• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.189-192
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• 2014

Yttria-stablized zirconia (YSZ) is the most commonly used electrolyte material, but the reduction in working temperature leads to insufficient ionic conductivity. Ceria based electrolytes (GDC) are more attractive in terms of conductivity at low temperature, but these materials are well known to be reducible at very low oxygen partial pressure. The reduction of electrolyte resistivity is necessary to overcome cell performance losses. So, thin YSZ/GDC bilayer technology seems suitable for decreasing the electrolyte resistance at lower operating temperatures. Bilayer electrolytes composed of a galdolinium-doped $CeO_2$ ($Ce_{0.9}Gd_{0.1}O_{1.95}$, GDC) layer and yttria-stabilized $ZrO_2$ (YSZ) layer with various thicknesses were deposited by RF sputtering and E-beam evaporation. The bilayer electrolytes were deposited between porous Ni-GDC anode and LSM cathode for anode-supported single cells. Thin film structure and surface morphology were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), using $CuK{\alpha}$-radiation in the range of 2ce morphol$^{\circ}C$. The XRD patterns exhibit a well-formed cubic fluorite structure, and sharp lines of XRD peaks can be observed, which indicate a single solid solution. The morphology and size of the prepared particles were investigated by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The performance of the cells was evaluated over $500{\sim}800^{\circ}C$, using humidified hydrogen as fuel, and air as oxidant.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.320-323
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• 2014

Ga-doped $LiFePO_4$ cathode materials were synthesized using a hydrothermal method. The microstructural characteristics and electrochemical performances were systematically investigated using field emission scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, charge-discharge cycling, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Among the as-prepared samples, $LiFe_{0.96}Ga_{0.04}PO_4$ demonstrates the best electrochemical properties in terms of discharge capacity, electrochemical reversibility, and cycling performance with an initial discharge capacity of $125mAh\;g^{-1}$ and high lithium ion diffusion coefficient of $1.38{\times}10^{-14}cm^2s^{-1}$ (whereas for $LiFePO_4$, these were $113mAh\;g^{-1}$ and $8.09{\times}10^{-15}cm^2\;s^{-1}$, respectively). The improved electrochemical performance can be attributed to the facilitation of Li+ ion effective diffusion induced by $Ga^{3+}$ substitution.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.153-158
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• 2012

We use UV(ultraviolet)-$O_3$ treatment to increase the surface area and porosity of $TiO_2$ films in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). After the UV-$O_3$ treatment, surface area and porosity of the $TiO_2$ films were increased, the increased porosity lead to amount of dye loading and solar conversion efficiency was improved. Field emission scanning electron microscopy images clearly showed that the nanocrystalline porosity of films were increased by UV-$O_3$ treatment. The Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller surface area of the $TiO_2$ films were increased from $0.71cm^2/g$ to $1.31cm^2/g$ by using UV-$O_3$ treatment for 20 min. Also, UV-$O_3$ treatment of $TiO_2$ films significantly enhanced their solar conversion efficiency. The efficiency of the films without treatment was 4.9%, and was increased to 5.6% by UV-$O_3$ treatment for 20 min. Therefore the process enhanced the solar conversion efficiency of DSSCs, and can be used to develop high sensitivity DSSCs.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.130-132
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• 2013

$Bi_{3.25}La_{0.75}Ti_3O_{12}$(BLT) thin films were prepared on the Pt(150 nm)/Ti(50 nm)/$SiO_2$/Si substrate using the rf magnetron sputtering method. The BLT thin films were annealed at temperatures ranging from $600^{\circ}C$ to $750^{\circ}C$ using the rapid thermal annealing. The structure and surface morphology of the thin films were characterized by x-ray diffraction and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The hysteresis loop of the BLT thin films showed that the remanent polarization (2Pr) of the film annealed at $700^{\circ}C$ was 10.92 ${\mu}C/cm^2$. The fatigue characteristic of the BLT thin film annealed at $700^{\circ}C$ was shown change polarization up to $1.2{\times}10^9$ switching cycles. We confirmed the excellent remnant polarization (Pr) and fatigue properties compared with other fabrication methods and suggested a good method for BLT thin films fabrications.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2009.07a
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• pp.1343_1344
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• 2009

In this work, transparent conducting Al-doped zinc oxide (AZO) films were prepared on Corning glass substrate by RF magnetron sputtering using an Al-doped ZnO target (Al: 2 wt.%) at room temperature and all films were deposited with athickness of 150 nm. We investigated the effects of the post-annealing temperature and the annealing ambient on structural, electrical and optical properties of AZO films. The films were annealed at temperatures ranging from 300 to $500^{\circ}C$ in steps of $100^{\circ}C$ using rapid thermal annealing equipment in oxygen. The thickness of the film was observed by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and grain size was calculated from the XRD spectra using the Scherrer equation and their electrical properties were investigated using a hole measurement and the reflectance of AZO films was investigated by UV-VIS spectrometry.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2009.07a
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• pp.1345_1346
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• 2009

In this study, transparent and conductive Al-doped zinc oxide (AZO) films were prepared on glass substrate by RF magnetron sputtering method using an Al-doped ZnO target (Al: 2wt.%) at room temperature as the thickness of 150 nm. We investigated the effects of the RF power between 100~350 W in the steps of 50 W on structural, electrical and optical properties of AZO films. The thickness and cross-sectional images of films were observed by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and all of the films were kept to be constant about 150 nm on glass substrate. The grain size of AZO films figured out X-ray diffraction (XRD) on using the Scherrer' equation and their electrical properties investigated Hall effect electronic transport measurement system. Moreover, we measured transmittance of AZO films by UV/VIS spectrometer.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.2364-2367
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• 2015

In this study, we fabricated an electrolyte-insulator-metal (EIM) device incorporating a high-k Al₂O₃ sensing membrane using a porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) through a two-step anodizing process for pH detection. The structural properties were observed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD). Electrochemical measurements taken consisted of capacitance-voltage (C-V), hysteresis voltage and drift rates. The average pore diameter and depth of the AAO membrane with a pore-widening time of 20 min were 123nm and 273.5nm, respectively. At a pore-widening time of 20 min, the EIM device using anodic aluminum oxide exhibited a high sensitivity (56mV/pH), hysteresis voltage (6.2mV) and drift rate (0.25mV/pH).

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.481-486
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• 2019

Iron oxides currently attract considerable attention due to their potential applications in the fields of lithiumion batteries, bio-medical sensors, and hyperthermia therapy materials. Magnetite (Fe₃O₄) is a particularly interesting research target due to its low cost, good biocompatibility, outstanding stability in physiological conditions. Hydrothermal synthesis is one of several liquid-phase synthesis methods with water or an aqueous solution under high pressure and high temperature. This paper reports the growth of magnetic Fe₃O₄ particles from iron powder (spherical, <10 ㎛) through an alkaline hydrothermal process under the following conditions: (1) Different KOH molar concentrations and (2) different synthesis time for each KOH molar concentrations. The optimal condition for the synthesis of Fe₃O₄ using Fe powders is hydrothermal oxidation with 6.25 M KOH for 48 h, resulting in 89.2 emu/g of saturation magnetization at room temperature. The structure and morphologies of the synthesized particles are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD, 2θ = 20°-80°) with Cu-kα radiation and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), respectively. The magnetic properties of magnetite samples are investigated using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The role of KOH in the formation of magnetite octahedron is observed.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.338-344
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• 2013

Fe-TiC composite was fabricated from Fe and TiC powders by high-energy milling and subsequent spark-plasma sintering. The microstructure, particle size and phase of Fe-TiC composite powders were investigated by field emission scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction to evaluate the effect of milling conditions on the size and distribution of TiC particles in Fe matrix. TiC particle size decreased with milling time. The average TiC particle size of 38 nm was obtained after 60 minutes of milling at 1000 rpm. Prepared Fe-TiC powder mixture was densified by spark-plasma sintering. Sintered Fe-TiC compacts showed a relative density of 91.7~96.2%. The average TiC particle size of 150 nm was observed from the FE-SEM image. The microstructure, densification behavior, Vickers hardness, and fracture toughness of Fe-TiC sintered compact were investigated.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.609-616
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• 2017

We investigated a Leidenfrost effect in the growth of ZnO nanostructures on silicon substrates by ultrasonic-assisted spray pyrolysis deposition(SPD). Structural and optical properties of the ZnO nanostructures grown by varying the growth parameters, such as substrate temperature, source concentration, and suction rate of the mist in the chambers, were investigated using field-emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and photoluminescence spectrum analysis. Structural investigations of the ZnO nanostructures showed abnormal evolution of the morphologies with variation of the substrate temperatures. The shape of the ZnO nanostructures transformed from nanoplate, nanorod, nanopencil, and nanoprism shapes with increasing of the substrate temperature from 250 to $450^{\circ}C$; these shapes were significantly different from those seen for the conventional growth mechanisms in SPD. The observed growth behavior showed that a Leidenfrost effect dominantly affected the growth mechanism of the ZnO nanostructures.