• Nano
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.1850113.1-1850113.11
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• 2018

Environmental and energy issues have always been a hot topic of global research. Oil leakage has caused great damage to the environment, affecting a wide area and it is difficult to clean up. In most cases, carbon-based adsorbents are typically utilized to remove oil spills because of their economic benefits and high adsorbent efficiency. At the same time, its excellent material properties can also be used for the preparation of supercapacitors. In this paper, the carbon aerogels were prepared by the one-step method. The prepared materials endowed a 3D network structure with a huge number of micropores and mesoporous, and the material is light-weight, stable, hydrophobic and has affinity for oil (17.02 g/g) to the KGM carbon aerogel. Through the physicchemical characterization, the KGM carbon aerogel shows specific surface area is $689m^2/g$, high water contact angle ($136.64^{\circ}$) and excellent reusability (more than 15 cycle times). In addition, we also discussed the electrochemical properties of the material and obtained the specific electrical capacity of 139 F/g under the condition of 1 A/g.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.115-121
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• 2021

MnO2 can be potentially utilized as an electrode material for redox capacitors. The deposition of MnO2 with poor electrical conductivity onto porous carbons supplies them with additional conductive paths; as a result, the capacitance of the electrical double layer formed on the porous carbon surface can be utilized together with the redox capacitance of MnO2. However, the obtained composites are not generally suitable for industrial production because they require the use of expensive porous carbons and/or inefficient fabrication methods. Thus, to develop an effective preparation procedure of the composite, a suitable structure of porous carbons must be determined. In this study, MnO2/C composites have been prepared from activated carbon gels with various pore sizes, and their electrical properties are investigated via cyclic voltammetry. In particular, mesoporous carbons with a pore size of around 20 nm form a composite with a relatively low capacitance (98 F/g-composite) and poor rate performance despite the moderate redox capacitance obtained for MnO2 (313 F/g-MnO2). On the other hand, using macro-porous carbons with a pore size of around 60 nm increases the MnO2 redox capacitance (399 F/g-MnO2) as well as the capacitance and rate performance of the entire material (203 F/g-composite). The obtained results can be used in the industrial manufacturing of MnO2/C composites for supercapacitor electrodes from the commercially available porous carbons.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.705-711
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• 2012

Adsorption experiment of carbon dioxide was performed on MCM41 silica with a 30 wt.% EDA(ethylenediamine) loading at different $CO_2$ inlet concentration and various adsorption temperature. The surface characteristics of $CO_2$ capturing agent were carried out using BET analysis, X-ray diffraction and FT-IR. The results of BET showed 781 $m^2/g$ for MCM41 and 464 $m^2/g$ for EDA/MCM41. X-ray diffraction results reveled typical hexagonal pore system. The higher sorption capacity of EDA/MCM41 was about 80 $mg_{CO2}/g_{sorbent}$ with 50% $CO_2$ inlet concentration and 303 K adsorption temperature. The isosteric heat of adsorption in 303-353 K ranged from -25.47 to -28.24 KJ/mole for EDA/MCM41, which indicates $CO_2$-EDA/MCM41 interaction with exothermic adsorption process. Finally, the performance of EDA/MCM41 in 10 consecutive sorption-desorption runs was a stable with only a minor drop in its sorption capacity.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.469.2-469.2
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• 2014

All-solid-state solar cell based on Chloride doped organometallic halide perovskite, (CH3NH3)PbIxCl3-x, has achieved a highly power conversion efficiency (PCE) to over 15% [1] and further improvements are expected up to 20% [2]. In this way, solar cells using novel light absorbing perovskite material are actively being studied as a next generation solar cells. However, making solution-process require high temperature up to $500^{\circ}C$ to form compact hole blocking layer and sinter the mesoporous oxide scaffold layer. Because of this high temperature process, fabrication of flexible solar cells on plastic substrate is still troubleshooting. In this study, we fabricated highly efficient flexible perovskite solar cells with PCE in excess of 11%. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is used to deposit dense $TiO_2$ as hole blocking layer on ITO/PEN substrate. The all fabrication process is done at low temperature below $150^{\circ}C$. This work shows that one of the important blueprint for commercial use of perovskite solar cells.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.377-382
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• 2014

Micro-/macroporous carbons (MMCs) were prepared using a hollow mesoporous silica capsule (HMSC) as a sacrificial hard template. The carbonization process after the infiltration of furfuryl alcohol into the template-free HMSC material afforded MMC materials in high yield. The hard template HMSC could be removed by HF etching without deteriorating the structure of MMC. The MMC materials were fully characterized by SEM, TEM, PXRD, XPS, and Raman spectroscopy. The replication processes were so successful that MMCs exhibited a hollow capsular structure with multimodal microporosity. Detailed textural properties of MMC materials were investigated by volumetric $N_2$ adsorption-desorption analysis at 77 K. To explore the gas sorption abilities of MMCs for other gases, $H_2$ and $CO_2$ sorption analyses were also performed at various temperatures. The multimodal MMC materials were found to be good sorbents for both $H_2$ and $CO_2$ at low pressure.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.631-635
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• 2017

We report facile solution processing of mesoporous hematite (${\alpha}-Fe_2O_3$) thin films for high efficiency solar-driven water splitting. $Fe_2O_3$ thin films were prepared on fluorine doped tin oxide(FTO) conducting substrates by spin coating of a precursor solution followed by annealing at $550^{\circ}C$ for 30 min. in air ambient. Specifically, the precursor solution was prepared by dissolving non-toxic $FeCl_3$ as an Fe source in highly versatile dimethyl sulfoxide(DMSO) as a solvent. The as-deposited and annealed thin films were characterized for their morphological, structural and optical properties using field-emission scanning electron microscopy(FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction(XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS) and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. The photoelectrochemical performance of the precursor (${\alpha}-FeOOH$) and annealed (${\alpha}-Fe_2O_3$) films were characterized and it was found that the ${\alpha}-Fe_2O_3$ film exhibited an increased photocurrent density of ${\sim}0.78mA/cm^2$ at 1.23 V vs. RHE, which is about 3.4 times higher than that of the ${\alpha}-FeOOH$ films ($0.23mA/cm^2$ at 1.23 V vs. RHE). The improved performance can be attributed to the improved crystallinity and porosity of ${\alpha}-Fe_2O_3$ thin films after annealing treatment at higher temperatures. Detailed electrical characterization was further carried out to elucidate the enhanced PEC performance of ${\alpha}-Fe_2O_3$ thin films.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.38-44
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• 2015

This review article summarizes the recent progress of quantum dot (QD)-sensitized solar cells based on mesoporous $TiO_2$ thin films. From the intrinsic characteristics of nanoscale inorganic QDs with various compositions, it was possible to construct a variety of 3rd-generation thin film solar cells by solution process. Depending on preparation methods, colloidal QD sensitizers are pre-prepared for later deposition onto the surface of $TiO_2$ or in-situ deposition of QDs from chemical bath is done for direct growth of QD sensitizers over substrates. Recently, colloidal QD sensitizers have shown an overall power conversion efficiency of ~7% by a very precise control of composition while a representative CdS/CdSe from chemical bath deposition have done ~5% with polysulfide electrolytes. In the near future, it is necessary to carry out systematic investigations for developing new hole-conducting materials and controlling interfaces within the cell, thus leading to an enhancement of both open-circuit voltage and fill factor while keeping the current high value of photocurrents from QDs towards more efficient and stable QD-sensitized solar cells.

• Clean Technology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.7-12
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• 2020

Ti-SBA-15 catalysts doped with lanthanide ions (Ln/Ti-SBA-15) were successfully synthesized using conventional hydrothermal method. In addition, they were characterized by XRD, FT-IR, DRS, BET, and PL. The activity of these materials on the photocatalytic decomposition of methylene blue under ultraviolet light irradiation was also examined. Ti-SBA-15 catalysts doped with various lanthanide ions maintained their mesoporous structure. The pore size and pore volume of Ln/Ti-SBA-15 materials decreased but their surface area increased upon the doping of lanthanide ion. Ln/Ti-SBA-15 materials exhibited the type IV nitrogen isotherm with desorption hysteresis loop type H2, which was characteristic of mesoporous materials. The size of hysteresis increased in the doping of lanthanide ions on Ti-SBA-15 material. There was no absorption in the visible region (> 400 nm) regardless of the doping of lanthanide ions to TiO₂ particles, while the broad bands at 220 nm appeared at the Ln/Ti-SBA-15 samples, indicating the framework incorporation of titanium into SBA-15. 1 mol% Pr/ Ti-SBA-15 catalysts showed the highest photocatalytic activity on the decomposition of methylene blue but the Ti-SBA-15 catalysts doped with Eu, Er, and Nd ions showed lower activity compared to pure Ti-SBA-15 catalyst. The PL peaks appeared at about 410 nm at all catalysts while the excitonic PL signal was proportional to the photocatalytic activity for the decomposition of methylene blue.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.323-328
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• 2004

Down-conversion of Eu$^{3+}$ doped LiGdF$_4$ (LGF) for increasing the cell efficiency on dye-sensitized Ti $O_2$ solar cells has been studied. The dye sensitized solar cell (DSC) consisting of mesoporous Ti $O_2$ electrode deposited on transparent substrate, an electrolyte containing I$^{[-10]}$ /I$_3$$^{[-10]}$ redox couple, and Pt counter electrode is a promising alternative to the inorganic solar cell. The structure of DSC is basically a sandwich type, viz., FTO glass/Ru-red dye-absorbed Ti $O_2$/iodine electrolyte/sputtered Pt/FTO glass. The cell without down converter had open circuit potential of approximately 0.66 Volt, the short circuit photocurrent density of 1.632 mA/$\textrm{cm}^2$, and fill factor of about 50 ％ at the excitation wavelength of 550 nm. In addition, 5.6 mW/$\textrm{cm}^2$ incident light intensity beam was used as a light source. From this result, the calculated monochromatic efficiency at the wavelength of 550 nm of this cell was about 9.62 ％. The incident photon to current conversion efficiency (IPCE) of N3 used as a dye in this work is about 80 ％ at around 590 nm and 610 nm, which is the emission spectrum of Eu$^{3+}$ doped LGF, results in efficiency increasing of DSC.C.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.424-424
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• 2008

Dye-sensitized Solar Cell (DSC) is a new type of solar cell by using photocatalytic properties of $TiO_2$. The electric potential distribution in DSCs has played a major role in the operation of such cells. Models based on a built-in electric field which sets the upper limit for the open circuit voltage(Voc) and/or the possibility of a Schottky barrier at the interface between the mesoporous wide band gap semiconductor and the transparent conducting substrate have been presented. $TiO_2$ thin films were deposited on the FTO substrate by Nd:YAG Pulsed Laser Deposition(PLD) at room temperature and post-deposition annealing at $500^{\circ}C$ in flowing $O_2$ atmosphere for 1 hour. The structural properties of $TiO_2$ thin films have investigated by X-ray diffraction(XRD) and atomic force microscope(AFM). Thickness of $TiO_2$ thin films were controlled deference deposition time and measurement by scanning electron microscope(SEM). Then we manufactured a DSC unit cells and I-V and efficiency were tested using solar simulator.