• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.9-18
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• 2013

Components of zinc-air battery and their problems are explained. Energy density of zinc air battery is superior to other commercial ones including Li-ion batteries. Cycle life of the zinc air batteries is poor because of irreversible redox reactions on both electrodes. In order to improve the performance of the zinc air battery, catalysts, passivation, and the new structure of electrodes should be developed to optimize several reactions in an electrode. Multidisciplinary efforts, such as mechanics, corrosion science, composite materials are necessary from the beginning of the research to obtain a meaningful product.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.68 no.2
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• pp.87-92
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• 2024

The commercialization of rechargeable metal-air batteries is extremely desirable but designing stable oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts with non-noble metal still has faced challenges to replace platinum-based catalysts. The nonnoble metal catalysts for ORR were prepared to improve the catalytic performance and stability by the thermal decomposition of ZIF-8 with optimum cobalt loading. The porous carbon was obtained by the calcination of ZIF-8 and different loading amounts of Co nanoparticles were anchored onto porous carbon forming a Co/PC catalyst. Co/PC composite shows a significant increase in the ORR value of current and stability (500 h) due to the good electronic conductive PCN support and optimum cobalt metal loading. The significantly improved catalytic performance is ascribed to the chemical structure, synergistic effects, porous carbon networks, and rich active sites. This method develops a new pathway for a highly active and advantageous catalyst for electrochemical devices.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.37-44
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• 2014

The $Li-O_2$ battery has been attracting much attention recently, due to its very high theoretical capacity compared with Li-ion chemistries. Nevertheless, several studies within the last few years revealed that Li-ion derived electrolytes based on alkyl carbonate solvents, which have been commonly used in the last 27 years, are irreversibly consumed at the $O_2$ electrode. Accordingly, more stable electrolytes are required capable to operate with both the Li metal anode and the $O_2$ cathode. Thus, due to their favorable properties such as non volatility, chemical inertia, and favorable behavior toward the Li metal electrode, ionic liquid-based electrolytes have gathered increasing attention from the scientific community for its application in $Li-O_2$ batteries. However, the scale-up of Li-$O_2$ technology to real application requires solving the mass transport limitation, especially for supplying oxygen to the cathode. Hence, the 'LABOHR' project proposes the introduction of a flooded cathode configuration and the circulation of the electrolyte, which is then used as an oxygen carrier from an external $O_2$ harvesting device to the cathode for freeing the system from diffusion limitation.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.49 no.11
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• pp.839-844
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• 2011

We examined the effects of alloying elements such as Fe, Ga, In, Sn, Mg, and Mn on the electrochemical characteristics of Al-based alloys for Al-air batteries by potentiodynamic polarization tests and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The corrosion potential of an Al anode was lowered by the addition of Ga and Sn, resulting in an increase in the cell voltage compared with a pure Al electrode. Fe was not beneficial to improve the electrochemical properties of the Al anode in that it caused a decrease in the cell voltage and reduced corrosion rate slightly. In, Mn, Sn, and Mg decreased the corrosion rate of the Al alloys, while Ga enhanced corrosion significantly and accelerated consumption of the anode.

• Electronics and Telecommunications Trends
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.76-86
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• 2021

Technologies for lithium secondary batteries are now increasingly expanding to simultaneously improve the safety and higher energy and power densities of large-scale battery systems, such as electric vehicles and smart-grid energy storage systems. Next-generation lithium batteries, such as lithium-sulfur (Li-S) and lithium-air (Li-O₂) batteries by adopting solid electrolytes and lithium metal anode, can be a solution for the requirements. In this analysis of battery technology trends, solid electrolytes, including polymer (organic), inorganic (oxides and sulfides), and their hybrid (composite) are focused to describe the electrochemical performance achievable by adopting optimal components and discussing the interfacial behaviors that occurred by the contact of different ingredients for safe and high-energy lithium secondary battery systems. As next-generation rechargeable lithium batteries, Li-S and Li-O₂ battery systems are briefly discussed coupling with the possible use of solid electrolytes. In addition, Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institutes achievements in the field of solid electrolytes for lithium rechargeable batteries are finally introduced.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.198-205
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• 2012

Carbon-supported manganese oxide composite were fabricated as an air cathode material for Li-air batteries by hydrothermal method. The composite materials of carbon and manganese oxide were investigated by the implementation of X-ray diffraction, FE-SEM and BET surface area measurer. The manganese oxide synthesized at $170^{\circ}C$ for 12 h has a rod like shape morphology with 40-50 nm long in size. A Lithium-air battery with coin type, of which electrodes are composed of cathode composite materials synthesized $170^{\circ}C$-12 h and lithium metal anode, reveals its first discharge capacity of 3,852 mAh/g and four discharge-charge cycles.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.98-106
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• 2022

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are widely used in various fields because they make it easy to control porous structures according to combinations of metal ions and organic linkers. In addition, ZIF (zeolitic imidazolate framework), a type of MOF, is made up of transition metal ions such as Co²⁺ or Zn²⁺ and linkers such as imidazole or imidazole derivatives. ZIF-67, composed of Co²⁺ and 2-methyl imidazole, exhibits both chemical stability and catalytic activity. Recently, due to increasing need for energy technology and carbon-neutral policies, catalysis applications have attracted tremendous research attention. Moreover, demand is increasing for material development in the electrocatalytic water splitting and metal-air battery fields; there is also a need for bifunctional catalysts capable of both oxidation/reduction reactions. This review summarizes recent progress of bifunctional catalysts for electrocatalytic water splitting and metal-air batteries using ZIF-67. In particular, the field is classified into areas of thermal decomposition, introduction of heterogeneous elements, and complex formation with carbon-based materials or polyacrylonitrile. This review also focuses on synthetic methods and performance evaluation.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.425-431
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• 2019

As rechargeable metal-air batteries will be ideal energy storage devices in the future, an active cathode electrocatalyst is required with bi-functionality on both oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) during discharge and charge, respectively. Here, a class of perovskite cathode catalyst with a micro-tubular structure has been developed by controlling bi-functionality from different Ru and Ni dopant ratios. A micro-tubular structure is achieved by the activated carbon fiber (ACF) templating method, which provides uniform size and shape. At the perovskite formula of $LaCrO_3$, the dual dopant system is successfully synthesized with a perfect incorporation into the single perovskite structure. The chemical oxidation states for each Ni and Ru also confirm the partial substitution to B-site of Cr without any changes in the major perovskite structure. From the electrochemical measurements, the micro-tubular feature reveals much more efficient catalytic activity on ORR and OER, comparing to the grain catalyst with same perovskite composition. By changing the Ru and Ni ratio, the $LaCr_{0.8}Ru_{0.1}Ni_{0.1}O_3$ micro-tubular catalyst exhibits great bi-functionality, especially on ORR, with low metal loading, which is comparable to the commercial catalyst of Pt and Ir. This advanced catalytic property on the micro-tubular structure and Ru/Ni synergy effect at the perovskite material may provide a new direction for the next-generation cathode catalyst in metal-air battery system.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.213-219
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• 2018

We report a method for preparing rare earth oxides ($Re_xO_y$) from the recycling process for spent Ni-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries. This process first involves a leaching of spent Ni-MH powders with sulfuric acid at $90^{\circ}C$, resulting in rare earth precipitates (i.e., $NaRE(SO_4)_2{\cdot}H_2O$, RE = La, Ce, Nd), which are converted into rare earth oxides via two different approaches: i) simple heat treatment in air, and ii) metathesis reaction with NaOH at $70^{\circ}C$. Not only the morphological features but also the crystallographic structures of all products are systematically investigated using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD); their thermal behaviors are also analyzed. In particular, XRD results show that some of the rare earth precipitates are converted into oxide form (such as $La_2O_3$, $Ce_2O_3$, and $Nd_2O_3$) with heat treatment at $1200^{\circ}C$; however, secondary peaks are also observed. On the other hand, rare earth oxides, RExOy can be successfully obtained after metathesis of rare earth precipitates, followed by heat treatment at $1000^{\circ}C$ in air, along with a change of crystallographic structures, i.e., $NaRE(SO_4)_2{\cdot}H_2O{\rightarrow}RE(OH)_3{\rightarrow}RE_xO_y$.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.136-142
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• 2016

As precursors of cathode materials for lithium ion batteries, $Ni_{1/3}Co_{1/3}Mn_{1/3}(OH)_2$ powders are prepared in a continuously stirred tank reactor via a co-precipitation reaction between aqueous metal sulfates and NaOH in the presence of $NH_4OH$ in air or nitrogen ambient. Calcination of the precursors with $Li_2CO_3$ for 8 h at $1,000^{\circ}C$ in air produces dense spherical cathode materials. The precursors and final powders are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy, particle size analysis, tap density measurement, and thermal gravimetric analysis. The precursor powders obtained in air or nitrogen ambient show XRD patterns identified as $Ni_{1/3}Co_{1/3}Mn_{1/3}(OH)_2$. Regardless of the atmosphere, the final powders exhibit the XRD patterns of $LiNi_{1/3}Co_{1/3}Mn_{1/3}O_2$ (NCM). The precursor powders obtained in air have larger particle size and lower tap density than those obtained in nitrogen ambient. NCM powders show similar tendencies in terms of particle size and tap density. Electrochemical characterization is performed after fabricating a coin cell using NCM as the cathode and Li metal as the anode. The NCM powders from the precursors obtained in air and those from the precursors obtained in nitrogen have similar initial charge/discharge capacities and cycle life. In conclusion, the powders co-precipitated in air can be utilized as precursor materials, replacing those synthesized in the presence of nitrogen injection, which is the usual industrial practice.