• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.62 no.3
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• pp.253-261
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• 2024

The impact of temperature on electrode reactions in 100 cm² molten carbonate cells operating as Fuel Cells (FC) and Electrolysis Cells (EC) was examined using the Reactant Gas Addition (RA) method across a temperature range of 823 to 973 K. The RA findings revealed that introduction of H₂ and CO₂, reduced the overpotential at Hydrogen Electrode (HE) in both the modes. However, no explicit temperature dependencies were observed. Conversely, adding O₂ and CO₂ to the Oxygen Electrode (OE) displayed considerable temperature dependencies in FC mode which can be attributed to increased gas solubility due to the electrolyte melting at higher temperatures. In EC mode, there was no observed temperature dependence for overpotential. Furthermore, the addition of O₂ led to a decrease in overpotential, while CO₂ addition resulted in an increased overpotential, primarily due to changes in the concentration of O₂ species.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.386-401
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• 2011

Mathematical models for various steps in coal gasification reactions were developed and applied to investigate the effects of operation parameters on dynamic behavior of gasification process. Chemical reactions considered in these models were pyrolysis, volatile combustion, water shift reaction, steam-methane reformation, and char gasification. Kinetics of heterogeneous reactions between char and gaseous agents was based on Random pore model. Momentum balance and Stokes' law were used to estimate the residence time of solid particles (char) in an up-flow reactor. The effects of operation parameters on syngas composition, reaction temperature, carbon conversion were verified. Parameters considered here for this purpose were $O_2$-to-coal mass ratio, pressure of reactor, composition of coal, diameter of char particle. On the basis of these parametric studies some quantitative parameter-response relationships were established from both dynamic and steady-state point of view. Without depending on steady state approximation, the present model can describe both transient and long-time limit behavior of the gasification system and accordingly serve as a proto-type dynamic simulator of coal gasification process. Incorporation of heat transfer through heterogenous boundaries, slag formation and steam generation is under progress and additional refinement of mathematical models to reflect the actual design of commercial gasifiers will be made in the near futureK.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.179-179
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• 2016

A radio-frequency (RF) Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) torch system was used for boron-nitride nano-tube (BNNT) synthesis. Because of electrodeless plasma generation, no electrode pollution and effective heating transfer during nano-material synthesis can be realized. For stable plasma generation, argon and nitrogen gases were injected with 60 kW grid power in the difference pressure from 200 Torr to 630 Torr. Varying hydrogen gas flow rate from 0 to 20 slpm, the electrical and optical plasma properties were investigated. Through the spectroscopic analysis of atomic argon line, hydrogen line and nitrogen molecular band, we investigated the plasma electron excitation temperature, gas temperature and electron density. Based on the plasma characterization, we performed the synthesis of BNNT by inserting 0.5~1 um hexagonal-boron nitride (h-BN) powder into the plasma. We analysis the structure characterization of BNNT by SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) and TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy), also grasp the ingredient of BNNT by EELS (Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy) and Raman spectroscopy. We treated bundles of BNNT with the atmospheric pressure plasma, so that we grow the surface morphology in the water attachment of BNNT. We reduce the advancing contact angle to purity bundles of BNNT.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.400-405
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• 2016

Ferric oxide (${\alpha}-Fe_2O_3$, hematite) is an n-type semiconductor; due to its narrow band gap ($E_g=2.1eV$), it is a highly attractive and desirable material for use in solar hydrogenation by water oxidation. However, the actual conversion efficiency achieved with $Fe_2O_3$ is considerably lower than the theoretical values because the considerably short diffusion length (2-4 nm) of holes in $Fe_2O_3$ induces excessive charge recombination and low absorption. This is a significant hurdle that must be overcome in order to obtain high solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency. In consideration of this, it is thought that elemental doping, which may make it possible to enhance the charge transfer at the interface, will have a marked effect in terms of improving the photoactivities of ${\alpha}-Fe_2O_3$ photoanodes. Herein, we report on the synthesis by pulsed electrodeposition of ${\alpha}-Fe_2O_3$-based anodes; we also report on the resulting photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties. We attempted Ti-doping to enhance the PEC properties of ${\alpha}-Fe_2O_3$ anodes. It is revealed that the photocurrent density of a bare ${\alpha}-Fe_2O_3$ anode can be dramatically changed by controlling the condition of the electrodeposition and the concentration of $TiCl_3$. Under optimum conditions, a modified ${\alpha}-Fe_2O_3$ anode exhibits a maximum photocurrent density of $0.4mA/cm^2$ at 1.23 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) under 1.5 G simulated sunlight illumination; this photocurrent density value is about 3 times greater than that of unmodified ${\alpha}-Fe_2O_3$ anodes.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.216-222
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• 2013

Durability characteristics of Gas Diffusion Layer(GDL) is one of the important issues for accomplishing commercialization of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell(PEMFC). It is strongly related to the performances of PEMFC because one of the main functions of GDL is to work as a path of fuel, air and water. When the GDL does not work on their proposed functions due to the degradation of durability, mass transfer in PEMFC is disturbed and it might cause the flooding phenomenon. Thus, investigating the durability of GDL is important and understanding the GDL degradation process is needed. In this study, electrochemical degradation with carbon corrosion is introduced. The carbon corrosion experiment is carried out with GDLs which have different MPL penetration thicknesses. After the experiment, the amount of degradation of GDL is measured with various properties of GDL such as weight, thickness and performance of the PEMFC. The degraded GDL shows loss of their properties.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.63-69
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• 2017

In this work, two different platinum (Pt) counter electrodes have been prepared by spin coating a Pt solution and screen printing a Pt paste on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrate followed by sintering at $380^{\circ}C$ for 30 min. Linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analyses of the Pt electrodes showed that the spin coated electrode was catalytically more active than the screen printed electrode. The above result agrees well with the surface morphology of the electrodes studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and the photovoltaic performance of the dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) fabricated with the Pt electrodes. Moreover, calculation of current density-voltage (j-V) curves according to diode model with the parameters obtained from the experimental j-V curves and the EIS data of the DSSCs provided a quantitative insight about how the catalytic activity of the counter electrodes affected the photovoltaic performance of the cells. Even though the experimental situations involved in this work are trivial, the method of analyses outlined here gives a strong insight about how the catalytic activity of a counter electrode affects the photovoltaic performance of a DSSC. This work, also, demonstrates how the photovoltaic performance of DSSCs can be improved by tuning the performance of counter electrode materials.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.419-425
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• 2017

In this study, an efficient dye-sensitive solar cells (DSSC) was developed after post-treatment of ZnO on $TiO_2$ photoelectrode. The $TiO_2$ electrode with ZnO post treatment was prepared with Titanium isoporopoxide in Zinc Nitrate Hexahydrate aqueous solution by incineration for 30 min at $450^{\circ}C$. The ZnO-post treated $TiO_2$ electrode showed strong dispersion force between particles in relation to the control $TiO_2$, referring high specific surface area and dye-adsorption rate. Proper addition of ZnO enhanced electron mobility and reduced internal resistance and electron recombination. Light conversion efficiency of DSSCs containing the ZnO-posttreated $TiO_2$ electrode increased 35.4% when compared to the DSSCs using $TiO_2$ electrode. It is similar to the DSSCs with $TiCl_4$ post treatment $TiO_2$ electrode. Increasing of light conversion efficiency was due to high specific surface area and dispersion force, and low dye-adsorption rate and electron recombination. Taken together, ZnO may be used as posttreatment of photoelectrode and replaced $TiCl_4$ that has high toxicity and causticity.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.270-274
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• 2005

A reactor-scale hydrogen (H2) production via the water-gas shift reaction of carbon monoxide (CO) and water was studied using the purple nonsulfur bacterium, Rhodopseudomonas palustris P4. The experiment was conducted in a two-step process: an aerobic/chemoheterotrophic cell growth step and a subsequent anaerobic $H_2$ production step. Important parameters investigated included the agitation speed. inlet CO concentration and gas retention time. P4 showed a stable $H_2$ production capability with a maximum activity of 41 mmol $H_2$ g $cell^{-1}h^{-1}$ during the continuous reactor operation of 400 h. The maximal volumetric H2 production rate was estimated to be 41 mmol $H_2 L^{-1}h^{-1}$, which was about nine-fold and fifteen-fold higher than the rates reported for the photosynthetic bacteria Rhodospirillum rubrum and Rubrivivax gelatinosus, respectively. This is mainly attributed to the ability of P4 to grow to a high cell density with a high specific $H_2$ production activity. This study indicates that P4 has an outstanding potential for a continuous H2 production via the water-gas shift reaction once a proper bioreactor system that provides a high rate of gas-liquid mass transfer is developed.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.297-303
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• 2010

The effect of solution acidity and organic additives, polyethylene glycol (PEG), on the trivalent chromium electroplating was systematically investigated in the view point of electroreduction of trivalent chromium ions and solution stability. It was found that solution acidity controlled at pH 2.5 showed the widest current range for bright electrodeposits in the presence of PEG additives, which reduced the local current intensification at high current densities. Through complex interaction between PEG additives and hydrogen ion, that is, solution acidity, electrode potential was moved in the negative direction in the bulk solution, while it shifted in the positive when electric potential was scanned. In conjunction with electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM), it was found that PEG additives had a role in promoting the electron transfer to trivalent chromium ion complexes in bulk solution and their adsorption at the electrode surface as well as interfering with hydrogen ion reduction process below pH 2.5. The PEG additives developed the nodular morphology during electroreduction of trivalent chromium ions with the increase of solution acidity and enhanced its current efficiency by maintaining the consumption of complexant, formic acid, at low speed.

• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.797-806
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• 2017

In this study, the reflection coefficient (RC) and the flame transfer function (FTF) were measured by applying acoustic excitation to a duct-type model combustor and were used to predict the frequency of the combustion instability (CI). The RC is a value that varies with the excitation frequency and the geometry of the combustor as well as other factors. Therefore, in this study, an experimentally measured RC was used to improve the accuracy of prediction in the cases of 25% and 75% hydrogen in a mixture of hydrogen and methane as a fuel. When the measured RCs were used, an unstable condition was correctly predicted, which had not been predicted when the RCs had been assumed to be a certain value. The reason why the CI occurred at a specific frequency was also examined by comparing the peak of the FTF with the resonance frequency, which was calculated using Helmholtz's resonator analysis and a resonance frequency equation. As the CI occurred owing to the interaction between the perturbation in the rate of heat release and that in the pressure, the CI was frequent when the peak of the FTF was close to the resonance frequency such that constructive interference could occur.