increase in the efficiency from 2.9 to 5.7% by the factor of 2 compared to the result obtained only with $TiO_{2}$. It is believed that the introduction of $V_{2}O_{5}$ effectively transport electrons in the $TiO_{2}$ conduction band to FTO glass and suppress recombination with the dye and/or the electrolyte, thus yielding an efficient performance of the dye sensitized solar cell. The impedance values also indicated a decrease of resistance in the interface of $TiO_{2}$/dye/electrolyte supporting the constructive contributions of the smashed $TiO_{2}/V_{2}O_{5}$ hybrid semiconductors for the efficiency.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.327-333
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• 2022

In this study, silicon/carbon nanotube/carbon (Si/CNT/C) composites for anode were prepared to improve the volume expansion of silicon used as a high-capacity anode material. Si/CNT were prepared by electrostatic attraction of the positively charged Si and negatively charged CNT and then hydrothermal synthesis was performed to obtain the spherical Si/CNT/C composites. Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), polyacrylic acid (PAA), and styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) were used as binders for electrode preparation, and coin cell was assembled using 1.0 M LiPF₆ (EC:DMC:EMC = 1:1:1 vol%) electrolyte and fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) additive. The physical properties of Si/CNT/C anode materials were analyzed using SEM, EDS, XRD and TGA, and the electrochemical performances of lithium-ion batteries were investigated by charge-discharge cycle, rate performance, dQ/dV and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests. Also, it was confirmed that both capacity and rate performance were significantly improved using the PAA/SBR binder and 10 wt% FEC-added electrolyte. It is found that Si/CNT/C have the reversible capacity of 914 mAh/g, the capacity retention ratio of 83% during 50 cycles and the rate performance of 70% in 2 C/0.1 C.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.57-62
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• 2000

Sulfonated Polysulfone (SPSF) cation-exchange membranes were synthesized by introducing various ratio of chlorosulfuric acid (CSA) onto the main chain of polysulfone (PSF). Properties such as ion exchange capacity, water content, liked ion concentration, and partition coefficient were measured, respectively. Through the analysis of DSC and TGA, it has been shown that glass transition temperature increased and weight loss decreased as sulfuric acid group concentration increased. Structure of membrane measured by AFM and SEM was seen to be asymmetric. Apparent diffusion coefficient of sodium ions through SPSF membrane by AC impedance was increased as sulfuric acid group concentration increased.