• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.18 no.8
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• pp.831-840
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• 1997

Core/shell structured composite metal oxides of Fe2O3/MgO were prepared by thermal decomposition of Fe(acac)3 adsorbed on the surface of MgO cores. The morphology of the composites conformed to that of the MgO used as the cores. Broad powder X-ray diffraction peaks shifted toward larger d, large BET surface area (∼350 m2/g), and the size of crystalline domains in nano range (4 nm), all corroborate to the nanocrystallinity of the Fe2O3/MgO composite which was prepared by using nanocrystalline MgO as the core. By use of microcrystalline MgO as the core, microcrystalline Fe2O3/MgO composite was prepared, and it had small BET surface area of less than 35 m2/g. AFM measurements on nanocrystalline Fe2O3/MgO showed a collection of spherical aggregates (∼80 nm dia) with a very rough surface. On the contrary, microcrystalline Fe2O3/MgO was a collection of plate-like flat crystallites with a smooth surface. The nitrogen adsorption-desorption behavior indicated that microcrystalline Fe2O3/MgO was nonporous, whereas nanocrystalline Fe2O3/MgO was mesoporous. Bimodal distribution of the pore size became unimodal as the layer of Fe2O3 was applied to nanocrystalline MgO. The macropores in a wide distribution which the nanocrystalline MgO had were absent in the nanocrystalline Fe2O3/MgO. The decomposition of CCl4 was largily enhanced by the overlayer of Fe2O3 on nanocrystalline MgO making the reaction between nanocrystalline Fe2O3/MgO and CCl4 be nearly stoichiometric. The reaction products were environmentally benign MgCl2 and CO2. Such an enhancement was not attainable with the microcrystalline samples. Even for the nanocrystalline MgO, the enhancement was not attained, if not with the Fe2O3 layer. Without the layer of Fe2O3, it was observed that the nanocrystalline domain of the MgO transformed into microcrystalline one as the decomposition of CCl4 proceeded on its surface. It appeared that the layer of Fe2O3 on the particles of nanocrystalline Fe2O3/MgO blocked the transformation of the nanocrystalline domain into microcrystalline one. Therefore, in order to attain stoichiometric reaction between CCl4 and Fe2O3/MgO core/shell structured composite metal oxide, the morphology of the core MgO has to be nanocrystalline, and also the nanocrystalline domains has to be sustained until the core was exhausted into MgCl2.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.608-614
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• 2009

In this work, ruthenium substituted SBA-15's(Ru-SBA15's) of various Si/Ru ratios were prepared using a non-ionic triblock copolymer surfactant, $EO_{20}PO_{70}EO_{20}$, as template. We investigated the nitrogen or oxygen adsorption/desorption behaviors of the Ru-SBA-15's for their future applications as catalysts or selective adsorbents, etc. The pore size of the Ru-SBA-15's was determined by both the Barrett-Joyner-Halenda(BJH)($D_{BJH}$) and the Broekhoff-de Boer analysis with a Frenkel-Halsey-Hill isotherm(BdB-FFF) method($D_{BdB-FHH}$). The $D_{BJH}$ and $D_{BdB-FHH}$ of the Ru-SBA-15 having 50/1 ratio of Si/Ru were 3.9 nm and 4.7 nm, respectively. The transmission electron microscope(TEM) image of the Ru-SBA 15 of the Si/Ru mole ratio of 50 showed that the pore size is 4.7 nm, which is consistent with the $N_2$ adsorption results with the BdB-FHH method. The surface area of pores form oxygen adsorption/desorption isotherm was higher than that from the nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherm by the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller(BET) method, which were respectively $612.7m^2/g$, and $573.3m^2/g$. X-ray diffraction(XRD) patterns and TEM analyses showed that the mesoporous materials possess well-ordered hexagonal arrays.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.38-44
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• 2015

This review article summarizes the recent progress of quantum dot (QD)-sensitized solar cells based on mesoporous $TiO_2$ thin films. From the intrinsic characteristics of nanoscale inorganic QDs with various compositions, it was possible to construct a variety of 3rd-generation thin film solar cells by solution process. Depending on preparation methods, colloidal QD sensitizers are pre-prepared for later deposition onto the surface of $TiO_2$ or in-situ deposition of QDs from chemical bath is done for direct growth of QD sensitizers over substrates. Recently, colloidal QD sensitizers have shown an overall power conversion efficiency of ~7% by a very precise control of composition while a representative CdS/CdSe from chemical bath deposition have done ~5% with polysulfide electrolytes. In the near future, it is necessary to carry out systematic investigations for developing new hole-conducting materials and controlling interfaces within the cell, thus leading to an enhancement of both open-circuit voltage and fill factor while keeping the current high value of photocurrents from QDs towards more efficient and stable QD-sensitized solar cells.

• Clean Technology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.7-12
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• 2020

Ti-SBA-15 catalysts doped with lanthanide ions (Ln/Ti-SBA-15) were successfully synthesized using conventional hydrothermal method. In addition, they were characterized by XRD, FT-IR, DRS, BET, and PL. The activity of these materials on the photocatalytic decomposition of methylene blue under ultraviolet light irradiation was also examined. Ti-SBA-15 catalysts doped with various lanthanide ions maintained their mesoporous structure. The pore size and pore volume of Ln/Ti-SBA-15 materials decreased but their surface area increased upon the doping of lanthanide ion. Ln/Ti-SBA-15 materials exhibited the type IV nitrogen isotherm with desorption hysteresis loop type H2, which was characteristic of mesoporous materials. The size of hysteresis increased in the doping of lanthanide ions on Ti-SBA-15 material. There was no absorption in the visible region (> 400 nm) regardless of the doping of lanthanide ions to TiO₂ particles, while the broad bands at 220 nm appeared at the Ln/Ti-SBA-15 samples, indicating the framework incorporation of titanium into SBA-15. 1 mol% Pr/ Ti-SBA-15 catalysts showed the highest photocatalytic activity on the decomposition of methylene blue but the Ti-SBA-15 catalysts doped with Eu, Er, and Nd ions showed lower activity compared to pure Ti-SBA-15 catalyst. The PL peaks appeared at about 410 nm at all catalysts while the excitonic PL signal was proportional to the photocatalytic activity for the decomposition of methylene blue.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.2519-2525
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• 2014

WeI have studied the process for synthesizing porous silica with a specific surface area of minimum $800m^2/g$ by adding surfactant [Poly Etylene Glycol(PEG) and Hydroxy Propyl Cellulose(HPC)] to the sol-gel reaction between sodium silicate and hydrochloric acid. NaCl, the by-product of the sol-gel reaction, was water cleaned and removed; when 200 ml of water was used to clean 50 g of silica gel, NaCl remaining in the silica gel was reduced to maximum 0.81wt%. The appropriate level of surfactant for silica gel synthesizing proved to be below 5%. As a result of the experiment, for the silica synthesized by adding surfactant of HPC(2.5%)+PEG(2.5%), the surfactant area was $860m^2/g$ and grain size was $20-50{\mu}m$. From this study, we have concluded that it is of industrial significance that specific surface area is improved and silica of a regular grain size is obtained just by adding surfactant in the gel process or drying process of silica.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.384-392
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• 2020

The presence of high fluoride concentration (> 1.5 mg/L) in water causes serious health problems such as fluorosis, infertility, brain damage, etc., which are endemic to many places in the world. This study has investigated the fluoride removal capacity of the novel activated biochar (BTS) and hydrochar (HTS) using Teff (Eragrostis tef) straw as a precursor. Activated biochar with mesoporous structures and large specific surface area of 627.7 ㎡/g were prepared via pyrolysis process. Low-cost carbonaceous hydrochar were also synthesized by an acid assisted hydrothermal carbonization process. Results obtained from both adsorbents show that the best local maximum fluoride removal was achieved at pH 2, contact time 120 min and agitation speed 200 rpm. The thermodynamic studies proved that the adsorption process was spontaneous and exothermic in nature. Both adsorbents equilibrium data fitted to Langmuir isotherm. However, Freundlich isotherm fitted best for BTS. The maximum fluoride loading capacity of BTS and HTS was found to be 212 and 88.7 mg/g, respectively. The variation could primarily be attributed to a relatively larger Surface area for BTS. Hence, to treat fluoride contaminated water, BTS can be promising as an effective adsorbent.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.12 no.2 s.49
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• pp.117-121
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• 2005

Platinum catalysts for the DMFC (Direct Methanol Fuel Cell) were impregnated on several carbon supports and their catalytic activities were evaluated with cyclic voltammograms of methanol electro-oxidation. To increase the activities of the Pt/C catalyst, carbon supports with high electric conductivity such as mesoporous carbon, carbon nanofiber, and carbon nanotube were employed. The Pt/e-CNF (etched carbon nanofiber) catalyst showed higher maximum current density of $70 mA cm^{-2}$ and lower on-set voltage of 0.54 V vs. NHE than the Pt/Vulcan XC-72 in methanol oxidation. Although the carbon named by CNT (carbon nanotube) series turned out to have larger BET surface area than the carbon named by CNF (carbon nanofiber) series, the Pt catalysts supported on the CNT series were less active than those on the CNF series due to their lower electric conductivity and lower availability of pores for Pt loading. Considering that the BET surface area and electric conductivity of the e-CNF were similar to those of the Vulcan XC-72, smaller Pt particle size of the Pt/e-CNF catalyst and stronger metal-support interaction were believed to be the main reason for its higher catalytic activity.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.321-344
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• 2024

Transition metal compounds (TMCs) are being researched as promising electrode materials for electrochemical energy storage devices (supercapacitors). Among TMCs, transition metal phosphates (TMPs) have good, layered structures owing to open framework and protonic exchange capability among different layers, good surface area due to engrossed porosity, rich active redox reaction sites owing to octahedral structure and variable valance metallic ions. Hence TMPs become more ideal for supercapacitor electrode materials compared to other TMCs. However, TMPs have got some issues like low conductivity, rate performance, stability, energy, and power densities. But these problems can be addressed by making their composites with carbonaceous materials, e.g., carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene oxide (GO), graphitic carbon (GC), etc. A few factors like high surface area, excellent electrical conductivity of carbon materials and variable valence metal ions in TMPs caused great enhancement in their electrochemical performance. This article tries to discuss and compare the published data, majorly in last decade, regarding the electrochemical energy storage potential of pristine unary, binary, and ternary TMPs and their hybrid composites with carbonaceous materials (CNTs, GOs/rGOs, GC, etc.). The electrochemical performance of the hybrids has been reported to be higher than the pristine counterparts. It is hoped that the current review will open a new gateway to study and explore the high performance TMPs based supercapacitor materials.

• Journal of Korea Foresty Energy
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.1-9
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• 2002

Pine bark was carbonized by using a small-scale experimental kiln and three different types of large-scale kilns (simple (400-$500^{\circ}C$), improved (600-$700^{\circ}C$) and special kiln (800-$1,000^{\circ}C$). The physical properties and pore structures of the bark charcoals prepared were analyzed. When the bark was carbonized at various temperatures ranging from 500 to $900^{\circ}C$in the presence of nitrogen, carbonization yield decreased rapidly with increasing carbonization temperature and it remained constant from 700 to $900^{\circ}C$. The carbonization yield of the bark was 16 - 18% higher than that of pine wood. The BET specific surface areas and iodine values increased with a decrease in carbonization yield. The BET specific surface areas of the bark charcoals reached about 400 -$500m^2／g$ for carbonization yield of 32-40%. The pine wood charcoal prepared at $600^{\circ}C$ for 30 min resulted in a more microporous structure, whereas the bark charcoal prepared at the same condition was more mesoporous. The carbonization yields and physical properties such as iodine values and BET specific surface areas of bark charcoals prepared by using the large-scale kilns were very similar to those of the small-scale kiln. The results indicated that the pine bark could be used as starting material to produce good quality charcoal having a large specific surface area and a high carbonization yield.

• Clean Technology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.183-189
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• 2018

Hollow carbon spheres (HCS) and carbon spheres (CS) were prepared by a hydrothermal reaction and they were introduced as a substrate for the deposition of $MnO_2$ nanoparticles. The $MnO_2$ nanoparticles were deposited on the carbon surface by a chemical redox deposition method. After deposition, the $MnO_2$ nanoparticles were uniformally distributed on the carbon surface in a slit-shape, and sparse $MnO_2$ slits appeared on the HCS surface. The $MnO_2-HCS$ showed an initial specific capacitance of $164.1F\;g^{-1}$ at scan rate of $20mv\;s^{-1}$, and after 1,000 cycles, the specific capacitance was maintained to $141.3F\;g^{-1}$. The capacity retention of $MnO_2-HCS$ and $MnO_2-CS$ were calculated to 86% and 78% in the cycle performance test up to 1,000 cycles, respectively. $MnO_2-HCS$ showed a good cycle stability due to the mesoporous hollow structure which can cause a faster diffusion of the electrolyte and can easily adsorb and desorb $Na^+$ ions on the surface of the electrode.