• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.522-526
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• 2007

Structural features and electrochemical performances of cokes pyrolized from oxidized cokes were examined, and compared with KOH-activated coke. Needle cokes ($d_{002}=3.5{\AA} $), having a graphene layer structure, were changed to a single phase of graphite oxide after oxidation treatment with an acidic solution having an $NaCLO_3$/needle coke composition ratio of above 7.5, and the inter-layer distance of the oxidized coke was expanded to $6.9{\AA} $ with increasing oxygen content. After heating at $200^{\circ}C$, the oxidized coke was pyrolized to the graphene layer structure with inter-layer distance of $3.6{\AA} $. However, the change of the inter-layer distance of the needle coke was not observed in the KOH activation process. On the other hand, an intercalation of electrolyte ions into the pyrolized coke, observed at first charge, occurred at 1.0 V, in which the value was lower than that of KOH-activation coke. The cell capacitor using pyrolized coke exhibited a lower internal resistance of $0.57{\Omega}$ in 1 kHz, and a larger capacitance per weight and volume of 30.3 F/g and 26.9 F/ml at the two-electrode system in the potential range 0~2.5 V than those of the cell capacitor using KOH-activation of coke. This better electrochemical performance may be associated with structure defects in the graphene layer derived from the process of the inter-layer expansion and shrinkage.

• Carbon letters
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• v.22
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• pp.70-80
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• 2017

Activated carbons (ACs) have been used as electrode materials of electric double-layer capacitors (EDLC) due to their high specific surface areas (SSA), stability, and ecological advantages. In order to make high-energy-density ACs for EDLC, petroleum pitch (PP) pre-carbonized at $500-1000^{\circ}C$ in $N_2$ gas for 1 h was used as the electrode material of the EDLC after KOH activation. As the pre-carbonization temperature increased, the SSA, pore volume and gravimetric capacitance tended to decrease, but the crystallinity and electrode density tended to increase, showing a maximum volumetric capacitance at a medium carbonization temperature. Therefore, it was possible to control the crystalline structure, SSA, and pore structure of AC by changing the pre-carbonization temperature. Because the electrode density increased with increasing of the pre-carbonization temperature, the highest volumetric capacitance of 28.4 F/cc was obtained from the PP pre-carbonized at $700^{\circ}C$, exhibiting a value over 150% of that of a commercial AC (MSP-20) for EDLC. Electrochemical activation was observed from the electrodes of PP as they were pre-carbonized at high temperatures above $700^{\circ}C$ and then activated by KOH. This process was found to have a significant effect on the specific capacitance and it was demonstrated that the higher charging voltage of EDLC was, the greater the electrochemical activation effect was.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.627-627
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• 2009

In this work, the activated carbons (ACs) with high porosity were synthesized from pitch by KOH chemical activation. The structure and surface properties of ACs were characterized by means of elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS). And, the influence of the KOH-to-pitch ratio on the porosity of the ACs was investigated using the nitrogen adsorption isotherms at 77 K and a scanning electron microscopy (SEM). As a result, pitch could be successfully converted into ACs with well-developed micro and mesopores. The specific surface areas and pore volumes were increased with an increase of the KOH-to-pitch ratio. Furthermore, it was found that the addition of KOH led to the transformation of the micropores to the meso- and macropores. In the application to electric double layer capacitors (EDLC), the pitch-based ACs showed a higher capacitance per weight and per volume, and an excellent electrochemical stability in the high voltage region.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.477-482
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• 2002

In order to control the micro-pore structure of glassy carbon (GC), an activation agent of KOH was introduced as the glassy carbon was prepared from phenolic resin with a curing agent of phosphoric acid. The yield and properties of GC were investigated as a function of KOH content. Although the GC produced without KOH had nonporous structure except the trace of bubble formation, the GC with KOH had very porous structure. The surface area of GC with KOH increased continuously up to 870 $m^2$/g with the increase of KOH content. The carbonization yield and apparent density measured in water reduced from 40 to 15% and iron 1.5 to 0.9 g/$cm^3$, respectively, and the electrical resistivity increased from $50{\times}10^{-4}$ to $60{\times}10^{-4}$$\Omega$.cm with the increase of KOH content.

• Carbon letters
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• v.28
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• pp.116-120
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• 2018

Nitrogen-doped carbons have attracted much attention due to their novel application in relation to gas storage. In this study, nitrogen-doped porous carbons were synthesized using SBA-15 as a template, polypyrrole as the carbon and nitrogen precursor, and KOH as an activating agent. The effect of the activation temperature ($600-850^{\circ}C$) on the $CO_2$ adsorption capacity of the obtained porous carbons was studied. Characterization of the resulting carbons showed that they were micro-/meso-porous carbon materials with a well-developed pore structure that varied with the activation temperature. The highest surface area of $1488m^2g^{-1}$ was achieved at an activation temperature of $800^{\circ}C$ (AC-800). The nitrogen content of the activated carbon decreased from 4.74 to 1.39 wt% with an increase in the activation temperature from 600 to $850^{\circ}C$. This shows that nitrogen is oxidized and more easily removed than carbon during the activation process, which indicates that C-N bonds are more easily ruptured at higher temperatures. Furthermore, $CO_2$ adsorption isotherms showed that AC-800 exhibited the best $CO_2$ adsorption capacity of $110mg\;g^{-1}$ at 298 K and 1 bar.

• Carbon letters
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.78-85
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• 2015

Activated carbons (ACs) were prepared by activation of coal tar pitch (CTP) in the range of $700^{\circ}C-1000^{\circ}C$ for 1-4 h using potassium hydroxide (KOH) powder as the activation agent. The optimal activation conditions were determined to be a CTP/KOH ratio of 1:4, activation temperature of $900^{\circ}C$, and activation time of 3 h. The obtained ACs showed increased pore size distribution in the range of 1 to 2 nm and the highest specific capacitance of 122 F/g in a two-electrode system with an organic electrolyte, as measured by a charge-discharge method in the voltage range of 0-2.7 V. In order to improve the performance of the electric double-layer capacitor electrode, various mixtures of CTP and petroleum pitch (PP) were activated at the optimal activation conditions previously determined for CTP. Although the specific capacitance of AC electrodes prepared from CTP only and the mixtures of CTP and PP was not significantly different at a current density of 1 A/g, the AC electrodes from CTP and PP mixtures showed outstanding specific capacitance at higher current rates. In particular, CTP-PP61 (6:1 mixture) had the highest specific capacitance of 132 F/g, and the specific capacitance remained above 90% at a high current density of 3 A/g. It was found that the high specific capacitance could be attributed to the increased micro-pore volume of ACs with pore sizes from 1 to 2 nm, and the high power density could be attributed to the increased meso-pore volume.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.416-420
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• 2018

A comprehensive kinetic study has been conducted on dimethyl carbonate synthesis by transesterification reaction of ethylene carbonate with methanol. An alkali base metal (KOH) was used as catalyst in the synthesis of DMC, and its catalytic ability was investigated in terms of kinetics. The experiment was performed in a batch reactor at atmospheric pressure. The reaction orders, the activation energy and the rate constants were determined for both forward and backward reactions. The reaction order for forward and backward reactions was 0.87 and 2.15, and the activation energy was 12.73 and 29.28 kJ/mol, respectively. Using the general factor analysis in the design of experiments, we analyzed the main effects and interactions according to the MeOH/EC, reaction temperature and KOH concentration. DMC yield with various reaction conditions was presented for all ranges using surface and contour plot. Furthermore, the optimal conditions for DMC yield were determined using response surface method.

• Carbon letters
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.30-36
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• 2007

Oxidized PAN (OXI-PAN) fibers were used for the precursors of activated carbon fiber in study. How drying temperature affected the properties of carbon fibers on activating process of carbon fibers was investigated. The specific surface areas of activated carbon fibers have been determined on a series of chemically activated carbons with KOH and NaOH. The experimental data showed variations in specific surface area, iodine and silver adsorptions by the activated carbon fibers. The amount of iodine adsorption increases with increasing specific surface areas in both activation methods. This was because the ionic radius of iodine was smaller than the interior micropore size of activated carbon fibers. Silver adsorbed well in NaOH activated carbon fibers rather than KOH activated carbon fibers in this study.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.426-433
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• 2023

Capacitor performance was considered using coffee grounds-based activated carbon produced through oil extraction and KOH activation to increase the utilization of boiwaste. Oil extraction from coffee grounds was performed by solvent extraction using n-Hexane and isopropyl alcohol solvents. The AC_CG-Hexane/IPA produced by KOH activation after oil extraction increased the specific surface area by up to 16% and the average pore size by up to 2.54 nm compared to AC_CG produced only by KOH activation without oil extraction. In addition, the pyrrolic/pyridinic N functional group of the prepared activated carbon increased with the extraction of oil from coffee grounds. In the cyclic voltage-current method measurement experiment, the specific capacitance of AC_CG-Hexane/IPA at a voltage scanning speed of 10 mV/s is 133 F/g, which is 33% improved compared to the amorphous capacity of AC_CG (100 F/g). The results show improved electrochemical properties by improving the size and specific surface area of the mesopores of activated carbon by removing components from coffee grounds oil and synergistic effects by increasing electrical conductivity with pyrrolic/pyridinic N functional groups. In this study, the recycling method and application of coffee grounds, a bio-waste, is presented, and it is considered to be one of the efficient methods that can be utilized as an electrode material for high-performance supercapacitors.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.592-599
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• 2013

In this study, polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based porous carbon nanofibers were prepared from PAN polymer solution by electrospinning and KOH activation with various concentrations, and the characterization of pore structures and carbon dioxide adsorption was investigated. Manufactured PAN-based activated carbon nanofibers tend to decrease diameter and increase surface oxygen functional groups depending on the increasing concentration of KOH solution. In addition, according to the results of nitrogen adsorption for pore properties analysis, it indicated increase of the specific surface area in conformity with increasing concentration of KOH solution. Micropore volume of treated activated carbon nanofibers (ANCF) by 4 M KOH was the largest compared with other samples and mesopore volume of treated ANCF by 8 M KOH was the largest volume, respectively. The concentration of KOH effects textural and surface properties, as represented by BET and XPS, which enhance carbon dioxide adsorption capacity at 0 and $25^{\circ}C$.