• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.378-385
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• 2014

In this research, we investigate electrical performance and electrochemical properties of graphene supported Pt (Pt/G) and PtM (M = Ni and Y) alloy catalysts (PtM/Gs) that are synthesized by modified polyol method. With the PtM/Gs that are adopted for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) as cathode of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), their catalytic activity and ORR performance and electrical performance are estimated and compared with one another. Their particle size, particle distribution and electrochemically active surface (EAS) area are measured by TEM and cyclic voltammetry (CV), respectively. On the other hand, regarding ORR activity and electrical performance of the catalysts, (i) linear sweeping voltammetry by rotating disk electrode and rotating ring-disk electrode and (ii) PEMFC single cell tests are used. The TEM and CV measurements demonstrate particle size and EAS of PtM/Gs are compatible with those of Pt/G. In case of PtNi/G, its half-wave potential, kinetic current density, transferred electron number per oxygen molecule and $H_2O_2$ production % are excellent. Based on data obtained by half-cell test, when PEMFC singlecell tests are carried out, current density measured at 0.6V and maximum power density of the PEMFC single cell employing PtNi/G are better than those employing Pt/G. Conclusively, PtNi/Gs synthesized by modified polyol shows better ORR catalytic activity and PEMFC performance than other catalysts.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.11a
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• pp.85.1-85.1
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• 2011

In this study, Grafoil$^{TM}$ which has comparable electric resistance and chemical stability but is flexible, fragile, and cheap material was adopted as bipolar plates for proton exchange membrane fuel cell(PEMFC) having only one straight line flow channel. Because of its flexibility, pressurizations of cell with various pressures showed different operating characteristics compared to ordinary graphite-used PEMFC. While performances of both cells decreased as these were pressurized, investigation of ohmic and faradaic resistance by electrochemical impedance measurement indicated different tendency of change. Ohmic resistance of graphite-used cell increased with increasing pressure, which is reversed in Grafoil$^{TM}$-used cell. It is speculated that effective chemical reaction area is decreased with increasing pressure in case of graphite-used one, but because of flexible property of Grafoil$^{TM}$, gas diffusion layer in Grafoil$^{TM}$-used cell was well-activated. Different rate of change of faradaic resistances in both cells support this supposition. However, although optimum point of pressurization is found, it is required to investigate other operating conditions because of low performance compared to graphite-used cell.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.13 no.1 s.38
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• pp.57-61
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• 2006

Fuel cells are direct current (DC) power generators. They generate electricity through an electrochemical process that converts the energy stored in a fuel directly into electricity. Fuel cells have many benefits, which produce no particulate matter, nitrogen or sulfur oxides. And they have few moving parts and produce little or no noise. When fueled by hydrogen, they yield only heat and water as byproducts. Their wide application can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and foreign sources of petroleum. This paper is studied on a high efficiency power conditioning system (PCS) applied to the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) generation system. This paper is designed to a novel PCS circuit topology of high efficiency. Some experimental results of the proposed PCS is confirmed to the validity of the analytical results.

• 한국태양에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2012.03a
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• pp.406-409
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• 2012

Recently, enormous research efforts have been focused on the development of non-precious catalysts to replace Pt for electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and to reduce the cost of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In recent years, heteroatom (N, B, and P) doped carbon nanostructures have been received enormous importance as a non-precious electrode materials for oxygen reduction. Doping of foreign atom into carbon is able to modify electronic properties of carbon materials. In this study, nitrogen and boron doped carbon nanostructures were synthesized by using a facile and cost-effective thermal annealing route and prepared nanostructures were used as a non-precious electrocatalysts for the ORR in alkaline electrolyte. The nitrogen doped carbon nanocapsules (NCNCs) exhibited higher activity than that of a commercial Pt/C catalyst, excellent stability and resistance to methanol oxidation. The boron-doped carbon nanostructure (BC) prepared at $900^{\circ}C$ showed higher ORR activity than BCs prepared lower temperature (800, $700^{\circ}C$). The heteroatom doped carbon nanomaterials could be promising candidates as a metal-free catalysts for ORR in the PEMFCs.

• Carbon letters
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.336-342
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• 2010

Different oxidation treatments on CNTs using diluted 4.0 M $H_2SO_4$ solution at room temperature and or at $90^{\circ}C$ reflux conditions were investigated to elucidate the physical and chemical changes occurring on the treated CNTs, which might have significant effects on their performance as catalyst supports in PEM fuel cells. Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscope analyses were made for the acid treated CNTs to determine the particle size and distribution of the CNT-supported Pt-Ru nanoparticles. These CNT-supported Pt-based nanoparticles were then employed as anode catalysts in PEMFC to investigate their catalytic activity and single-cell performance towards $H_2$ oxidation. Based on PEMFC performance results, refluxed Pt-Ru/CNT catalysts prepared using CNTs treated at $90^{\circ}C$ for 0.5 h as anode have shown better catalytic activity and PEMFC polarization performance than those of the commercially available Pt-Ru/C catalyst from ETEK and other Pt-Ru/CNT catalysts developed using raw CNT, thus demonstrating the importance of acid treatment in improving and optimizing the surface properties of catalyst support.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.620-626
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• 2018

Recently, fuel cell field is receiving much attention as an environmentally friendly energy in the world. Among the various types of fuel cells, in the case of PEMFC, ions move through the membrane in the middle of the unit cell. Therefore, proper moisture is required inside the PEMFC. In the case of membrane type humidifier, flat membrane or hollow fiber membrane is mainly used. Since various parameters can change the performance, the performance investigation has to be carried out with parameters. In this study, water transport of hollow fiber membrane was investigated in terms of principle operating conditions such as temperature and flow rate.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.296-301
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• 2017

Recently, there are many efforts focused on development of more economical non-fluorinated membranes for PEMFCs (Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells). In this study, sulfonated poly (ether ether ketone) (sPEEK) membrane reinforced with poly imide was made to enhance of membrane durability. In order to test durability of single (un-reinforced) membrane and reinforced membrane MEA (Membrane and Electrode Assembly), degradation accelerated stress test was used. Before and after degradation, I-V polarization curve, hydrogen crossover current, electrochemical surface area, membrane resistance and charge transfer resistance were measured. As a result of experiments, hydrogen crossover current of reinforced MEA was lower than that of single MEA, therefor durability of reinforced MEA was higher than that of single MEA. There was not especially short phenomena in reinforced MEA after degradation accelerated stress test.

• Current Industrial and Technological Trends in Aerospace
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.95-105
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• 2009

Fuel cells are applied to the propulsion system of aircraft based on environmental-friendly characteristics with low noise and zero emission of CO2, currently many kinds of UAV and small manned aircraft equipped with fuel cells are being developed. Fuel cells for aircraft typically classified into PEMFC(Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell) type and SOFC(Solid Oxide Fuel Cell) type and the system is developed to adapt missions and operational conditions of aircraft. For UAV, various types of aircraft mostly based on PEM fuel cell technology are investigated for military or commercial uses, and the stability and endurance of system will be improved. For small manned aircraft, many researches are carried out to substitute the propulsion system by fuel cell, also some developments for the higher performance of APU of large commercial aircraft to apply fuel cells are in progress. In the future, a fuel cell aircraft will be expected to improve the reliability and efficiency with higher power density.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1997.07d
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• pp.1255-1257
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• 1997

In order to obtain key technologies for a kW class internal humidifying proton-exchange-membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) a single cell with a large electrode area has been designed and manufactured and the performance of large area membrane/electrode assemblies (MEAs) has been evaluated by using the single cell. A small area MEA made of commercial E-TEK electrode and Nafion 117 membrane showed a performance of 0.7V, $300mA/cm^2$ whereas large area MEA made of catalyst layer on carbon support and Nafion 117 showed a lower performance. To improve the performance of large MEA direct coating of catalyst was carried out on the membrane using a screen printer.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.12-19
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• 2022

Cathode open-type PEMFC (Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells) stacks, which are widely used in small transport-type PEMFC, have a problem with poor durability. Through the accelerated durability test of the 13-cell PEMFC stack, we tried to find the cause of the degradation of the stack and to contribute to the improvement of the durability of the cathode open stack. A hydrogen/air boundary is formed during start-up/shut-down (SU/SD) due to the structural problem of the cathode open stack in which the cathode is open to the atmosphere and it is difficult to maintain airtightness, thereby deteriorating the cathode. In this study, it was possible to evaluate the durability in a relatively short time by reducing the 54% of the initial performance by repeating SU/SD 1,800 times on the cathode open stack. After dismantling the stack, each cell was divided into two and the performance was analyzed. Overall, the anode outlet MEA, which facilitates air inflow, showed more severe electrode deterioration than the inlet MEA, confirming that the hydrogen/air boundary formation during SU/SD is the main cause of degradation.