• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.45-50
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• 2015

In the present work, to increase the chemical stability of the lithium-ion-conducting ceramic electrolyte ($Li_{1+x+y}Al_xTi_{2-x}Si_yP_{3-y}O_{12}$, LATP) in the strong alkaline solution, the surface of LATP was modified by the nitridation process. The surface and structural properties of nitride LATP solid electrolyte were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectrometer and scanning electron microscopy and ac-impedance spectroscopy, which were correlated to the chemical stability and electrochemical performance of LATP. The nitrided LATP immersed in the alkaline solution for 30 days exhibits the enhanced chemical stability than the pristine LATP. Moreover, a rechargeable hybrid Li-air battery constructed with the nitrided LATP solid electrolyte shows considerably reduced discharge-charge voltage gaps (enhanced the round-trip efficiency) in comparison to the cell constructed with pristine LATP, which indicate that the surface nitridation process can be the efficient way to improve the chemical stability of solid electrolyte in alkaline media.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2016.11a
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• pp.199-199
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• 2016

Commercially pure titanium (cp-Ti) and Ti alloys (typically Ti-6Al-4V) display excellent corrosion resistance and biocompatibility. Although the chemical composition and topography are considered important, the mechanical properties of the material and the loading conditions in the host have, conventionally. Ti and its alloys are not bioactive. Therefore, they do not chemically bond to the bone, whereas they physically bond with bone tissue. The electrochemical deposition process provides an effective surface for biocompatibility because large surface area can be served to cell proliferation. Electrochemical deposition method is an attractive technique for the deposition of hydroxyapatite (HAp). However, the adhesions of these coatings to the Ti surface needs to be improved for clinical used. Plasma electrolyte oxidation (PEO) enables control in the chemical com position, porous structure, and thickness of the $TiO_2$ layer on Ti surface. In addition, previous studies h ave concluded that the presence of $Ca^{+2}$ and ${PO_4}^{3-}$ ion coating on porous $TiO_2$ surface induced adhesion strength between HAp and Ti surface during electrochemical deposition. Silicon (Si) in particular has been found to be essential for normal bone and cartilage growth and development. Zinc (Zn) plays very important roles in bone formation and immune system regulation, and is also the most abundant trace element in bone. The objective of this work was to study electrochemical characteristcs of Zn and Si coating on Ti-6Al-4V by PEO treatment. The coating process involves two steps: 1) formation of porous $TiO_2$ on Ti-6Al-4V at high potential. A pulsed DC power supply was employed. 2) Electrochemical tests were carried out using potentiodynamic and AC impedance methoeds. The morphology, the chemical composition, and the micro-structure an alysis of the sample were examined using FE-SEM, EDS, and XRD. The enhancements of the HAp forming ability arise from $Si/Zn-TiO_2$ surface, which has formed the reduction of the Si/Zn ions. The promising results successfully demonstrate the immense potential of $Si/Zn-TiO_2$ coatings in dental and biomaterials applications.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.251-259
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• 2005

In order to characterize the influence of the reaction-site density on the cathodic polarization property of LSCF, we chose the porosity of LSCF as a main controlling variable, which is supposed to be closely related with active sites for the cathode reaction. To control the porosity of cathodes, we changed the mixing ratio of fine and coarse LSCF powders. The porosity and pore perimeter of cathodes were quantitatively analyzed by image analysis. The electrochemical half cell test for the cathodic polarization was performed via 3-probe AC-impedance spectroscopy. According to the investigation, the reduction of oxygen at LSCF cathode was mainly controlled by following two rate determining steps; i) surface diffusion and/or ionic conduction of ionized oxygen through bulk LSCF phase, ii) charge transfer of oxygen ion at cathode/electrolyte interface. Moreover, the overall cathode polarization was diminished as the cathode porosity increased due to the increase of the active reaction sites in cathode layer.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.269-275
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• 2005

We analyzed the unit cell performance against the cathode porosity, which is supposed to be closely related with active sites for the cathode reaction. In order to fabricate the unit cells with different porosity in the cathode layer we changed the mixing ratio of fine and coarse LSCF cathode powders. The final porosity of each cathode layer was 14, 23, 27, $39\%$ respectively. According to the electrochemical analysis of unit cell performance via DC current interruption and AC impedance method, the electrodic polarization resistance was diminished as the cathode porosity increased. The decrease of polarization resistance was attributed due to the increase of active reaction sites and the enhancement of overall unit cell performance could be explained in the same line.

• The Korean Journal of Ceramics
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.95-98
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• 1998

We have developed new type of superconducting-superionic conducting nanohybrids, $Ag_xI_wBi_2Sr_2Ca_{n-1}Cu_nO_y$ (n=1 and 2) by applying the chimie douce reaction to the superconducting Bi-based cuprates. These nanohybrids can be achieved by the stepwise intercalation whereby the $Ag^+$ ion is thermally diffused into the pre-intercalated iodine sublattice of $IBi_2Sr_2Ca_{n-1}Cu_nO_y$. According to the X-ray diffraction analysis, the Ag-I intercalates are found to have an unique heterostructure in which the superionic conducting Ag-I layer and the superconducting $IBi_2Sr_2Ca_{n-1}Cu_nO_y$ layer are regularly interstratified with a remarkable basal increment of ~7.3$\AA$. The systematic XAS studies demonstrate that the intercalation of Ag-I accompanies the charge transfer between host and guest, giving rise to a change in hole concentration of $CuO_2$ layer and to a slight $T_c$ change. The Ag K-edge EXAFS result reveals that the intercalated Ag-I has a $\beta$-AgI-like local structure with distorted tetrahedral symmetry, suggesting a mobile environment for the intercalated $Ag^+$ ion. In fact, from ac impedance analyses, we have found that the Ag-I intercalates possess a fast ionic conductivity ($\sigma_i=10^{-1.4}\sim 10^{-2.6}\Omega^{-1}\textrm{cm}^{-1}\;at\;270^{\circ}C$ with an uniform activation energy ($\DeltaE_a=0.22\pm 0.02$ eV). More interesting finding is that these intercalates exhibit high electronic conducting as well as ionic ones ($t_i$=0.02~0.60) due to their interstratified structure consisting of superionic conducting and superconducting layers. In this respect, these new intercalates are expected to be useful as an electrode material in various electrochemical devices.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.44 no.12
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• pp.740-746
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• 2007

The potential candidates for IT-SOFCs cathode materials, $Ba_{0.5}Sr_{0.5}Co_{0.8}Fe_{0.2}O_{3-{\delta}}$ (BSCF) and $La_{0.6}Ba_{0.4}Co_{0.2}Fe_{0.8}O_{3-{\delta}}$ (LBCF) powders, were synthesized by a EDTA-citrate combined method from $Sr(NO_3)_2$, $Ba(NO_3)_2$, $La(NO_3)_3{\cdot}6H_2O$, $Co(NO_3)_2{\cdot}6H_2O$, $Fe(NO_3)_3{\cdot}9H_2O$, citric acid and $EDTA-NH_3$. The cathode performance of symmetrical electrochemical cells consisting of BSCF-GDC or LBCF-GDC composite electrodes and a GDC electrolyte was investigated using by AC impedance spectroscopy at the temperature range of 500 to $700^{\circ}C$. It was found that a single phase perovskite could be successfully synthesized when the precursor is heated at $850^{\circ}C$ for 2 h. Due to thermal expansion mismatch between BSCF and GDC, the composite cathodes with lower GDC content than 45 wt% were peeled off from the GDC electrolyte and their electrode polarization resistance was estimated to be high. The thermal expansion coefficient of BSCF-GDC composites was decreased with increasing the GDC content and the electrode peeling off did not occur in BSCF-45 and 55 wt% GDC composites. BSCF-45 wt% GDC composite electrode showed the lowest area specific resistances (ASR) of 0.15 and $0.04{\Omega}{\cdot}cm^2$ at 600 and $700^{\circ}C$, respectively. On the other hand, LBCF-GDC composite cathodes showed higher ASR than the BSCF-45 and 55 wt% GDC and their cathode performance were decreased with the GDC content.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.231-239
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• 2014

Polyetherimide (PEI) membranes for separators in Zn air batteries were prepared via phase inversion process from casting solution composed of PEI, n-methylpyrolidone (NMP), and polyvinylpurrolidone (PVP). Furthermore, Zn air batteries were fabricated with the separators. The effects of PEI content and PVP addition in the casting solution on the morphology, mechanical strength, ionic conductivity were investigated through SEM, stress-strain test and ac impedance test. The elelctrochemical performances of the batteries were evaluated through galvanostatic discharge analysis. The mechanical strength of the membrane increased with increasing PEI composition in the casting solution. Little effect of PVP addition into the solution on the mechanical strength of the membrane was investigated. The ionic conductivity value decreased with increasing PEI composition in the solution. With addition of PVP, ionic conductivity of membrane increased until 10 wt% to show the maximum value of 0.1 S/cm. In the higher range of PVP addition over 10%, the ionic conductivity decreased with increasing PVP addition. Ionic conductivity of separator strongly affected the capacity of Zn air battery, and the battery assembled with the separator which showed high ionic conductivity showed high capacity.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.118-124
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• 2001

The Langmuir adsorption isotherm of the over-potentially deposited hydrogen (OPD H) for the cathodic $H_2$ evolution reaction (HER) at the $poly-Au|0.5M\;H_2SO_4$ aqueous electrolyte interface has been studied using cyclic voltammetric and ac impedance techniques. The behavior of the phase shift $(0^{\circ}\leq{-\phi}\leq90^{\circ})$ for the optimum intermediate frequency corresponds well to that of the fractional surface coverage $(1\geq{\theta}\geq0)$ at the interface. The phase-shift profile $({-\phi}\;vs.\;E)$ for the optimum intermediate frequency, i.e., the phase-shift method, can be used as a new method to estimate the Langmuir adsorption isotherm $(\theta\;vs.\;E)$ of the OPD H for the cathodic HER at the interface. At the poly-$Au|0.5M\;H_2SO_4$ electrolyte interface, the equilibrium constant (K) and standard free energy $({\Delta}G_{ads})$ of the OPD H are $2.3\times10^{-6}\;and\;32.2\;kJ\;mol^{-1}$, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.171-175
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• 2011

Lithium secondary batteries using lithium metal count electrode are easy to use and to analyze the specific characteristics of working electrode. Nevertheless, during the charge operation internal electrical short circuit could be caused by the dendritic growth of lithium. The cell failure by the short circuit depends on the condition of separator such as constitutive material and thickness. To prevent the cell failure caused by the dendritic growth of lithium, the electrochemical properties of the cell of lithium metal count electrode were evaluated for four different kinds of separator. Among the tested separators, GMF (glass micro-fiber filter, $300{\mu}m$) was the most promising one because it could effectively prevent the cell failure during the charge. The cell using GMF separator had relatively low impedance. Generally the cell using thicker separator than $50{\mu}m$ could effectively avoid the cell failure by internal short circuit and had the good cycleability. The highest rate capability by the signature method was acquired in the case of GMF separator.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.729-734
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• 2002

In this study, the polyaniline films of emeraldine base(EB) and lucoemeraldine base(LEB) form chemically doping with poly(sodium-4 styrenesulfonate, PSS) were prepared by casting the mixed solution of chloroform and m-cresol on ITO(indium tin oxide) electrode. By analyzing UV-vis spectra of the mixed solutions, the effects of the secondary doping by m-cresol were obtained. And the conductivity of polyaniline film was increased with increasing m-cresol content. The results suggest that the improvement of conductivity obtained by secondary doping results primarily from interaction of polyaniline and m-cresol. As the results of analyzing cyclic voltammograms, it was known that the redox peak currents of polyaniline electrode prepared from LEB were larger and more reversible than those of polyaniline electrodes prepared from EB. The charge transfer resistances($R_{ct}$) of polyaniline electrodes were reduced with increasing m-cresol content, and LEB/PSS electrodes were smaller than EB/PSS electrodes. This result agrees to the analysis of the redox peak current of cyclic voltammograms. The solution resistance and the capacity of electrical double layer almost unchanged in all prepared polyaniline electrodes. It was confirmed that solution resistance was independent of frequency factor in AC impedance spectra. Also the polyaniline film doping with PSS was revealed pseudo n-type characteristics of conducting polymer.