• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.141-146
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• 2020

Thermoelectric Bi₂Te₃ thin films were synthesized by a co-sputtering method at 300℃. A Fe dopant was considered to enhance the thermoelectric properties of the system. The Seebeck coefficient of the Fe-doped films increased whereas the electrical conductivity decreased. As a result, the power factor of the system increased owing to the enhanced Seebeck coefficient. Grain growth inhibition was detected in the Fe-doped system, which produced more grain boundaries in the Fe-doped films than in the undoped system. The increased grain boundary scattering was deemed to be effective for a reduced thermal conductivity. This is advantageous for the preparation of high-performance thermoelectric films.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.12
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• pp.4052-4059
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• 2021

The microstructure of the fuel pellet plays an essential role in fission gas buildup and release and is critical for the safe and continued operation of nuclear power stations. Structural analysis of uranium dioxide (UO₂)-molybdenum (Mo) composite fuel pellets prepared at a range of sintering temperatures from 1300 to 1800 ℃ was performed. Mo micro and nanoparticles were used in making the composite pellets. A systematic investigation into the influence of processing parameters during Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) of the pellets on the microstructure, texture, grain size, and grain boundary characters of UO₂-Mo is presented. UO₂-Mo composite show significant differences in the fraction of general boundaries and also special/coincident site lattice (CSL) boundaries. EBSD orientation maps demonstrated that <111> texturing was observed in the pellets fabricated at 1500 ℃. The experimental investigations suggest that UO₂-Mo composite pellets have favorable microstructural features compared to the UO₂ pellet.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.962-968
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• 2011

In this study, we investigated the effects of Mn dopant (0.1~3.0 at% $Mn_3O_4$ sintered at 1000$^{\circ}C$ for 1 h in air) on the bulk trap (i.e. defect) and grain boundary properties of ZnO, ZM(0.1~3.0) using admittance spectroscopy (AS), and impedance-modulus spectroscopy (IS & MS). As a result, three kinds of defect were found below the conduction band edge of ZnO as 0.09~0.14 eV (attractive coulombic center), 0.22~25 eV ($Zn^{{\cdot}{\cdot}}_i$), and 0.32~0.33 eV ($V^{\cdot}_o$). The oxygen vacancy increased with Mn doping. In ZM, an electrically single grain boundary as double Schottky barrier was formed with 0.82~1.0 eV of activation energies by IS & MS. We also find out that the barriers of grain boundary of Mn-doped ZnO (${\alpha}$-factor=0.13) were more stabilized and homogenized with temperature compared to pure ZnO.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.29 no.11
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• pp.684-689
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• 2019

Single crystals, which have complexed composition, are fabricated by solid state grain growth. However, it is hard to achieve stable properties in a single crystal due to trapped pores. Aerosol deposition (AD) is suitable for fabrication of single crystals with stable properties because this process can make a high density coating layer. Because of their unique features (nano sized grains, stress inner site), it is hard to fabricate single crystals, and so studies of grain growth behavior of AD film are essential. In this study, a $BaTiO_3$ coating layer with ${\sim}9{\mu}m$ thickness is fabricated using an aerosol deposition method on (100) and (110) cut $SrTiO_3$ single crystal substrates, which are adopted as seeds for grain growth. Each specimen is heat-treated at various conditions (900, 1,100, and $1,300^{\circ}C$ for 5 h). $BaTiO_3$ layer shows different growth behavior and X-ray diffraction depending on cutting direction of $SrTiO_3$ seed. Rectangular pillars at $SrTiO_3$ (100) and laminating thin plates at $SrTiO_3$ (110), respectively, are observed.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.74-81
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• 2022

This study aims to mitigate the microstructural heterogeneity arising from the manufacture of magnesium alloy plates using the twin roll casting (TRC) process. Homogenization was introduced through hot rolling and heat treatment, followed by confirmation of observed changes in the microstructure. Following the TRC process, the hot rolled 2mm plate exhibited a dendritic cast structure tilted in the roll rotation direction, while central segregation were developed. This nonuniform structure and central segregation disappeared upon heat treatment, followed by recrystallization to form uniform and fine grains. Abnormal grain growth (AGG) was observed over the course of heat treatment; grains exhibiting AGG occupied up to 75% of the total area after having held the sample at 400℃ for 64 h. The formation of coarse grains was also observed during heat treatment at 340℃ over a relatively long duration, though the maximum grain size was significantly smaller than that corresponding to the heat treatment at 400℃. AGG in the 400℃ heat treatment occurred because of movement of the grain boundary, which had been fixed prior as a result of the grain boundary fixing effect of the precipitation phase. The re-dissolution of the Ca₂Mg₅Zn₅ precipitated phase over the long duration of the high-temperature annealing process caused the surrounding grains to disappear and regrow.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.19 no.9
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• pp.494-498
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• 2009

The thermoluminescent phosphors of LiYSi$O_4$ containing rare earth metal(La) dopants of 1 wt.%5 wt.% were prepared, and their TL characteristics have been investigated as a function of parameters such as the doping level and the heating rate. The grain size and cooling temperature of the highly sensitive LiYSi$O_4$: La phosphors have been investigated. The glow curve of LiYSi$O_4$: La has two peaks ($P_1,\;P_2$), and the peak height ratio of the two peaks is called $P_2/P_1$; here, the main peak is $P_2$. Experimental results indicate that the peak height ratios of the glow curve for LiYSi$O_4$: La are clearly correlated with the grain size and cooling temperature. The maximum $P_2/P_1$ ratio 3.25, the maximum sensitivity was observed for a grain size between 100-150 ${\mu}m$. The intensity of the TL peak of the phosphors was linearly proportion to the dose of X-rays.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.71-74
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• 2009

The magnetic and structural properties of FINEMET (the Hitachi product name of the Fe-Si-B-Nb-Cu alloy) nanopowder with a composition of $Fe_{73.5}Si_{13.5}B_9Nb_3Cu_1$ atomic percent were investigated after annealing, chemical etching, and mechanical milling. The primary and secondary crystallization temperatures were 523 and $550^{\circ}C$, respectively. The grain size of the particles was adjusted by annealing time. Optimally annealed particles exhibited a homogenous microstructure composed of nanometer-sized crystalline grains. The grain boundary of the annealed particles was etched preferentially by chemical etching. Chemically etched particles were broken at the grain boundary by high-energy ball milling. As a result, a nanometer-sized FINEMET powder with a uniform size of crystalline grains was fabricated.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.39 no.9
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• pp.818-821
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• 2002

The grain boundary resistivity of a 1-mol%-$Al_2O_3$-dopedd CaO-Stabilized Zirconia(CSZ) specimen was determined by impedance spectroscopy using sub-millimeter-scale electrodes. At the initial stage of sintering, the grain-boundary resistivity of the specimen interior was observed to be higher than that of the surface. However, upon further sintering the boundary resistivity of the specimen interior became lower than that of the surface. The results were explained in terms of a redistribution of the intergranular liquid phase. The liquid phase was predicted to initially coagulate at the interior of the specimen then spread outward during sintering.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.45-50
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• 2021

In this study, the effect of the size of B powder on the critical current density (J_c) of MgB₂ prepared by an in situ reaction process was investigated. Various combinations of B powders were made using a micron B, ball-milled B and nano B powders. Micron B powder was reduced by ball milling and the milled B powder was mixed with the micron B or nano B powder. The mixing ratios of the milled B and micron or nano B were 100:0, 50:50 and 0:100. Non-milled micron B powder was also mixed with nano powder in the same ratios. Pellets of (2B+Mg) prepared with various B mixing ratios were heat-treated to form MgB₂. T_c of MgB₂ decreased slightly when the milled B was used, whereas the J_c of MgB₂ increased with increasing amount of the milled B or the nano powder. The used of the milled B and nano B power promoted the formation MgB₂ during heat treatment. In addition to the enhanced formation of MgB₂, the use of the powders reduced the grain size of MgB₂. The use of the milled and nano B powder increased the J_c of MgB₂. The highest J_c was achieved when 100% nano B powder was used. The J_c enhancement is attributed to the high volume fraction of the superconducting phase (MgB₂) and the large grain boundaries, which induces the flux pinning at the magnetic fields.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.539-545
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• 2021

The effect of Sm₂O₃ doping on the microstructure and electrical properties of the ZPCCA-based varistors is comprehensively investigated. The increase of doping content of Sm₂O₃ results in better densification (from 5.70 to 5.82 g/cm³) and smaller mean grain size (from 7.8 to 4.1 ㎛). The breakdown electric field increases significantly from 2568 to 6800 V/cm as the doping content of Sm₂O₃ increases. The doping of Sm₂O₃ remarkably improves the nonlinear properties (increasing from 23.9 to 91 in the nonlinear coefficient and decreasing from 35.2 to 0.2 µA/cm² in the leakage current density). Meanwhile, the doping of Sm₂O₃ reduces the donor concentration (the range of 2.73 × 10¹⁸ to 1.18 × 10¹⁸ cm^-3) of bulk grain and increases the barrier height (the range of 1.10 to 1.49 eV) at the grain boundary. The density of the interface states decreases in the range of of 5.31 × 10¹² to 4.08 × 10¹² cm^-2 with the increase of doping content of Sm₂O₃. The dielectric constant decreases from 1594.8 to 507.5 with the increase of doping content of Sm₂O₃.