• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.87-93
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• 2014

The fluorine-substituted $0.3Li_2MnO_3{\cdot}0.7Li[Mn_{0.60}Ni_{0.25}Co_{0.15}]O_{2-x}F_x$ cathode materials were synthesized by using the transition metal precursor, $LiOH{\cdot}H_2O$ and LiF. This was to facilitate the movement of lithium ions by forming more compact SEI layer and to reduce the dissolution of transition metals. The $0.3Li_2MnO_3{\cdot}0.7Li[Mn_{0.60}Ni_{0.25}Co_{0.15}]O_{2-x}F_x$ cathode material was sphere-shaped and each secondary particle had $10{\sim}15{\mu}m$ in size. The fluorine-substituted cathodes initially delivered low discharge capacity, but it gradually increased until 50th charge-discharge cycles. These results indicated that fluorine substitution gave positive effects on the structural stabilization and resistance reduction in materials.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.11a
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• pp.90.2-90.2
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• 2011

This paper describes performance enhancement of a fuel cell's blower by controlling flow path. Different duct diameter at the inlet and outlet of the blower is selected for reducing blower noise level and input power. Hole diameter and the number of hole at the check valve are tested to reduce the input power of the blower. Two types of blower, fuel pressurized blower and cathode blower, are considered in the present study. Throughout experimental measurements of the test blowers, it is found that duct diameter is effective to reduce noise level and input power in the fuel cell blower. Noise reduction due to the optimal duct diameter at the outlet is more effective when flow rate is relatively large. That is, cathode blower has larger noise reduction compared to fuel pressurized blower because of larger flower rate. Input power of the blower can be reduced by controlling the hole diameter and the number of hole at the check valve.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.354-361
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• 2022

In a direct methanol fuel cell system (DMFC), one of the drawbacks is methanol crossover. Methanol from the anode passes through the membrane and enters the cathode, causing mixed potential in the cell. Only Pt-based catalysts are capable of operating as cathode for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in a harsh acidic condition of DMFC. However, it causes mixed potential due to high activity toward methanol oxidation reaction of Pt. To overcome this situation, developing Pt-based catalyst that has methanol tolerance is significant, by controlling reactant adsorption or reaction kinetics. Pt/C decorated with phosphate ion was prepared by modified polyol method as cathode catalyst in DMFC. Phosphate ions, bonded to the carbon of Pt/C, surround free Pt surface and block only methanol adsorption on Pt, not oxygen. It leads to the suppression of methanol oxidation in an oxygen atmosphere, resulting in high DMFC performance compared to pristine Pt/C.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.48-55
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• 2024

The electrochemically active site of mixed ionic and electronic conductor (MIEC) as a cathode material is restricted to the triple phase boundary in protonic ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs) due to the insufficient of proton-conducting properties of MIEC. This study primarily focused on expanding the electrochemically active site by La_0.6Sr_0.4Co_0.2Fe_0.8O_3-δ(LSCF6428)-BaZr_0.4Ce_0.4Y_0.1Yb_0.1O_3-δ (BZCYYb4411) composite cathode. The electrochemical properties of the composite cathode were evaluated using anode-supported PCFC single cells. In comparison to the LSCF6428 cathode, the peak power density of the LSCF6428-BZCYYb4411 composite cathode is much enhanced by the reduction in both ohmic and non-ohmic resistance, possibly due to the increased electrochemically active site.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.110-116
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• 2011

Ru black was used for cathode catalyst in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell which showed low performance at the initial test. However, it was observed that the performance of Ru black cathode was dramatically enhanced after certain kind of experiment compared with initial one. It might be due to an electrochemical treatment in which a voltage was applied to the Ru cathode for constant period time. When a constant potential of 0.1 V was applied to Ru cathode for 30 min, the fuel cell performance of Ru cathode showed the best results. In order to investigate the effect of electrochemical treatment on the performance enhancement, the characteristics of electrochemically treated Ru black was compared with that of Ru black which was reduced under $H_2$ atmosphere. From XRD results, it was turned out that Ru black was not completely converted to metallic Ru by electrochemical treatment, but it is sufficient to be one of reasons for the performance enhancement. According to the results of CO stripping voltammetry, it was observed that some Ru was removed from Ru electrode by electrochemical treatment which might have a bad effect on the fuel cell performance. The removal of some Ru from as-received Ru black by electrochemical treatment is also another reason for the enhancement of fuel cell performance.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.131-136
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• 2014

Cathode materials and their precursors are prepared with transition metal solutions recycled from the the waste lithium-ion batteries containing NCM (nickel-cobalt-manganese) cathodes by a $H_2$ and C-reduction process. The recycled transition metal sulfate solutions are used in a co-precipitation process in a CSTR reactor to obtain the transition metal hydroxide. The NCM cathode materials (Ni:Mn:Co=5:3:2) are prepared from the transition metal hydroxide by calcining with lithium carbonate. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy analyses show that the cathode material has a layered structure and particle size of about 10 ${\mu}m$. The cathode materials also exhibited a capacity of about 160 mAh/g with a retention rate of 93~96% after 100 cycles.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.278-282
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• 2014

Due to high ionic conductivity and favorable oxygen electrocatalysis, doped $Bi_2O_3$ systems are promising candidates as solid oxide fuel cell cathode materials. Recently, several researchers reported reasonably low cathode polarization resistance by adding electronically conducting materials such as (La,Sr)$MnO_3$ (LSM) or Ag to doped $Bi_2O_3$ compositions. Despite extensive research efforts toward maximizing cathode performance, however, the inherent catalytic activity and electrochemical reaction pathways of these promising materials remain largely unknown. Here, we prepare a symmetrical structure with identically sized $Y_{0.5}Bi_{1.5}O_3$/LSM composite electrodes on both sides of a YSZ electrolyte substrate. AC impedance spectroscopy (ACIS) measurements of electrochemical cells with varied cathode compositions reveal the important role of bismuth oxide phase for oxygen electrocatalysis. These observations aid in directing future research into the reaction pathways and the site-specific electrocatalytic activity as well as giving improved guidance for optimizing SOFC cathode structures with doped $Bi_2O_3$ compositions.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.195-201
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• 2018

To enhance the performance of cathodes at low temperatures, a Cu-coated cathode is prepared, and its electrochemical performance is examined by testing its use in a single cell. At $620^{\circ}C$ and a current density of $150mAcm^{-2}$, a single cell containing the Cu-coated cathode has a significantly higher voltage (0.87 V) during the initial operation than does that with an uncoated cathode (0.79 V). According to EIS analysis, the high voltage of the cell with the Cu-coated cathode is due to the dramatic decrease in the high-frequency resistance related to electrochemical reactions. From XPS analysis, it is confirmed that the Cu is initially in the form of $Cu_2O$ and is converted into CuO after 150 h of operation, without any change in the state of the Ni or Li. Therefore, the high initial cell voltage is confirmed to be due to $Cu_2O$. Because $Cu_2O$ is catalytically active toward $O_2$ adsorption and dissociation, $Cu_2O$ on a NiO cathode enhances cell performance and reduces cathode polarization. However, the cell with the Cu-coated cathode does not maintain its high voltage because $Cu_2O$ is oxidized to CuO, which demonstrates similar catalytic activity toward $O_2$ as NiO.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.189-194
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• 2018

Electrochemical reduction of nitrate was studied using Zn, Cu and (Ir+Ru)-Ti cathodes and Pt/Ti anode in a cell divided by an ion exchange membrane. During electrolysis, effects of the different cathode types on operating parameters (i.e., voltage, temperature and pH), nitrate removal efficiency and by-products (i.e., nitrite and ammonia) formation were investigated. Ammonia oxidation rate in the presence of NaCl was also determined using the different ratios of hypochlorous acid to ammonia. The operating parameter values were similar for all types of cathode materials and were maintained relatively constant. Nitrate was well reduced and converted mostly to ammonia using Zn and Cu cathodes. Ammonia, produced as a by-product of nitrate reduction, was oxidized in the presence of NaCl in the electrochemical process and the oxidation performance was enhanced upon increasing the hypochlorous acid-to-ammonia ratio to 1.09:1. Zn and Cu cathodes promoted the nitrate reduction to ammonia and the produced ammonia was finally removed from solution by reacting with hypochlorite ions. Using Zn or Cu cathodes, instead of noble metal cathodes, in the electrochemical process can be an alternative technology for nitrate-containing wastewater treatment.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.106-114
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• 2005

This article covers the theoretical ac-impedance models for the analysis of oxygen reduction on the porous cathode electrode f3r solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). Firstly, ac-impedance models were explained on the basis of the mechanism of oxygen reduction, which were classified into the rate-determining steps; (i) adsorption of oxygen atom on the electrode surface, (ii) diffusion of adsorbed oxygen atom along the electrode surface towards the three-phase (electrode/electrolyte/gas) boundaries, (iii) surface diffusion of adsorbed oxygen atom m ixed with the adsorption reaction of oxygen atom on the electrode surface and (iv) diffusion of oxygen vacancy through the electrode coupled with the charge transfer reaction at the electrode/gas interface. In each section for ac-impedance model, the representative impedance plots and the interpretation of important parameters attributed to the oxygen reduction reaction were explained. Finally, we discussed in detail the applications of the proposed theoretical ac-impedance models to the real electrode of SOFC system.