• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.58-62
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• 2020

Recently, electrochromic devices (ECDs) have gathered increasing attention owing to their high color contrast and memory effect, which make them highly applicable to smart windows, auto-dimming mirrors, sensors, etc. Traditional ECDs have a sandwich structure that contains an electrochromic layer between two ITO substrates. These sandwich-type devices are usually fabricated through the lamination of two electrodes and followed by the injection of a liquid electrolyte in the inner space. However, this process is sometimes complex and time consuming. In this study, we fabricated ECDs with a lateral electrode structure that uses only an ITO substrate and an all-in-one electrochromic gel, which is a mixture of electrolyte and electrochromic material. Furthermore, we investigated the EC properties of the lateral-type device by comparing it with a sandwich-type device. The lateral-type ECD shows strong blue absorption as the applied voltage increases and has a competitive coloration efficiency compared to the sandwich-type device.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.251-257
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• 2009

In this study, we fabricated nickel oxide thin film for lithium based electrolyte using sol-gel method. This film was deposited by dip-coating method with mixed solvent of DameH (N,N-dimethylaminoethanol) and DI water. As changing the ratio between DmaeH and DI water, nickel oxide thin film was presented in different charge density and optical transmittance because they were shown various thickness. It was accounted for changing viscosity and density by the ratio of DmaeH and DI water. The thin film synthesized with 1 : 1 ratio of DmaeH and DI water was expressed best electrochromic performance in lithium based electrolyte, because of thick thickness but porous structures.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2009.04a
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• pp.27-29
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• 2009

본 연구에서는 Titanate Nanotube (TNT)를 LBL-SA (layer-by-layer self-assembling) method을 이용하여 전기변색 (electrochromism device, ECD) 소자에 적용하고자 하였다. TNT 분말은 10M NaOH와 $TiO_2$를 혼합한 후 autoclave에서 130$^{\circ}C$, 48시간 동안 수열합성하여 제조하였다. 주사전자현미경 (SEM)으로 TNT 분말의 형상을 관찰한 결과, 직경 20$\sim$30nm, 길이 500$\sim$600nm의 튜브 형상을 나타내었으며, X-선 회절시험 (XRD) 결과 층상구조로 확인되었다. 코팅 물질의 표면 전하를 이용한 LBL-SA method에 적용시키기 위해 수용액 중에서 TNT 입자 표면 전하를 TBAOH (tetrabutylammonium hydroxide)를 적정하여 제타 전위 값이 -40mV로 최대가 되도록 하였으며, 이때 pH 값은 9로 나타났다. 2전극 시스템을 이용하여 cycle voltammetry를 측정한 결과, -0.5$\sim$-1.5V 영역에서 산화환원전위 피크가 뚜렷하게 나타났으며, 짙은 갈색으로 변색되는 것을 확인하였다. 본 연구 결과로서 TNT 박막은 전기를 인가하였을 때 n-type 반도체 성질을 갖는 것으로 나타났으며, 앞으로 display 연구 분야에 적용할 수 있을 것으로 주목된다.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.76-81
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• 2016

An anatase TiO₂ nanotube array (NTA) was fabricated by anodization and successive heat treatments. When the anatase TiO₂ NTA was cathodically polarized, its color changed to blue, and it could be used as an electrochemically active anode for an oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline water electrolysis. The structure of the blue anatase TiO₂ NTA was controlled by the anodization conditions and its catalytic activity increased with an increase of the surface area. The activity of the blue anatase TiO₂ NTA gradually reduced with the continued OER because of the partial oxidation of Ti³⁺ to Ti⁴⁺. However, an intermittent cathodic regeneration process could significantly slow its reduction rate. The blue anatase TiO₂ NTA could be an alternative anode for alkaline water electrolysis.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.735-738
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• 1996

Amorphous nickelphthalocyanine(NiPc) thin films were prepared by vacuum evaporation and their electrochromic behavior and voltammograms were examined in the five kinds of aqueous electrolytes. Amorphous NiPc films were prepared on indium-tin-oxide(ITO) glass substrates cooled to-$120^{\circ}C$ by using liquid nitrogen under a vacuum of $2.4 \times 10^{-4}$. The voltammetric and electrochromic measurements were made using a potential galvanostat. In order to confirm the color change, optical vis-transmission spectra of the NiPc films were measured by a spectrophotometer with various electrode potential applied. The NiPc amorphous thin films exhibited most clearly electrochromism in $KNO_3$ aqueous electrolyte. The specimen films underwent 3 color transitions (from blue to yellow-green, then to red violet, then to dark blue), corresponding to the three peaks on the voltammograms in $KNO_3$ aqueous electrolyte. Blue is color of the as-prepared film. When the potential was swept, charge compensation was attained upon oxidation by injection of anions from the electrolyte and upon reduction by expulsion of anions.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2000.02a
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• pp.66-66
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• 2000

Electrochromism이란 기전력 방향에 의한 가역적으로 색이 변하는 현상을 말하며, 열린 회로 기억성을 가지며 소비전력이 적고, 우수한 착색 효율을 갖는 등 여러 가지 유용성 때문에 디스플레이 및 전기적 착색 유리창에의 기술적 적용 가능성을 보이고 있다. 본 연구에서는 가장 우수한 일렉트로크로믹 특성을 내는 것으로 알려진 WO3 박막과 대향 전극으로 V2O5 박막을 사용하였다. 이들 박막은 알칼리 이온 주입물질이며, coloration.bleaching상태에서 광학 밀도가 크고, 내구성이 좋으며, 작은 비용으로 재료를 사용할 수 있다. 그리고 더 우수한 장점으로 부각되는 대면적의 코팅의 매력적인 기술인 졸겔법으로 제조 가능한 특성을 가지고 있다. 졸겔법 및 진공증착법으로 박막을 제조하고, 박막산화 및 수명저하 등의 위험이 적은 리튬이온을 이용하여 소자를 제작한 후 일렉트로크로믹 특성을 조사하고, 우수한 소자의 제조조건을 얻고자 하였다. 측정결과 졸겔법으로 제조된 WO3 박막과 V2O5 박막을 수증기 분위기에서 50$0^{\circ}C$로 1시간 열처리한 경우 가장 우수한 투과 변화율을 나타내었다. 정상전압인 2 volt보다 높은 3 volt로 cyclic voltamogram을 측정하는 과정에서 정.역방향 동작을 거듭할수록 peak이 크게 감소하는 현상을 발견하였으며, 양이온의 흐름에 의해 물질의 이동이 발생할 것이라는 판단아래 Auger depth profile을 측정한 결과 WO3막의 텅스텐과 ITO막의 인듐이 상호 확산하는 것을 관찰할 수 있었다. 이를 방지하기 위해 수백 의 텅스텐 박막을 WO3 막 위에 증착한 후 cyclic voltamogram과 Auger depth profile을 측정한 결과, cyclic voltamogram의 peak의 감소량이 1/10이하로 감호하였으며, 리튬이온의 흐름에 의한 인듐과 텅스텐의 이동을 효과적으로 방지할 수 있었다. 따라서 텅스텐 확산방지막의 삽입이 소자의 수명을 향상시킬 수 있는 효과적인 방법이라고 사료된다.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.102-107
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• 2016

We demonstrate the electrochromic properties of $TiO_2$ nanotubes prepared by an anodization process and investigate the effects of heat treatment and viologen incorporation on them. The morphology and crystal structure of anodized $TiO_2$ nanotubes are investigated by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. As-formed $TiO_2$ nanotubes have straight tubular layers with an amorphous structure. As the annealing temperature increases, the anodized $TiO_2$ nanotubes are converted to the anatase and rutile phases with some cracks on the tube surface and irregular morphology. Electrochemical results reveal that amorphous $TiO_2$ nanotubes annealed at $150^{\circ}C$ have the largest oxidation/reduction current, which leads to the best electrochromic performance during the coloring/bleaching process. Viologen-anchored $TiO_2$ nanotubes show superior electrochromic properties compared to pristine $TiO_2$ nanotubes, which indicates that the incorporation of a viologen can be an effective way to enhance the electrochromic properties of $TiO_2$ nanotubes.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.209-215
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• 1996

Fluorane dyes has been widely used for pressure and heat sensitive recording system as color forming materials. A new method of synthesizing fluorane dye by the Bamberger reaction has been developed. Electorchromic properties of fluorane dyes was discussed. The fading reaction kinetics follow a first-order relationship and resolved in two kinetics of first-order reaction with rate constant $k_1$ and $k_2$.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.703-707
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• 2011

The electrochromic properties of tungsten oxide films grown by RF sputtering were investigated. Among the sputter parameters, first the $Ar:O_2$ ratios were controlled with division into only an $O_2$ environment, 1:1 and 4:1. The structure of each film prepared by these conditions was studied by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy. The sputter-deposited tungsten oxide films had an amorphous structure regardless of the $Ar:O_2$ ratios. The chemical compositions, however, were different from each other. The stoichiometric structure and low-density film was obtained at higher $O_2$ contents. Electrochemical tests were performed by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry at 0.05 M $H_2SO_4$ solutions. The current density and charge ratio was estimated during the continuous potential and pulse potential cycling at -0.5 V and 1.8 V, respectively. The film grown in a higher oxygen environment had a higher current density and a reversible charge reaction during intercalation and deintercalation. The in-situ transmittance tests were performed by He-Ne laser (633 nm). At higher oxygen contents, a big transmittance difference was observed but the response speed was too slow. This was likely caused by higher film resistivity. Furthermore, the effect of sputtering pressure was also investigated. The structure and surface morphology of each film was observed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. A rough surface was observed at higher sputtering pressure, and this affected the higher transmittance difference and coloration efficiency.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.407.1-407.1
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• 2016

Electrochromism is defined as a phenomenon which involves persistently repeated change of optical properties between bleached state and colored state by simultaneous injection of electrons and ions, sufficient to induce an electrochemical redox process. Due to this feature, considerable progress has been made in the synthesis of electrochromic (EC) materials, improvements of EC properties in EC devices such as light shutter, smart window and variable reflectance mirrors etc. Among the variable EC materials, solid-state inorganics in particular, metal oxide semiconducting materials such as nickel oxide (NiO) have been investigated extensively. The NiO that is an anodic EC material is of special interest because of high color contrast ratio, large dynamic range and low material cost. The high performance EC devices should present the use of standard industrial production techniques to produce films with high coloration efficiency, rapid switching speed and robust reversibility. Generally, the color contrast and the optical switching speed increase drastically if high surface area is used. The structure of porous thin film provides a specific surface area and can facilitate a very short response time of the reaction between the surface and ions. The large variety of methods has been used to prepare the porous NiO thin films such as sol-gel process, chemical bath deposition and sputtering. Few studies have been reported on NiO thin films made by using sol-gel method. However, compared with dry process, wet processes that have the questions of the durability and the vestige of bleached state color limit the thin films practical use, especially when prepared by sol-gel method. In this study, we synthesis the porous NiO thin films on the fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) glass by using sputtering and anodizing method. Also we compared electrical and optical properties of NiO thin films prepared by sol gel. The porous structure is promised to be helpful to the properties enhancement of the EC devices.