• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.1349-1355
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• 2014

A three-dimensional (3D) $Co_3O_4$/mildly oxidized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (moCNTs)/reduced mildly oxidized graphene oxide (rmGO) ternary composite was prepared via a simple and green hydrolysishydrothermal approach by mixing $Co(Ac)_2{\cdot}4H_2O$ with moCNTs and mGO suspension in mixed ethanol/$H_2O$. As characterized by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, $Co_3O_4$ nanoparticles with size of 20-100 nm and moCNTs are effectively anchored in mGO. Cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge measurements were adopted to investigate the electrochemical properties of $Co_3O_4$/moCNTs/rmGO ternary composite in 6 M KOH solution. In a potential window of 0-0.6 V vs. Hg/HgO, the composite delivers an initial specific capacitance of 492 $Fg^{-1}$ at 0.5 $Ag^{-1}$ and the capacitance remains 592 $Fg^{-1}$ after 2000 cycles, while the pure $Co_3O_4$ shows obviously capacitance fading, indicating that rmGO and moCNTs greatly enhance the electrochemical performance of $Co_3O_4$.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.63-66
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• 2008

In order to the magnetization and magnetic entropy change for superparamagnetic ferrite nanoparticles, ultrafine cobalt ferrite particles were synthesized using a mircoemulsion method. The peak of X-ray diffraction pattern corresponds to a cubic spinel structure with the lattice constant 8.40 $\AA$. The average particle size, determined from X-ray diffraction line-broadening using Scherrer's, is 7.9 nm. The maximal magnetizations measured at 5 and 300 K are 24.3 emu/g and 17.2 emu/g, respectively. Superparamagnetic behavior of the sample is confirmed by the coincidence of the M vs. H/T plots at various temperatures. According to the thermodynamic theory, magnetic entropy change decreases with increasing temperature.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.250-257
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• 2016

Octahedral $Co_3O_4$/carbon nanofiber (CNF) composites are fabricated using electrospinning and hydrothermal methods. Their morphological characteristics, chemical bonding states, and electrochemical properties are used to demonstrate the improved photovoltaic properties of the samples. Octahedral $Co_3O_4$ grown on CNFs is based on metallic Co nanoparticles acting as seeds in the CNFs, which seeds are directly related to the high performance of DSSCs. The octahedral $Co_3O_4$/CNFs composites exhibit high photocurrent density ($12.73mA/m^2$), superb fill factor (62.1 %), and excellent power conversion efficiency (5.61 %) compared to those characteristics of commercial $Co_3O_4$, conventional CNFs, and metallic Co-seed/CNFs. These results can be described as stemmnig from the synergistic effect of the porous and graphitized matrix formed by catalytic graphitization using the metal cobalt catalyst on CNFs, which leads to an increase in the catalytic activity for the reduction of triiodide ions. Therefore, octahedral $Co_3O_4$/CNFs composites can be used as a counter electrode for Pt-free dye-sensitized solar cells.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.118-122
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• 2012

We synthesized porous $Co_3O_4/RuO_2$ composite using the soft template method. Cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) was used to make micell as a cation surfactant. The precipitation of cobalt ion and ruthenium ion for making porosity in particles was induced by $OH^-$ ion. The porous $Co_3O_4/RuO_2$ composite was completely synthesiszed after anealing until $250^{\circ}C$ at $3^{\circ}C$/min. From the XRD ananysis, we were able to determine that the porous $Co_3O_4$/RuO2 composite was comprised of nanoparticles with low crystallinity. The shape or structure of the porous $Co_3O_4/RuO_2$ composite was studied by FE-SEM and FE-TEM. The size of the porous $Co_3O_4/RuO_2$ composite was 20~40 nm. From the FE-TEM, we were able to determine that porous cavities were formed in the composite particles. The electrochemical performance of the porous $Co_3O_4/RuO_2$ composite was measured by CV and charge-discharge methods. The specific capacitances, determined through cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurement, were ~51, ~47, ~42, and ~33 F/g at 5, 10, 20, and 50 mV/sec scan rates, respectively. The specific capacitance through charge-discharge measurement was ~63 F/g in the range of 0.0~1.0 V cutoff voltage and 50 mAh/g current density.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.95-99
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• 2007

The most recent developments in two areas: (a) synthesis of inorganic particles with control over size and shape by polymer additives, and (b) synthesis of inorganic-polymer hybrid materials by bulk polymerization of blends of monomers with nanosized crystals are reviewed. The precipitations of inorganics, such as zinc oxide or calcium carbonate, in presence and under the control of bishydrophilic block or comb copolymers, are relevant to the field of Biomineralization. The application of surface modified latex particles, used as controlling agents, and the formation of hybrid crystals in which the latex is embedded in otherwise perfect crystals, are discussed. The formation of nano sized spheres of amorphous calcium carbonate, stabilized by surfactant-like polymers, is also discussed. Another method for the preparation of nanosized inorganic functional particles is the controlled pyrolysis of metal salt complexes of poly(acrylic acid), as demonstrated by the syntheses of lithium cobalt oxide and zinc/magnesium oxide. Bulk polymerization of methyl methacrylate blends, with for example, nanosized zinc oxide, revealed that the mechanisms of tree radical polymerization respond to the presence of these particles. The termination by radical-radical interaction and the gel effect are suppressed in favor of degenerative transfer, resulting in a polymer with enhanced thermal stability. The optical properties of the resulting polymer-particle blends are addressed based on the basic discussion of the miscibility of polymers and nanosized particles.