• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.89-94
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• 2013

Layered $Li_{1+x}(Mn_{0.4}Ni_{0.4}Fe_{0.2})_{1-x}O_2$ (0 < x < 0.3) solid solutions were synthesized using solgel method with adipic acid as chelating agent. Structural and electrochemical properties of the prepared powders were examined by means of X-ray diffraction, Scanning electron microscopy and galvanostatic charge/discharge cycling. All powders had a phase-pure layered structure with $R\bar{3}m$ space group. The morphological studies confirmed that the size of the particles increased at higher x content. The charge-discharge profiles of the solid solution against lithium using 1 M $LiPF_6$ in EC/DMC as electrolyte revealed that the discharge capacity increases with increasing lithium content at the 3a sites. Among the cells, $Li_{1.2}(Mn_{0.32}Ni_{0.32}Fe_{0.16})O_2$ (x = 0.2)/$Li^+$ exhibits a good electrochemical property with maximum initial capacity of 160 $mAhg^{-1}$ between 2-4.5 V at 0.1 $mAcm^{-2}$ current density and the capacity retention after 25 cycles was 92%. Whereas, the cell fabricated with x = 0.3 sample showed continuous capacity fading due to the formation of spinel like structure during the subsequent cycling. The preparation of solid solutions based on $LiNiO_2-LiFeO_2-Li_2MnO_3$ has improved the properties of its end members.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.21-25
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• 2004

The electrochemical behaviors of dissolved hydrogen and hydrogen peroxide at a platinum disk electrode were investigated in boric acid solution by potentiostatic polarization method at the temperature of 25 and $200^{\circ}C$. The oxidation of dissolved hydrogen at $25^{\circ}C$ was kinetically controlled reaction, the rate of which depends upon the electron transfer on the electrode surface. As temperature was raised, however, the electrochemical characteristics of dissolved hydrogen were changed from a kinetically controlled reaction to a diffusion controlled one. One notable feature, with dissolved hydrogen at high temperature, is that an abnormal potential range was observed, where the oxidation rate of dissolved hydrogen rapidly decreased just before starting potential of water oxidation. We think it is caused by the deactivation of the electrode that results from the adsorption of hydroxyl ion on the surface of the platinum disk. On the contrary, a definite change with temperature was not identified in the case of the hydrogen peroxide except for the increase in current density that was due to the increasing diffusion coefcient with an increase of temperature.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2007.06a
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• pp.257-257
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• 2007

고밀도 FeRAM (Ferroe!ectric Random Access Memory) 소자를 개발하기 위해서는 강유전체 물질을 이용한 안정적인 스텍형의 커패시터 개발이 필수적이다. 특히 $(Bi,La)_4Ti_3O_{12}$ (BLT) 강유전체 물질을 이용하는 경우에는 낮은 열처리 온도에서도 균질하고 높은 값의 잔류 분극 값을 확보하는 것이 가장 중요한 과제 중의 하나이다. 불행히도, BLT 물질은 a-축으로는 약 $50\;{\mu}C/cm^2$ 정도의 높은 잔류 분극 값을 갖지만, c-축 방향으로는 $4\;{\mu}C/cm^2$ 정도의 낮은 잔류 분극 값을 나타내는 동의 강한 비등방성 특성을 보인다. 따라서 BLT 박막에서 각각 입자들의 크기 및 결정 방향성을 세밀하게 제어하는 것은 무엇보다 중요하다. 본 연구에서는 16 Mb의 1T/1C (1-transistor/1-capacitor) 형의 FeRAM 소자를 BLT 박막을 적용하여 제작하였다. 솔-젤 (sol-gel) 용액을 이용하여 스핀코팅법으로 BLT 박막을 증착하고, 후속 열처리 공정을 RTP (rapid thermal process) 공정을 이용하여 수행하였다. 커패시터의 하부 전극 및 상부 전극은 각각 Pt/IrOx/lr 및 Pt을 적용하였다. 반응성 이온 에칭 (RIE: reactive ion etching) 공정을 이용하여 커패시터를 형성시킨 후, 32k-array (unit capacitor: $0.68\;{\mu}m$) 패턴에서 측정한 스위칭 분극 (dP=P*-P^) 값은 약 $16\;{\mu}C/cm^2$ 정도이고, 웨이퍼 내에서의 균일도도 2.8% 정도로 매우 우수한 특성을 보였다. 그러나 단위 셀들의 특성을 평가하기 위하여 bit-line의 전압을 측정한 결과, 약 10% 정도의 커패시터에서 불량이 발생하였다. 그리고 이러한 불량 젤들은 매우 불규칙적으로 분포함을 확인할 수 있었다. 이러한 불량 원인을 파악하기 위하여 양호한 젤과 불량이 발생한 셀에서의 BLT 박막의 미세구조를 분석하였다. 양호한 셀의 BLT 박막 입자들은 불량한 셀에 비하여 작고 비교적 균일한 크기를 갖고 있었다. 이에 비하여 불량한 셀에서의 BLT 박막에는 과대 성장한 입자들이 존재하고 이에 따라서 입자 크기가 매우 불균질한 것으로 확인되었다. 또 이러한 과대 성장한 입자들은 거의 모두 c-축 배향성을 나타내었다. 이상의 실험 결과들로부터, BLT 박막을 이용하여 제작한 FeRAM 소자에서 발생하는 불규칙한 셀 불량의 주된 원인은 c-축 배향성을 갖는 과대 성장한 입자의 생성임을 알 수 있었다. 즉 BLT 박막을 이용하여 FeRAM 소자를 제작하는 경우, 균일한 크기의 입자 및 c-축 배향성의 입자 억제가 매우 중요한 기술적 요소임을 알 수 있었다.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.3 s.83
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• pp.305-311
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• 2007

Glucocorticoids (GCs) alter metabolism, synaptogenesis, apoptosis, neurogenesis, and dendritic morphology in the hippocampus. To better understand how glucocorticoids regulate these aspects of hippocampal biology, we studied gene expression patterns in the CA3 (Hippocampal pyramidal cell field CA3) and dentate gyrus (DG). Litter-matched Lewis inbred rats treated for 20 days with either 9.5 mg per day sustained-release corticosterone or placebo pellets were compared with high-density oligonucleotide microarray analysis (Rat Neurobiology U34 Arrays, Affymetrix). In placebo-treated rats, 32 genes were expressed at greater levels in CA3 than DG, whereas 3 genes were expressed at great levels in DC than CA3. Regional differences were also apparent in corticosterone-induced changes in the hippocampal transcriptome. Six genes in CA3 and 41 genes in DC were differentially regulated by corticosterone. As per the glucocorticoid effects on gene transcription in the brain, forty three of these genes were upregulated, and 4 genes were downregulated. Genes differentially expressed in hippocampus included those for 13 neurotransmitter proteins, 5 ion channel related proteins, 4 transcription factors, 3 neurotrophic factors, 1 cytokine, 1 apoptosis related protein, and 5 genes involved in synaptogenesis. Interestingly, GCs can have suppressive effects on brain BDNF mRNA transcription, one of the neurotrophic factors. These results indicate the diversity of targets affected by chronic exposure to corticosterone and highlight important regional differences in hippocampal neurobiology.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.696-701
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• 2011

This study was conducted to investigate impacts of soil properties on microbial distribution in Jeonbuk orchard fields. Soil samples were collected from 110 sites cultivated with different fruit plants. The population of aerobic bacteria and fungi and the content of soil microbial biomass carbon (C) were found to increase with increasing silt content in the soils. Different activity of dehydrogenase was not observed among the different textures of soil. Microbial distribution, amount of microbial biomass C, and dehydrogenase activity in the soils were not significantly different among the topographic sites. However, in pear and grape fruit plant fields, coliform group of bacteria was found in relatively higher population, $133.0{\times}10^3\;CFU\;g^{-1}$ and $107.4{\times}10^3\;CFU\;g^{-1}$, respectively. Microbial groups were simplified and their density was reduced with increasing the cultivation periods of fruit plants. The soil microbial distribution was proportionally correlated with some of soil properties such as soil pH, soil organic matter (SOM) content, and exchangeable Mg content; in particular, the population of Bacillus sp. was proportionally correlated with soil pH and exchangeable Mg content. The amounts of microbial biomass C and the dehydrogenase activity in the soils were significantly correlated with the contents of SOM and exchangeable Ca ion (p<0.01).

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.57 no.6
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• pp.861-867
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• 2019

$Li_4Ti_5O_{12}$ is a promising next-generation anode material for lithium-ion batteries due to excellent cycle life, low irreversible capacity, and little volume expansion during charge-discharge process. However, it has poor charge capacity at high current density due to its low electrical conductivity. To improve this weakness, porous $Li_4Ti_5O_{12}$ was synthesized by sol-gel method with P123 as chelating agent. The physical characteristics of as-prepared sample was investigated by XRD, SEM, and BET analysis, and electrochemical properties were characterized by cycle performance test, cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). $Li_4Ti_5O_{12}$ synthesized by 0.01mol ratio of P123/Ti showed most unified particle size, high specific surface area, and relatively high porosity. EIS analysis showed that depressed semicircle size was remarkably reduced, which suggested resistance value in electrode was decreased. Capacity in rate performance showed 178 mAh/g at 0.2C, 170 mAh/g at 0.5C, 110 mA/h at 5C, and 90 mAh/g at 10C. Capacity retention also showed 99% after rate performance.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.173-182
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• 2019

Much research has been made for finding new and eco-friendly alternative sources of energy to solve the problems related with the pollution caused by emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide as the use of fossil fuels increases worldwide. Among them, fuel cells draws particular interests as an eco-friendly energy generator because only water is obtained as a by-product. Anion exchange membrane-based alkaline fuel cell (AEMFC) that uses anion exchange membrane as an electrolyte is of increased interest recently because of its advantages in using low-cost metal catalyst unlike the PEMFC (potton exchange membrane fuel cell) due to the high-catalyst activity in alkaline conditions. The main properties required as an anion exchange membrane are high hydroxide conductivity and chemical stability at high pH. Recently we reported a chemically crosslinked poly(2-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO) by reacting PPO with N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-1,6-hexanediamine as novel anion exchange membranes. In the current work, we further developed the same crosslinked polymer but having enhanced physicochemical properties, including higher conductivity, increased mechanical and dimensional stabilities by using the PPO with a higher molecular weight and also by increasing the crosslinking density. The obtained polymer membrane also showed a good cell performance.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.209-214
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• 2021

High-power continuous-wave operation of a Yb-doped double-clad fiber laser at 1018 nm, pumped by high-power diode lasers at 976 nm, is reported. Based on numerical calculation of the gain and laser signal power along the length of the Yb fiber, it is found that robust operation at 1018 nm can be achieved for a high Yb³⁺-ion excitation density greater than 11.5%, accompanied by high suppression of the feedback from the fiber's end facet. The Yb fiber laser constructed in house yields 626 W of continuous-wave output at 1018 nm for 729 W of incident pump power, corresponding to a slope efficiency of 86.6%. The prospect for power scaling is considered.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.60 no.4
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• pp.574-581
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• 2022

Nanofibers comprising reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and Mo₂C/Mo₂N nanoparticles (Mo₂C/Mo₂N rGO NFs) were prepared for a functional interlayer of Li-S batteries (LSBs). The well-dispersed Mo₂C and Mo₂N nanoparticles in the nanofiber structure served as active polar sites for efficient immobilization of dissolved lithium polysulfide. The rGO nanosheets in the structure also provide conductive channels for fast ion/electron transport during charging-discharging and ensured reuse of lithium polysulfide during redox reactions through a fast charge transfer process. As a result, the cell assembled with Mo₂C/Mo₂N rGO NFs-coated separator and pure sulfur electrode (70 wt% of sulfur content and 2.1 mg cm^-2 of sulfur loading) showed a stable discharge capacity of 476 mA h g^-1 after 400 charge-discharge cycles at 0.1 C. Furthermore, it exhibited a discharge capacity of 574 mA h g^-1 even at a high current density of 1.0 C. Therefore, we believe that the proposed unique nanostructure synthesis strategy could provide new insights into the development of sustainable and highly conductive polar materials as functional interlayers for high performance LSBs.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2022

Lithium metal is the most promising anode for next-generation lithium-ion batteries due to its lowest reduction potential (-3.04 V vs. SHE) and high specific capacity (3860 mAh/g). However, the dendritic formation under high charging current density remains one of main technical barriers to be used for commercial rechargeable batteries. To address these issues, tremendous research to suppress lithium dendrite formation have been conducted through new electrolyte formulation, robust protection layer, shape-controlled lithium metal, separator modification, etc. However, Li/Li symmetric cell test is always a starting or essential step to demonstrate better lithium dendrite formation behavior with lower overpotential and longer cycle life without careful analysis. Thus, this review summarizes overpotential behaviors of Li/Li symmetric cells along with theoretical explanations like initial peaking or later arcing. Also, we categorize various overpotential data depending on research approaches and discuss them based on peaking and arcing behaviors. Thus, this review will be very helpful for researchers in lithium metal to analyze their overpotential behaviors.