• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.51 no.5
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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.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 2010

In this study, we have demonstrated the fine structure effect of PdCo electrocatalyst on oxygen reduction reaction activity with different alloy composition and heat-treatment time. In order to identify the intrinsic factors for the electrocatalytic activity, various X-ray analyses were used, including inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometer, and X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy technique. In particular, extended X-ray absorption fine structure was employed to extract the structural parameters required for understanding the atomic distribution and alloying extent, and to identify the corresponding simulated structures by using FEFF8 code and IFEFFIT software. The electrocatalytic activity of PdCo alloy nanoparticles for the oxygen reduction reaction was evaluated by using rotating disk electrode technique and correlated to the change in structural parameters. We have found that Pd-rich surface was formed on the Co core with increasing heating time over 5 hours. Such core shell structure of PdCo/C showed that a superior oxygen reduction reaction activity than pure Pd/C or alloy phase of PdCo/C electrocatalysts, because the adsorption energy of adsorbates was apparently reduced by lowering the dband center of the Pd skin due to a combination of the compressive strain effect and ligand effect.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.65-72
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• 2014

The use of nanoscale electrocatalysts is a promising strategy for achieving high catalyst activity due to their large surface area. However, catalyst activity is not directly correlated to particle size. To understand this discrepancy, many studies have been conducted, but a full understanding has still not been achieved, despite the importance of particle size effects in designing an active catalyst. In this review, we focus on the discussion of particle size effects on the oxygen reduction reaction, and also discussed the nanoscale design beyond the nanoparticle to the meso and macroscale design.

• 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 Environmental Science International
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.577-582
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• 2002

Selective catalytic reduction and selective non-catalytic reduction processes are mainly used to treat nitrogen oxidants generated from fossil-fuel combustion. Especially, the selective non-catalytic reduction process can be operated more economical and designed more simply than the selective catalytic reduction. For this reason, many researchers carried out to increase the removal efficiency of nitrogen oxidants in the condition of low oxygen concentration by using the selective non-catalytic reduction process. However, this study was flue gas contained high oxygen concentration of 20(v/v%) with ammonia as a reducing agent. Moreover, it carried out experiment with many factors that are reaction temperature, retention time, initial NO concentration, NSR(normalized stoichiometric ratio). It was determined optimal operating conditions to improve NO removal efficiency with SNCR process. The De-NOx efficiency was increased with NSR, initial NO concentration and retention time increasement. This study has NO removal efficiency over 80% in the high oxygen concentration as well as low oxygen concentration. The injection of reducing agent may be considered for SNCR process and facility operation in 850$\^{C}$ of optimal condition.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.12-18
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• 2009

The 20% Pt/C catalysts were synthesized using the chemical reduction method for polymer electrolyte fuel cell cathode and were heat-treated in the temperature range from 300 to $600^{\circ}C$. The oxygen reduction reaction of the catalysts was evaluated using the electrochemical measurement. The oxygen reduction reaction of the heat-treated Pt/C at $300^{\circ}C$ had high catalytic activity and the oxygen reduction reaction current of that was 2 times than that of non-heat treatment catalyst. It is considered that the change of the crystallinity and particle size by heat treatment could increase the catalytic activity.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.242-248
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• 2016

The overall reaction rate of fuel cell is governed by oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in the cathode due to its slowest reaction compared to the oxidation of hydrogen in the anode. The ORR efficiency can be readily evaluated by examining the adsorption strength of atomic oxygen on the surface of catalysts (i.e., known as a descriptor) and the adsorption energy can be controlled by transforming the surface geometry of catalysts. In the current study, the effect of the surface geometry of catalysts (i.e., strain effect) on the adsorption strength of atomic oxygen on platinum catalysts was analyzed by using density functional theory (DFT). The optimized lattice constant of Pt ($3.977{\AA}$) was increased and decreased by 1% to apply tensile and compressive strain to the Pt surface. Then the oxygen adsorption strengths on the modified Pt surfaces were compared and the electron charge density of the O-adsorbed Pt surfaces was analyzed. As the interatomic distance increased, the oxygen adsorption strength became stronger and the d-band center of the Pt surface atoms was shifted toward the Fermi level, implying that anti-bonding orbitals were shifted to the conduction band from the valence band (i.e., the anti-bonding between O and Pt was less likely formed). Consequently, enhanced ORR efficiency may be expected if the surface Pt-Pt distance can be reduced by approximately 2~4% compared to the pure Pt owing to the moderately controlled oxygen binding strength for improved ORR.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.90-96
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• 2018

Reaction characteristics and kinetics of a oxygen carrier (OCN717-R1SU) for chemical looping combustion (CLC) have been investigated using TGA by changing gas concentration (10-30 vol.% $CH_4$) and reaction temperature ($825-900^{\circ}C$). Reaction rate of OCN717-R1SU increased as temperature increased and it was found that reaction is delayed at the initial reaction regime. Johnson-Mehl-Avrami (JMA) model was adopted to explain the reaction phenomenon. The activation energy (E) determined by JMA model in reduction reaction of OCN717-R1SU is $151.7{\pm}2.03kJ/mol$ and pre-exponential factor and JMA exponent were also obtained. The parameters calculated in this study will be applied in design of the reactor and operation conditions for CLC process.

• Journal of Ceramic Processing Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.18-23
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• 2019

Chemical looping combustion (CLC) is a promising carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology whose efficiency and cost primarily relies on the oxygen carrier materials used. In this paper, gadolinium-doped ceria (GDC, Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95) was added as a promoter to improve the oxygen transfer rate of MgMnO3-δ oxygen carrier materials. Increasing GDC content significantly increased the oxygen transfer rate of MgMnO3-δ-GDC composites for the reduction reaction due to an increase in the surface adsorption of CH4 via oxygen vacancies formed on the surface of the GDC. On the other hand, the oxygen transfer rate for the oxidation reaction decreased linearly with increasing GDC content due to the oxygen storage ability of GDC. Adsorbed oxygen molecules preferentially insert themselves into oxygen vacancies of the GDC lattice rather than reacting with (Mg,Mn)O to form MgMnO3-δ during the oxidation reaction.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.420-425
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• 2016

N-doped carbon nanofibers as catalysts for oxygen-reduction reactions are synthesized using electrospinning and carbonization. Their morphologies, structures, chemical bonding states, and electrochemical performance are characterized. The optimized N-doped carbon nanofibers exhibit graphitization of carbon nanofibers and an increased nitrogen doping as well as a uniform network structure. In particular, the optimized N-doped carbon nanofibers show outstanding catalytic activity for oxygen-reduction reactions, such as a half-wave potential ($E_{1/2}$) of 0.43 V, kinetic limiting current density of $6.2mAcm^{-2}$, electron reduction pathways (n = 3.1), and excellent long-term stability after 2000 cycles, resulting in a lower $E_{1/2}$ potential degradation of 13 mV. The improvement in the electrochemical performance results from the synergistic effect of the graphitization of carbon nanofibers and the increased amount of nitrogen doping.