• Clean Technology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.308-313
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• 2017

In this study, we investigated the electrocatalytic effects of the N and O co-doping of Graphite Felt (GF) electrode for the vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) at the cathode and the anode reaction, respectively. The electrodes were prepared by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) with $NH_3-O_2$ at 773 K, and its effects were compared with an electrode prepared by an O doping treatment. The surface morphology and chemical composition of the electrodes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The electrocatalytic properties of these electrodes were characterized in a VRFB single cell comparing the efficiencies and performance of the electrodes at the cathode, anode, and single cell level. The results exhibited about 2% higher voltage and energy efficiencies on the N-O-GF than the O-GF electrode. It was found that the N and O co-doping was particularly effective in the enhancement of the reduction-oxidation reaction at the anode.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.537-541
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• 2010

Pt-Sn with various ratios was supported on carbon black after pretreatment in an acidic solution by a reduction method. The Pt/Sn ratio was controlled by varying the concentration of each component in the solution, and the influence of the composition on the electrocatalytic activities was investigated. The crystallinity of the synthesized materials was investigated by XRD (X-ray Diffraction), and the oxidation states of both the platinum and tin were determined by XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy). SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy)-EDS (Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy) was utilized to examine the morphology and composition of the synthesized electrode, and the particle size of the Pt-Sn was analyzed by TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy). The electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction was evaluated in a 0.5 M $H_2SO_4$ solution using a rotating disk electrode system. The activity and stability were found to be strongly dependent on the electrode composition (Pt/Sn ratio). The catalytic activity and stability for methanol oxidation were also measured using cyclic voltammetry (CV) in a mixture of 0.5 M $H_2SO_4$ and 0.5 M $CH_3OH$ aqueous solution. The addition of proper amount of Sn was found to significantly improve both catalytic activity and stability for methanol oxidation.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.727-731
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• 2008

Mesoporous Pt-Au alloy films were successfully fabricated on ITO-coated glass by electrodeposition method using tri-blockcopolymer (P123) as a templating agent. The electrolyte consisted of 10 mM hydrogen hexachloroplatinate ($H_2PtCl_6$), 10 mM hydrogen tetrachloroaurate ($HAuCl_4$), and proper amount of P123. For comparison, control samples were electrodeposited without $HAuCl_4$ and P123. Film composition was determined by EDS(Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy), and the mesoporous structure was confirmed by TEM(Transmission Electron Microscopy). SEM(Scanning Electron Microscopy) was utilized to examine surface morphology, and it was observed that the addition of P123 affected the particle growth, resulting in the significant change of surface morphology. Methanol oxidation and CO oxidation were carried out to investigate electrocatalytic activities of synthesized samples. It was observed that the catalytic activity was strongly dependent on the film compositions. Compared with nonporous electrode prepared without P123 templating, mesoporous films prepared with P123 templating showed much higher catalytic activities and stability for both methanol oxidation and CO oxidation. These enhanced electrocatalytic activities were due to the high surface area and facilitated charge transfer of mesoporous films.

• Clean Technology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.432-439
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• 2012

The electrocatalytic oxidation of CO was studied using carbon-supported 20 wt% PtRu (PtRu/C) catalysts, which were prepared with different Pt : Ru atomic ratios from 7 : 3 to 3 : 7 using a colloidal method combined with a freeze-drying procedure. The bimetallic PtRu/C catalysts were characterized by various physicochemical analyses, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). CO stripping voltammetry measurements indicated that the addition of Ru with a Pt catalyst significantly improved the electrocatalytic activity for CO electrooxidation. Among the tested catalysts, the $Pt_5Ru_5/C$ catalyst had the lowest onset potential (vs.Ag/AgCl) and the largest CO EAS. Structural modification via lattice parameter change and electronic modification in the unfilled d band states for Pt atoms may facilitate the electrooxidation of CO.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.1755-1762
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• 2013

A graphene-Zn/Al layered double hydroxide composite film was simultaneously prepared by electrochemical deposition on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode (G-LDH/GCE) from the mixture solution containing GO and nitrate salts of $Zn^{2+}$ and $Al^{3+}$. The modified electrode showed good electrochemical performances toward the simultaneous electrochemical detection of hydroquinone (HQ), catechol (CA) and resorcinol (RE) due to the unique properties of graphene (G) and LDH such as large active surface area, facile electronic transport and high electrocatalytic activity. The redox characteristics of G-LDH/GCE were investigated with cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. The well-separated oxidation peak potentials, corresponding to the oxidation of HQ, CA and RE, were observed at 0.126 V, 0.228 V and 0.620 V respectively. The amperometric response of the modified electrode exhibited that HQ can be detected without interference of CA and RE. Under the optimized conditions, the oxidation peak current of HQ is linear with the concentration of HQ from 6.0 ${\mu}M$ to 325.0 ${\mu}M$ with the detection limit of 0.077 ${\mu}M$ (S/N=3). The modified electrode was successfully applied to the direct determination of HQ in a local tap water, showing reliable recovery data.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.274-281
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• 2017

This paper describes the simple fabrication of an electrode modified with electrochemically reduced graphene oxide (ERGO) for the simultaneous electrocatalytic detection of dopamine (DA), ascorbic acid (AA), and uric acid (UA). ERGO was formed on a glassy carbon (GC) electrode by the reduction of graphene oxide (GO) using linear sweep voltammetry. The ERGO/GC electrode was formed by subjecting a GO solution ($1mg\;mL^{-1}$ in 0.25 M NaCl) to a linear scan from 0 V to -1.4 V at a scan rate of $20mVs^{-1}$. The ERGO/GC electrode was characterized by Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, contact angle measurements, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. The electrochemical performance of the ERGO/GC electrode with respect to the detection of DA, AA, and UA in 0.1 M PBS (pH 7.4) was investigated by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and amperometry. The ERGO/GC electrode exhibited three well-separated voltammetric peaks and increased oxidation currents during the DPV measurements, thus allowing for the simultaneous and individual detection of DA, AA, and UA. The detection limits for DA, AA, and UA were found to be 0.46, 77, and $0.31{\mu}M$ respectively, using the amperometric i-t curve technique, with the S/N ratio being 3.

• Carbon letters
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.121-125
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• 2013

In this study, PtRu nanoparticles deposited on binary carbon supports were developed for use in direct methanol fuel cells using carbon blacks (CBs) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The particle sizes and morphological structures of the catalysts were analyzed using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy, and the PtRu loading content was determined using an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer. The electrocatalytic characteristics for methanol oxidation were evaluated by means of cyclic voltammetry with 1 M $CH_3OH$ in a 0.5 M $H_2SO_4$ solution as the electrolyte. The PtRu particle sizes and the loading level were found to be dependent on the mixing ratio of the two carbon materials. The electroactivity of the catalysts increased with an increasing MWCNT content, reaching a maximum at 30% MWCNTs, and subsequently decreased. This was attributed to the introduction of MWCNTs as a secondary support, which provided a highly accessible surface area and caused morphological changes in the carbon supports. Consequently, the PtRu nanoparticles deposited on the binary support exhibited better performance than those deposited on the single support, and the best performance was obtained when the mass ratio of CBs to MWCNTs was 70:30.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.90-94
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• 2012

We report nanostructure electrodes with $TiO_2$ as a core and carbon as a shell ($TiO_2$@C) for oxygen reduction in alkaline solution. The structure of core-shell electrodes is characterized by transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction method, and X-ray photoelectron microscopy. The electrochemical properties of the $TiO_2$@C electrodes are characterized using a potentiostat and compared with those of carbon supported Pt catalyst. In particular, the core-shell electrode with dominant pyridinic-N component exhibits an imporved electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline solution.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.1341-1345
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• 2011

A novel ruthenium(II) complex, [$RuCl_2(DMSO)_2$(PhenTPy)] has been synthesized by the condensation of $RuCl_2(DMSO)_4$ with (1-(1,10-phenanthrolinyl)-2,5-di(2-thienyl)-1H-pyrrole)[PhenTPy] in $CHCl_3$ solution. The [$RuCl_2(DMSO)_2$(PhenTPy)] complex modified electrode was fabricated through the electropolymerization of the monomer in a 0.1 M tetrabutylammonium perchlorate (TBAP)/$CH_2Cl_2$ solution, to take advantage of the electronic communication between metal ion center by the conjugated backbone. The UV-visible spectroscopy (UV), mass spectrometry (MS), and cyclic voltammetry (CV) were employed to characterize the [$RuCl_2(DMSO)_2$(PhenTPy)] complex and its polymer (poly-Ru(II)Phen complex). The poly-Ru(II)Phen complex modified electrode exhibited an electrocatalytic activity to the oxidation of acetaminophen and the catalytic property was used for the analysis of acetaminophen at the concentration range between 0.09 and 0.01 mM in a phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.0).

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.118.2-118.2
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• 2011

In order to increase the energy conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), we employed a counter electrode that was platinum coated using a doctor blade technique on synthesized ZnO nanostructures on fluorinedoped tin oxide (FTO). The ZnO nanostructures possessing high electrochemical activity and large surface area of the counter electrode were grown by a chemical bath deposition (CBD) method at various times, 2, 4, and 8 h. The efficiency of DSSC with the Pt-ZnO counter electrode was improved 7.01% (grown for 2 h), 7.63% (grown for 4 h), and 6.13% (grown for 8 h), respectively. Compared with a standard DSSC without ZnO nanostructures, whose efficiency was 6.27%, the energy conversion efficiency increased approximately 22% for the DSSC with the Pt-ZnO (grown for 4 h) electrode. It indicates that the Pt coated on the ZnO nanostructure improves the electrocatalytic activity of the counter electrode.