• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.481-488
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• 2022

The Cu₂ZnSn(S_xSe_1-x)₄ (CZTSSe) absorbers are promising thin film solar cells (TFSCs) materials, to replace existing Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ (CIGS) and CdTe photovoltaic technology. However, the best reported efficiency for a CZTSSe device, of 13.6 %, is still too low for commercial use. Recently, partially replacing the Zn²⁺ element with a Cd²⁺element has attracting attention as one of the promising strategies for improving the photovoltaic characteristics of the CZTSSe TFSCs. Cd²⁺ elements are known to improve the grain size of the CZTSSe absorber thin films and improve optoelectronic properties by suppressing potential defects, causing short-circuit current (J_sc) loss. In this study, the structural, compositional, and morphological characteristics of CZTSSe and CZCTSSe thin films were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (XRF), and Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), respectively. The FE-SEM images revealed that the grain size improved with increasing Cd²⁺ alloying in the CZTSSe thin films. Moreover, there was a slight decrease in small grain distribution as well as voids near the CZTSSe/Mo interface after Cd²⁺ alloying. The solar cells prepared using the most promising CZTSSe absorber thin films with Cd²⁺ alloying (8 min. 30 sec.) exhibited a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 9.33 %, J_sc of 34.0 mA/cm², and fill factor (FF) of 62.7 %, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.11 no.12
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• pp.1020-1027
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• 2001

Powder type Ag system insert metals were manufactured by mechanical alloying method. Alloying method was the ball milling process using zirconia ball media, and all alloying variables were constant except the milling time. The milling times were selected 24, 48 and 72 hours. The insert metals made by milling method were observed using scanning electron microscope and x-ray analyses. And also, the evaluation of wettability and microstructures of the insert metals were conducted to investigate the characteristics of the brazed joint. The wettability of the insert metals made by milling of 48 hours, was the best condition. And the insert metals contained Cd shows good wettability, however, there was the oxides residue on the brazing test specimen. The microstructures of the manufactured and the commercial insert metals were almost same displaying the Cu- rich proeutectic and Ag-rich eutectic. Further, there were some porosities. The 48 hours alloyed insert metal was exhibited the most sound brazed joint without containing porosity due to the superior wettability and good alloying condition.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.185-190
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• 2017

One-dimensional CdTe nanorods (NRs) are obtained by the reaction of various Cd precursors with single crystalline Te nanorod templates, which are pre-synthesized from Te precursors by a simple and reproducible solvothermal method. Throughout the process, the diffraction intensity of different crystal facets of single crystalline Te NRs varied with reaction times. Finally, by alloying Cd ions along the axial direction of Te NRs, polycrystalline cubic phase CdTe NRs with diameters of 80-150 nm and length up to $1.2-2.4{\mu}m$ are obtained. The nucleation and growth processes of Te and CdTe NRs are discussed in details, and their properties are characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, Raman scattering, and UV-vis absorption spectra. It was found that the key elements of synthesizing CdTe NRs such as reaction temperatures and Cd sources will strongly influence the final shape of CdTe NRs.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.218-221
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• 2011

We modified the optical properties of the $CuInS_2$ nanocrystal (NC) by alloying. Nanocrystals (NCs) with alloyed cores were synthesized by refluxing the as-synthesized $CuInS_2$ NCs with a mixture of cadmium acetate, zinc acetate and palmitic acid. The shift in emission wavelength of the NCs after shell layer formation was minimized by alloying. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra showed significant reduction of emission intensity. A detailed study on the emission process of NCs implies that the formation of shell layers with small lattice mismatch minimized the mismatch strain generated from the shell layers in contrast to core alloyed NCs. In particular, time-resolved PL spectra of the NCs showed a significant increase in the lifetime of excited carriers by modifying the band alignment of the NCs by modifying the shell composition.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.34-42
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• 2019

In this study, various alloying elements (Cr, Sr, Ca, Cd) were added to improve the mechanical properties of ADC12 fabricated by a die casting process. The effect of alloying elements on the microstructure and mechanical properties were investigated. The phase analysis results of the modified ADC12 alloy with conventional ADC12 alloy, showed the similar characteristics of Al matrix, Si phase, $CuAl_2$ phase and the Fe intermetallic phase. As a result of the microstructure observation, the secondary dendrite arm spacing (SDAS) was shown to have decreased after the addition of the alloying elements. The eutectic Si phase, which existed as flake form in the conventional ADC12 alloy, was modified finely as a fiber form in the modified ADC12 alloy. It was observed that the $CuAl_2$ phase as the strengthening phase was relatively finely distributed in the modified ADC12 alloy. The Fe intermetallic appeared as a Chinese script shaped $Al_6$ (Mn,Fe) which is detrimental to mechanical properties in conventional ADC12 alloy. On the other hand, in the modified ADC12 alloy, polyhedral ${\alpha}-Al_{15}Si_2$ $(Fe,Mn,Cr)_3$ was observed. The tensile properties were improved in the modified ADC12 alloy. The yield strength and tensile strength increased by 12.4% and 10.0%, respectively, in the modified ADC12 alloy, and the elongation was also seen to have been increased. As a result of the pin on disk wear test, the wear resistance properties were also improved by up to about 7% in the modified ADC12 alloy. It is noted that the wear deformation microstructures were also observed, and it was found that the fine eutectic Si and strengthening phases greatly improved abrasion resistance.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.654-659
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• 2007

Austenite precipitation behavior was studied with solidification rates and alloying contents, N and Cr, in duplex stainless steels by directional solidification. Directional solidification experiments were carried out with solidification rates, $1{\sim}100mm/s$, and N and Cr contents, $0{\sim}0.27wt.%,\;25{\sim}28wt.%$ respectively, in a duplex stainless steel, CD4MCU. As the solidification rate increases, the dendrite spacing reduced and the austenite phase in the ferrite matrix became finer. The volume fraction of austenite phase increased and its shape went to be round with increasing nitrogen contents in duplex stainless alloys. The Cr alloying element, even though it is a ferrite former, showed to enhance the nitrogen solubility in the alloy and caused the austenite round and finer. Also, Cr was supposed to decrease the austenite volume fraction, but it increased the austenite slightly due to increasing nitrogen solubility during solidification.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.298-302
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• 2008

This study was carried out to evaluate brazing characteristics of the braze joint between superhard alloy particles and carbon steel. Two types of insert metals that made by mechanical alloying process were selected for this study. One is composed of Cu, Zn and Ag(MIM-1) and the other one is composed of Cu, Zn, Ag and Cd.(MIM-2) The chemical compositions of these insert metals were similar to AWS BAg-20 and BAg-2a system. And the commercial insert metals(CIM-1, CIM-2) were also evaluated for the comparative study. The characterization of the insert metals were conducted by wettability tests, shear tensile test and microstructural analyses. The results indicated that wettability tests displayed that MIM-1 and CIM-1 insert metals had the larger wetting angle than MIM-2 and CIM-2 and the wetting angle of the MIM-1 showed higher value than that of CIM-1. However these values are less than $25^{\circ}$ that is recommended for standard value for usual insert metals. The highest value of shear tensile tests was obtained from the brazed joint that made by MIN-1 and the value was $2.29{\times}10^2MPa$. This value is appeared to be higher or same as the commercial insert metals. The microstructures of the inserts metals were composed of Cu-rich proeutectic structure for matrix and Ag-rich eutectic structure. The braze joint between superhard alloy particles and carbon steel produced by the MIM-1(Ag-Cu-Zn) system showed sound joint showing stable microstructures. However there was also some porosities at the interface.