• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.31-35
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• 2016

This paper demonstrates the successful application of yttria-stabilized zirconia thin films deposited by atomic layer deposition to the anode-side interlayer for cerium oxide electrolyte based solid oxide fuel cell. At the operating temperature over $500^{\circ}C$, the electrical conductivity of cerium oxide electrolyte is known to dramatically increase and, therefore, the open circuit voltage of the cell decreases leading to the decrease of the performance. Ultra-thin (60 nm) atomic layer deposited yttria-stabilized zirconia thin film in this study conformally coated the anode-side surface of the cerium oxide electrolyte and efficiently blocked the electrical conduction through the electrolyte. Accordingly, the open circuit voltage increased by up to 20%, and the maximum power density increased by 52% at $500^{\circ}C$

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.79-85
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• 2014

Silicon (Si) has been investigated as promising negative-electrode (anode) materials because its theoretical specific capacity of 4200 mAh/g for $Li_{4.4}Si$ is far higher than that of carbonaceous anodes in current commercial products. However, in practice, the application of Si to Li-ion batteries is still quite challenging because Si suffers from severe volume expansion and contraction and lead to a continuous solid electrolyte interphase (SEI)-filming process by cracking of Si. This process consumes the limited $Li^+$ source, builds up thick and unstable SEI layer on the Si active materials, and will eventually disable the cell. Since unstable SEI reduces electrochemical performance and thermal stability of the Si anode, the surface chemistry of the anode should be modified by using a functional additive. It is found that lithium bis(oxalato)borate (LiBOB) as an additive effectively protected the Si anode surface, improved capacity retention when stored at $60^{\circ}C$, and alleviated exothermic thermal reactions of fully lithiated Si anode.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• 제43권12호
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• pp.812-822
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• 2006

This study amis to investigate the functional analysis of anode and cathode materials in Anode supported Solid Oxide Fuel Cell. The concentration polarization of single cell was investigated with CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) method for the case of the different morphology by using four types of unit cell and discussed to reduce the concentration polarization. The concentration polarization at anode side effected the voltage loss in Anode supported Solid Oxide Fuel Cell and increased contact areas between fuel gas and anode side could reduce the concentration polarization. For intermediate temperature operation, Anode-supported single cells with thin electrolyte layer of YSZ (Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia) were fabricated and short stacks were built and evaluated. We also developed diesel and methane autothermal reforming (ATR) reactors in order to provide fuels to SOFC stacks. Influences of the $H_2O/C$ (steam to carbon ratio), $O_2/C$ (oxygen to carbon ratio) and GHSV (Gas Hourly Space Velocity) on performances of stacks have been investigated. Performance of the stack operated with a diesel reformer was lower than with using hydrogen as a fuel due to lower Nernst voltage and carbon formation at anode side. The stack operated with a natural gas reformer showed similar performances as with using hydrogen. Effects of various reformer parameters such as $H_2O/C$ and $O_2/C$ were carefully investigated. It is found that $O_2/C$ is a sensitive parameter to control stack performance.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 한국진공학회 2016년도 제50회 동계 정기학술대회 초록집
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• pp.402.1-402.1
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• 2016

The performance of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) is directly related to the electrocatalytic activity of composite electrodes in which triple phase boundaries (TPBs) of metallic catalyst, oxygen ion conducting support, and gas should be three-dimensionally maximized. The distribution morphology of catalytic nanoparticle dispersed on external surfaces is of key importance for maximized TPBs. Herein in situ grown nickel nanoparticle onto the surface of fluorite oxide is demonstrated employing gadolium-nickel co-doped ceria ($Gd0.2-xNixCe0.8O2-{\delta}$, GNDC) by reductive annealing. GNDC powders were synthesized via a Pechini-type sol-gel process while maximum doping ratio of Ni into the cerium oxide was defined by X-ray diffraction. Subsequently, NiO-GNDC composite were screen printed on the both sides of yttrium-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) pellet to fabricate the symmetrical half cells. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) showed that the polarization resistance was decreased when it was compared to conventional Ni-GDC anode and this effect became greater at lower temperature. Ex situ microstructural analysis using scanning electron microscopy after the reductive annealing exhibited the exsolution of Ni nanoparticles on the fluorite phases. The influence of Ni contents in GNDC on polarization characteristics of anodes were examined by EIS under H2/H2O atmosphere. Finally, the addition of optimized GNDC into the anode functional layer (AFL) dramatically enhanced cell performance of anode-supported coin cells.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• 제41권4호
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• pp.257-268
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• 2017

This paper proposes an efficient two-dimensional simulation model for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) based on the electrochemical effectiveness model. The effectiveness model is known to accurately predict the current generation performance of SOFC electrodes, by considering the complex reaction/transport processes that occur within thin active functional layers near the electrolyte. After validation tests, the two-dimensional simulation model was used to calculate the distribution of current density and oxygen concentration transverse to the flow channel in anode-supported SOFCs, with which the oxygen depletion characteristics were investigated in detail. In addition, simulations were also conducted to determine the minimum number of grids required in the transverse direction to efficiently obtain accurate results.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 한국표면공학회 2016년도 추계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.97-97
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• 2016

Development of advanced Li-ion battery cells with high durability is critical for safe operation, especially in applications to electric vehicles and portable electronic devices. Understanding fundamental mechanism on the formation of a solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer, which plays a substantial role in the electrochemical stability of the Li-ion battery, in a cathode was rarely reported unlike in an anode. Using first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations and ab-initio molecular dynamic (AIMD) simulations we demonstrate atomic-level process on the generation of the SEI layer at the interface of a carbonate-based electrolyte and a spinel $LiMn_2O_4$ cathode. To accomplish the object we calculate the energy band alignment between the work function of the cathode and frontier orbitals of the electrolyte. We figure out that a proton abstraction from the carbonate-based electrolyte is a critical step for the initiation of an SEI layer formation. Our results can provide a design concept for stable Li-ion batteries by optimizing electrolytes to form proper SEI layers.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• 제37권1호
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• pp.5-12
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• 2004

The enhancement of adhesion for Cu film on polycarbonate (PC) surface with the $Ar/O_2$ gas plasma treatment and dc-bias sputtering was studied. The plasma treatment with this reactive mixture changes the chemical property of PC surface into hydrophllic one, which is shown by the variation of contact angle with surface modification. The micro surface roughness that also gives the high adhesive environment is increased by the $Ar/O_2$ gas plasma treatment. These results were observed distinctly from the atomic force microscopy (AFM). The negative substrate dc-bias effect for the Cu adhesion on PC was also investifated. Accelerated $Ar^{+}$ lons in sheath area of anode bombard the bare surface of PC during initial stage of dc bias sputtering. PC substrate. therefore, has severe roughen and hydrophilic surface due to the physical etching process with more activated functional group. As dc-bias sputtering process proceeds, morphology of Cu film shows better step coverage and dense layer. The results of peel test show the evidence of superiority of bias sputtering for the adhesion between metal Cu and PC.C.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• 제23권4호
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• pp.240-245
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• 2013

Electrochemical surface treatment is commonly used to form a thin, rough, and porous oxidation layer on the surface of titanium. The purpose of this study was to investigate the formation of nanotubular titanium oxide arrays during short anodization processing. The specimen used in this study was 99.9% pure cp-Ti (ASTM Grade II) in the form of a disc with diameter of 15 mm and a thickness of 1 mm. A DC power supplier was used with the anodizing apparatus, and the titanium specimen and the platinum plate ($3mm{\times}4mm{\times}0.1mm$) were connected to an anode and cathode, respectively. The progressive formation of $TiO_2$ nanotubes was observed with FE-SEM (Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy). Highly ordered $TiO_2$ nanotubes were formed at a potential of 20 V in a solution of 1M $H_3PO_4$ + 1.5 wt.% HF for 10 minutes, corresponding with steady state processing. The diameters and the closed ends of $TiO_2$ nanotubes measured at a value of 50 cumulative percent were 100 nm and 120 nm, respectively. The $TiO_2$ nanotubes had lengths of 500 nm. As the anodization processing reached 10 minutes, the frequency distribution for the diameters and the closed ends of the $TiO_2$ nanotubes was gradually reduced. Short anodization processing for $TiO_2$ nanotubes of within 10 minutes was established.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• 제42권10호
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• pp.665-671
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• 2005

LSGM is known to show very serious interfacial reaction with other unit cell components, such as electrode, electrode functional or buffering layers. Especially, the formation of very resistive LaSr$Ga_{3}$$O_{7}$ phase at the interface of an anode and an electrolyte is the most problematic one in LSGM-based SOFCs. In this study, we investigated the interfacial reactions in LSGM-based SOFCs under different unit cell configurations. According to the microstructural analysis on the interfacial layer between an electrolyte and its neighboring component, serious interfacial reaction zone was observed. From the electrical and electrochemical characterization of the cell, we found such an interfacial reaction zone not only increased the internal ohmic resistance but also decreased the OCV(Open Cell Voltage) of the unit cell, and thus consequently deteriorated the unit cell performance.