• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.38-46
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• 2022

Two different gas diffusion layers having noticeable differences in micro-porous layer's (MPL's) crack were studied as a substrate for the gas diffusion electrode (GDE) with different binder/carbon (B/C) ratios in high-temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cell (Ht-PEMFC). As a result, the performance defined as the voltage at 0.2 A/cm² and maximum power density from the single cells using GDEs from H23 C2 and SGL38 BC with different B/C ratios were compared. GDEs from H23 C2 showed a proportional increase of the voltage with the binder content on the other hand GDEs from SGL38 BC displayed a proportional decline of the voltage to the binder content. It was revealed that MPL crack influences the structure of catalyst layer in GDEs as well as affects the RC_athode which is in close connection with the Ht-PEMFC performance.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.243-249
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• 2006

Porous polymer gel electrolytes (PGEs) based on poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (P(VdF-co-HFP)) as a polymer matrix and polyvinylpyrolidone (PVP) as a pore-forming agent were prepared and electrochemical properties were investigated for an electric double layer capacitor (EDLC) in order to increase a permeability of an electrolyte into the PGE. Propylene carbonate (PC) and ethylene carbonate (EC) as plasticizers, and tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate ($TEABF_4$) as a supporting salt for the PGE were used. EDLC unit cells were assembled with the PGE and electrode comprising BP-20 and MSP-20 as activated carbon powders, Super P as a conducting agent, and P(VdF-co-HFP)/PVP as a mixed binder. Ion conductivity of PGEs increased with an increased PVP content and was the best at 7 wt% PVP, whereas electrochemical characteristics such as AC-ESR of unit cell were better in 3 wt%. And electrochemical characteristics of the unit cell with PGE were the best at a 33 : 33 weight ratio of PC to EC. Specific capacitance of a mixed plasticizer system of PE and EC was higher than that of pure PC. Ion conductivity of PGEs with a film thickness of $20{\mu}m$ was higher, but electrochemical characteristics of unit cells were higher for a $50{\mu}m$ membrane thickness. Also, the unit cell has shown the highest capacitance of 31.41 F/g and more stable electrochemical performance when PGE and electrode were hot pressed. Consequently, the optimum composition ratio of PGE for EDLCs was 23 : 66 : 11 wt% such as P(VdF-co-HFP) : PVP = 20 : 3 wt% and PC : EC = 44 : 22 wt%. In this case, $3.17{\times}10^{-3}S/cm$ of ion conductivity was achieved at the $50{\mu}m$ thickness of PGE for EDLCs. And the electrochemical characteristics of unit cells were $2.69{\Omega}$ of DC-ESR, 28 F/g of specific capacitance, and 100% of coulombic efficiency.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.164-171
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• 2014

A highly sensitive and selective non-enzymatic glucose sensor has gained great attention because of simple signal transformation, low-cost, easily handling, and confirming the blood glucose as the representative technology. Until now, glucose sensor has been developed by the immobilization of glucose oxidase (GOx) on the surface of electrodes. However although GOx is quite stable compared with other enzymes, the enzyme-based biosensors are still impacted by various environment factors such as temperature, pH value, humidity, and toxic chemicals. Non-enzymatic sensor for direct detecting glucose is an attractive alternative device to overcome the above drawbacks of enzymatic sensor. Many efforts have been tried for the development of non-enzymatic sensors using various transition metals (Pt, Au, Cu, Ni, etc.), metal alloys (Pt-Pb, Pt-Au, Ni-Pd, etc.), metal oxides, carbon nanotubes and graphene. In this paper, we show that Ni-based nano-particles (NiNPs) exhibit remarkably catalyzing capability for glucose originating from the redox couple of $Ni(OH)_2/NiOOH$ on the surface of ITO electrode in alkaline medium. But, these non-enzymatic sensors are nonselective toward oxidizable species such as ascorbic acid the physiological fluid. So, the anionic polymer was coated on NiNPs electrode preventing the interferences. The oxidation of glucose was highly catalyzed by NiNPs. The catalytically anodic currents were linearly increased in proportion to the glucose concentration over the 0~6.15 mM range at 650 mV versus Ag/AgCl.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.45-51
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• 2020

As flexible electronics will be used under high temperature and high humidity with repeated bending deformations, the effects of environmental condition and repeated mechanical deformations are considered simultaneously to achieve long-term reliability. In this study, the mechanical reliability of metal electrodes (Al, Ag, Cu) deposited on flexible polymer substrate is investigated under 4 different conditions: with and without repeated mechanical deformations and normal environmental or high temperature and high humidity conditions (85℃/85%). The mechanical failure does not occur in all the metal electrodes without mechanical deformation even under high temperature and high humidity conditions. The electrical resistance of metal electrode increased about 400% to 600% after 100,000 bending cycles under normal condition. For high temperature and high humidity condition, the electrical resistance of Al and Ag increased similarly. However, the resistance of Cu during bending fatigue test under high temperature and high humidity condition increased over 90000% because of the combined effect of corrosion and mechanical fatigue. This study can give a helpful information for designing electrode materials with high mechanical reliability under high temperature and high humidity.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.239-246
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• 2015

The hybridization of carbon nano-materials enhances the efficiency of each function of the resulting structure or composites. Also, the addition of non-carbon elements to nanomaterials modifies the electrochemical properties. Electrodes combining porous carbon nanofibers (CNFs) and metal oxides benefit from the combination of the double-layer capacitance of the CNFs and the pseudocapacitive character associated with the surface redox-type reactions. Consequently, they demonstrate superior supercapacitor performance in terms of high capacitance, high energy/power efficiency and high rate capability. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the latest advances made in the development and application of various metal oxide/CNF composites (CNFCs) to supercapacitor electrodes.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.163.2-163.2
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• 2010

We developed a simple method to synthesis a nitrogen doped graphene, nitrogen plasma treated graphene (NPG) sheets thought nitrogen plasma etching of graphene oxide (GO). X-ray photo electron spectroscopy (XPS) study of NPG sheets treated at various plasma conditions reveal that N-doping is classified to 3 kinds of binding configurations. The nitrogen doping concentration is at least 1.5 at % and up to 3 at% with changing of ratio of nitrogen configuration in NPG. Our group demonstrate ultracapacitor with high capacity and extremely durable using a NPG sheets that are comparable to pristine graphene supercapacitor, and pseudocapacitor using polymer and metal oxide with redox reaction, capacitance that are three-times higher, and a cycle life that are extremely stable. We also realized flexible capacitor by using the paper electrode that are coated by NPG sheets. NPG paper capacitor presented almost same performance compare with NPG on a metal substrate, and durability is much more enhanced than that. To additionally explain that how different kind of atoms in graphene layers can act as the ion absorption sites, we simulated the binding energy between nitrogen in graphene layer and ions in electrolyte. Increasing the energy density and long cycle life of ultracapacitor will enable them to compete with batteries and conventional capacitors in number of applications.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.240-245
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• 2010

This work explored the catalytic effect of Pt in multi-wall carbon nanotube and poly-pyrrole conductive polymer electrocatalysts (Pt/PPy/MWCNT). A home-made Pt/PPy/MWCNT catalyst was first evaluated by comparing its electrochemical active surface area (ESA) with E-Tek commercial catalysts by cyclic voltammetry in $H_2SO_4$ solution. Then, the methanol oxidation currents of Pt/PPy/MWCNT and the hydrogen peaks in $H_2SO_4$ solution were serially measured with microporous electrode. This provided the current density of methanol oxidation based on the ESA, allowing a quantitative comparison of catalytic activity. The current densities were also measured for Pt/C catalysts of E-Tek and Tanaka Precious Metal Co. The current densities for the different catalysts were similar, implying that catalytic activity depended directly on the ESA rather than charge transfer or electronic conductivity.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.08a
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• pp.396-396
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• 2012

$TiO_2$ anatase nanotube arrays (NTAs) were grown by electrochemical anodization and followed annealing of Ti foil. Ethylene glycol/$NH_4F$-based organic electrolyte was used for electrolyte solution and using second anodization process to obtain free-standing NTAs. After obtaining NTAs, ITO film was deposited by sputtering process on bottom of NTAs. UV-curable NOA was used for attach free-standing NTAs on flexible plastic substrate (PEN). Solid state electrolyte (spiro-OMeTAD) was coated via spin-coating method on top of attached NTAs. Ag was deposited as a counter electrode. Under AM 1.5 simulated sunlight, optical characteristics of devices were investigated. In order to use flexible polymer substrate, processes have to be conducted at low temperature. In case of $TiO_2$ nano particles (NPs), however, crystallization of NPs at high temperature above $450^{\circ}C$ is required. Because NTAs were conducted high temperature annealing process before NTAs transfer to PEN, it is favorable for using PEN as flexible substrate. Fabricated flexible solid-state DSSCs make possible the preventing of liquid electrolyte corrosion and leakage, various application.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.257-265
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• 2001

Placing a hydrogen conducting, methanol impermeable metallic barrier like palladium (Pd) is a well-known method for preventing methanol crossover through solid polymer electrolyte for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC). Applying a bias potential between the anode and the barrier can further develop this concept so that the hydrogen transfer rate is enhanced. Since hydrogen diffuses in Pd as atomic form while it moves through nafion electrolyte as ion, it has to be reduced or oxidized whenever it passes the interface formed by Pd and the electrolyte. We performed experiments to measure the hydrogen transport through the Pd membrane placed in Nafion electrolyte of hydrogen/oxygen fuel cell (PEMFC). Applying a bias potential between the hydrogen electrode of the cell and the Pd membrane facilitated the hydrogen passage through the Pd membrane. The results show that the cell current measured with the Pd membrane placed reached almost 40 % the value measured with the cell without Pd membrane. It was found that the current flown through the bias path is only a few percent of the cell current.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2008.05a
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• pp.445-447
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• 2008

본 연구에서는 다중벽 탄소나노튜브용 표면개질제를 리빙라디칼중합법을 통하여 제조하고, 이를 이용하여 표면개질되고 분산제어된 다중벽탄소나노튜브를 제조하고 염료감응형 태양전지의 대전극 재료로 사용하였다. 우선 리빙라디칼중합법 중 nitroxide mediated polymerization (NMP) 기술을 이용하여 poly(maleic anhydride-co-p-acetoxystyrene)-block-poly(p-acetoxystyrene)를 합성하고, 공중합체중의 maleic anhydride기에 이미드화 반응을 통하여 pyrene기를 도입하였다. 공중합체 중의 p-acetoxystyrene 반복단위들은 가수분해 반응을 통하여 p-hydroxystyrene 반복단위로 변환하였으며, 제조된 공중합체의 구조와 열 특성 등을 GPC, GC, $^1H$-NMR, TGA을 통하여 분석하였다. 제조된 공중합체를 이용하여 다중벽 탄소나노튜브의 표면을 polymer wrapping법으로 처리하였고, 표면개질된 탄소나노튜브의 분산성을 다양한 용매에서 비교분석하였다. 표면이 개질되고 페이스트 내에의 분산성이 향상된 다중벽탄소나노튜브를 염료감응태양전지의 대전극 제조에 응용하였으며, 표면처리 및 분산제어 여부에 따른 제작 특성 및 동작특성 등을 평가하였다.