• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.52-58
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• 2013

In order to overcome the cost issue for commercialization of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), this research was conducted for replacing platinum cathode catalyst with non-precious metal catalyst. The non-precious metal catalyst (Co-PANI-C) was synthesized by the simple reduction method with polyaniline (PANI), carbon black, and cobalt precursor without any heat treatment. Characterization of new Co-PANI-C composite catalysts was done by the measurement of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) for structure analysis and performed by rotating disk electrode (RDE) and rotating ring disk electrode (RRDE) for electrochemical analysis. As a result, Co-PANI-C catalyst showed 60 mV lower on-set potential for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) than Pt/C catalyst, but the overall reduction current of Co-PANI-C catalysts by ORR was still smaller than that of Pt/C. In addition, the ORR behavior of Co-PANI-C catalysts depending on the rotation speed of electrode and the stability of Co-PANI-C catalyst under potential cycling and the performance of fuel cell conditions are also discussed.

• 한국태양에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2012.03a
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• pp.406-409
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• 2012

Recently, enormous research efforts have been focused on the development of non-precious catalysts to replace Pt for electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and to reduce the cost of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In recent years, heteroatom (N, B, and P) doped carbon nanostructures have been received enormous importance as a non-precious electrode materials for oxygen reduction. Doping of foreign atom into carbon is able to modify electronic properties of carbon materials. In this study, nitrogen and boron doped carbon nanostructures were synthesized by using a facile and cost-effective thermal annealing route and prepared nanostructures were used as a non-precious electrocatalysts for the ORR in alkaline electrolyte. The nitrogen doped carbon nanocapsules (NCNCs) exhibited higher activity than that of a commercial Pt/C catalyst, excellent stability and resistance to methanol oxidation. The boron-doped carbon nanostructure (BC) prepared at $900^{\circ}C$ showed higher ORR activity than BCs prepared lower temperature (800, $700^{\circ}C$). The heteroatom doped carbon nanomaterials could be promising candidates as a metal-free catalysts for ORR in the PEMFCs.

• Journal of Ceramic Processing Research
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.499-503
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• 2018

In this paper, cobalt embedded in nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon nanotubes (CoNSTs) were synthesized for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts. The CoNSTs were prepared through a facile heat treatment method without any templates. Different amounts of the metal salt were employed to examine the physicochemical and electrochemical properties of the CoNSTs. The CoNSTs showed the bamboo-like tube morphology with the encased Co nanoparticles in the tubes. Through the x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, the catalysts exhibited different chemical states of the nitrogen and sulfur species. As a result, the CoNST performed high activity toward the ORR in an acidic condition with the onset potential of 0.863 V (vs. reversible hydrogen electrode). It was clearly demonstrated from the electrochemical characterizations that the quality of the nitrogen and sulfur species significantly influences the ORR activity rather than the total amount of the dopants.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 2015

In this study, continuous microbial fuel cells (MFCs) were operated using non-precious metal catalysts such as iron(II) phthalocyanine (FePc) and cobalt tetramethoxyphenylporphyrin (CoTMPP)) as alternative cathode catalysts for platinum. To evaluate MFCs performance, operational conditions of organic loading rate (OLR) (0.5~3 g COD/L/d) and hydraulic retention rate (HRT) (0.25~1 day) were changed. Power density of MFCs were determined by cathode electrode performance. The maximum power density was $3.3W/m^3$ with platinum at OLR 3 g COD/L/d. Given each HRTs at 1 g COD/L/d, FePc showed to be a better alternative for platinum than CoTMPP because the power density of MFC with FePc was similar to that of MFC with platinum. CoTMPP catalyst, however, showed the lowest power density due to increase of internal resistance during continuous operation.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.298-305
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• 2016

The development of non-precious metal based electrocatalysts is highly desired for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) as alternates to noble metal based ORR electrocatalysts. Herein, we report mononulcear copper(II) complex $[CuLbpy]ClO_4$ (L=4-[(2-hydroxyphenylimino)methyl]benzoic acid) containing poly(allylamine.HCl) polymer (PAlACuLbpy) as an electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). PAlACuLbpy was mixed with poly(acrylic acid) and tetraethylortho silicate to prepare a composite and then deposited on the screen printed electrode surface. The modified electrode (PAlACuLbpy/PCE) is highly stable and showed a quasi-reversible redox behavior with $E_{1/2}=-0.2V$ vs. Ag/AgCl(3 M KCl) in 0.1 M phosphate buffer at pH 7 under argon atmosphere. PAlACuLbpy/PCE exhibited a remarkable ORR activity with an onset potential of -0.1 V vs Ag/AgCl in 0.1 M PB (pH 7) in the presence of oxygen. The kinetics for ORR was studied by rotating disk voltammetry in neutral aqueous medium and the results indicated that the number of electrons involving in the ORR is four and the conversion products are water and hydrogen peroxide.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.180-186
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• 2022

The production of hydrogen via water electrolysis (i.e., green hydrogen) using renewable energy is key to the development of a sustainable society. However, most current electrocatalysts are based on expensive precious metals and require the use of highly purified water in the electrolyte. We demonstrated the preparation of a non-precious metal catalyst based on CuCo₂O₄ (CCO) via simple electrodeposition. Further, an optimization process for electrodeposition potential, solution concentration and electrodeposition method was develop for a catalyst-substrate integrated electrode, which indicated the highly electrocatalytic performance of the material in electrochemical tests and when applied to an anion exchange membrane water electrolyzer.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.299-302
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• 2005

Direct Borohydride Fuel Cell은 알칼리 붕소 수소화물의 수용액을 이용하는 연료전지로 연료의 직접 산화반응을 통해 기존의 DMFC(직접 메탄을 연료전지)보다 높은 전류밀도와 OUV(Open Circuit Voltage)를 나타낸다. 또한 액체 연료를 사용하므로 장치 구성이 간단하며, 사용하는 연료가 반응성이 높은 알칼리 붕소 수소화물로 이루어져 있기 때문에 탄화수소 계열의 액체 연료와 달리 전기화학 반응이 비귀금속 전극에서도 쉽게 이루어질 수 있다는 장점을 가지고 있다 하지만 강알칼리 조건에서 전기화학 반응이 진행되므로 이에 적합한 재료로 장치를 구성해야 하며, 액체 상태의 연료가 전해질을 투과하는 현상인 크로스오버 문제를 해결해야 하고, 생성물인 $BO_2$-가 침적되어 전지효율을 떨어뜨리는 것을 방지해야 하는 문제점이 있다. 또한 알칼리 붕소 수소화물이 물과 반응하여 수소를 발생시키는 hydrolysis 반응을 억제하여야 하고 직접 산화반응만이 진행될 수 있도록 전지를 구성해야 연료효율을 높일 수 있다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 수소 생성반응일 hydrolysis 반응은 억제하고 연료의 직접 산화반응만을 진행시키기 위한 전극촉매에 대하여 연구하였다. 일반적인 저온형 연료전지의 전극촉매로 사용하는 Pt등의 귀금속 촉매와, 귀금속 촉매를 대체할 수 있는 Ni등의 비귀금속 촉매를 그 연구 대상으로 하였으며, 평가 방법으로는 unit cell station을 이용한 단위전지 성능측정 실험과 Potentiostat/Galvanostat을 이용한 half cell 실험을 병행하여 수행하였다.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.636-641
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• 2016

Alkaline water electrolysis is commercial hydrogen production technology. It is possible to operate MW scale plant. Because It used non-precious metal for electrode. But It has relatively low current density and low efficiency. In this study, research objective is development of anode for alkaline water electrolysis with low cost, high corrosion resistance and high efficiency. Stainless steel 316L (SUS 316L) was selected for a substrate of electrode. To improve corrosion resistance of substrate, Nickel (Ni) layer was electrodeposited on SUS 316L. Ni-Fe alloy was electrodeposited on the passivated Ni layer as active catalyst for oxygen evolution reaction(OER). We optimized preparation condition of Ni-Fe alloy electrodeposition by changing current density, electrodeposition time and composition ratio of Ni-Fe electrodeposition bath. This electrodes were electrochemically evaluated by using Linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and Cyclic voltammetry (CV). The Ni-Fe alloy (Ni : Fe = 1 : 1) showed best activity of OER. The optimized electrode decreased overpotential about 40% at $100mA/cm^2$ compared with Ni anode.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.69-80
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• 2022

The anion exchange membrane (AEM) water electrolysis for high purity hydrogen production is attracting attention as a next-generation green hydrogen production technology by using inexpensive non-noble metal-based catalysts instead of conventional precious metal catalysts used in proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis systems. However, since AEM water electrolysis technology is in the early stages of development, it is necessary to develop research on AEM, ionomers, electrode supports and catalysts, which are key elements of AEM water electrolysis. Among them, current research in the field of catalysts is being studied to apply a previously developed half-cell catalyst for alkali to the AEM system, and the applied catalyst has disadvantages of low activity and durability. Therefore, this review presented a catalyst synthesis technique that promoted oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) using a non-noble metal-based catalyst in an alkaline medium.