• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2022

Lithium metal is the most promising anode for next-generation lithium-ion batteries due to its lowest reduction potential (-3.04 V vs. SHE) and high specific capacity (3860 mAh/g). However, the dendritic formation under high charging current density remains one of main technical barriers to be used for commercial rechargeable batteries. To address these issues, tremendous research to suppress lithium dendrite formation have been conducted through new electrolyte formulation, robust protection layer, shape-controlled lithium metal, separator modification, etc. However, Li/Li symmetric cell test is always a starting or essential step to demonstrate better lithium dendrite formation behavior with lower overpotential and longer cycle life without careful analysis. Thus, this review summarizes overpotential behaviors of Li/Li symmetric cells along with theoretical explanations like initial peaking or later arcing. Also, we categorize various overpotential data depending on research approaches and discuss them based on peaking and arcing behaviors. Thus, this review will be very helpful for researchers in lithium metal to analyze their overpotential behaviors.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 2020

The intermittent characteristics of renewable energy complicates the process of balancing supply with demand. Electrolysis technology can provide flexibility to grid management by converting electricity to hydrogen. Alkaline electrolysis has been recognized as established technology and utilized in industry for over 100 years. However, high overpotential of oxygen evolution reaction in alkaline water electrolysis reduces the overall efficiency and therefore requires the development of anode catalyst. In this study, Raney Ni-Zn-Fe electrode was prepared by electroplating and the electrode characteristics was studied by varying electroplating parameters like electrodeposition time, current density and substrate. The prepared Raney Ni-Zn-Fe electrode was electrochemically evaluated using linear sweep voltammetry. Physical and chemical analysis were conducted by scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive spectrometer, and X-ray diffraction. The plating time did not changed the morphology and composition of the electrode surface and showed a little effect on overpotential reduction. As the plating current density increased, Fe content on the surface increased and cauliflower-like structure appeared on the electrode surface. In particular, the overpotential of the electrode, which was prepared at the plating current density of 320 mA/㎠, has showed the lowest value of 268 mV at 50 mA/㎠. There was no distinguishable overpotential difference between the type of substrate for the electrodes prepared at 80 mA/㎠.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.202-211
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• 2018

In this work, Fe-Pd alloy films have been electrodeposited on different substrates using an electrolyte containing $[Pd(NH_3)_4]^{2+}$ (0.02 M) and $[Fe-Citrate]^{2+}$ (0.2 M). The influences of substrate and overpotential on chemical composition, nucleation and growth kinetics as well as the electrodeposited films morphology have been investigated using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), current-time transients, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns. In all substrates - brass, copper and sputtered fluorine doped tin oxide on glass (FTO/glass) - Fe content of the electrodeposited alloys increases by increasing the overpotential. Also the cathodic current efficiency is low due to high rate of $H_2$ co-reduction. Regarding the chronoamperometry current-time transients, it has been demonstrated that the nucleation mechanism is instantaneous with a typical three dimensional (3D) diffusion-controlled growth in the case of brass and copper substrates; while for FTO, the growth mode changes to 3D progressive. At a constant overpotential, the calculated number of active nucleation sites for metallic substrates is much higher than that of FTO/glass; however by increasing the overpotential, the number of active nucleation sites increases. The SEM micrographs as well as the XRD patterns reveal the formation of Fe-Pd alloy thin films with nanostructure arrangement and ultra-fine grains.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.234-240
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• 2016

The effect of initial electrolyte loading (IEL) on cell performance in a coin-type molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) was investigated in this work. Since the material of MCFC depends on the manufacturer, optimisation requires experimental investigation. In total, four IEL values, 1.5, 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 g, were used, corresponding to a pore filling ratio (PFR) of 38, 51, 77, and 102%, respectively. The cell performance with respect to the PFR was analysed via steady-state polarisation, step-chronopotentiomtery, and impedance methods. The electrochemical analyses revealed that internal resistance and overpotential of the cell decreased with increasing PFR, and a large overpotential was observed when the PFR was 102%, probably due to the flooding phenomenon. After operation, cross-section of the cell was analysed via surface analysis of SEM and EDS methods, and the remaining electrolyte was estimated by dissolution of the cell in 10 wt% acetic acid. A linear relationship between IEL and the weight reduction ratio by dissolution was obtained. Thus, the remaining amount of electrolyte could be measured after operation. The results of SEM and EDS showed that a PFR of 38 and 102% showed a lack and flooding of electrolytes at the cell, respectively, which led to a large overpotential. This work reports that MCFC performance is allowed only in the narrow range of PFR.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.549-558
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• 2018

The overall efficiency depend on the overpotential of the oxygen evolution reaction in alkaline water electrolysis. Therefore, it is necessary to research to reduce the oxygen evolution overpotential of electrodes. In this study, Ni-Zn-Fe electrodes were prepared by electroplating and the surface area was increased by Zn leaching process. Electroplating variables were studied to optimize the plating parameters(electroplating current density, pH value of electroplating solution, Ni/Fe content ratio). Ni-Zn-Fe electrode, which is electroplated in a modified Watts bath, showed 0.294 V of overpotential at $0.1A/cm^2$. That result is better than that of Ni and Ni-Zn plated electrodes. As the electroplating current density of the Ni-Zn-Fe electrode increased, the particle size tended to increase and the overpotential of oxygen evolution reaction decreased. As reducing pH of electroplating solution from 4 to 2, Fe content in electrode and activity of oxygen evolution reaction decreased.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.70-73
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• 2013

Iridium oxide is well known as an electrocatalyst for the water oxidation. Recently, Dr. Bard's group observed the electrocatalytic behavior of individual nanoparticle of Iridium oxide using the electrochemical amplification method by detecting the single nanoparticle collisions at the ultramicroelectrode (UME). However, the electrocatalytic current is decayed as a function of time. In this study, we investigated that the reason of electrocatalytic current decay of water oxidation at Iridium oxide nanoparticles. We identified it is due to the bubble overpotential because the cyclic current decay and recovery were synchronized to the oxygen bubble growth and coming away from an Iridium disk electrode.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.1229-1237
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• 2003

The production of hydrogen fuel depends basically on the water electrolysis. The ultrasonic effects the decrease of the overpotential in a water electrolysis. A study on the overpotential which activates the hydrogen production is the core to elevate the hydrogen production efficiency on the principle. A pressure sensor system by a new idea is developed and applied. Solutions are 4 kinds of KOH concentration such as 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30%. Two frequency bands of the ultrasonic transducer are 28kHz and 2MHz. The directions of ultrasonic forcing are the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. The temperatures are two states, i.e., no constant and constant. Experiments are carried out sequentially in order in three cases of no ultrasonic forcing, ultrasonic forcing, and ultrasonic discontinution. In results, it is clarified that the ultrasonic effects the decrease of overpotential to elevate the efficiency of hydrogen production.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.20-25
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• 2011

This work focuses on the behavior of the overpotential increase due to a utilization rise in a molten carbonate fuel cell. The behavior is generally explained by Nernst loss, which is a kind of voltage loss due to the thermodynamic potential gradients in a polarization state due to the concentration distribution of reactant species through the gas flow direction. The evaluation of Nernst loss is carried out with a traditional experimental method of constant gas utilization (CU). On the other hand, overpotential due to the gas-phase mass-transport resistance at the anode and cathode shows dependence on the utilization, which can be measured using the inert gas step addition (ISA) method. Since the Nernst loss is assumed to be due to the thermodynamic reasons, the voltage loss can be calculated by the Nernst equation, referred to as a simple calculation (SC) in this work. The three values of voltage loss due to CU, ISA, and SC are compared, showing that these values rise with increases in the utilization within acceptable deviations. When we consider that the anode and cathode reactions are significantly affected by the gas-phase mass transfer, the behavior strongly implies that the voltage loss is attributable not to thermodynamic reasons, namely Nernst loss, but to the kinetic reason of mass-transfer resistance in the gas phase.

• 한국전기화학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.07a
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• pp.123-128
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• 2005

• 한국전기화학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2004.06a
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• pp.75-76
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• 2004