• 한국수소및신에너지학회논문집
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• 제30권6호
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• pp.549-555
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• 2019

Electrocatalysis of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) using Pt nanoparticles or bimetal on carabon was studied. Currently, the best catalyst is platinum, which is a limited resource and expensive to commercialize. In this paper, we investigated the cheaper and more active electrocatalysts by making Pt nanoparticles and adding 3D transition metal such as copper. Electrocatalysts were obtained by chemical reduction based on ethylene glycol solutions. Elemental analysis and particle size were confirmed by XRD and TEM. The electrochemical surface area (ECSA) and activity of the catalyst were determined by electrochemical techniques such as cyclic voltammetry and linear sweep voltammetry method. The commercialized Pt support on carbon (Pt/C, JM), synthesis Pt/C and synthesis Pt3Cu1 alloy nanoparticles supported on carbon were compared. We confirmed that the synthesized Pt3-Cu1/C has high electrochemical performance than commercial Pt/C. It is expected to develop an electrocatalyst with high activity at low price by increasing the oxygen reduction reaction rate of the fuel cell.

• 전기화학회지
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.11-25
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• 2009

연료전지는 가까운 미래를 위한 핵심 청정 신에너지원 중의 하나로 기대된다. 그러나 고분자 연료전지에서 공기극은 느린 산소환원반응과 많은 백금 사용 때문에 상업화에 어려움을 겪고 있으며, 이것을 해결하는 것이 최근 당면 과제이다. 또한 연료극은 일산화탄소의 피독 현상과 전극의 안정성이 문제시 되고 있다. 본 총설에서는 고분자 연료전지를 위한 연료극, 공기극 전기화학 촉매의 이론적 접근을 통해 촉매를 설계하는 최근 연구 내용을 소개하려 한다. 촉매 설계는 합금 전기 화학 촉매를 통해 접근 했으며, 이는 electronic, geometric, lateral effects를 손쉽게 조절할 수 있게 한다. 이것은 계산되어진 d-band center의 함수에 의존하며, 촉매의 활성과 큰 관계를 가짐을 발견하였다. 본고에서 지향하는 촉매의 최종 방향은 이론적 접근을 통해서 촉매의 사용량을 줄이면서 효율적으로 사용하는 것이다.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• 제13권3호
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• pp.354-361
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• 2022

In a direct methanol fuel cell system (DMFC), one of the drawbacks is methanol crossover. Methanol from the anode passes through the membrane and enters the cathode, causing mixed potential in the cell. Only Pt-based catalysts are capable of operating as cathode for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in a harsh acidic condition of DMFC. However, it causes mixed potential due to high activity toward methanol oxidation reaction of Pt. To overcome this situation, developing Pt-based catalyst that has methanol tolerance is significant, by controlling reactant adsorption or reaction kinetics. Pt/C decorated with phosphate ion was prepared by modified polyol method as cathode catalyst in DMFC. Phosphate ions, bonded to the carbon of Pt/C, surround free Pt surface and block only methanol adsorption on Pt, not oxygen. It leads to the suppression of methanol oxidation in an oxygen atmosphere, resulting in high DMFC performance compared to pristine Pt/C.

• 한국표면공학회지
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• 제51권5호
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• pp.332-336
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• 2018

Alkaline oxygen electrocatalysis, targeting anion exchange membrane alkaline-based metal-air batteries has become a subject of intensive investigation because of its advantages compared to its acidic counterparts in reaction kinetics and materials stability. However, significant breakthroughs in the design and synthesis of efficient oxygen reduction catalysts from earth-abundant elements instead of precious metals in alkaline media still remain in high demand. One of the most inexpensive alternatives is carbonaceous materials, which have attracted extensive attention either as catalyst supports or as metal-free cathode catalysts for oxygen reduction. Also, carbon composite materials have been recognized as the most promising because of their reasonable balance between catalytic activity, durability, and cost. In particular, heteroatom (e.g., N, B, S or P) doping on carbon materials can tune the electronic and geometric properties of carbon, providing more active sites and enhancing the interaction between carbon structure and active sites. Here, we focused on boron and nitrogen doped nanocarbon composit (BNC nanocarbon) catalysts synthesized by a solution plasma process using the simple precursor of pyridine and boric acid without further annealing process. Additionally, guidance for rational design and synthesis of alkaline ORR catalysts with improved activity is also presented.

• 한국세라믹학회지
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• 제56권5호
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• pp.497-505
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• 2019

Lanthanum-based transition metal cations containing perovskites have emerged as potential catalysts for the intermediate-temperature (600-800℃) oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Here, we report a facile acetylacetone-assisted combustion route for the synthesis of nanostructured La_0.6Sr_0.4Co_0.2Fe_0.8O_3-δ (LSCF6428) cathodes for intermediate-temperature solid-oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs). The as-prepared powder was analyzed by thermogravimetry analysis-differential scanning calorimetry. The powder calcined at 800℃ was characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electrode microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area measurements. It was found that the porosity of the air electrode significantly increased by utilizing the nanostructured LSCF6428 instead of commercial powder. The performance of a single cell fabricated with the nanostructured LSCF6428 cathode increased by 112%, from 0.4 to 0.85 W cm^-2, at 700℃. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed a considerable reduction in the area-specific resistance and activation energy from 133.5 to 61.5 kJ/mol, resulting in enhanced electrocatalytic activity toward ORR and overall cell performance.

• 자원리싸이클링
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.34-40
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• 2012

기존 Pt/C 전극촉매 제조시 사용되는 Pt를 일정량의 Mn으로 대체하여 PtMn/C 전극촉매를 제조하였다. 환원제로 포름알데히드(HCHO)를 사용하여 화학환원법으로 $Pt_{10}$/C, $Pt_9Mn_1$/C, $Pt_7Mn_3$/C 촉매를 제조하였으며 반쪽 전지(half cell)에서 순환전압전류와 대시간 전류를 측정하였다. $Pt_9Mn_1$/C촉매가 $Pt_{10}$/C, $Pt_7Mn_3$/C촉매보다 높은 산소환원반응(oxygen reduction reaction)을 보였으며 0.9, 0.8, 0.7, 0.6V에서 각각 5분동안 측정한 대 시간 전류측정에서 $Pt_9Mn_1$/C가 $Pt_{10}$/C, $Pt_7Mn_3$/C촉매보다 높은 활성을 나타냈다. 물리적 특성은 XRD, TEM분석을 통하여 알아보았으며 입자의 평균 크기는 $Pt_9Mn_1$/C, $Pt_{10}$/C가 각각 2.7 nm, 3 nm를 나타냈다. XRD분석을 통하여 Pt의 FCC(Face Centered Cubic)결정 구조를 확인할 수 있었다.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제28권11호
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• pp.633-639
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• 2018

In anion exchange membrane fuel cells, Pd nanoparticles are extensively studied as promising non-Pt catalysts due to their electronic structure similar to Pt. In this study, to fabricate Pd nanoparticles well dispersed on carbon support materials, we propose a synthetic strategy using mixed organic ligands with different chemical structures and functions. Simultaneously to control the Pd particle size and dispersion, a ligand mixture composed of oleylamine(OA) and trioctylphosphine(TOP) is utilized during thermal decomposition of Pd precursors. In the ligand mixture, OA serves mainly as a reducing agent rather than a stabilizer since TOP, which has a bulky structure, more strongly interacts with the Pd metal surface as a stabilizer compared to OA. The specific roles of OA and TOP in the Pd nanoparticle synthesis are studied according to the mixture composition, and the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR) activity and durability of highly-dispersed Pd nanocatalysts with different particles sizes are investigated. The results of this study confirm that the Pd nanocatalyst with large particles has high durability compared to the nanocatalyst with small Pd nanoparticles during the accelerated degradation tests although they initially indicated similar ORR performance.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.49-52
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• 2014

Graphene nanosheets (GNS), nitrogen-doped graphene nanosheets (N-GNS), and sulfur-doped graphene nanosheets (S-GNS) were successfully synthesized, and their catalytic effects on the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in $Li-O_2$ batteries were compared. The S-GNS electrode exhibited the highest ORR catalytic activity, resulting in enhanced discharge capacity and power capability. We attributed the enhanced ORR catalytic activity to the increased defect sites on graphene.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• 제57권3호
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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.

• 세라미스트
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.331-348
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• 2018

With the expectation to overcome the problem of increasing energy consumption, polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells are getting more attention as a promising environmentally friendly and sustainable next-generation energy conversion system. In spite of the rapid improvement of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells(PEMFCs), there are several critical issues still need to be resolved for practical commercialization. Out of the many issues, the main hurdle comes from oxygen reduction reaction(ORR), thus development of efficient ORR electrocatalysts is the main key for enhancing PEMFC performance. Among various catalysts, 1D nanostructured catalyst is a promising candidate because it holds many advantages that come from nanostructuring while supplementing the disadvantages of other nanostructures such as nanoparticles(0D) or gyroids(3D). This review focused on diverse 1D nanostructures and talks about their advantages as catalyst for ORR. Different 1D nanostructures will be introduced while applying the structures to different materials system showing the prospects of 1D nanostructures for improving PEMFC.