• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.329-334
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• 1991

The x values and electrical conductivity of the nonstoichiometric compound NbO$_x$ have been measured in a temperature range 700$^{\circ}C$ to 1100$^{\circ}C$ under oxygen partial pressure of 2 ${\times}$ 10$^{-1}$ ∼ 1 ${\times}$ 10$^{-5}$ atm. The NbO$_x$ is a stoichiometrical compound of Nb$_2$O$_5$ under oxygen partial pressure higher than 1.0 ${\times}$ 10$^{-2}$ atm at the above temperature range. The x values were found to vary between 2.48491 and 2.49900 in a temperature range 700$^{\circ}C$ to 1100$^{\circ}C$ under oxygen partial pressure lower than 1 ${\times}$ 10$^{-3}$ atm. The enthalpy of the formation for x' in NbO$_{2.50000-x'}$(${\Delta}H_f$) increased of 15.98 to 17.26 kcal/mol under the conditions. The electrical conductivity (${\sigma}$) of the oxide varied from 10$_4$ to 10$_1$ ohm$_1$cm$_1$ in the above conditions. The activation energy for the conduction was about 1.7 eV. The oxygen pressure dependency of the conductivity (or 1/n value) was about -1/4. The nonstoichiometric conduction mechanism of the oxide has been discussed with the x' values, the ${\sigma}$ values, and the thermodynamic data.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.61 no.8
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• pp.1153-1158
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• 2012

Niobium oxide ($Nb_2O_5$) has a strong chemical coherence and good electrical conductivity. Therefore, this material is helpful to enhance the performance of the dye sensitized solar cells (DSC) by improving the electron mobility. In this study, $Nb_2O_5$ was mixed with $TiO_2$ and this compound was applied to the DSC to improve its performance. As a result, the current density of the DSC using the $Nb_2O_5-TiO_2$ compound on the photoelectrode was increased, because the internal resistance concerned to the electron transfer in the photoelectrode of DSC was decreased. However, large amount of the $Nb_2O_5$ induces the decrease of the efficiency of the DSC because the surface area to attach dye molecules is decreased due to the large particle of $Nb_2O_5$. Therefore, it is important to optimize the mixture ratio of the $Nb_2O_5-TiO_2$ compound for maximizing the performance of the DSC. Finally, the most optimum performance of the DSC was shown in case of the $Nb_2O_5$ concentration of 10 wt% of the $Nb_2O_5-TiO_2$ compound.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.3 no.6
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• pp.565-574
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• 1993

The Ar/Ar- $H_{2}$ plasma method Lvas applied to reduce and refine high purity Nb metal. Inaddition, the reaction between molten Nb metal and hydrogen were also analyzed in the Ar-(20%)$H_{2}$plasma. The metallic Nb of 99.5wt% was obtained at the ratio of $C/Nb_{2}O_{5}$=5.00 in the Ar plasma reductionand the $O_2$ loss from the thermal decomposition of niobium oxides did not take place. In the Ar-(20%)Hi plasma the metallic Nb of 99.8wt% was produced at the ratio of $C/Nb_{2}O_{5}$=4.80. It was observedthat a major reaction of the deoxidation was the reaction with H, Hi, and a deoxidation by the evaporationof $NbO_x$ did not occur but a mass loss of Nb did by a "splash" effect. The deoxidation reaction rateobeyed the 1st order reaction kinetics and the reaction rate constant(k') of deoxidation was $7.8 \times 10_{-7}$(m/sec).The solubility of hydrogen in Nb metal was 60ppm and it was larger than the solubility of molecularstate hydrogen by 40ppm in the Ar-(20%)$H_{2}$ plasma method. A saturation was within 60sec anda hydrogen content was reduced below lOppm by a Ar plasma re-treatment.by a Ar plasma re-treatment.

• Proceedings of the Mineralogical Society of Korea Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.67-67
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• 2003

The chemical compositions and textural relationships of the Nb-Zr oxide minerals including pyrochlore [ideally (Ca,Na)$_2$Nb$_2$O$\sub$6/(OH,F), with up to 24% UO$_2$ and 16% Ta$_2$O$\sub$5/] and baddeleyite [ideally ZrO$_2$, with up to 6% Nb$_2$O$\sub$5/] in the Sokli carbonatite complex, Kola Peninsula, Arctic are described. These two minerals in carbonatites are the major hosts for the HFSEs such as U, Th, Ta, Nb, Zr and Hf and thus are interest both economically and petrologically. The Sokli carbonatite complex (360-370 Ma) in Northern Finland, which forms a part of the Paleozoic Kola Alkaline Province (KAP), is mainly composed of multi-stages of carbonatite and phoscorite associations (P1-C1 P2-C2, P3-C3, D4 and D5) surrounded by altered ultramafic rocks (olivinite and pyroxenite) and cut by numerous small dikes of ultramafic lamprophyre. The Sokli complex contains the highest concentration in niobium and probably in tantalum, which are economically very important to modern steel technology, among the ultramafic-alkaline complexes of the KAP. Pyrochlore and baddeleyite mostly concentrate in the phoscorites. Pyrochlores in the Sokli complex are generally rounded octahedra and cubes in shape, red brown to grey yellow in color, and 0.2 to 5 mm in size. They are found in all calcite carbonatites, phoscorites and dolomite carbonatites, except P1-C1 rocks. These pyrochlores display remarkable zonations which depend on host rock compositions, and have significant compositional variations with evolution of the Sokli complex. The common variation scheme is that (1) early pyrochlore is highly enriched in U and Ta; (2) these elements decrease abruptly in the intermediate stage, while Th and Ce increase, and (3) late stage pyrochlore is low in U, Ta, Th, and Ce, and correspondingly high in Nb. Baddeleyites in the Sokli complex occur in the early P1-C1 and P2-C2 rocks and rarely in P3. They crystallized earlier than pyrochlores, and occasionally show post-magmatic corrosion and replacement. The FeO and TiO$_2$ contents of baddeleyites are much lower than those of the other terrestrial and lunar baddeleyites, whereas Nb$_2$O$\sub$5/ and Ta$_2$O$\sub$5/ contents are the highest among the reported compositions. Ta/Nb and Zr/Nb ratios of pyrochlores and baddeleyites decrease towards later stage facies, which is in accordance with the whole rock compositions. The variation of Ta/Nb and Zr/Nb ratios of pyrochlores and baddeleyites is considered to be a good indicator to trace an evolution of the carbonatite complexes.