• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.44 no.8
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• pp.424-429
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• 2007

Novel conductive $CO_2$ membranes composed of dual phases, molten carbonates and electronic conducting ceramics, were investigated. As the microstructure control of electronic conducting ceramic supports is extremely important to keep the molten carbonates stable in the membranes by a capillary force applied by the pore structure of the supports, we have scrutinized the microstructure of the electronic conducting supports utilizing microscopic images and gas permeability measurement. From the evaluation of the electrical conductivities of the molten carbonates and the electronic conducting ceramic supports, we found that the ionic conductivity of the molten carbonates could determine $CO_2$ flux through the dual phase membranes if the surface exchange rate were relatively high enough.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.283-288
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• 2014

PdO-doped $BaZr_{0.85}Y_{0.15}O_{3-\delta}$ (BZPY) proton conductors have been proposed as applicable for intermediate temperature electrolytes for protonic ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs) because the PdO doping is effective for improving the proton conductivity of $BaZr_{0.85}Y_{0.15}O_{3-\delta}$ (BZY) with high affinity for hydrogen. In order to further improve the conductivity of BZPY, two-phase composite electrolytes consisting of a BZPY and molten carbonate were designed. Dense BZPY-based composite electrolytes were fabricated after sintering at $670^{\circ}C$ for 4 h, since molten carbonates fill the grain boundary of the porous BZPY matrix. Furthermore, BZPY/$(Li-0.5Na)_2CO_3$ composites show a significantly enhanced protonic conductivity at intermediate temperatures. This may be because easy proton transport is possible through the interface of the carbonate and oxide phase.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.918-923
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• 2007

Fuel cell is a modular, high efficient and environmentally energy conversion device, it has become a promising option to replace the conventional fossil fuel based electric power plants. The high temperature fuel cell has conspicuous feature and high potential in being used as an energy converter of various fuel to electricity and heat. Corrosions in molten electrolytes and the electric conductivity across the oxide scale have crucial characteristics. When molten salts are involved, high temperature corrosions become severe. In this sense, corrosions of alloys with molten carbonates have the most severe material problems. Systematic investigation on corrosion behavior of Fe/21Cr/Ti or Al alloy has been done in (62+38)mol% (Li+K)$CO_3$ melt at $650^{\circ}C$ using the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy method. It was found that the corrosion current of these Fe-based alloys decreased with increasing Al or Ti. And Al addition improved the corrosion resistance of this type of specimen and more improvement of corrosion resistance was observed at the specimen added with Al.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.203-210
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• 2010

NiO is commonly used as the cathode for the molten carbonate fuel cell due to its stability and high electrical conductivity in molten carbonates and oxygen atmosphere. However, long-term operation of MCFC has a serious problem which is the degradation of cathode material, the so-called Ni dissolution. In the present study, we have attempted to synthesize a new alternative cathode material as Co/Nb-coated NiO cathode. The results obtained in this study suggest that the Co/Nb-coated NiO cathode can be utilized as having lower dissolution and higher cell performance than those of the pure NiO cathode.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.1413-1417
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• 1999

Chemical poisoning of Ni/MgO catalyst was induced by hot alkali carbonate vapor in molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC), and the poisoned (or contaminated) catalyst was characterized by TPR/TPO, FTIR, and XRD analysis. Carbonate electrolytes such as K and Li were transferred to the catalyst during DIR-MCFC operation at 650 ℃. The deposition of alkali species on the catalyst consequently led to physical blocking on catalytic active sites and structural deformation by chemical poisoning. TPR/TPO analysis indicated that K species enhanced the reducibility of NiO thin film over Ni as co-catalyst, and Li species lessened the reducibility of metallic Ni by chemical reaction with MgO. FTIR analysis of the poisoned catalyst did not exhibit the characteristic ${\vector}_1$$(D_{3h})$ peaks (1055 $cm^{-1},\;1085\;cm{-1})$ for pure crystalline carbonates, instead a new peak (1120 $cm^{-1})$ was observed proportionally with deformed alkali carbonates. From XRD analysis, the oxidation of metallic Ni into $Ni_xMg_{1-x}O$ was confirmed by the peak shift of MgO with shrinking of Ni particles. Conclusively, hot alkali species induced both chemical poisoning and physical deposition on Ni/MgO catalyst in DIR-MCFC at 650 ℃.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.303-313
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• 1997

To enhance the strength and formability of MCFC matrixes, alumina/${\gamma}$-LiAlO2 fiber-reinforced ${\gamma}$-LiAlO2 ma-trixes have been investigated. The MCFC matrixes with the thickness of 500~600 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ were prepared by tape-casting of the slurry containing 10~30wt% fibers, followed by heat-treating up to $650^{\circ}C$. The porosity of fi-ber-reinforced matrixes decreased with the content of fibers, while the appropriate porosity(50~60%) for MCFC matrixes could be attained by adding larger ${\gamma}$-LiAlO2 particles with the diameter of about 50${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ up to 50 wt%. The optimum length and content of the alumina fiber, both in the alignment of fibers and the enhancement of the strength, were found to be below 250${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ and 20 wt%, respectively. On the other hand, the strength(156 gf/$\textrm{mm}^2$) of the ${\gamma}$-LiAlO2 matrix reinforced with ${\gamma}$-LiAlO2 fibers prepared in this study was improved by 20~40% in comparison with the alumina-fiber-reinforced matrix. It was also found that the alu-mina-fiber-reinforced matrix was completely corroded in molten carbonates but the ${\gamma}$-LiAlO2 was not.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.38 no.8
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• pp.677-685
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• 2014

A direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC) generates electricity directly by converting the chemical energy in coal. In particular, a DCFC system with a solid oxide electrolyte and molten carbonate anode media has been proposed by SRI. In this system, however, there are conflicting effects of temperature, which enhances the ion conductivity of the solid electrolyte and reactivity at the electrodes while causing a stability problem for the anode media. In this study, the effect of temperature on the stability of a carbon-carbonate mixture was investigated experimentally. TGA analysis was conducted under either nitrogen or carbon dioxide ambient for $Li_2CO_3$, $K_2CO_3$, and their mixtures with carbon black. The composition of the exit gas was also monitored during temperature elevation. A simplified reaction model was suggested by considering the decomposition of carbonates and the catalyzed Boudouard reactions. The suggested model could well explain both the measured weight loss of the mixture and the gas formation from it.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.178-182
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• 2003

The oxygen reduction and NiO dissolution behaviors in Li-Na-K three component carbonate melts have been investigated with various compositions through electrochemical and chemical ways. The oxygen reduction currents and NiO solubilities were measured at $650^{\circ}C$ and atmospheric condition in Li-Na-K =47.4-32.6-20, 60-20-20, 50-40-10, $40-40-20 mol\%$ carbonate melts. The oxygen reduction currents showed dependence on the composition, indicating oxygen solubility is a function of carbonate composition. At the composition of $ Li-Na-K=50-40-10 mol%$, a broader peak was observed, suggesting different oxygen reduction mechanism probably prevails in this composition. In contrast, insignificant differences of NiO solubility were obtained among the compositions.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.754-760
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• 1999

The properties of the catalyst for a direct internal reforming type molten carbonate fuel cell were examined by ICP, BET, CHN, EDS, and $H_2$ chemisorption. Potassium and lithium, the components of carbonate electrolyte, were transported to the catalyst during the operation of fuel cell, and the amounts of the deposited alkali elements were reduced in the order of inlet, outlet, and the middle. From the direct correlation between the amount of alkali and the physical properties such as BET surface area and Ni dispersion, and from the observation of the lump of the alkali species on the poisoned catalyst, it was confirmed that the physical blocking of the catalyst by alkali deposition was the main reason for the deactivation. Although the amount of alkali species was greater at the inlet than at the oulet, the catalyst sampled from the outlet had lower activity. This was caused by the chemical interaction between the alkali species and the catalyst at the outlet where temperature was highest in the cell body, which was detected by FT-IR analyses.