• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.188-192
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• 2013

Many studies have been conducted for preventing from diffusion between silicon wafer and metallic thin film due to a decrease of line-width and multi-layer thin film for miniaturization and high integration of semiconductor. This paper has focused on the nano-mechanical property of diffusion barrier which sample is prepared for various gas flow rate of nitrogen with tungsten (W) base from 2.5 to 10 sccm. The deposition rate, resistivity and crystallographic properties were measured by a ${\beta}$-ray back-scattering spectroscopy, 4-point probe and x-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. We also has investigated the nano-mechanical property using the nano-indenter. As a result, the surface hardness of W-N thin film was increased rapidly from 10.07 to 15.55 GPa when the nitrogen gas flow was increased from 2.5 to 5 sccm. And the surface hardness of W-N thin film had 12.65 and 12.77 GPa at the nitrogen gas flow of 7.5 and 10 sccm respectively. These results were decreased by the comparison with the W-N thin film at nitrogen gas flow of 5 sccm. It was inferred that these severe changes were caused by the stoichiometric difference between the crystalline and amorphous state in W-N thin film. In addition, these results were caused by increased compressive stress.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2003.03a
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• pp.141-141
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• 2003

전기-광 효과를 이용한 광변조기, 스위치 등의 소자 구현을 위해 고품질의 Ti:LiNbO$_3$ 광도파로 제작은 필수적이다. LiNbO$_3$ 광도파로는 양자교환(APE) 및 Ti 확산 법으로 제조할 수 있으며 전자의 경우 ne 는 증가, no는 감소되는 경향이 있어 편광도 파로의 제작에 용의하며 후자의 경우 ne 와 no 모두 증가하는 도파로 특성을 갖는다. 이러한, 도파로 소자의 특성 향상을 위해서는 Li out-diffusion 이 억제된 손실이 적은 도파로 제작이 필수적이다. 본 연구에서는 Ti 내부 확산법을 이용한 LiNbO$_3$ 광도파로를 확산분위기를 조건으로 하여 제작하였으며, 온도에 따른 각 이온의 반응 메커니즘에 관하여 관찰하였다.

• Clean Technology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.293-299
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• 2007

Direct coating of catalyst layer on the $Nafion^{(R)}$ membrane has been optimized in the process of fabrication of membrane electrode assembly (MEA) to enhance the performance of direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). In this method, the contact resistance at the interface of the catalyst layer and the membrane was found to be low. The effect of catalyst loading, thickness of membrane and the gas diffusion layer (GDL) with or without the presence of micro-porous layer (MPL) on the performance of the MEA was also investigated. The MEA fabricated by the above-mentioned method exhibited a performance of $147\;mW/cm^2$ and $100\;mW/cm^2$ at $80^{\circ}C$ and $60^{\circ}C$, respectively, with the catalysts loading of $4\;mg/cm^2$.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.32-39
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• 2024

The key components of a Phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC) are an electrode catalyst, an electrolyte matrix and a gas diffusion layer (GDL). In this study, we introduced a microporous layer on the GDL of PAFC to enhance liquid electrolyte management and overall electrochemical performance of PAFC. MPL is primarily used in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells to serve as an intermediate buffer layer, effectively managing water within the electrode and reducing contact resistance. In this study, electrodes were fabricated using GDLs with and without MPL to examine the influence of MPL on the performance of PAFC. Internal resistance and polarization curves of the unit cell were measured and compared to each other to assess the impact of MPL on PAFC electrode performance. As the results, the application of MPL improved power density from 170.2 to 192.1 mW/cm². MPL effectively managed electrolyte and water within the matrix and electrode, enhancing stability. Furthermore, the application of MPL reduced internal resistance in the electrode, resulting in sustained and stable performance even during long-term operation.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.77.1-77.1
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• 2010

Durability problems of gas diffusion layer(GDL) is one of the important issues for accomplishing commercialization of proton exchange membrane fuel cell(PEMFC). GDL is strongly related to the performance of PEMFC because one of the main function of GDL is to work as a path of fuel, air and water. When the GDL is degraded, it causes water balance problems such as the flooding phenomenon. Thus, investigating the durability characteristics of the GDL is important and understanding the GDL degradation process is needed. In this study, the GDLs are degraded by carbon corrosion stress method which is the electrochemical degradation mode. To determine the effects of carbon corrosion of the GDL, 1.45 V of potential is imposed for 96 hours. In this manner, in the previous research, the structure between the substrate and the MPL is weaken. Further investigations are needed to clarify this phenomenon. Therefore, in this study, the carbon corrosion stress method is carried out with GDLs which have various MPL penetration levels and the effects of the MPL penetration level on the characteristics change of the GDL are analyzed. The changes in characteristics are measured with various properties of GDL such as weight, thickness and static contact angle. The degraded GDL shows loss of their properties.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.347-352
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• 2006

분자전해질연료전지 내의 다공성 기체확산층은 반응가스의 확산과 전자이동통로의 역할을 수행할 뿐만 아니라 전기화학반응에 의해 공기극에서 생성된 수분(기상 혹은 액상)을 반응면으로부터 분리판 채널 방향으로 이동시켜 배출시키는 중요한 역할을 한다. 따라서 물관리를 통한 성능향상을 위해서는 기체 확산층의 구조 및 재료특성에 대한 심도 릴은 연구가 필요하다. 실제 단위전지 체결시 기체확산층은 분리판의 리브(rib)에 의해 눌리게 되며, 그 부분의 기공 크기 분포의 변화를 야기한다. 또한 리브 전단부분에서 탄소 섬유가 손상을 입으며, 탄소 섬유를 감싸고 있는 PTFE coating이 벗겨지게 되어 표면화학적 특성이 달라진다. 본 연구에서는 단위전지 체결 시 분리판에 의해 눌리는 기체확산층의 기공 크기 분포 변화를 측정하였으며, 기공의 소수성에서 친수성으로의 변화를 알아보았다. Mercury 기공 측정기와 PMI 기공 측정기는 큰 기공 분포의 변화에, 질소의 흡/탈착을 이용한 BET 방식은 작은 크기의 기공 분포 변화 관찰에 사용되었다. 체결압에 의한 탄소섬유의 구조적 변화와 아울러 표면의 습윤 정도의 변화를 XPS와 물/알콜 Uptake를 이용해 알아보았다. 이 연구를 바탕으로 물관리를 통한 연료전지 성능 향상을 위한 최적 GDL 선정에 기반이 되는 자료를 도출하였다.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.228-235
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• 2021

Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) are currently being used in various transport applications such as drones, unmanned aerial vehicles, and automobiles. The power required is different according to the type of use, purpose, and the conditions adjusted using a cell stack. The fuel cell stack is compressed to reduce the size and prevent fuel leakage. The unit cells that make up the cell stack are subjected to compression by clamping force, which makes geometrical changes in the porous media and it impacts on cell performance. In this study, finite elements method (FEM) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis for the deformed unit cell considering the effects of clamping force is performed. First, structural analysis using the FEM technique over the deformed gas diffusion layer (GDL) considering compression is carried out, and the resulting porosity changed in the GDL is calculated. The PEMFC model is then verified by a three-dimensional, two-phase fuel cell simulation applying the physical properties and geometry obtained before and after compression. The detailed simulation results showed different concentration distributions of fuel between the original and deformed geometry, resulting in the difference in the distribution of current density is represented at compressed GDL region with low oxygen concentration.

• Composites Research
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.406-411
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• 2021

PEM (proton exchange membrane) fuel cells generate only water as a by-product, and thus are in the spotlight as an eco-friendly energy source. Among the various components composing the stack of the fuel cell, research on the bipolar plate that determines the efficiency of the fuel cell is being actively conducted. The composite bipolar plate has high strength, rigidity and corrosion resistance, but has the disadvantage of having a relatively low electrical conductivity. In this study, to overcome these shortcomings, a gas diffusion layer (GDL)-composite bipolar plate assembly was developed and its performance was experimentally verified. The graphite foil coating method developed in the previous study was applied to reduce the contact resistance between the bipolar plate and the GDL. In addition, in order to improve electron path in the stack and minimize the contact resistance between the GDL and the bipolar plate, a GDL-bipolar plate assembly was fabricated using a thin metal foil. As a result of the experiment, it was confirmed that the developed GDL-bipolar plate assembly had 98% lower electrical resistance compared to the conventional composite bipolar plate.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.443-448
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• 1996

In order to plasma-sulfnitride by combining ion-nitriding of a steel and sputtering of MoS$_2$, chromium-molybdenum steel was plasma-sulfritrided using hollow cathode discharge with parallel electrodes which are a main of the steel and a subsidiary cathode of $MoS_2$. The treatment was carried out at 823K for 10.8ks under 665Pa in a 30% $N_2$-70% $H_2$ gas atmosphere. Plasma-sulfnitriding layers formed of the steel were characterized with EDX, XRD, micrographic structure observation and hardness measurement. A compound layer of 8-15$\mu\textrm{m}$ and nitrogen diffusion layer of about 400$\mu\textrm{m}$ were formed on the surface of plasma-sulfnitrided steel. The compound layer consisted of FeS containing Mo and iron nitrides. The nitrides of $\varepsilon$-$Fe_2_3N$ and $\gamma$'-$Fe_4N$ formed under the FeS. The thickness of compound layer and surface hardness were different with the gaps between main and subsidiary cathodes even in the same sulfnitriding temperature. The surface hardnesses after plasma-sulfnitriding were distributed from 640 to 830Hv. The surface hardness was higher in the plasma-sulfnitriding than the usual sulfnitriding in molten salt. This may be due to Mo in sulfnitriding layer.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.451-456
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• 2010

A promising candidate material for a $H_2$ permeable membrane is SiC due to its many unique properties. A hydrogen-selective SiC membrane was successfully fabricated on the outer surface of an intermediate multilayer $\gamma-Al_2O_3$ with a graded structure. The $\gamma-Al_2O_3$ multilayer was formed on top of a macroporous $\alpha-Al_2O_3$ support by consecutively dipping into a set of successive solutions containing boehmite sols of different particle sizes and then calcining. The boehmite sols were prepared from an aluminum isopropoxide precursor and heated to $80^{\circ}C$ with high speed stirring for 24 hrs to hydrolyze the precursor. Then the solutions were refluxed at $92^{\circ}C$ for 20 hrs to form a boehmite precipitate. The particle size of the boehmite sols was controlled according to various experimental parameters, such as acid types and acid concentrations. The topmost SiC layer was formed on top of the intermediate $\gamma-Al_2O_3$ by pyrolysis of a SiC precursor, polycarbosilane, in an Ar atmosphere. The resulting amorphous SiC-on-$Al_2O_3$ composite membrane pyrolyzed at $900^{\circ}C$ possessed a high $H_2$ permeability of $3.61\times10^{-7}$ $mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}{\cdot}Pa^{-1}$ and the $H_2/CO_2$ selectivity was much higher than the theoretical value of 4.69 in all permeation temperature ranges. Gas permeabilities through a SiC membrane are affected by Knudsen diffusion and a surface diffusion mechanism, which are based on the molecular weight of gas species and movement of adsorbed gas molecules on the surface of the pores.