• Applied Microscopy
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.39-46
• /
• 1972

There are many kinds of microscopes suitable for general studies; optical microscopes(OM), conventional transmission electron microscopes (TEM), and scanning electron microscopes(SEM). The optical microscopes and the conventional transmission electron microscopes are very familiar. The images of these microscopes are directly formed on an image plane with one or more image forming lenses. On the other hand, the image of the scanning electron microscope is formed on a fluorescent screen of a cathode ray tube using a scanning system similar to television technique. In this paper, the features and some applications of the scanning electron microscope will be discussed briefly. The recently available scanning electron microscope, combining a resolution of about $200{\AA}$ with great depth of field, is favorable when compared to the replica technique. It avoids the problem of specimen damage and the introduction of artifacts. In addition, it permits the examination of many samples that can not be replicated, and provides a broader range of information. The scanning electron microscope has found application in diverse fields of study including biology, chemistry, materials science, semiconductor technology, and many others. In scanning electron microscopy, the secondary electron method. the backscattererd electron method, and the electromotive force method are most widely used, and the transmitted electron method will become more useful. Change-over of magnification can be easily done by controlling the scanning width of the electron probe. It is possible. to continuously vary the magnification over the range from 100 times to 1.00,000 times without readjustment of focusing. Conclusion: With the development of a scanning. electron microscope, it is now possible to observe almost all-information produced through interactions between substances and electrons in the form of image. When the probe is properly focused on the specimen, changing magnification of specimen orientation does not require any change in focus. This is quite different from the conventional transmission electron microscope. It is worthwhile to note that the typical probe currents of $10^{-10}$ to $10^{-12}\;{\AA}$ are for below the $10^{-5}$ to $10^{-7}\;{\AA}$ of a conventional. transmission microscope. This reduces specimen contamination and specimen damage due to heatings. Outstanding features of the scanning electron microscope include the 'stereoscopic observation of a bulky or fiber specimen in high resolution' and 'observation of potential distribution and electromotive force in semiconductor devices'.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
• /
• v.43 no.12 s.295
• /
• pp.812-822
• /
• 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.

• Resources Recycling
• /
• v.24 no.6
• /
• pp.9-16
• /
• 2015

In a recycling scheme of spent lithium ion batteries, a co-precipitation process for the re-synthesis of precursor is essential after the leaching of lithium ion battery scraps. In this study, the effect of ammonia as impurity during the co-precipitation process was investigated in order to re-synthesize a precursor of Ni-rich cathode active material $LiNi_{0.6}Co_{0.2}Mn_{0.2}O_2$ (NCM 622). As ammonia concentration increases from 1 M (the optimum condition for synthesis of the precursors based on 2 M of metal salt solution) to 4 M, the composition of obtained precursors deviates from the designed composition, most notably for Ni. The Ni co-precipitation efficiency gradually decreases from 100% to 87% when the concentration of ammonia solution increases from 1 M to 4 M. Meanwhile, the morphological properties of the obtained precursors such as sphericity, homogeneity and size distribution of particles were also investigated.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.29-34
• /
• 2009

This study was performed under four operational conditions for nitrogen removal in metal finishing wastewater. The conditions include electrode gap, reducing agent, the recycling of treated wastewater in 1st step and the simultaneous treatment of nitrate and other materials. Result showed that the removal efficiency of $NO_3{^-}-N$ was highest at the electrode gap of 10 mm. As the electrode gap was shorter than 10 mm, the removal efficiency of $NO_3{^-}-N$ decreased due to increasing in concentration polarization on electrode. And, in case that the electrode gap was longer than 10 mm, the removal efficiency of $NO_3{^-}-N$ increased with an increase in energy consumption. Because hydrogen ions are consumed when nitrate is reduced, reducing reaction of nitrate was effected more in acid solution. As 1.2 excess amount of zinc was injected, the removal efficiency of $NO_3{^-}-N$ increased due to increasing in amount of reaction with nitrate. As the effluent from 1st step in the reactor was recycled into the 1st step, the removal efficiency of $NO_3{^-}-N$ increased. Because the zinc were detached from the cathode and concentration-polarization was decreased due to formation of turbulence in the reactor. The presence of $NH_4{^+}-N$ did not affect the removal efficiency of $NO_3{^-}-N$ but the addition of heavy metal decreased the removal efficiency of $NO_3{^-}-N$. As chlorine is enough in wastewater, the simultaneous treatment of nitrate and ammonia nitrogen may be possible. The problem that heavy metal decrease the removal efficiency of $NO_3{^-}-N$ may be solved by increasing current density or using front step of electrochemical process for heavy metal removal.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.87-103
• /
• 2019

Nonaqueous organic electrolyte solution in commercially available lithium-ion batteries, due to its flammability, corrosiveness, high volatility, and thermal instability, is demanding to be substituted by safer solid electrolyte with higher cycle stability, which will be utilized effectively in large-scale power sources such as electric vehicles and energy storage system. Of various types of solid electrolytes, composite solid electrolytes with polymer matrix and active inorganic fillers are now most promising in achieving higher ionic conductivity and excellent interface contact. In this review, some kinds and brief history of solid electrolyte are at first introduced and consequent explanations of polymer solid electrolytes and inorganic solid electrolytes (including active and inactive fillers) are comprehensively carried out. Composite solid electrolytes including these polymer and inorganic materials are also described with their electrochemical properties in terms of filler shapes, such as particle (0D), fiber (1D), plane (2D), and solid body (3D). In particular, in all-solid-state lithium batteries using lithium metal anode, the interface characteristics are discussed in terms of cathode-electrolyte interface, anode-electrolyte interface, and interparticle interface. Finally, current requisites and future perspectives for the composite solid electrolytes are suggested by help of some decent reviews recently reported.

• Membrane Journal
• /
• v.32 no.5
• /
• pp.283-291
• /
• 2022

Hydrogen energy has received much attention as a solution to the supply of renewable energy and to respond to climate change. Hydrogen is the most suitable candidate of storing unused electric power in a large-capacity long cycle. Among the technologies for producing hydrogen, water electrolysis is known as an eco-friendly hydrogen production technology that produces hydrogen without carbon dioxide generation by water splitting reaction. Membranes in water electrolysis system physically separate the anode and the cathode, but also prevent mixing of generated hydrogen and oxygen gases and facilitate ion transfer to complete circuit. In particular, the key to next-generation anion exchange membrane that can compensate for the shortcomings of conventional water electrolysis technologies is to develop high performance anion exchange membrane. Many studies are conducted to have high ion conductivity and excellent durability in an alkaline environment simultaneously, and various materials are being searched. In this review, we will discuss the research trends and points to move forward by looking at the research on anion exchange membranes based on commercial polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-polystyrene (SEBS) block copolymers.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
• /
• 2012.02a
• /
• pp.100-101
• /
• 2012

The plasma damage free and room temperature processedthin film deposition technology is essential for realization of various next generation organic microelectronic devices such as flexible AMOLED display, flexible OLED lighting, and organic photovoltaic cells because characteristics of fragile organic materials in the plasma process and low glass transition temperatures (Tg) of polymer substrate. In case of directly deposition of metal oxide thin films (including transparent conductive oxide (TCO) and amorphous oxide semiconductor (AOS)) on the organic layers, plasma damages against to the organic materials is fatal. This damage is believed to be originated mainly from high energy energetic particles during the sputtering process such as negative oxygen ions, reflected neutrals by reflection of plasma background gas at the target surface, sputtered atoms, bulk plasma ions, and secondary electrons. To solve this problem, we developed the NBAS (Neutral Beam Assisted Sputtering) process as a plasma damage free and room temperature processed sputtering technology. As a result, electro-optical properties of NBAS processed ITO thin film showed resistivity of $4.0{\times}10^{-4}{\Omega}{\cdot}m$ and high transmittance (>90% at 550 nm) with nano- crystalline structure at room temperature process. Furthermore, in the experiment result of directly deposition of TCO top anode on the inverted structure OLED cell, it is verified that NBAS TCO deposition process does not damages to the underlying organic layers. In case of deposition of transparent conductive oxide (TCO) thin film on the plastic polymer substrate, the room temperature processed sputtering coating of high quality TCO thin film is required. During the sputtering process with higher density plasma, the energetic particles contribute self supplying of activation & crystallization energy without any additional heating and post-annealing and forminga high quality TCO thin film. However, negative oxygen ions which generated from sputteringtarget surface by electron attachment are accelerated to high energy by induced cathode self-bias. Thus the high energy negative oxygen ions can lead to critical physical bombardment damages to forming oxide thin film and this effect does not recover in room temperature process without post thermal annealing. To salve the inherent limitation of plasma sputtering, we have been developed the Magnetic Field Shielded Sputtering (MFSS) process as the high quality oxide thin film deposition process at room temperature. The MFSS process is effectively eliminate or suppress the negative oxygen ions bombardment damage by the plasma limiter which composed permanent magnet array. As a result, electro-optical properties of MFSS processed ITO thin film (resistivity $3.9{\times}10^{-4}{\Omega}{\cdot}cm$, transmittance 95% at 550 nm) have approachedthose of a high temperature DC magnetron sputtering (DMS) ITO thin film were. Also, AOS (a-IGZO) TFTs fabricated by MFSS process without higher temperature post annealing showed very comparable electrical performance with those by DMS process with $400^{\circ}C$ post annealing. They are important to note that the bombardment of a negative oxygen ion which is accelerated by dc self-bias during rf sputtering could degrade the electrical performance of ITO electrodes and a-IGZO TFTs. Finally, we found that reduction of damage from the high energy negative oxygen ions bombardment drives improvement of crystalline structure in the ITO thin film and suppression of the sub-gab states in a-IGZO semiconductor thin film. For realization of organic flexible electronic devices based on plastic substrates, gas barrier coatings are required to prevent the permeation of water and oxygen because organic materials are highly susceptible to water and oxygen. In particular, high efficiency flexible AMOLEDs needs an extremely low water vapor transition rate (WVTR) of $1{\times}10^{-6}gm^{-2}day^{-1}$. The key factor in high quality inorganic gas barrier formation for achieving the very low WVTR required (under ${\sim}10^{-6}gm^{-2}day^{-1}$) is the suppression of nano-sized defect sites and gas diffusion pathways among the grain boundaries. For formation of high quality single inorganic gas barrier layer, we developed high density nano-structured Al2O3 single gas barrier layer usinga NBAS process. The NBAS process can continuously change crystalline structures from an amorphous phase to a nano- crystalline phase with various grain sizes in a single inorganic thin film. As a result, the water vapor transmission rates (WVTR) of the NBAS processed $Al_2O_3$ gas barrier film have improved order of magnitude compared with that of conventional $Al_2O_3$ layers made by the RF magnetron sputteringprocess under the same sputtering conditions; the WVTR of the NBAS processed $Al_2O_3$ gas barrier film was about $5{\times}10^{-6}g/m^2/day$ by just single layer.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• v.48 no.2
• /
• pp.275-282
• /
• 2010

A characteristic study of aqueous chlorine dioxide generation from sodium chlorite($NaClO_2$) by an undivided electrochemical cell with different anode materials were performed. $IrO_2$-coated Ti, $RuO_2$-coated Ti and DSA were used as anode materials and Pt-coated Ti electrode was used as cathode. Various electrochemical cell operating parameters such as cell residence time($t_R$), initial feed solution pH, sodium chlorite and sodium chloride(NaCl) concentration and applied current for the generation of chlorine dioxide in an un-divided cell were investigated and optimized. Estimated optimal cell residence times in $IrO_2$-coated Ti, $RuO_2$-coated Ti and DSA anode material systems were around 2.27, 1.52 and 1.52 sec, respectively. Observed optimum initial feed solution pH was around 2.3 in all anode material systems. Optimum sodium chlorite concentrations in $IrO_2$-coated Ti, $RuO_2$-coated Ti and DSA anode systems were around 0.43, 0.43 and 0.32 g/L, respectively. Optimum electrolyte concentration and applied current were around 5.85 g/L and 0.6 A in all anode systems. Current efficiencies of $IrO_2$-coated Ti, $RuO_2$-coated Ti and DSA anode systems under optimum conditions were 79.80, 114.70 and 70.99%, respectively. Obtained energy consumptions for the optimum generation of chlorine dioxide were 1.38, 1.03 and $1.61W{\cdot}hr/g-ClO_2$, respectively.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
• /
• v.33 no.3
• /
• pp.584-609
• /
• 1995

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the difference of the galvanic corrosion behaviour of the titanium in contact with gold alloy, silva-palladium alloy, and nickel-chromium alloy using the immersion and electrochemical method. And the effects of galvallit couples between titanium and the dental alloys were assessed for their usefulness as materials for superstructure. The immersion method was performed by measuring the amount of metal elementsreleased by Inductivey coupled plasma emission spectroscopy(ICPES) The specimen of fifteen titanium plates, the five gold alloy, five silver-palladium, five nickel-chromium plates, and twenty acrylic resin plates ware fabricated, and also the specimen of sixty titanium plugs, the thirty gold alloy, thirty silver-palladium, and nickelc-hromium plugs were made. Thereafter, each plug of gold alloy, silver-palladium, and nickel-chromium inserted into the the titanium and acrylic resin plate, and also titanium plug inserted into the acrylic resin plate. The combination specimens uf galvanic couples immersed in 70m1 artificial saliva solution, and also specimens of four type alloy(that is, titanium, gold, silver-palladium and nickel-chromium alloy) plugs were immersed solely in 70m1 artificial sativa solution. The amount of metal elements released was observed during 21 weeks in the interval of each seven week. The electrochemical method was performed using computer-controlled potentiosta(Autostat 251. Sycopel Sicentific Ltd., U.K). The wax patterns(diameter 11.0mm, thickness,in 1.5mm) of four dental casting alloys were casted by centrifugal method and embedded in self-curing acrylic resin to be about $1.0cm^2$ of exposed surface area. Embedded specimens were polished with silicone carbide paper to #2,000, and ultrasonically cleaned. The working electrode is the specimen of four dental casting alloys, the reference electrode is a saturated calmel electrode(SCE) and the ounter electrode is made of platinum plate. In the artificial saliva solution, the potential scanning was carried out starting from-700mV(SCE) TO +1,000mV(SCE) and the scan rate was 75mV/min. Each polarization curve of alloy was recorded automatically on a logrithmic graphic paper by XY recorder. From the polarization curves of each galvanic couple, corrosion potential and corrosion rates, that is, corrosion density were compared and order of corrosion tendency was determined. From the experiments, the following results were obtained : 1. In the case of immersing titanium, gold alloy, silver-palladium alloy, and nickel-chromium alloysolely in the artificial saliva solution(group 1, 2, 3, and 4), the total amount of metal elements released was that group 4 was greater about 2, 3 times than group 3, and about 7.8 times than group 2. In the case of group 1, the amount of titanium released was not found after 8 week(p<0.001). 2. In the case of galvanic couples of titanium in contact with alloy(group 5, 6), the total amount of metal elements released of group 5 and 6 was less than that of group 7, 8, 9, and 10(p<0.05). 3. In the case of galvanic couples of titanium in contact with silver-palladium alloy(group 7, 8), the total amount of metal elements released of group 7 was greater about twice than that of group 5, and that of group 8 was about 14 times than that of group 6(p<0.05). 4. In the case of galvanic couples of titanium in contact with nickel-chromium alloy(group 9, 10), the total amount of metal elements released of group 9 and 10 was greater about 1.8-3.2 times than that of group 7 and 8, and was greater about 4.3~25 times than that of group 5 and 6(p<0.05). 5. In the effect of galvanic corrosion according to the difference of the area ratio of cathode and anode, the total amount of metal elements released was that group 5 was greater about 4 times than group 6, group 8 was greater about twice than group 7, and group 10 was greater about 1.5 times than group 9(p<0.05). 6. In the effect of galvanic corrosion according to the elasped time during 21 week in the interval of each 7 week, the amount of metal elements released was decreased markedly in the case of galvanic couples of the titanium in contact with gold alloy and silver-palladium alloy but the total amount of nickel and beryllium released was not decreased markedly in the case of galvanic couples of the titanium in contact with nickel-chromium alloy(p<0.05). 7. In the case of galvanic couples of titanium in contact with gold alloy, galvanic current was lower than any other galvanic couple. 8. In the case of galvanic couples of titanium in contact with nickel-chromium alloy, galvanic current was highest among other galvanic couples.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
• /
• 2000.11a
• /
• pp.3-4
• /
• 2000

Many researchers are interested in the synthesis and characterization of carbon nitride and diamond-like carbon (DLq because they show excellent mechanical properties such as low friction and high wear resistance and excellent electrical properties such as controllable electical resistivity and good field electron emission. We have deposited amorphous carbon nitride (a-C:N) thin films and DLC thin films by shielded arc ion plating (SAIP) and evaluated the structural and tribological properties. The application of appropriate negative bias on substrates is effective to increase the film hardness and wear resistance. This paper reports on the deposition and tribological OLC films in relation to the substrate bias voltage (Vs). films are compared with those of the OLC films. A high purity sintered graphite target was mounted on a cathode as a carbon source. Nitrogen or argon was introduced into a deposition chamber through each mass flow controller. After the initiation of an arc plasma at 60 A and 1 Pa, the target surface was heated and evaporated by the plasma. Carbon atoms and clusters evaporated from the target were ionized partially and reacted with activated nitrogen species, and a carbon nitride film was deposited onto a Si (100) substrate when we used nitrogen as a reactant gas. The surface of the growing film also reacted with activated nitrogen species. Carbon macropartic1es (0.1 -100 maicro-m) evaporated from the target at the same time were not ionized and did not react fully with nitrogen species. These macroparticles interfered with the formation of the carbon nitride film. Therefore we set a shielding plate made of stainless steel between the target and the substrate to trap the macropartic1es. This shielding method is very effective to prepare smooth a-CN films. We, therefore, call this method "shielded arc ion plating (SAIP)". For the deposition of DLC films we used argon instead of nitrogen. Films of about 150 nm in thickness were deposited onto Si substrates. Their structures, chemical compositions and chemical bonding states were analyzed by using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy. Hardness of the films was measured with a nanointender interfaced with an atomic force microscope (AFM). A Berkovich-type diamond tip whose radius was less than 100 nm was used for the measurement. A force-displacement curve of each film was measured at a peak load force of 250 maicro-N. Load, hold and unload times for each indentation were 2.5, 0 and 2.5 s, respectively. Hardness of each film was determined from five force-displacement curves. Wear resistance of the films was analyzed as follows. First, each film surface was scanned with the diamond tip at a constant load force of 20 maicro-N. The tip scanning was repeated 30 times in a 1 urn-square region with 512 lines at a scanning rate of 2 um/ s. After this tip-scanning, the film surface was observed in the AFM mode at a constant force of 5 maicro-N with the same Berkovich-type tip. The hardness of a-CN films was less dependent on Vs. The hardness of the film deposited at Vs=O V in a nitrogen plasma was about 10 GPa and almost similar to that of Si. It slightly increased to 12 - 15 GPa when a bias voltage of -100 - -500 V was applied to the substrate with showing its maximum at Vs=-300 V. The film deposited at Vs=O V was least wear resistant which was consistent with its lowest hardness. The biased films became more wear resistant. Particularly the film deposited at Vs=-300 V showed remarkable wear resistance. Its wear depth was too shallow to be measured with AFM. On the other hand, the DLC film, deposited at Vs=-l00 V in an argon plasma, whose hardness was 35 GPa was obviously worn under the same wear test conditions. The a-C:N films show higher wear resistance than DLC films and are useful for wear resistant coatings on various mechanical and electronic parts.nic parts.