• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.388-396
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• 2023

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is a vital source of clean and sustainable hydrogen energy. Moreover, the large-scale H₂ production is currently necessary, while long-term stability and high PEC activity still remain important issues. In this study, a GaN-based photoelectrode was modified by an additional NH₃ treatment (900℃ for 10 min) and its PEC behavior was monitored. The bare GaN exhibited a highly crystalline wurtzite structure with the (002) plane and the optical bandgap was approximately 3.2 eV. In comparison, the NH₃-treated GaN film exhibited slightly reduced crystallinity and a small improvement in light absorption, resulting from the lattice stress or cracks induced by the excessive N supply. The minor surface nanotexturing created more surface area, providing electroactive reacting sites. From the surface XPS analysis, the formation of an N-Ga-O phase on the surface region of the GaN film was confirmed, which suppressed the charge recombination process and the positive shift of E_FB. Therefore, these effects boosted the PEC activity of the NH₃-treated GaN film, with J values of approximately 0.35 and 0.78 mA·cm^-2 at 0.0 and 1.23 V_RHE, respectively, and an onset potential (V_on) of -0.24 V_RHE. In addition, there was an approximate 50% improvement in the J value within the highly applied potential region with a positive shift of V_on. This result could be explained by the increased nanotexturing on the surface structure, the newly formed defect/trap states correlated to the positive V_on shift, and the formation of a GaO_xN_1-x phase, which partially blocked the charge recombination reaction.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.113-117
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• 2016

Recently, hydrogen is regarded as important energy in the future, because it is clean and renewable. The photoelectrochemical (PEC) system, which produce hydrogen using water splitting by solar energy, is one of the most promising energy systems because it has abundant energy sources and good theoretical efficiency. GaN has recently been regarded as suitable photoelectrode that could be used to split water to generate hydrogen without extra bias because its band edge position include water redox potential ($V_{redox}=1.23$ vs. SHE). GaN also shows considerable corrosion resistance in aqueous solutions and it is possible to control its properties, such as structure, band gap, and catalyst characteristics, in order to improve solar energy conversion efficiency. But, even if the band edge position of GaN make PEC reaction facilitate without bias, the overpotential of oxygen evolution reaction could reduce the efficiency of system. One of the ways to decrease overpotential is introduction of co-catalyst on photoelectrode. In this paper, we will investigate the effect of manganese dioxide ($MnO_2$) as a co-catalyst. $MnO_2$ particles were dispersed on GaN photoelectrode by spincoater and analyzed properties of the PEC system using potentiostat (PARSTAT4000). After coating $MnO_2$, the flat-band potential ($V_{fb}$) and the onset voltage ($V_{onset}$) were moved negatively by 0.195 V and 0.116 V, respectively. The photocurrent density increased on $MnO_2$ coated sample and time dependence was also improved. These results showed $MnO_2$ has an effect as a co-catalyst and it would enhance the efficiency of overall PEC system.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.116-116
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• 2009

$TiO_2$ pastes was synthesized to obtained of high efficiency dye-sensitized solar cells using size dependent co-polymer. SBM co-polymer binder is consist of styrene, n-butyl acrylate, and methacrylic acid (SBM) monodisperse co-polymer binder materials and this $TiO_2$ pastes were applied of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The photoanodes were characterized by ATR-Fourier Transform spectrometer, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and morphology was investigated by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The photoelectrochemical properties of the thin films and the performance of DSSCs were measured by photovoltaic-current density, AC impedance and monochromatic incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE). DSSC based on the 100nm size co-polymer binder was obtained conversion efficiency of 8.1% under irradiation of AM 1.5(100 $mWcm^2$).

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.08a
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• pp.197-197
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• 2012

염료감응형 태양전지 (DSSC)는 다양한 태양전지 중, 가장 환경친화적이고, 생산단가도 낮을 뿐만 아니라 다양한 색상과 투광성을 확보할 수 있어 많은 연구가 진행되어왔다. 하지만 액체 전해질을 사용하는 기존 염료감응형 태양전지는 높은 휘발성과 열 팽창 수축에 따른 전해질 누액의 문제점으로 인하여 최근에는 고체전해질을 이용한 염료감응형 태양전지의 개발이 활발히 이루어지고 있다. 본 연구에서는 스크린 프린팅법을 이용하여 TiO2 광전극을 코팅하고 Mg(OH)2를 솔-젤법을 이용하여 스핀 코팅 하였다. 이후에 $500^{\circ}C$에서 1시간동안 열처리를 통해 MgO 나노 코팅막을 형성하여 고체 박막 태양전지(solid state dye sensitized solar cells)을 제작하였다. MgO 나노 코팅막의 특성은 솔라시뮬레이터를 이용하여 I-V 곡선, transient Voc, dark current를 측정하였고, UV0vis spectroscopy를 이용하여 염료흡착량을 분석하여 코팅막과 효율간의 상관관계를 평가하였다.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.61-65
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• 2020

The depletion of fossil fuels and the increase in environmental awareness have led to greater interest in renewable energy. In particular, solar cells have attracted attention because they can convert an infinite amount of solar energy into electricity. Dye-sensitize solar cells (DSSCs) are low cost third generation solar cells that can be manufactured using environmentally friendly materials. However, DSSC photoelectrodes are generally produced by screen printing, which requires high temperature heat treatment, and low temperature processes that can be used to produce flexible DSSCs are limited. To overcome these temperature limitations, this study fabricated photoelectrodes using room-temperature aerosol deposition. The resulting DSSCs had an energy conversion efficiency of 4.07 %. This shows that it is possible to produce DSSCs and flexible devices using room-temperature processes.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2011.10a
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• pp.13.1-13.1
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• 2011

Photoelectrochemical solar cells such as dye-sensitized cells (DSSCs), which exhibit high performance and are cost-effective, provide an alternative to conventional p-n junction photovoltaic devices. However, the efficiency of such cells plateaus at 11~12%, in contrast to their theoretical value of 33%. The majority of research has focused on improving energy conversion efficiency of DSSC by controlling nanostructure and exploiting new materials in photoelectrode consisting of semiconducting oxide nanoparticles and a transparent conducting oxide electrode (TCO) [1-5]. In this presentation, we introduce inverse opal-based scattering layers containing highly crystalline anatase nanoparticles and their feasibility for use as bi-functional light scattering layer is discussed in terms of optical reflectance and charge generation properties as a function of optical wavelength. A new ITO nanowire-based photoelecrode is also introduced and its unique charge collection property is presented, demonstrating potential use for highly efficient charge collection in DSSC.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.26 no.10
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• pp.736-740
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• 2013

In this study, the influence of electrochemical properties by mixing Tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAOH) and ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH) electrode on the dssc. The titanias were prepared using a sol-gel method by mixing Tetrabutylammonium hydroxide and Ammonium hydroxide. The $TiO_2$ nanopowder prepared by sol-gel methode, and to improve the distributed properties of $TiO_2$ nanopowder, the TBAOH and NH4OH was added. The I-V values of cells show that the Tetrabutylammonium has 6.51% efficiency.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.228-228
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• 2013

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) have attracted great interests as they offer high energyconversion efficiencies at low cost. For the conventional fabrication of DSSCs, high temperature sintering is required for the construction of interconnect $TiO_2$. However, more simplified process which can be applicable to large-sized solar cells module, is strongly necessary for the commercialization of DSSCs. In this work, we developed novel sintering method using Intense Pulsed Light (IPL), which can replace the conventional high temperature sintering methods. The photovoltaic properties of DSSCs utilizing IPL methods will be reported.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.42-47
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• 2016

Increasing the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) by the fabrication of new photoelectrodes (PEs) is an important challenge. This study examined the photovoltaic parameters of DSSCs composed of a $TiO_2$ PE with $WO_3$ nanoparticles (NPs). A number of PEs with the same thickness but different concentrations of $WO_3$ NPs in the $TiO_2PE$ were prepared. The morphology and structural properties of the prepared PEs were examined by field-emission scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, respectively. The effects of the $WO_3$ NPs mixing concentration on the efficiency of DSSCs were investigated under simulated solar light irradiation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.240-240
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• 2010

In this paper, in these case of photoelectrode using UV treatment after oxygen solar conversion efficiency is increased. According to oxygen injection UV treatment will removal residual organics and increase the TiO2 surface area but also UV treatment can affect the same chemical action of ozone treatment. More porous networks and larger porosities were obtained in the TiO2 films prepared UV treatment after oxygen injection.