• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.331-334
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• 2010

In the present study, carbon supports mixed with purified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and carbon blacks (CBs) were used to improve the cell performance of direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). Additionally, the effect of $O_2$ plasma treatment on CBs/MWNTs supports was investigated for different plasma RF powers of 100, 200, and 300 W. The surface and structural properties of the CBs/MWNTs supports were characterized by FT-IR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and inductive coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). The electrocatalytic activity of PtRu/CBs/MWNTs catalysts was investigated by cyclic voltammetry measurement. In the experimental results, the oxygen functional groups of the supports were increased with increasing plasma RF power, while the average Pt particle size was decreased owing to the improvement of dispersibility of the catalysts. The electrochemical activity of the catalysts for methanol oxidation was gradually improved by the larger available active surface area, itself due to the introduction of oxygen functional groups. Consequently, it was found that $O_2$ plasma treatments could influence the surface properties of the carbon supports, resulting in enhanced electrocatalytic activity of the catalysts for DMFCs.

• Carbon letters
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.121-125
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• 2013

In this study, PtRu nanoparticles deposited on binary carbon supports were developed for use in direct methanol fuel cells using carbon blacks (CBs) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The particle sizes and morphological structures of the catalysts were analyzed using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy, and the PtRu loading content was determined using an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer. The electrocatalytic characteristics for methanol oxidation were evaluated by means of cyclic voltammetry with 1 M $CH_3OH$ in a 0.5 M $H_2SO_4$ solution as the electrolyte. The PtRu particle sizes and the loading level were found to be dependent on the mixing ratio of the two carbon materials. The electroactivity of the catalysts increased with an increasing MWCNT content, reaching a maximum at 30% MWCNTs, and subsequently decreased. This was attributed to the introduction of MWCNTs as a secondary support, which provided a highly accessible surface area and caused morphological changes in the carbon supports. Consequently, the PtRu nanoparticles deposited on the binary support exhibited better performance than those deposited on the single support, and the best performance was obtained when the mass ratio of CBs to MWCNTs was 70:30.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.598-598
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• 2013

The short lifetime of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) is the one of the main problems to be solved for commercializing. Especially, the weak adhesion between metal nanoparticles and supports deteriorate the performances of nanocatalysts, therefore, it is considered to be a major failure mechanism. Using force-distance spectroscopy of atomic force microscopy (AFM), we characterized the adhesion between Pt nanoparticles and carbon supports that is crucially related to the durability for membrane fuel cell (MFC) electrode. In our study, force distance curves measured with Pt coated AFM cantilever, mimicking the behavior of corresponding nanoparticles on carbon supports, leads to the adhesion between metal nanoparticles and carbon supports. We found that theadhesion between Pt and HNO3-treated carbon is enhanced by a factor of 4, compared to Pt and bare carbon support, that is consistent with the macroscopic durability test of PEMFC. The higher adhesion between Pt and HNO3-treated carbon can be explained in light of the stronger chemical interaction by C/O functional groups.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.94.1-94.1
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• 2011

In this work, ordered mesoporous carbons (OMCs) were prepared by the conventional templating method using mesoporous silica (SBA-15) for Pt-Ru catalyst supports in fuel cells. The influence of surface modification on carbon supports on the electrochemical activities of Pt-Ru/OMCs was investigated with different pH. The neutral-treated OMCs (N-OMCs), base-treated OMCs (B-OMCs), and acid-treated OMCs (A-OMCs) were prepared by treating OMCs with 2 M $C_6H_6$, 2 M KOH, and 2 M $H_3PO_4$, respectively. The surface characteristic of the carbon supports were determined X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The electrochemical activities of the Pt-Ru catalysts had been enhanced when the OMCs supports were treated by basic or neutral agents, while the electrochemical activities had been decayed for the A-OMCs supported Pt-Ru.

• Carbon letters
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• v.25
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• pp.33-42
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• 2018

Activated carbon (AC) was modified by ammonium persulphate or nitric acid, respectively. AC and the modified materials were used as catalyst supports. The oxygen groups were introduced in the supports during the modifications. All the supports were characterized by $N_2$-physisorption, Raman, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and thermogravimetric analysis. Methanol synthesis catalysts were prepared through wet impregnation of copper nitrate and zinc nitrate on the supports followed by thermal decomposition. These catalysts were measured by the means of $N_2$-physisorption, X-ray diffraction, XPS, temperature programmed reduction and TEM tests. The catalytic performances of the prepared catalysts were compared with a commercial catalyst (CZA) in this work. The results showed that the methanol production rate of AC-CZ ($23mmol-CH_3OH/(g-Cu{\cdot}h)$) was higher, on Cu loading basis, than that of CZA ($9mmol-CH_3OH/(g-Cu{\cdot}h)$). We also found that the modification methods produced strong metal-support interactions leading to poor catalytic performance. AC without any modification can prompt the catalytic performance of the resulted catalyst.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.14-21
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• 2020

Carbon supports for dispersed platinum (Pt) electrocatalysts in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) are being continuously developed to improve electrochemical performance and catalyst stability. However, carbon supports still require solutions to reduce costs and improve catalyst efficiency. In this study, we prepare well-dispersed Pt electrocatalysts by introducing titanium dioxide (TiO₂) into biomass based nitrogen-doped carbon supports. In order to obtain optimized electrochemical performance, different amounts of TiO₂ component are controlled by three types (Pt/TNC-2 wt%, Pt/TNC-4 wt%, and Pt/TNC-6 wt%). Especially, the anodic current density of Pt/TNC-4 wt% is 707.0 mA g^-1_pt, which is about 1.65 times higher than that of commercial Pt/C (429.1 mA g^-1_pt); Pt/TNC-4wt% also exhibits excellent catalytic stability, with a retention rate of 91 %. This novel support provides electrochemical performance improvement including several advantages of improved anodic current density and catalyst stability due to the well-dispersed Pt nanoparticles on the support by the introduction of TiO₂ component and nitrogen doping in carbon. Therefore, Pt/TNC-4 wt% may be electrocatalyst a promising catalyst as an anode for high-performance DMFCs.

• Carbon letters
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.99-104
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• 2013

We investigated the effects of parametric synthesis conditions of catalysts such as sintering temperature, sorts of supports and compositions of catalysts on alignment and length-control of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) using catalyst powders. To obtain aligned CNTs, several parameters were changed such as amount of citric acid, calcination temperature of catalysts, and the sorts of supports using the combustion method as well as to prepare catalyst. CNTs with different lengths were synthesized as portions of molybdenum and iron using a chemical vapor deposition reactor. In this work, the mechanisms of alignment of CNTs and of the length-control of CNTs are discussed.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.711-717
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• 2008

The use of support materials on the nanoparticle synthesis and applications has advantages in many aspects; resisting the aggregation and gelation of nanoparticles, providing more active sites by dispersing over the supports, and facilitating a filtering process. In order to elucidate the influence of the supports on the nitrate reduction reactivity, the supported iron nanoparticles were prepared by borohydride reduction of an aqueous iron salt in the presence of supports such as activated carbon, silica and polyethylene. The reactivity for nitrate reduction decreased in the order of unsupported Fe(0) > activated carbon(AC) supported Fe(0) > polyethylene(PE) supported Fe(0) ${\ge}$ silica supported Fe(0). Rate constants decrease with increasing initial nitrate concentration implying that the reaction is limited by the surface reaction kinetics.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.142-149
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• 2013

Carbon materials are mainly used as catalyst supports for polymer exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Catalyst supports are required specific characteristics of the carbon materials, such as large surface area and high electrical conductivity. Attempted were to improve electrical conductivity and to maintain high surface area of carbon materials using a microwave treatment. Microwave treatment, as a relatively new technique, takes short reaction time and reduce the consumption of the gases used for carbon treatment compared to a traditional heat treatment. Hybrid carbon (ACF/Graphene) as catalyst supports by microwave-irradiation method for PEMFC increase the cell performance because of increased electrical conductivity resulting in triple-phase contact and reduced the interfacial resistance. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) were employed to analyze carbon materials. The performance of microwave-treated carbon materials was evaluated by measuring current-voltage (I-V) characteristics and electrode impedance.

• Carbon letters
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.47-60
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• 2008

Understanding the exact structure and surface characteristics of carbon materials is very important for design, synthesis, and utilization of the best carbon form with particular functions and high performance for practical applications such as selective adsorption adsorbents, energy storage materials, catalysts or catalyst supports, etc. This review paper focuses on carbon surface properties and the interaction between gaseous or liquid substances and carbon surface. Catalytic functions of carbon materials are reviewed including recent progress in synthesis and applications of nano-carbons.