• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.512-518
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• 2019

To develop a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) with lower Pt loading and higher performance in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), it is an important research issue to understand interfacial structure of Pt/C catalyst and ionomer and design the catalyst layer structure. In this study, we prepared short-side-chain Nafion-based ionomer dispersion using propylene glycol (PG) as a solvent instead of water which is commonly used as a solvent for commercially available ionomers. Cathode catalyst layers with different ionomer content from 20 to 35 wt% were prepared using the ionomer dispersion for the fabrication of four different MEAs, and their fuel cell performance was evaluated. As the ionomer content increased to 35 wt%, the performance of the prepared MEAs increased proportionally, unlike the commercially available water-based ionomer, which exhibited an optimum at about 25 wt%. Small size micelles and slow evaporation of PG in the ionomer dispersion were effective in proton transfer by inducing the formation of a uniformly structured catalyst layer, but the low oxygen permeability problem of the PG-based ionomer film should be resolved to improve the MEA performance.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.105-115
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• 2021

The geological CO2 sequestration in underground geological formation such as deep saline aquifers and depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs is one of the most promising options for reducing the atmospheric CO2 emissions. The process in geological CO2 sequestration involves injection of supercritical CO2 (scCO2) into porous media saturated with pore water and initiates CO2 flooding with immiscible displacement. The CO2 migration and distribution, and, consequently, the displacement efficiency is governed by the interaction of fluids. Especially, the viscous force and capillary force are controlled by geological formation conditions and injection conditions. This study aimed to estimate the effects of surfactant on interfacial tension between the immiscible fluids, scCO2 and porewater, under high pressure and high temperature conditions by using a pair of proxy fluids under standard conditions through pendant drop method. It also aimed to observe migration and distribution patterns of the immiscible fluids and estimate the effects of surfactant concentrations on the displacement efficiency of scCO2. Micromodel experiments were conducted by applying n-hexane and deionized water as proxy fluids for scCO2 and porewater. In order to quantitatively analyze the immiscible displacement phenomena by n-hexane injection in pore network, the images of migration and distribution pattern of the two fluids are acquired through a imaging system. The experimental results revealed that the addition of surfactants sharply reduces the interfacial tension between hexane and deionized water at low concentrations and approaches a constant value as the concentration increases. Also it was found that, by directly affecting the flow path of the flooding fluid at the pore scale in the porous medium, the surfactant showed the identical effect on the displacement efficiency of n-hexane at equilibrium state. The experimental observation results could provide important fundamental information on immiscible displacement of fluids in porous media and suggest the potential to improve the displacement efficiency of scCO2 by using surfactants.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.182-186
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• 2015

In this study, the porous CuO/MnO₂ catalyst was prepared through the co-precipitation process from an aqueous solution of potassium permanganate (KMnO₄), manganese(II) acetate (Mn(CH₃COO)₂·4H₂O) and copper(II) acetate (Cu(CH₃COO)₂·H₂O). The phase change in MnO₂ was analyzed according to the reaction molar ratio of KMnO₄ to Mn(CH₃COO)₂. The reaction mole ratio of KMnO₄ to Mn(CH₃COO)₂·4H₂O was varied at 0.3:1, 0.6:1, and 1:1. The aqueous solution of Cu(CH₃COO)₂ was injected into a mixed solution of KMnO₄ and Mn(CH₃COO)₂ to 10~75 wt% relative to MnO₂. The Cu ion co-precipitates as CuO with MnO₂ in a highly dispersed state on MnO₂. The physicochemical property of the prepared CuO/MnO₂ was analyzed by using the TGA, DSC, XRD, SEM, and BET. The different phase types of MnO₂ were prepared according to the reaction mole ratio of KMnO₄ to Mn(CH₃COO)₂·4H₂O. The results confirmed that the porous CuO/MnO₂ catalyst with γ-phase MnO₂ was produced in the reaction mole ratio of KMnO₄ to Mn(CH₃COO)₂ as 0.6:1 at room temperature.

• Composites Research
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.18-31
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• 2001

Interfacial and microfailure properties of the modified steel, carbon and glass fibers/cement composites were investigated using electro-pullout test under tensile and compressive tests with acoustic emission (AE). The hand-sanded steel composite exhibited higher interfacial shear strength (IFSS) than the untreated and even neoalkoxy zirconate (Zr) treated steel fiber composites. This might be due to the enhanced mechanical interlocking, compared to possible hydrogen or covalent bonds. During curing process, the contact resistivity decreased rapidly at the initial stage and then showed a level-off. Comparing to the untreated case, the contact resistivity of either Zr-treated or hand-sanded steel fiber composites increased to the infinity at latter stage. The number of AE signals of hand-sanded steel fiber composite was much more than those of the untreated and Zr-treated cases due to many interlayer failure signals. AE waveforms for pullout and frictional signals of the hand-sanded composite are larger than those of the untreated case. For dual matrix composite (DMC), AE energy and waveform under compressive loading were much higher and larger than those under tensile loading, due to brittle but well-enduring ceramic nature against compressive stress. Vertical multicrack exhibits fur glass fiber composite under tensile test, whereas buckling failure appeared under compressive loading. Electro-micromechanical technique with AE can be used as an efficient nondestructive (NDT) method to evaluate the interfacial and microfailure mechanisms for conductive fibers/brittle and nontransparent cement composites.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.154.2-154.2
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• 2016

In this work, we introduce a solution-processed CdS interlayer for use in inverted bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells, and compare this material to a series of standard organic and inorganic cathode interlayers. Different combinations of solution-processed CdS, ZnO and conjugated polyelectrolyte (CPE) layers were compared as cathode interlayers on ITO substrates to construct inverted solar cells based on $PTB7:PC_{71}BM$ and a $P3HT:PC_{61}BM$ as photoactive layers. Introduction of a CdS interlayer significantly improved the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of inverted $PTB7:PC_{71}BM$ devices from 2.0% to 4.9%, however, this efficiency was still fairly low compared to benchmark ZnO or CPE interlayers due to a low open circuit voltage ($V_{OC}$), stemming from the deep conduction band energy of CdS. The $V_{OC}$ was greatly improved by introducing an interfacial dipole (CPE) layer on top of the CdS layer, yielding outstanding diode characteristics and a PCE of 6.8%. The best performing interlayer, however, was a single CPE layer alone, which yielded a $V_{OC}$ of 0.727 V, a FF of 63.2%, and a PCE of 7.89%. Using $P3HT:PC_{61}BM$ as an active layer, similar trends were observed. Solar cells without the cathode interlayer yielded a PCE of 0.46% with a poor $V_{OC}$ of 0.197 V and FF of 34.3%. In contrast, the use of hybrid ZnO/CPE layer as the cathode interlayer considerably improved the $V_{OC}$ of 0.599 V and FF of 53.3%, resulting the PCE of 2.99%. Our results indicate that the CdS layer yields excellent diode characteristics, however, performs slightly worse than benchmark ZnO and CPE layers in solar cell devices due to parasitic absorption below 550 nm. These results suggest that the hybrid inorganic/organic interlayer materials are promising candidates as cathode interlayers for high efficiency inverted solar cells through the modification of interface contacts.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.11 no.3 s.32
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• pp.23-30
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• 2004

Interfacial reaction of Pb-free $Sn0.7wt{\%}Cu$ and $Sn3.8wt{\%}Ag0.7wt{\%}Cu$ solders and Pt during aging has been investigated. After the $Sn3.8wt{\%}Ag0.7wt{\%}Cu/Pt$ specimens were reflowed at $250^{\circ}C$ for 30s and the $Sn0.7wt{\%}Cu/Pt$ specimens were reflowed at $260^{\circ}C$, the specimens were aged at $125^{\circ}C,\;150^{\circ}C$ and $170^{\circ}C$ for 25-121 hours. The intermetallic thitkness and morphology change during aging were characterized using SEM, EDS and XRD. $PtSn_4$ and $PtSn_2$ were observed in the solder/pt interface and the intermetallic formation was governed by diffusion. The activation energy of intermetallic formation was 145.3 kJ/mol for$Sn3.8wt{\%}Ag0.7wt{\%}Cu/Pt$ specimens for $Sn0.7wt{\%}Cu/Pt$ specimens from the measurement of the intermetallic thickness with aging temperature and time.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.105-111
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• 1999

When the preparation method of iron silicide films possess the annealing process, the interfacial state of the films is not fine. The good quality films were obtained as the plasma was used without annealing processing. Since the injected precursors were various active species in the plasma state, the organic compound was contained in the prepared films. We confirmed the formation of Fe-Si bonds as well as the organic compound by Fe and Si vibration mode in Raman scattering spectrum at $250cm^{-1}$ and Ft-IR. Because of epitaxy growth being progressed by the high energy of plasma at the low temperature of substrate, iron silicide was epitaxially grown to ${\beta}$-phase that had lattice structure such as [220]/[202] and [115]. Band gap of the prepared films had value of 1.182~1.174 eV and optical gap energy was shown value of 3.4~3.7 eV. The Urbach tail and the sub-band-gap absorptions were appeared by organic compound in films. We knew that the prepared films by plasma were obtained a good quality films because of being grown single crystal.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.10 no.12
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• pp.3731-3739
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• 2009

One-chambered sediment cells with a variety of anodic electrodes were tested for generation of electricity. Material used for anodes was iron, brass, zinc/iron, copper and graphite felt which was used for a common cathode. The estuarine sediment served as supplier of oxidants or electron-producing microbial habitat which evoked electrons via fast metal corrosion reactions or a complicated microbial electron transfer mechanism, respectively. Maximum power density and current density were found to be $6.90\;W/m^2$ (iron/zinc) and $7.76\;A/m^2$ (iron), respectively. Interestingly, copper wrapped with carbon cloth produced better electric performance than copper only, by 60%, possibly because the cloth not only prevented rapid corrosion on the copper surface by some degrees, but also helped growing some electron-emitting microbes on its surface. At anodes oxidation reduction potential(ORP) was kept to be stationary over time except at the very initial period. The pH reduction in the copper and copper/carbon electrodes could be a sign of organic acid production due to a chemical change in the sediment. The simple estimation of interfacial, electrical resistances of electrodes and electrolyte in the sediment cell that a key to the electricity generation should be in how to control corrosion rate or microbial electron transfer activity.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.333-339
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to enhance bond performance between recycled PET (polyethylene telephthalat) fiber and cement composites through hydrophilic treatment using maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene(mPP). The mPP with various concentration of 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% to determine effect on bond behavior of recycled PET fiber were applied as experimental variables. Dog bone shaped specimens according to JCI SF-8 was applied to evaluate the bond strength and pullout energy. The results showed increased bond strength and pullout energy as concentration of mPP. Concentration of 15% mPP showed the most effective results while 20% showed reduced performance results. Because 15% mPP ensures perfect coating while 20% makes thick coating area that resulted in crack propagation and consequent separation of PET fiber and coated area during pullout load occurred. Enhancement mechanism of bond performance of recycled PET fiber and cement composites with each concentration of mPP could be conformed through investigation of microstructure of fiber surface.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.12-22
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• 2004

The plasma surface modification of natural rubber vulcanizate was carried out using chlorodifluoromethane in a radio-frequency (13.56 MHz) electrodeless bell type plasma reactor. The modification was qualitatively assessed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The frictional force of the plasma-treated surface was found to decrease with the time of plasma treatment. An increase in the surface polarity, as evidenced by the decrease in contact angle of a sessile drop of water and ethylene glycol on the natural rubber vulcanizate surface, was noted with the plasma modification. In the case of similar plasma treatment of glass surface, only a reduction in the polarity was observed. The use of geometric and harmonic mean methods was found to be useful to evaluate the London dispersive and specific components of surface free energy. Irrespective of the method used for evaluation, an increasing trend in the surface free energy was noted with increasing plasma treatment time. However, the harmonic mean method yielded comparatively higher values of surface free energy than the geometric mean method. The plasma surface modification was found to vary the frictional coefficient by influencing the interfacial, hysteresis and viscous components of friction in opposing dual manners.