• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.1765-1773
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• 2013

The cathode reaction is one of the most seriously limiting factors in a microbial fuel cell (MFC). The critical dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration of a platinum-loaded graphite electrode was reported as 2.2 mg/l, about 10-fold higher than an aerobic bacterium. A series of MFCs were run with the cathode compartment inoculated with activated sludge (biotic) or not (abiotic) on platinum-loaded or bare graphite electrodes. At the beginning of the operation, the current values from MFCs with a biocathode and abiotic cathode were $2.3{\pm}0.1$ and $2.6{\pm}0.2mA$, respectively, at the air-saturated water supply in the cathode. The current from MFCs with an abiotic cathode did not change, but that of MFCs with a biotic cathode increased to 3.0 mA after 8 weeks. The coulomb efficiency was 59.6% in the MFCs with a biotic cathode, much higher than the value of 15.6% of the abiotic cathode. When the DO supply was reduced, the current from MFCs with an abiotic cathode decreased more sharply than in those with a biotic cathode. When the respiratory inhibitor azide was added to the catholyte, the current decreased in MFCs with a biotic cathode but did not change in MFCs with an abiotic cathode. The power density was higher in MFCs with a biotic cathode ($430W/m^3$ cathode compartment) than the abiotic cathode MFC ($257W/m^3$ cathode compartment). Electron microscopic observation revealed nanowire structures in biofilms that developed on both the anode and on the biocathode. These results show that an electron-consuming bacterial consortium can be used as a cathode catalyst to improve the cathode reaction.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.135-140
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• 2002

In this paper, We deposited the BST thin-film on p-type (100)Si, (100)MgO and MgO/Si substrates respectively using RF magnetron sputtering method. After the BST thin-fil m was deposited, we performed RTA(rapid thermal anneal) at $600^{\circ}C$, oxygen atmosphere and 1 min. In the XRD measurement, we observed the (110) $Ba_{0.5}Sr_{0.5}TiO_3$ main peak in all samples and the peak intensity increased after post annealing. Then we manufactured a capacitor using Al Electrode and measured I-V, C-V. In C-V measurement result values for each substrate, dielectric constant was calculated 120 (bare Si), 305(MgO/Si), 310(MgO) respectively. A leakage current density was present less than 1 $\mu\textrm{A/cm}^2$ at applied fields below 0.3 MV/cm. In conclusion we confirmed that MgO/Si substrates give good results for BST thin-film deposition.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.202-208
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• 2015

Alumina dispersion strengthening copper(ADSC) alloy has great potential for use in many industrial applications such as contact supports, frictional break parts, electrode materials for lead wires, and spot welding with relatively high strength and good conductivity. In this study, we investigated the oxidation behavior of ADSC alloys. These alloys were fabricated in forms of plate and round type samples by surface oxidation reaction using Cu-0.8Al, Cu-0.4Al-0.4Ti, and Cu-0.6Al-0.4Ti(wt%) alloys. The alloys were oxidized at $980^{\circ}C$ for 1 h, 2 h, and 4 h in ambient atmosphere. The microstructure was observed with an optical microscope(OM) and a scanning electron microscope(SEM) equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDS). Characterization of alumina was carried out using a 200 kV field-emission transmission electron microscope(TEM). As a result, various oxides including Ti were formed in the oxidation layer, in addition to ${\gamma}$-alumina. The thickness of the oxidation layer increased with Ti addition to the Cu-Al alloy and with the oxidation time. The corrected diffusion equation for the plate and round type samples showed different oxidation layer thickness under the same conditions. Diffusion length of the round type specimen had a value higher than that of its plate counterpart because the oxygen concentration per unit area of the round type specimen was higher than that of the plate type specimen at the same diffusion depth.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.99-103
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• 2013

An emzymatic bioanode for a glucose/oxygen biofuel cell was prepared by the sequential coating of carbon nanotube (CNT), charge transfer complex (CTC) based on tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) and tetrathiafulvalene (TTF), glucose oxidase (GOx), and polyion complex (mixture of poly-L-lysine hydrobromide and poly (sodium 4-styrenesulfonate)) on a glassy carbon electrode. A biocathode was also prepared by the sequential coating of CNT, bilirubin oxidase (BOD), 2,2'-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS), and polyion complex. The effect of CNT and CTC on the electrochemical performance was investigated. The biofuel cell exhibited a promising performance with maximum power densities of 3.6, 10.1, and $46.5{\mu}W/cm^2$ at 5, 20, and 200 mM of glucose concentration, respectively. The result indicates that the biofuel cell architecture prepared in this study can be used in the development of biofuel cells and biosensors.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2018.06a
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• pp.28-28
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• 2018

수전해(electrochemical water splitting)는 연료전지의 가역적 역반응을 이용하여 물로부터 수소와 산소를 발생시키는 기술이다. 산소는 음극에서 발생하는데, 이 때 음극 표면은 고농도의 산소 음이온 및 라디칼에 장시간 노출된다. 때문에 기계적, 화학적 내구성이 우수한 전극재를 사용할 필요가 있다. 불용성 전극 (dimensionally stable anode, DSA)은 이러한 기술적 요구사항을 잘 만족하는 상용화 된 전극이다. 티타늄이나 티타늄 합금 표면에 촉매를 미량 반복 살포하여 산화물 형태의 매우 견고한 표면을 형성함으로서 내구성을 확보한다. 그러나, 보통 DSA 제조 기법의 특징에 따라 다공성 표면 구조를 사용하지는 않기 때문에 생산 과정이 복잡하고 비용이 많이 발생하는 문제를 여전히 나타내고 있다. 본 연구는 상기 문제를 개선하기 위한 수전해용 음극 제조 기술에 관한 연구이다. 티타늄과 티타늄 합금은 동일한 양극산화 기술 적용이 가능하다는 점을 이용하여 티타늄 기판으로부터 다공성 구조를 형성함으로써 바인더의 사용을 배제하였다. 단일공정양극산화기법 (single-step anodization)을 이용하여 $IrO_2$와 $RuO_2$를 도핑함으로써 TiO2에 촉매능을 부여하였다. 제조된 나노튜브들의 구조적 특징을 HR-TEM (High-resolution transmission electron microscope)과 FE-SEM (Field-emission scanning electron microscope)으로 분석하고 SAED (selective area electron diffraction) 패턴을 분석하여 전극재의 결정성을 확인하였다. 알칼라인 분위기에서 일으킨 산소발생반응 (oxygen evolution reaction, OER)의 LSV (linear sweep voltammetry) 결과를 XPS (X-ray photoelectron microscoscopy) 결과와 연관지어 촉매 표면 구조와 과전압의 관계를 해석하였다. LSV 결과로부터 Tafel 분석을 연달아 수행함으로써 전극의 속도결정단계를 정의하였다. 최종적으로 사이클 테스트 통하여 DSA로써의 성능을 평가하였다.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.331-335
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to characterize the photo-catalytic efficiency of $TiO_2$ nanotube with respect to the distribution of anatase phase which can be changed by the annealing temperature of $TiO_2$ nanotube. $TiO_2$ nanotube was fabricated by the anodization method in the 0.5 wt% HF electrolyte. And then the $TiO_2$ nanotube was annealed at temperatures ranging from $380^{\circ}C$ to $780^{\circ}C$ in dry oxygen ambient for 2 h. For the photo-catalytic water-splitting tests, the photocurrent density was measured as a function of applied potential with a potentiostat using a Ag/AgCl reference, Pt counter electrode, and 1 M KOH electrolyte under illumination of UV by a Xe arc lamp of 1 KW. According to the UV photo-catalytic water-splitting tests, the nanotube annealed at $560^{\circ}C$ was found to show the highest photocurrent density.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.155-161
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• 2017

Carbon felts were prepared under various thermal conditions to improve the electrochemical properties of vanadium redox flow batteries. The number of C-O and/or C-OH functional groups on the surface of the electrodes treated under airless conditions was much larger than that of the untreated and partially oxygen-treated electrodes. The carbon felt treated under airless conditions had the lowest surface area. The overall kinetic properties of the redox reaction were greatly improved for the carbon felt treated under airless conditions; i.e., the reversibility of the anodic and cathodic reactions associated with the $VO_2{^+}/VO^{2+}$ couple became more reversible. Single-cell tests indicated that the carbon felt exhibited an excellent discharge capacity of $3.1Ah{\cdot}g^{-1}$ at $40mA{\cdot}cm^{-2}$, and the corresponding Coulombic, voltage, and energy efficiencies were 89.5%, 91.8%, and 82.2%, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.312-317
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• 2000

Ferroelectric S $r_{0.9}$/B $i_{2.1}$/T $a_{2}$/ $O_{9}$ solutions were synthesized using sol-gel process in which strontinum ethoxide bismuth ethoxide trantalum ethoxide were used a s startring materials. SBT thin films were coated on Pt/Ti/ $SiO_2$/Si substrates by spin-coating. rapid thermal annealing (RTA) was used to promote crystallization. Thin films were annealed at $700^{\circ}C$ for 1 hr in an oxygen atmosphere. This temperature is about 10$0^{\circ}C$ lower than the usual annealing temperature for SBT thin films. Pt top-electrode was deposited by sputtering and thin films were post-annealed at $700^{\circ}C$ for 30 min. to enhance electrical properties. As the RTA temperature increased the higher 2 $P_{r}$ values were obtained. At RTA temperature being 78$0^{\circ}C$ remanent polarization of S $r_{0.9}$/B $i_{2.1}$/T $a_{2}$/ $O_{9}$ thin film was 7.73 $\mu$C/cm $_2$ and the leakage current density was 1.14$\times$10$^{-7}$ A/c $m^2$ at 3 V. As RTA temperature increased the breakdown voltage was decreased. It is considered that the low-field breadown is caused by the rough surface of SBT films and forming bismuth metal in SBT thin films.films.lms.

• Solar Energy
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.70-76
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• 1991

Electrochemical reaction utilizing the semiconducting photoanodes can be applied to the photoelectrolysis of water to produce hydrogen. In this preliminary experiment, $TiO_2$ photoanodes were prepared by sintering anatase-$TiO_2$ powder at $1,250^{\circ}C$ and thermal oxidizing titanium plate at $850^{\circ}C$ in air and oxygen, respectively. Their surface structures were observed by XRD and optical microscope. I-E characteristics of thermally oxidized $TiO_2$ photoanode were also investigated under illuminated and dark conditions using 1 N and 0.1 N NaOH electrolyte solutions.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.311-317
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• 2006

Feasibility of destroying synthetic and actual leachate containing humic acids and ammonia compounds by supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) was evaluated. In this study, destruction efficiencies of humic acids and ammonia respectively were investigated at various reaction temperatures and residence times under pressure a supercritical pressure (280 atm). To lower reaction temperature, chemical oxidants were used. The experiment was carried out in a cylindrical batch reactor made of Hastelloy C-276 that can withstand high temperature and pressure. Concentrations of humic acids and ammonia were measured using a $COD_{Cr}$ method and an ammonia selective electrode, respectively. The optimal destructive condition of humic acids in the presence of stoichiometric oxygen(air) was 3 min at $380^{\circ}C$, but the temperature could be lowered to subcritical region ($360^{\circ}C$) along with $H_2O_2$ as an oxidant. For ammonia, the optimal destructive condition with air was 5 min at $660^{\circ}C$, but it was possible to operate the process for 3 minutes at $550^{\circ}C$ or 2 min at $600^{\circ}C$ along with $H_2O_2$ as an oxidant. At 2 min and $550^{\circ}C$ along with $H_2O_2$ as an oxidant, humic and ammonia compounds in the actual leachate were easily destructed and the effluent quality met the Korea Standard Leachate Quality.