• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.280-284
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• 2012

Bismuth antimony telluride (BiSbTe) thermoelectric materials were successfully prepared by a spark plasma sintering process. Crystalline BiSbTe ingots were crushed into small pieces and then attrition milled into fine powders of about 300 nm ~ 2${\mu}m$ size under argon gas. Spark plasma sintering was applied on the BiSbTe powders at 240, 320, and $380^{\circ}C$, respectively, under a pressure of 40 MPa in vacuum. The heating rate was $50^{\circ}C$/min and the holding time at the sintering temperature was 10 min. At all sintering temperatures, high density bulk BiSbTe was successfully obtained. The XRD patterns verify that all samples were well matched with the $Bi_{0.5}Sb_{1.5}Te_{3}$. Seebeck coefficient (S), electric conductivity (${\sigma}$) and thermal conductivity (k) were evaluated in a temperature range of $25{\sim}300^{\circ}C$. The thermoelectric properties of BiSbTe were evaluated by the thermoelectric figure of merit, ZT (ZT = $S^2{\sigma}T$/k). The grain size and electric conductivity of sintered BiSbTe increased as the sintering temperature increased but the thermal conductivity was similar at all sintering temperatures. Grain growth reduced the carrier concentration, because grain growth reduced the grain boundaries, which serve as acceptors. Meanwhile, the carrier mobility was greatly increased and the electric conductivity was also improved. Consequentially, the grains grew with increasing sintering temperature and the figure of merit was improved.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.418-423
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• 2014

Fully ceramic micro encapsulated (FCM) nuclear fuel is a concept recently proposed for enhancing the stability of nuclear fuel. FCM nuclear fuel consists of tristructural-isotropic (TRISO) fuel particles within a SiC matrix. Each TRISO fuel particle is composed of a $UO_2$ kernel and a PyC/SiC/PyC tri-layer which protects the kernel. The SiC ceramic matrix is created by sintering. In this FCM fuel concept, fission products are protected twice, by the TRISO coating layer and by the SiC ceramic. The SiC ceramic has proven attractive for fuel applications owing to its low neutron-absorption cross-section, excellent irradiation resistivity, and high thermal conductivity. In this study, a SiC-matrix composite containing TRISO particles was sintered by hot pressing with $Al_2O_3-Y_2O_3$ additive system. Various sintering conditions were investigated to obtain a relative density greater than 95%. The internal distribution of TRISO particles within the SiC-matrix composite was observed using an x-ray radiograph. The fracture of the TRISO particles was investigated by means of analysis of the cross-section of the SiC-matrix composite.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.1132-1137
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• 2003

This study dealt with the suppression of interfacial reaction between Nb and MoSi$_2$ for the fabrication of high toughness Nb/MoSi$_2$ laminate composites, based on the results of a thermodynamical estimation. Especially, the effect of ZrO$_2$ particle on the interfacial reaction of Nb/MoSi$_2$ bonding materials has been examined. Nb/MoSi$_2$ bonding materials have been successfully fabricated by alternatively stacking matrix mixtures and Nb sheets and hot pressing in the graphite mould. The addition of ZrO$_2$ particle to MoSi$_2$ matrix is obviously effective for promoting both the interfacial reaction suppression and the sintered density of Nb/MoSi$_2$ bonding materials, since it is caused by the formation of ZrSiO$_4$ in the MoSi$_2$-ZrO$_2$ matrix mixture. The interfacial shear strength of Nb/MoSi$_2$ bonding materials also decreases with the reduction of interfacial reaction layer associated with the content of ZrO$_2$ particle and the fabrication temperature.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.57-63
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• 2003

The effects of glass addition on the low-temperature sintering and microwave dielectric properties of $BaO-Nd_2O_3-TiO_2$ dielectric ceramics were studied. When 10∼13 wt% of lithium borosilicate glass was added, the sintering temperature decreased from 130$0^{\circ}C$to 850-$900^{\circ}C$relative density of more than 97% was obtained. When the sample was sintered at $850^{\circ}C$ with 10 wt% of glass, the dielectric properties of $\epsilon_r{\ge}54$, $Q{\times}f_0{\ge}2300$, and $\tau_f{\ge}+8ppm/^{\circ}C$ were obtained.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.83-89
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• 2004

In this work, HA/$TiO_2$ biocomposite to get high mechanical properties with biocompatibility were prepared. HA/$TiO_2$ biocomposite powders were prepared by mixing $TiO_2$ and HA powders which were synthesized through sol-gel, precipitation and hydrothermal methods. The mixing ratio was fixed at 1:1 ratio (HA/$TiO_2$, wt%). HA/$TiO_2$ biocomposite powders showed different microstructures depending on their particle size and shape. The smaller particles were coated on the surface of larger particles, whereas they were well mixed and dispersed when both $TiO_2$ and HA were nanocrystallites. HA/$TiO_2$ biocomposite powders with homogeneous microstructure showed high sintered density and good mechanical properties.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.277-282
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• 2007

The artificial lightweight aggregate (ALA) was manufactured using coal bottom ashes produced from a thermoelectric power plant with clay and, the sintering temperature and batch composition dependence upon physical properties of ALA were studied. The bottom ash (BA) had 13wt% coarse particle (>4.75mm) and showed very irregular shape so should be crushed to fine particles to be formed with clay by extrusion process. Also the bottom ash contained a many unburned carbon which generates the gas by oxidation and lighten a aggregate during a sintering process. Plastic index of green bodies decreased with increasing bottom ash content but the extrusion forming process was possible for the green body containing BA up to 40wt% whose plastic index and plastic limit were around 10 and 22 respectively. The ALA containing $30{\sim}40wt%$ BA sintered at $1100{\sim}1200^{\circ}C$ showed a volume specific density of $1.3{\sim}1.5$ and water absorption of $13{\sim}15%$ and could be appled for high-rise building and super-long bridge.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.428-432
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• 2015

Sintering and microwave dielectric properties of $Zn_{2-2x}Si_{1+x}O_4$ (x=0~0.10) ceramics were investigated. The secondary phase of ZnO was observed in the specimen for x=0 whereas $SiO_2$ was detected in that for x=0.05. The composition of $Zn_2SiO_4$ might be close to x=0.02, i.e., $Zn_{1.96}Si_{1.02}O_4$; the ratio of Zn/Si is 1.922. The insufficient grain growth was observed in the specimen of x=0. For the specimens of $x{\geq}0.05$, the grain growth sufficiently occurred through the liquid phase sintering. The value of quality factor of all specimens was dependent on the x value, i.e., the ratio of Zn/Si, whereas that of dielectric constant was independent. Relative density, dielectric constant, and quality factor ($Q{\times}f$) of the specimen for x=0.05, i.e., $Zn_{1.9}Si_{1.05}O_4$, sintered at $1,400^{\circ}C$ were 96.5%, 6.43, and 115,166 GHz, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.326-330
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• 2010

$CoSb_3$ Skutterudites materials have high potential for thermoelectric application at mid-temperature range because of their superior thermoelectric properties via control of charge carrier density and substitution of foreign atoms. Improvement of thermoelectric properties is expected for the ternary solid solution developed by substitution of foreign atoms having different valances into the $CoSb_3$ matrix. In this study, ternary solid solutions with a stoichiometry of $Co_{1-x}Ni_xSb_3$ x = 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, $CoSb_{3-y}Te_y$, y = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 were prepared by the Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) system. Before the SPS synthesis, the ingots were synthesized by vacuum induction melting and followed by annealing. For phase analysis X-ray powder diffraction patterns were checked. All the samples were confirmed as single phase; however, with samples that were more doped than the solubility limit some secondary phases were detected. All the samples doped with Ni and Te atoms showed a negative Seebeck coefficient and their electrical conductivities increased with the doping amount up to the solubility limit. For the samples prepared by SPS the maximum value for dimensionless figure of merit reached 0.26, 0.42 for $Co_{0.9}Ni_{0.1}Sb_3$, $CoSb_{2.8}Te_{0.2}$ at 690 K, respectively. These results show that the SPS method is effective in this system and Ni/Te dopants are also effective for increasing thermoelectric properties of this system.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.19 no.7
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• pp.655-661
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• 2006

Dielectric and piezoelectric properties of PMN-PZT ceramics with a high mechanical quality factor$(Q_m)$ and a low temperature sintering temperature were investigated as a function of PZN substitution in order to develop multilayer piezoelectric transformer for AC-DC converter. Multilayer piezoelectric transformers were subsequently manufactured using the PMN-PZN-PZT ceramic offering the optimal behavior and then the electrical performance were invetigated. At the sintering temperature of $940^{\circ}C$, density, electromechanical coupling factor$(k_p)$, mechanical qualify factor$(Q_m)$ and dielectric constant$(\varepsilon_r)$ of 8 mol% PZN substituted specimen were $7.73g/cm^3$, 0.524, 1573 and 1455, respectively. The PZN substitution caused a increase in the dielectric constant and the electromechnical coupling factor. The voltage step-up ratio of multilayer piezoelectric transformer showed the maximum value at near the resonant frequency of 76.55 kHz and increased according to the increase of load resistance. The multilayer piezoelectric transformer with the output impedance coincided with the load resistance showed the temperature increase of less than $20^{\circ}C$ at the output power of 10 W. Based on the results, the manufactured multilayer transformer using the low temperature sintered PMN-PZN-PZT ceramics can be stably driven for both step-up and down transformers.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.42 no.6 s.277
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• pp.425-431
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• 2005

Line Shaped Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) with multilayered structure has been fabricated via direct-writing process. The cell is electrolyte of Ni-YSZ cermet anode, YSZ electrolyte and LSM cathode. They were processed into pastes for the direct writing process. Syringe filled with each electrode and electrolyte paste was loaded into the computer-controlled robe-dispensing machine and the paste was dispensed through cylindrical nozzle of 0.21 mm in diameter under the air pressure of 0.1 tow onto a moving plate with 1.22 mm/s. First of all, the anode paste was dispensed on the PSZ porous substrate, and then the electrolyte paste was dispensed. The anode/electrolyte and the PSZ substrate were co-fired at $1350^{\circ}C$ in air atmosphere for 3 h. The cathode layer was similarly dispensed and sintered at $1200^{\circ}C$ for 1 h. All the electrode/electrolyte lines were visually aligned during the direct writing process. The effective reaction area of fabricated SOFC was $0.03 cm^2$, and the thickness of anode, electrolyte and cathode was 20 $\mu$m, 15 $\mu$m, and 10 $\mu$m, respectively. The single line-shaped SOFC fabricated by direct-writing process exhibited OCV of 0.95 V and maximum power density of $0.35W/cm^2$ at $810^{\circ}C$.