• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.19-34
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• 2023

Due to the intermittency of renewable energy sources, a need to store and transport energy will increase. Hydrogen production through water electrolysis will provide an excellent way to supplement the intermittency of renewable energy sources. While alkaline water electrolysis is currently the most mature technology, it has drawbacks of low current density, large footprint, gas crossover, etc. The PEM water electrolysis has potential to replace the alkaline electrolysis. However, expensive catalyst material used in the PEM electrolysis has been the bottleneck of widespread use. In this review, we have reviewed recent efforts to reduce catalyst loading in PEM water electrolysis. In core-shell nanostructures, the precious metal catalyst forms a shell while heteroatoms form a core. In this way, the catalyst loading can be significantly reduced while maintaining the catalytic activity. In another approach, a corrosion-resistant support is utilized, which provides a stable platform to impregnate precious metal catalyst.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.78-82
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• 2023

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is the primary challenge in renewable energy storage technologies, specifically electrochemical water splitting for hydrogen generation. We report effects of Mo doping into Ni layered double hydroxide (Ni-LDH) microcrystal on electrocatalytic activities. In this study, Mo doped Ni-LDH were grown on three-dimensional porous nicekl foam (NF) by a facile solvothermal method. Homogeneous LDH structure on the NF was clearly observed. However, the surface microstructure of the nickel foam began to be irregular and collapsed when Mo precursor is doped. Electrocatalytic OER properties were analyzed by Linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The amount of Mo doping used in the electrocatalytic reaction was found to play a crucial role in improving catalytic activity. The optimum Mo amount introduced into the Ni LDH was discussed with respect to their OER performance.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.57 no.3
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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.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.77-82
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• 2022

Recently, research on the development of low-cost/high-efficiency water electrolysis catalysts to replace noble metal catalysts is being actively conducted. Since overvoltage reduces the overall efficiency of the water splitting device, lowering the overvoltage of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is the most important task in order to generate hydrogen more efficiently. Currently, noble metal catalysts show excellent characteristics in OER performance, but they are experiencing great difficulties in commercialization due to their high price and efficiency limitations due to low reactivity. In this study, a water electrolysis catalyst Ni-MWCNT was prepared by successfully doping Ni into the MWCNTs structure through the pulsed laser ablation in liquid (PLAL) process. High resolution-transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were performed for the structure and chemical composition of the synthesized Ni-MWCNT. Catalytic oxygen evolution reaction evaluation was performed by linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) overvoltage characteristics, Tafel slope, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and Chronoamperometry (CA) was used for measurement.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.412-419
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• 2023

Anion exchange membrane electrolysis is considered a promising next-generation hydrogen production technology that can produce low-cost, clean hydrogen. However, anion exchange membrane electrolysis technology is in its early stages of development and requires intensive research on electrodes, which are a key component of the catalyst-system interface. In this study, we optimized the pressure conditions of the hot-pressing process to manufacture cobalt oxide electrodes for the development of a high uniformity and high adhesion electrode production process for the oxygen evolution reaction. As the pressure increased, the reduction of pores within the electrode and increased densification of catalytic particles led to the formation of a uniform electrode surface. The cobalt oxide electrode optimized for pressure conditions exhibited improved catalytic activity and durability. The optimized electrode was used as the anode in an AEMWE single cell, exhibiting a current density of 1.53 A cm^-2 at a cell voltage of 1.85 V. In a durability test conducted for 100 h at a constant current density of 500 mA cm^-2, it demonstrated excellent durability with a low degradation rate of 15.9 mV kh^-1, maintaining 99% of its initial performance.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.95-99
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• 2006

Electrochemical properties were studied for a single particle of active material of hydrogen storage alloy $(MmNi_{3.55}Co_{0.75}Mn_{0.4}Al_{0.3})$ and nickel hydroxides $(NiOH)_2$ for the secondary Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) batteries using the microelectrode, which was manipulated to make electrical contact with an active material particle for cyclic voltammograms (CV) and potential-step experiments. As a result of CV test, it was found that three kinds of hydrogen oxidation peaks at -0.9, -0.75 and -0.65 V and hydrogen evolution peak at -0.98 V for hydrogen storage alloy were separately observed and two kinds of peaks of proton oxidation/reduction at 0.45 and 0.32 V and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at 0.6 V for nickel hydroxides were also more clearly observed. Furthermore hydrogen diffusion coefficient within a single particle was also found to vary the order between $10^{-9}\;and\;10^{-10}cm^2/s$ over the course of hydrogenation and dehydrogenation process for potential-step experiments.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.154-161
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• 2022

The carbon-neutrality induced by the global warming is important for the modern society. Hydrogen has been received the attention as a new energy source to replace the fossil fuels. Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, which convert the chemical reaction energy of hydrogen into electric power directly, are a type of eco-friendly power for future vehicles. Due to the sluggish oxygen reduction reaction and costly Pt catalyst in the cathode, the research related to the replacement of Pt-based catalysts has been vitally carried out. In this case, however, the performance is significantly different from each other and a variety of factors have existed. In this review paper, we rearrange and summarize relevant papers published within 5 years approximately. The selection of precursors, synthesis method, and co-catalyst are represented as a core factor, while the necessity of research for the further enhancement of activity may be raised. It can be anticipated to contribute to the replacement of precious metal catalysts in the various fields of study. The final objective of the future research is depicted in detail.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2014

This review article summarizes photoelectrochemical water splitting using gallium nitride (GaN). GaN materials have been studied as novel photoelectrode material due to its chemical stability and easy band gap engineering. Unlike other semiconductor materials that are easily corroded in strongly acidic or alkaline electrolyte, n-type GaN is chemically stable enough to be used as photoanode in oxygen evolution reaction. Furthermore, studies on p-type GaN have been recently reported. This review briefly discusses problems that need to be solved before GaN materials find widespread use in solar fuel application.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.58 no.5
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• pp.437-444
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• 2014

The electrochemical corrosion and passivation of Co-RDE in borate buffer solution was studied by Potentiodynamic and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The mechanisms of both the active dissolution and passivation of cobalt and the hydrogen evolution in reduction reaction were hypothetically established while utilizing the Tafel slope, the rotation speed of Co-RDE, impedance data and the pH dependence of corrosion potential. Based on the EIS data, an equivalent circuit was suggested. In addition, the electrochemical parameters for specific anodic dissolution regions were carefully measured. An induction loop in Nyquist plot measured at the open-circuit potential was observed in the low frequency, and this could be attributed to the adsorption-desorption behavior in the corrosion process.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.15 no.5 s.72
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• pp.772-778
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• 2005

Chiral epoxides are important chiral synthons in organic synthesis for the production of chiral pharmaceuticals and functional food additives. Chiral epoxides can be synthesized by enantioselective introduction of oxygen to double bond of substrate by monooxygenase. Peroxidase also carry out asymmetric epoxidation of alkene in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. Kinetic resolution of racemic epoxides via enantioselective hydrolysis reaction by epoxide hydrolase (EH) is a very promising method since chiral epoxides with a high optical purity can be obtained from cheap and readily available racemic epoxides. In this review, various biocatalytic approaches for the production of chiral epoxides with several examples are presented and their commercial potential is discussed.