• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.259-264
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• 2023

As the demand for lithium-ion batteries, a key power source in electric vehicles and energy storage systems, continues to increase for achieving global carbon neutrality, there is a growing concern about the environmental impact of disposing of spent batteries. Extensive research is underway to develop efficient recycling methods. While hydrometallurgy and pyrometallurgy methods are commonly used to recover valuable metals from spent cathode materials, they have drawbacks including hazardous waste and complex processes. Hence, alternative recycling methods that are environmentally friendly are being explored. However, recycling spent cathode materials still remains complex and energy-intensive. This study focuses on a novel approach called solid-state synthesis, which aims at regenerating the performance of spent cathode materials. The method offers a simpler process and reduces energy consumption. Optimal heat treatment conditions were identified based on experimental results, contributing to the development of sustainable recycling technologies for lithium-ion batteries.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.215-222
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• 2024

Ni-rich cathode materials have been developed as the most promising candidates for next-generation cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries because of their high capacity and energy density. In particular, the electrochemical performance of lithium-ion batteries could be enhanced by increasing the contents of nickel ion. However, there are still limitations, such as low structural stability, cation mixing, low capacity retention and poor rate capability. Herein, we have successfully developed the nanorod-type Ni-rich cathode materials by using co-precipitation method. Particularly, the nanorod-type primary particles of LiNi_0.7Co_0.15Mn_0.15O₂ could facilitate the electron transfer because of their longitudinal morphology. Moreover, there were holes at the center of secondary particles, resulting in high permeability of the electrolyte. Lithium-ion batteries using the prepared nanorod-type LiNi_0.7Co_0.15Mn_0.15O₂ achieved highly improved electrochemical performance with a superior rate capability during battery cycling.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.174-178
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• 2015

We studied emission characteristics for blue fluorescent dual-side emission OLED with Al cathode thickness variation. In the bottom emission OLED of Al cathode with 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 150 nm thickness, maximum luminance showed 36.1, 8,130, 9,300, 12,000, 13,000, and $12,890cd/m^2$, and maximum current efficiency showed 2, 8.8, 10, 10.5, 10.8, and 11.4 cd/A, respectively. The emission characteristics of the bottom emission seemed to be improved according to decrease of resistance as the thickness of Al cathode increase. In the top emission OLED of Al cathode with 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 nm thickness, maximum luminance showed 4.3, 351, 131, 88.6, and $33.2cd/m^2$, and maximum current efficiency showed 0.23, 0.38, 0.21, 0.16, and 0.09 cd/A, respectively. It yielded the highest maximum luminance and maximum current efficiency in Al cathode thickness 15 nm. It showed a tendency to decrease as the thickness of Al cathode increase. The reason for this is due to decrease of transmittance with increasing of Al cathode thickness. The electroluminescent spectra of bottom and top emission OLED were not change.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.67-73
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• 2021

Nickel-rich lithium nickel-cobalt-manganese oxides (NCM) are viewed as promising cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs); however, their poor cycling performance at high temperature is a critical hurdle preventing expansion of their applications. We propose the use of a functional electrolyte additive, triphenyl phosphate (TPPa), which can form an effective cathode-electrolyte interphase (CEI) layer on the surface of Ni-rich NCM cathode material by electrochemical reactions. Linear sweep voltammetry confirms that the TPPa additive is electrochemically oxidized at around 4.83 V (vs. Li/Li+) and it participates in the formation of a CEI layer on the surface of NCM811 cathode material. During high temperature cycling, TPPa greatly improves the cycling performance of NCM811 cathode material, as a cell cycled with TPPa-containing electrolyte exhibits a retention (133.7 mA h g-1) of 63.5%, while a cell cycled with standard electrolyte shows poor cycling retention (51.3%, 108.3 mA h g-1). Further systematic analyses on recovered NCM811 cathodes demonstrate the effectiveness of the TPPa-based CEI layer in the cell, as electrolyte decomposition is suppressed in the cell cycled with TPPa-containing electrolyte. This confirms that TPPa is effective at increasing the surface stability of NCM811 cathode material because the TPPa-initiated POx-based CEI layer prevents electrolyte decomposition in the cell even at high temperatures.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.587-594
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• 2004

Three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) structures of the $LiCoO_2$ electrode materials for Li secondary batteries were fabricated by using the close-packed arrays of PMMA spheres served as templates. In order to successfully fabricate the cathode materials with highly ordered array form, the metal citrates were applied to new precursors. The precursor/template composites were prepared by the infiltration with metal citrate precursors into the voids of template. By removing the PMMA templates, then, the inverse opal structures with the uniform pores of narrow size distribution were resulted. It was confirmed that the 3DOM $LiCoO_2$ material is to take a single phase of rocksalt (R3m) structure. In addition, 3DOM $LiNiO_2$ and $LiMn_{2}O_4$ cathode materials were fabricated using an identical preparation procedure. Also, the morphology of the 3DOM cathode materials calcined at $500^{\circ}C\;to\;700^{\circ}C$ was observed by scanning electron microscope.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.696-696
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• 2013

Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) have been gaining academic/industrial attention due to the unique high efficiency and minimized pollution emission. SOFCs are an electrochemical system composed of dissimilar materials which operates at relatively high temperatures ranging from 800 to 1000oC. The cell performance is critically dependent on the inherent properties and integration processing of the constituents, a cathode, an electrolyte, an anode, and an interconnect in addition to the sealing materials. In particular, the gas transport, ion transport, and by-product removal also affect the cell performance, in terms of open cell voltages, and cell powers. In particular, the polarization of cathode materials is one of the main sources which affects the overall function in SOFCs. Up to now, there have been studies on the materials design and microstructure design of the component materials. The current work reports the effect of thin film processing on cathode polarization in solid oxide fuel cells. The polarization issues are discussed in terms of dc- and ac-based electrical characterizations. The potential of thin film processing to the applicability to SOFCs is discussed.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.362-368
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• 2022

The application of polymer composite electrolyte in all-solid-state lithium-sulfur battery (ASSLSBs) can guarantee high energy density and improve the interface contact between electrolyte and electrode, which has a broader application prospect. However, the inherent insulation of the sulfur-cathode leads to a low electron/ion transfer rate. Carbon materials with high electronic conductivity and electrolyte materials with high ionic conductivity are usually selected to improve the electron/ion conduction of the composite cathode. In this work, PEO-LiTFSI-LLZO composite polymer electrolyte (CPE) with high ionic conductivity was prepared. The ionic conductivity was 1.16×10^-4 and 7.26×10^-4 S cm^-1 at 20 and 60℃, respectively. Meanwhile, the composite sulfur cathode was prepared with Sulfur, reduced graphene oxide and composite polymer electrolyte slurry (S-rGO-CPEs). In addition to improving the ion conductivity in the cathode, CPEs also replaces the role of binder. The influence of different contents of CPEs in the cathode material on the performance of the constructed battery was investigated. The results show that the electrochemical performance of the all-solid-state lithium-sulfur battery is the best when the content of the composite electrolyte in the cathode is 40%. Under the condition of 0.2C and 45℃, the charging and discharging capacity of the first cycle is 923 mAh g^-1, and the retention capacity is 653 mAh g^-1 after 50 cycles.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.25-28
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• 2005

We have investigated the effects of hole-injection buffer layer in organic light-emitting diodes using poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(stylenesulfonate)(PEDOT:PSS) in a device structure of $ITO/PEDOT:PSS/TPD/Alq_{3}/cathode$. Polymer PEDOT:PSS buffer layer was made by spin casting method. Current-voltage, luminance-voltage characteristics and efficiency of device were measured at room temperature with a variation of cathode materials; Al, LiF/Al, LiAl, and Ca/Al. The device with LiF/Al cathode shows an improvement of external quantum efficiency approximately by a factor of ten compared to that of Al cathode only device. Our observation shows that cathode is important in improving the efficiency of the organic light-emitting diodes.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.406-410
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• 2016

Carbon-coated sodium iron pyrophosphate ($Na_2FeP_2O_7$) was prepared by a simple and low-cost pyro-synthesis route for further use as the cathode for Na-ion batteries. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of the sample annealed at $650^{\circ}C$ confirmed the pure triclinic phase of $Na_2FeP_2O_7$. Electron microscopy studies revealed a cross linked plate shape morphology of the $Na_2FeP_2O_7$ sample. When tested for application in Na-ion battery, the $Na_2FeP_2O_7$ cathode showed two redox pairs in the potential window of 2.0-4.0 V. The cathode registered initial discharge and charge capacities of 80.85 and 90 mAh/g, respectively, with good cycling performance.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.163-168
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• 2024

As the demand for lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles is increasing, it is important to recover valuable metals from waste lithium-ion batteries. In this study, the effects of gas flow rate and hydrogen partial pressure on hydrogen reduction of NCM-based lithium-ion battery cathode materials were investigated. As the gas flow rate and hydrogen partial pressure increased, the weight loss rate increased significantly from the beginning of the reaction due to the reduction of NiO and CoO by hydrogen. At 700 ℃ and hydrogen partial pressure above 0.5 atm, Ni and Li₂O were produced by hydrogen reduction. From the reduction product and Li recovery rate, the hydrogen reduction of NCM-based cathode materials was significantly affected by hydrogen partial pressure. The Li compounds recovered from the solution after water leaching of the reduction products were LiOH, LiOH·H₂O, and Li₂CO₃, with about 0.02 wt% Al as an impurity.