• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.339-344
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• 2001

An all solid-state thin film supercapacitor (TFSC) with Co$_3$O$_4$/LiPON/Co$_3$O$_4$ structure was fabricated on Pt/Ti/Si substrate using Co$_3$O$_4$ thin film electrode. Each Co$_3$O$_4$ film was grown by reactive dc reactive magnetron sputtering with increasing $O_2$/[Ar+O$_2$] ratio. Amorphous LiPON electrolyte film was deposited on Co$_3$O$_4$/Pt/Ti/Si in pure nitrogen ambient by using reactive rf magnetron sputtering. The electrochemical behavior of the Co$_3$O$_4$/LiPON/Co$_3$O$_4$ multi-layer structures exhibits a behavior of a bulk-type supercapacitor, even though much lower capacity (from 5 to 25 mF/$\textrm{cm}^2$-$\mu\textrm{m}$) than that of the bulk one. It was found that the TFSC showed a fairly constant discharge capacity with a constant current of 50 $\mu\textrm{A}/\textrm{cm}^2$ at the cut-off voltage 0-2V during 400 cycles. It is shown that the electrochemical behavior of the Co$_3$O$_4$/LiPON/Co$_3$O$_4$ TFSC is dependent upon the sputtering gas ratio. The capacity dependency of electrode films on different gas ratios was explained by different structural, electrical, and surfacical properties.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.181-185
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• 2010

Polyaniline-ionic liquid composite was prepared and investigated its physical and electrochemical properties. The quasi-solidification was presented in imidazolium-based ionic liquid (1-methly-3-propylimidazolium iodide, PMI-I) containing above 30 wt% of polyaniline (emeraldine base), which exhibited around 80% decrease of conductivity compared to pristine ionic liquid, resulting in fibril structure trough ${\pi}-{\pi}$ self-assembled of imidazolium aromatic ring of ionic liquid on polyaniline framework.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.207-214
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• 2001

Silica glass is a core material for optical fiber in optical telecommunications, but its centrosymmetry eliminates the second order nonlinearity. But it is experimentally well known that the space charge polarization induces the Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) when a strong DC voltage is applied to silica glass for a long period of time with metal blocking electrodes. In this report, the results of a theoretical calculation of the nonlinear optical property caused by the space charge polarization, and a model of a numerical analysis to predict the small chance in nonlinear optical property as functions of time and space are provided. Assuming that amorphous silica is a solid state electrolyte and sodium ion is the only mobile charge carrier, 'Finite Difference Method' was employed for modeling of numerical analysis. The distributions of the concentration of sodium ion and electric field as functions of a normalized length of the specimen and a normalized applied voltage were simulated.

• Advances in materials Research
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.37-46
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• 2019

Electrochemical double layer capacitors (EDLCs) which are fabricated using carbon based electrodes have been emerging at an alarming rate to fulfill the energy demand in the present day world. Activated charcoal has been accepted as a very suitable candidate for electrodes but its cost is higher than natural graphite. Present study is about fabrication of EDLCs using composite electrodes with activated charcoal and Sri Lankan natural graphite as well as a gel polymer electrolyte which is identified as a suitable substitute for liquid electrolytes. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy, Cyclic Voltammetry and Galvanostatic Charge Discharge test were done to evaluate the performance of the fabricated EDLCs. Amount of activated charcoal and natural graphite plays a noticeable role on the capacity. 50 graphite : 40 AC : 10 PVdF showed the optimum single electrode specific capacity value of 15 F/g. Capacity is determined by the cycling rate as well as the potential window within which cycling is being done. Continuous cycling resulted an average single electrode specific capacity variation of 48 F/g - 16 F/g. Capacity fading was higher at the beginning. Later, it dropped noticeably. Initial discharge capacity drop under Galvanostatic Charge Discharge test was slightly fast but reached near stable upon continuous charge discharge process. It can be concluded that initially some agitation is required to reach the maturity. However, the results can be considered as encouraging to initiate studies on EDLCs using Sri Lankan natural graphite.

• Clean Technology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.97-102
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• 2022

Lithium sulfur (Li-S) batteries have attracted considerable attention as a promising candidate for next-generation power sources due to their high theoretical energy density, low cost, and eco-friendliness. However, the poor electrical conductivity of sulfur and its insoluble discharging products (Li₂S₂/Li₂S), large volume changes, severe self-discharge, and dissolution of lithium polysulfide intermediates result in rapid capacity fading, low Coulombic efficiency, and safety risks, hindering Li-S battery commercial development. In this study, a three-dimensionally (3D) connected hierarchical porous carbon framework (HPCF) derived from waste sunflower seed shells was synthesized as a sulfur host for Li-S batteries via a chemical activation method. The natural 3D connected structure of the HPCF, originating from the raw material, can effectively enhance the conductivity and accessibility of the electrolyte, accelerating the Li⁺/electron transfer. Additionally, the generated micropores of the HPCF, originated from the chemical activation process, can prevent polysulfide dissolution due to the limited space, thereby improving the electrochemical performance and cycling stability. The HPCF/S cell shows a superior capacity retention of 540 mA h g^-1 after 70 cycles at 0.1 C, and an excellent cycling stability at 2 C for 700 cycles. This study provides a potential biomass-derived material for low-cost long-life Li-S batteries.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.44-48
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• 2000

Amorphous $V_2O_5$ cathode thin films were prepared by DC-magnetron sputtering at room temperature and the thin film rechargeable lithium batteries were fabricated with the configuration of $V_2O_5/LIPON/Li$ using sequential ex-situ thin film deposition techniques. The electrochemical characteristics of $V_2O_5$ cathode materials Prepared at 80/20 of $Ar/O_2$ ratio showed high capacity and cycling behaviors by half cell test. LIPON solid electrolytes films were prepared by RF-magnetron sputtering using the self-made $Li_3PO_4$ target in pure $N_2$ atmosphere, and it was very stable for lithium contact in the range of 1.2-4.0 V vs. Li. Metallic lithium were deposited on LIPON electrolyte by thermal evaporation methode in dry room. Vanadium oxide based full cell system showed the initial discharge capacity of $150{\mu}A/cm^2{\mu}m$ in the range of $1.2\~3.5V$.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.43 no.6 s.289
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• pp.369-375
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• 2006

[ $(Ba_{0.5}Sr_{0.5})_{0.99}Co_{x}Fe_{1-x}O_{3-{\delta}}$ ] [x=0.8, 0.2](BSCF) powders were synthesized by a Glycine-Nitrate Process (GNP) and the electrochemical performance of the BSCF cathode on a scandia stabilized zirconia, $[(Sc_{2}O_3)_{0.11}(ZrO_2)_{0.89}]-1Al_{2}O_3$ was investigated. In order to prevent unfavorable solid-state reactions between the cathode and zirconia electrolyte, a GDC ($Gd_{0.1}Ce_{0.9}O_{2-{delta}}$) buffer layer was applied on ScSZ. The BSCF (x = 0.8) cathode formed on GDC(Buffer)/ScSZ(Disk) showed poor electrochemical property, because the BSCF cathode layer peeled off after the heat-treatment. On the other hand, there were no delamination or peel off between the BSCF and GDC buffer layer, and the BSCF (x = 0.2) cathode exhibited fairly good electrochemical performances. It was considered that the observed phenomenon was associated with the thermal expansion mismatch between the cathode and buffer layer. The ohmic resistance of the double layer cathode was slightly lower than that of the single layer BSCF cathode due to the incorporation of platinum particle into the BSCF second layer.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.89.1-89.1
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• 2010

Since Gratzel and co-workers developed a new type of solar cell based on the nanocrystalline $TiO_2$ electrode, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have attracted considerable attention on account of their high solar energy-to-conversion efficiencies (11%), their easy manufacturing process with low cost production compared to conventional p-n junction solar cells. The mechanism of DSSC is based on the injection of electrons from the photoexcited dye into the conduction band of nanocrystalline $TiO_2$. The oxidized dye is reduced by the hole injection process from either the hole counter or electrolyte. Thus, the electronic structures, such as HOMO, LUMO, and HOMO-LUMO gap, of dye molecule in DSSC are deeply related to the electron transfer by photoexcitation and redox potential. To date, high performance and good stability of DSSC based on Ru-dyes as a photosensitizer had been widely addressed in the literatures. DSSC with Ru-bipyridyl complexes (N3 and N719), and the black ruthenium dye have achieved power conversion efficiencies up to 11.2% and 10.4%, respectively. However, the Ru-dyes are facing the problem of manufacturing costs and environmental issues. In order to obtain even cheaper photosensitizers for DSSC, metal-free organic photosensitizers are strongly desired. Metal-free organic dyes offer superior molar extinction coefficients, low cost, and a diversity of molecular structures, compared to conventional Ru-dyes. Recently, novel photosensitizers such as coumarin, merocyanine, cyanine, indoline, hemicyanine, triphenylamine, dialkylaniline, bis(dimethylfluorenyl)-aminophenyl, phenothiazine, tetrahydroquinoline, and carbazole based dyes have achieved solar-to-electrical power conversion efficiencies up to 5-9%. On the other hand, organic dye molecules have large ${\pi}$-conjugated planner structures which would bring out strong molecular stacking in their solid-state and poor solubility in their media. It was well known that the molecular stacking of organic dyes could reduce the electron transfer pathway in opto-electronic devices, significantly. In this paper, we have studied on synthesis and characterization of dendritic organic dyes with different number of electron acceptor/anchoring moieties in the end of dendrimer. The photovoltaic performances and the incident photon-to-current (IPCE) of these dyes were measured to evaluate the effects of the dendritic strucuture on the open-circuit voltage and the short-circuit current.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.64.1-64.1
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• 2010

The morphology of mesoporous $TiO_2$ films plays an important role in the operation of a DSSC. For example, the energy conversion efficiency of DSSCs with well-organized mesoporous $TiO_2$ films is much higher than those with traditional films possessing a random morphology. In previous research, well-organized mesoporous $TiO_2$ films have mainly been synthesized using an amphiphilic block copolymer, e.g., a poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based template. A graft copolymer is more attractive than a block copolymer due to its low cost and the ease with which it can be synthesized. In this work, we provide the first report on the successful synthesis of well-organized mesoporous $TiO_2$ films templated by an organized graft copolymer as a structure directing agent. Well-organized mesoporous $TiO_2$ films with excellent channel connectivities were developed via the sol gel processusing an organized PVC-g-POEM graft copolymer synthesized by one-pot ATRP. The careful adjustment of copolymer composition and solvent affinity using a THF/$H_2O$/HCl mixture was used to systematically vary the material structure. The influence of the material structure on solar cell performance was then investigated. A solid-state DSSC employing both the graft copolymer templated organized 700 nm-thick $TiO_2$ films and graft copolymer electrolytes exhibited a solar conversion efficiency of 2.2% at 100 $mW/cm^2$. This value was approximately two-fold higher than that attained from a DSSC employing a random mesoporous $TiO_2$ film. The solar cell performance was maximized at 4.6% when the film thickness was increased to $2.5{\mu}m$. We believe that this graft copolymer-directed approach introduces a new and simple route toward the synthesis of well-organized metal oxide films as an alternative to a conventional block copolymer-based template.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.193-200
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• 2011

An amphiphilic graft copolymer comprising a poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) backbone and poly (styrene sulfonic acid) (PSSA) side chains (PVC-g-PSSA) was synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Mesoporous titanium dioxide $(TiO_2)$ films with crystalline anatase phase were synthesized via a sol-gel process by templating PVC-g-PSSA graft copolymer. Titanium isopropoxide (TTIP), a $TiO_2$ precursor was selectively incorporated into the hydrophilic PSSA domains of the graft copolymer and grew to form mesoporous $TiO_2$ films, as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The performances of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) were systematically investigated by varying spin coating times and the amounts of P25 nanoparticies. The energy conversion efficiency reached up to 2.7% at 100 mW/$cm^2$ upon using quasi-solid-state polymer electrolyte.