• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.80-85
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• 2019

Vanadium dioxide is a well-known metal-insulator phase transition material. Lots of researches of vanadium redox flow batteries have been researched as large scale energy storage system. In this study, vanadium oxide($VO_x$) thin films were applied to cathode for lithium ion battery. The $VO_x$ thin films were deposited on Si substrate($SiO_2$ layer of 300 nm thickness was formed on Si wafer via thermal oxidation process), quartz substrate by RF magnetron sputter system for 60 minutes at $500^{\circ}C$ with different RF powers. The surface morphology of as-deposited $VO_x$ thin films was characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy. The crystallographic property was confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. The optical properties were characterized by UV-visible spectrophotometer. The coin cell lithium-ion battery of CR2032 was fabricated with cathode material of $VO_x$ thin films on Cu foil. Electrochemical property of the coin cell was investigated by electrochemical analyzer. As the results, as increased of RF power, grain size of as-deposited $VO_x$ thin films was increased. As-deposited thin films exhibit $VO_2$ phase with RF power of 200 W above. The transmittance of as-deposited $VO_x$ films exhibits different values for different crystalline phase. The cyclic performance of $VO_x$ films exhibits higher values for large surface area and mixed crystalline phase.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.317-328
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• 2019

In this work, we investigated clay and raw materials from China (black clay, red clay, white clay) and Korea (Cheonan clay, Obu clay) used for the manufacture of porcelain products. According to chemical analysis results, feldspar components containing CaO, K₂O, Na₂O and quartz are found in clay materials besides primary clay such as kaollinte, for the clay materials from Korea, which is found more in clay materials from Korea than from China. For the Fe₂O₃ content, governing whiteness of porcelain products, more iron oxide (> 5 %) is found in Korean clays (Cheonan clay, obu clay, red clay) compared to those form China (black, white clay). Through X-ray diffraction analysis, kaolinite and Halloysite are found to be main phases for all the raw materials and second phases such as quartz and pyrophyllite are found. Using these clay materials, raw materials for porcelain products were produced, and the physicochemical properties were investigated for sintered samples. Absorption rate is in order of Baekja-A < Baekja-B < Yeonbuncheong < Jinbuncheong < Cheongja, and the sample, sintered at 1250℃ in reductive atmosphere, exhibits the lowest absorption rate. Comparing the color of the sintered samples, the samples sintered in oxidative atmosphere (L^* value: 86~95 %) show higher whiteness value than those sintered in reductive atmosphere (L^* value: 81~93 %). For the Cheongja and Buncheong, the samples sintered in reductive atmosphre shows higher whiteness, L^* values, and low a^*/b^* value, which is due to reduction of iron oxide (Fe₂O₃).

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.1-7
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• 2017

Cobalt silicide was used as a counter electrode in order to confirm its reliability in dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) devices. 100 nm-Co/300 nm-Si/quartz was formed by an evaporator and cobalt silicide was formed by vacuum heat treatment at $700^{\circ}C$ for 60 min to form approximately 350 nm-CoSi. This process was followed by etching in $80^{\circ}C$-30% $H_2SO_4$ to remove the cobalt residue on the cobalt silicide surface. Also, for the comparison against Pt, we prepared a 100 nm-Pt/glass counter electrode. Cobalt silicide was used for the counter electrode in order to confirm its reliability in DSSC devices and maintained for 0, 168, 336, 504, 672, and 840 hours at $80^{\circ}C$. The photovoltaic properties of the DSSCs employing cobalt silicide were confirmed by using a simulator and potentiostat. Cyclic-voltammetry, field emission scanning electron microscopy, focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive spectrometry analyses were used to confirm the catalytic activity, microstructure, and composition, respectively. The energy conversion efficiency (ECE) as a function of time and ECE of the DSSC with Pt and CoSi counter electrodes were maintained for 504 hours. However, after 672 hours, the ECEs decreased to a half of their initial values. The results of the catalytic activity analysis showed that the catalytic activities of the Pt and CoSi counter electrodes decreased to 64% and 57% of their initial values, respectively(after 840 hours). The microstructure analysis showed that the CoSi layer improved the durability in the electrolyte, but because the stress concentrates on the contact surface between the lower quartz substrate and the CoSi layer, cracks are formed locally and flaking occurs. Thus, deterioration occurs due to the residual stress built up during the silicidation of the CoSi counter electrode, so it is necessary to take measures against these residual stresses, in order to ensure the reliability of the electrode.