• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.08a
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• pp.294-294
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• 2010

Over the last decade, dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) has attracted much attention due to the high solar-to-electricity conversion efficiency up to 10% as well as low cost compared with p-n junction photovoltaic devices. DSSC is composed of mesoporous TiO2 nanoparticle electrodes coated with photo-sensitized dye, the redox electrolyte and the metal counter electrode. The performances of DSSC are dependent on constituent materials and interface as well as device structure. Replacing the heavy glass substrate with plastic materials is crucial to enlarge DSSC applications for the competition with inorganic based thin film photovoltaic devices. One of the biggest problems with plastic substrates is their low-temperature tolerance, which makes sintering of the photoelectrode films impossible. Therefore, the most important step toward the low-temperature DSSC fabrication is how to enhance interparticle connection at the temperature lower than $150^{\circ}C$. In this talk, the key issues for high efficiency plastic solar cells will be discussed, and several strategies for the improvement of interconnection of nanoparticles and bendability will also be proposed.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.331-336
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• 2009

This article introduces the research status for the photoelectrochemical $H_2$ production. Fundamentals to the photoelectrochemical water-splitting cells are given and technical issues, research status, and development trend are also reviewed.

• Advances in Energy Research
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.45-57
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• 2015

This article is addressed to define a new composite electrode constituted by porous nickel and an array of highly ordered $TiO_2$ nanotubes obtained by a previous galvanostatic anodization treatment in an ethylene glycol solution. The electrochemical performances of the composite anode were evaluated in a photo-electrolyser, which showed good solar conversion efficiency with respect to the UV irradiance together with a reduction of energy consumption. Such a combination of materials makes our system simple and able to work both in dark and under solar light exposure, thus opening new perspectives for industrial-scale applications.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2015.05a
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• pp.101-101
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• 2015

Photoelectrochemical water splitting is considered as a promising method of transforming solar energy into chemical energy stored in the type of hydrogen. An n-type $WO_3$ semiconductor is one of the most promising photoanodes for hydrogen production from water splitting. Films annealed at lower temperatures consisted of amorphous, whereas films annealed above $500^{\circ}C$ comprised solely of monoclinic $WO_3$. In this study, we observed photoactivity of $WO_3$ as increasing thickness of $WO_3$. And it shows good photoacivity as thickness increases. Also we tried to improve photoactivity through surface modification and bulk modification by using hydrogen treatment and conducting polymer. The photocurrent was measured in potentiostatic method with the three electrode system. A Pt wire and Ag / AgCl electrode were used as the counter electrode and the reference electrode, respectively. photocurrent-time (I-T) curve was measured at a bias potential of 0.79 V.

• Applied Science and Convergence Technology
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.105-108
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• 2018

Transparent $TiO_2$ nanotube arrays are successfully prepared by a two-step approach involving electrochemical anodization and RF magnetron sputtering. First, a Ti film is deposited on an FTO substrate by RF magnetron sputtering at room temperature. The morphologies of the Ti film are controlled by the working distance, Ar flow, and DC power. Second, an anodization treatment is electrochemically performed for the formation of nanotube arrays from the deposited Ti film, followed by post-annealing treatment in air for the formation of $TiO_2$ crystallization. The back side of the crystallized $TiO_2$ nanotube arrays is illuminated with solar light to characterize the photoelectrochemical reaction, and their photoelectrochemical properties are investigated. This work provides information on application of a thin film deposited by RF sputtering in the field of photoelectrochemical water splitting.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.365-371
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• 2018

1D core-shell nanostructures have attracted great attention due to their enhanced physical and chemical properties. Specifically, oriented single-crystalline $TiO_2$ nanorods or nanowires on a transparent conductive substrate would be more desirable as the building core backbone. However, a facile approach to produce such structure-based hybrids is highly demanded. In this study, a three-step hydrothermal method was developed to grow NiMn-layered double hydroxide-decorated $TiO_2$/carbon core-shell nanorod arrays on transparent conductive fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates. XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS and Raman were used to analyze the obtained samples. The in-situ fabricated hybrid nanostructured materials are expected to be applicable for photoelectrode working in water splitting.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.214-222
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• 2019

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have been receiving growing attentions as a potential alternative to order photovoltaic devices due to their high efficiency and low manufacturing cost. DSSCs are composed of a photosensitizing dye adsorbed on a mesoporous film of nanocrystalline $TiO_2$ as a photoelectrode, an electrolyte containing triiodide/iodide redox couple, and a platinized counter electrode. To improve photovoltaic properties of DSSCs, new dicationic salts based on ionic liquids were synthesized. Quite comparable efficiencies were obtained from electrolytes with new dicationic iodide salts. The best cell performance of 7.96% was obtained with dicationic salt of PBDMIDI.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.59-63
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• 2017

The n-type GaN semiconductor has excellent properties as a photoelectrode, but it has disadvantage that its reliability is deteriorated due to the photocorrosion because the oxygen reaction occurs on the surface. For this reason, there are fundamental attempts to avoid photocorrosion reaction of GaN surfaces by using the p-type GaN as a photoelectrode where hydrogen generation reaction occurs on the surface. However, p-type GaN has a problem of low efficiency because of its high resistivity and low hole mobility. In this study, we try to improve the photocurrent efficiency by activation process for the p-type GaN. The p-type GaN was annealed for 1 min. at $500^{\circ}C$ in $N_2$ atmosphere. Hall effect measurement system was used for the electrical properties and potentiostat (PARSTAT4000) was used to measure the photoelectrochemical (PEC) characteristics. Consequently, the photocurrent density was improved more than 1.5 times by improving the activation process for the p-type GaN. Also, its reliability was maintained for 3 hours.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.2-8
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• 2012

In this study, in order to develop renewable bio-based nanocomposites, multi-functional nanocomposites from soybean resins (AESO, MAESO) and nanoclay were prepared. Photoelectrodes for environmental friendly dye-sensitized solar cell using soybean resin were also prepared. Organo-modified nanoclay was directly dispersed in functionalized soybean resins after mixing with styrene as a comonomer and radical initiator was used to copolymerize the nanocomposites. The observed morphology was a mixture of intercalated/exfoliated structure and the physical properties were improved by adding nanoclay. A nanocomposite using MAESO, which added COOH functional group to the soybean resin, showed better dispersibility than AESO composites. Ultrasonic treatment of the nanocomposites also improved the physical properties. Nanoporous $TiO_2$ photoelectrode was also prepared using soybean resins as a binder, after acid-treatment of $TiO_2$ surface using nitric acid. Dye-sensitized solar cells were prepared after adsorbing dye molecules on it. The $TiO_2$ photoelectrode prepared using soybean binder had high current density because of increased surface area by improved dispersibility. The photoelectrochemical properties and conversion efficiency of the solar cell were significantly improved using the soybean binder.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.33-38
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• 2020

In the photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting, GaN is one of the most promising photoanode materials due to high stability in electrolytes and adjustable energy band position. However, the application of GaN is limited because of low efficiency. To improve solar to hydrogen conversion efficiency, we introduce a Cobalt Phosphate (Co-pi) catalyst by photo-electrodeposition. The Co-pi deposition GaN were characterized by SEM, EDS, and XPS, respectively, which illustrated that Co-pi was successfully decorated on the surface of GaN. PEC measurement showed that photocurrent density of GaN was 0.5 mA/㎠ and that of Co-pi deposited GaN was 0.75 mA/㎠. Impedance and Mott-Schottky measurements were performed, and as a result of the measurement, polarization resistance (R_p) and increased donor concentration (N_D) values decreased from 50.35 Ω to 34.16 Ω were confirmed. As a result of analyzing the surface components before and after the water decomposition, it was confirmed that the Co-pi catalyst is stable because Co-pi remains even after the water decomposition. Through this, it was confirmed that Co-pi is effective as a catalyst for improving GaN efficiency, and when applied as a catalyst to other photoelectrodes, it is considered that the efficiency of the PEC system can be improved.