• The Korean Journal of Ceramics
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.70-73
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• 2001

Phase transformation of TiSi$_2$ confined in sub-micron area of which the size is around or smaller than the grain size of C49 TiSi$_2$ phase is studied. It has been known that the C49 to C54 phase change is massive transformation that occurs abruptly starting from C54 nuclei located at triple point grain boundaries of C49 phase. When the C49 phase is confined in sub-micron area, however, the massive phase transformation is observed to be hindered due to the lack of the triple point grain boundaries of C49 phase. Heat treatment at higher temperatures starts to decompose the C49 phase, and the resulting decomposed Ti atoms diffuse to, and react with, the underneath Si material to form C54 phase that exhibits spherical interface with silicon. The newly formed C54 grains can also trigger the massive phase transformation to convert the remaining undecomposed C49 grains to C54 grains by serving as nuclei like conventional C54 nuclei located at triple point grain boundaries.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.413-416
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• 2006

PtRu catalyst is most widely used as anode catalyst for a direct methanol fuel cell(DMFC). To promote the efficiency of the catalysts, it Is important to increase the triple phase boundary. In this study, we have tried to increase the triple phase boundaries in preparing electrocatalysts of the fuel cells, based on the process of grafting a proton-conducting agent onto the catalyst This grafted proton-conducting agent can act as an ionomer like Nafion, currently widely used ionomer. First, we have prepared the 80wt% PtRu/Ketjen Black electrocatalyst by an improved colloidal method. And, we have grafted methylsulfonate groups $(-CH_2SO_3H)$ into the catalyst as proton-conducting agents. As results of cyclic voltammety and single cell test of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA), we can conclude that the activity of the grafted electrocatalysts is superior to that of conventional ones, in performance of DMFCs. For our further study, we will investigate the optimum ratio of catalyst/grafted proton conduct Ing agent with maximum performance of a DMFC.

• Interaction and multiscale mechanics
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.191-209
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• 2008

In this paper, we model grain boundary evolution based on a multiple level set method. Grain boundary migration under a curvature-induced driving force is considered and the level set method is employed to deal with the resulting topological changes of grain structures. The complexity of using a level set method for modeling grain structure evolution is due to its N-phase nature and the associated geometry compatibility constraint. We employ a multiple level set method with a predictor-multicorrectors approach to reduce the gaps in the triple junctions down to the grid resolution level. A ghost cell approach for imposing periodic boundary conditions is introduced without solving a constrained problem with a Lagrange multiplier method or a penalty method. Numerical results for both uniform and random grain structures evolution are presented and the results are compared with the solutions based on a front tracking approach (Chen and Kotta et al. 2004b).

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.301-307
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• 2012

SiAlON glasses are silicates or alumino-silicates, containing Mg, Ca, Y or rare earth (RE) ions as modifiers, in which nitrogen atoms substitute for oxygen atoms in the glass network. These glasses are found as intergranular films and at triple point junctions in silicon nitride ceramics and these grain boundary phases affect their fracture behaviour. This paper provides an overview of the preparation of M-SiAlON glasses and outlines the effects of composition on properties. As nitrogen substitutes for oxygen in SiAlON glasses, increases are observed in glass transition temperatures, viscosities, elastic moduli and microhardness. These property changes are compared with known effects of grain boundary glass chemistry in silicon nitride ceramics. Oxide sintering additives provide conditions for liquid phase sintering, reacting with surface silica on the $Si_3N_4$ particles and some of the nitride to form SiAlON liquid phases which on cooling remain as intergranular glasses. Thermal expansion mismatch between the grain boundary glass and the silicon nitride causes residual stresses in the material which can be determined from bulk SiAlON glass properties. The tensile residual stresses in the glass phase increase with increasing Y:Al ratio and this correlates with increasing fracture toughness as a result of easier debonding at the glass/${\beta}-Si_3N_4$ interface.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.14 no.8 s.80
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• pp.681-688
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• 2005

The high-temperature deformation mechanisms of a ${\alpha}+{\beta}$ titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V), near-a titanium alloy (Ti-6.85Al-1.6V) and a single-phase a titanium alloy (Ti-7.0Al-1.5V) were deduced within the framework of inelastic-deformation theory. For this purpose, load relaxation tests were conducted on three alloys at temperatures ranging from 750 to $950^{\circ}C$. The stress-versus-strain rate curves of both alloys were well fitted with inelastic-deformation equations based on grain matrix deformation and grain-boundary sliding. The constitutive analysis revealed that the grain-boundary sliding resistance is higher in the near-${\alpha}$ alloy than in the two-phase ${\alpha}+{\beta}$ alloy due to the difficulties in relaxing stress concentrations at the triple-junction region in the near-${\alpha}$ alloy. In addition, the internal-strength parameter (${\sigma}^*$) of the near-${\alpha}$ alloy was much higher than that of the ${\alpha}+{\beta}$ alloy, thus implying that dislocation emission/ slip transfer at ${\alpha}/{\alpha}$ boundaries is more difficult than at ${\alpha}/{\beta}$ boundaries.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.620-635
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• 2010

In this paper we describe current activities on the project Multi-Scale Modeling and Analysis of convective boiling (MSMA), conducted jointly by the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) and the Swiss Nuclear Utilities (Swissnuclear). The long-term aim of the MSMA project is to formulate improved closure laws for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations for prediction of convective boiling and eventually of the Critical Heat Flux (CHF). As boiling is controlled by the competition of numerous phenomena at various length and time scales, a multi-scale approach is employed to tackle the problem at different scales. In the MSMA project, the scales on which we focus range from the CFD scale (macro-scale), bubble size scale (meso-scale), liquid micro-layer and triple interline scale (micro-scale), and molecular scale (nano-scale). The current focus of the project is on micro- and meso-scales modeling. The numerical framework comprises a highly efficient, parallel DNS solver, the PSI-BOIL code. The code has incorporated an Immersed Boundary Method (IBM) to tackle complex geometries. For simulation of meso-scales (bubbles), we use the Constrained Interpolation Profile method: Conservative Semi-Lagrangian $2^{nd}$ order (CIP-CSL2). The phase change is described either by applying conventional jump conditions at the interface, or by using the Phase Field (PF) approach. In this work, we present selected results for flows in complex geometry using the IBM, selected bubbly flow simulations using the CIP-CSL2 method and results for phase change using the PF approach. In the subsequent stage of the project, the importance of effects of nano-scale processes on the global boiling heat transfer will be evaluated. To validate the models, more experimental information will be needed in the future, so it is expected that the MSMA project will become the seed for a long-term, combined theoretical and experimental program.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.32-37
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• 2012

In this study, microstructural evaluation was carried out on secondary hardening type ultrahigh strength steel, Fe-Co-Ni composition. This paper as a first part of whole research presented the microstructural behavior by cyclic heat treatment. The cyclic heat treatment method includes normalizing, stress relieving, solution treatment and aging. Especially, solution treatments performed triple times to get maximized solution hardening. Phase transformation and microstructure were observed by using optical microscope (OM), Electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD) and X-ray stress analyzer. During the triple solution treatment, size of grain boundary was dramatically decreased by generating a packet from the martensite transformation of residual austenite in the inner part of grain, whereas the hardness increase was not significant.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.112-119
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• 2022

Molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs) are environmentally friendly, large-capacity power generation devices operated at approximately 650℃. If MCFCs are to be commercialized by improving their competitiveness, their cell life should be increased by operating them at lower temperatures. However, a decrease in the operating temperature causes a reduction in the cell performance because of the reduction in the electrochemical reaction rate. The cell performance can be improved by introducing a coating on the cathode of the cell. A coating with a high surface area expands the triple phase boundaries (TPBs) where the gas and electrolyte meet on the electrode surface. And the expansion of TPBs enhances the oxygen reduction reaction of the cathode. Therefore, the cell performance can be improved by increasing the reaction area, which can be achieved by coating nanosized LiCoO₂ particles on the cathode. However, although a coating improves the cell performance, a thick coating makes gas difficult to diffuse into the pore of the coating and thus reduces the cell performance. In addition, LiCoO₂-coated cathode cell exhibits stable cell performance because the coating layer maintains a uniform thickness under MCFC operating conditions. Therefore, the performance and stability of MCFCs can be improved by applying a LiCoO₂ coating with an appropriate thickness on the cathode.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.31 no.1 s.256
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• pp.62-67
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• 2007

Optimization of cathode properties for intermediate temperature-operating SOFC (IT-SOFC) is carried out by using composite-type electrode structure in this study. Composite cathode may lower cathode overpotential by enhancing mixed ionic-electronic conductivity. In this study, particularly, LSM/YSZ, LSF/YSZ, LSCF/CGO, and PSC/CGO were selected as cathode materials. LSM/YSZ composite cathode showed the best performance of about 0.9${\Omega}cm^2$ at $700^{\circ}C$. It is inferred that the resistance is mainly affected by the reactivity between cathode and electrolyte which can cause the formation of resistive phases. Area specific resistance (ASR) characteristics were not changed significantly with decreasing sintering temperature of cathode, because reaction sites were increased even with worse adhesion of cathode on electrolytes.

• The Korean Journal of Ceramics
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.177-182
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• 2000

At the porous $La_{0.6}Ca_{0.4}MnO_{3-{\delta}}$(LCM)/YSZ electrodes of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), the electrochemical redox reaction of oxygen proceeds via the triple boundary (TPB) of gas/LCM/YSZ. The surface diffusion of adsorbed oxygen on LCM has been proposed as the rate determining process, assuming the gradient of oxygen chemical potential from the outer surface of porous layer to TPB. Along with the formation of this gradient, oxygen nonstoichiometry in the bulk of LCM may varies. In this paper, an electrochemical technique was described precisely to determine the variation of oxygen content in LCM of porous LCM/YSZ under polarization. It was shown that the oxygen potential in LCM layer under large cathodic polarization is much lower than that in the gas phase, being determined from the electrode potential and Nernst equation.