• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.362-367
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• 2009

Recently, the use of formic acid as a fuel for direct liquid fuel cells has emerged as a promising alternative to methanol. In the work presented herein, we evaluated direct formic acid fuel cells(DFAFCs) with various components under operating conditions, for example, the thickness of the proton exchange membrane, concentration of formic acid, gas diffusion layer, and commercial catalyst. The thickness of the proton exchange membrane influenced performance related to the fuel cross-over. To optimize the cell performance, we investigated on the proper concentration of formic acid and catalyst for the formic acid oxidation. Consequently, membrance-electrode assembly(MEA) consisted of $Nafion^{(R)}$-115 and the Pt-Ru black as a anode catalyst showed the maximum performance. This performance was superior to the DMFCs' one.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.245-251
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• 2007

The performance of fuel cell is enhanced with increasing reaction surface. Narrow flow channels in flow plate cause increased pumping power. Therefore it is very important to consider the pressure drops in the flow channel of fuel cell. Previous research for pressure drop for micro channel of fuel cell was focused on effects of various configuration of flow channel without electrochemical reaction. It is very important to know pressure loss of micro flow channel with electrochemical reaction because fluid density in micro channel is changed due to chemical reaction. In this paper, it is investigated that the pressure drops in micro channel of various geometries at anode and cathode with electrochemical reaction and compared them to friction coefficient (fRe), velocity, pressure losses for corresponding non reacting flow channel. The results show that friction factors for cold flow channel could be used for parallel and bended flow channel for flow channel design of fuel cell. In the other hand, pressure drop for serpentine flow channel is the lowest among flow channels due to bypass flow across gas diffusion layer under reacting flow condition although its pressure drop is highest for cold flow condition.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2018

In this work, we study the ion conductivity by analyzing the impedance to the high current density range that the PEMFC (Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell) is actually operated. The effect of GDL (Gas Diffusion Layer)presence on impedance was investigated indirectly by measuring hydrogen permeability. When the RH (Relative Humidity)was higher than 60% in the low current range (< $80mA/cm^2$), the moisture content of the polymer membrane was sufficient and the ion conductivity of the membrane was not influenced by the current change. However, when RH was low, ion conductivity increased due to water production as current density increased. The ion conductivity of the membrane obtained by HFR (High Frequency Resistance) in the high current region ($100{\sim}800mA/cm^2$)was compared with the measured value and simulated value. At RH 100%, both experimental and simulated values showed constant ion conductivity without being influenced by current change. At 30~70% of RH, the ionic conductivity increased with increasing current density and tended to be constant.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.16-19
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• 2019

A thinner film has superior electrical properties and a better amorphous structure. Amorphous structures can be effective in improving conductivity through a depletion effect. Research is needed on the Schottky contact, where potential barriers are formed, as a way to identify these characteristics. $SiO_2/SnO_2$ thin films were prepared to examine the amorphous structure and Schottky contact, $SiO_2$ thin films were prepared using Ar = 20 sccm. $SnO_2$ thin films were deposited using mixed gas with a flow rate of argon and oxygen at 20 sccm, and $SnO_2$ thin films were added by magnetron sputtering and treated at $100^{\circ}C$ and $150^{\circ}C$. To identify the conditions under which the amorphous structure was constructed, the XRD patterns were investigated and C-V and I-V measurements were taken to make Al electrodes and perform electrical analysis. The depletion layer was formed by the recombination of electrons and holes through the heat treatment process. $SiO_2/SnO_2$ thin films confirmed that the pores were well formed when heat treated at $100^{\circ}C$ and an electric current was applied over the micro area. An amorphous $SiO_2/SnO_2$ thin film with heat treatment at $100^{\circ}C$ showed no reflection at $33^{\circ}\;2{\theta}$ in the XRD pattern, and a reflection at $44^{\circ}2\;{\theta}$. The macroscopic view (-30 V