Applied Chemistry for Engineering (공업화학)

The Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry (한국공업화학회)
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Photoelectrochemical Performance of Hematite Nanoparticles Synthesized by a DC Thermal Plasma Process

DC 열플라즈마를 이용하여 제조된 산화철 나노입자의 광 전기화학적 물분해 효율 증가연구

  • Lee, Chulho (Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Inha University) ;
  • Lee, Dongeun (Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Inha University) ;
  • Kim, Sunkyu (Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Inha University) ;
  • Yoo, Hyeonseok (Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Inha University) ;
  • Choi, Jinsub (Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Inha University)
  • 이철호 (인하대학교 화학.화학공학 융합학과) ;
  • 이동은 (인하대학교 화학.화학공학 융합학과) ;
  • 김선규 (인하대학교 화학.화학공학 융합학과) ;
  • 유현석 (인하대학교 화학.화학공학 융합학과) ;
  • 최진섭 (인하대학교 화학.화학공학 융합학과)
  • Received : 2015.03.05
  • Accepted : 2015.04.08
  • Published : 2015.06.10
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Abstract

In this research, hematite nanoparticles were synthesized by DC thermal plasma process to increase the overall surface area. The effect of binders on hematite electrodes was investigated by changing the type and composition of binders when preparing electrodes. Nitrogen gas was also added to the DC thermal plasma process in order to dope the hematite with N for enhancing photoelectrochemical properties of hematite nanoparticles. The efficiency of water splitting reaction was measured by linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) under solar simulator. In LSV measurements, the onset potential and maximum current density at a fixed voltage were measured. The durability of electrodes was checked by repeating LSV measurements. CMC (carboxymethyl cellulose) binder with 50 : 1 composition exhibits the highest current density of $12mA/cm^2$ and CMC binder with 20 : 1 composition, showing the initial current density of $3mA/cm^2$, endures 20 times of repetitive LSV measurements. Effects of nitrogen doping on hematite nanoparticles were proven to be insignificant.

본 연구에서는 광 전기화학적 물 분해 전극 재료로 이용되는 산화철($Fe_2O_3$, hematite)을 표면적을 크게 하기 위하여 DC 열플라즈마 장치를 이용하여 나노입자로 합성한 후 전극을 제조 시 binder의 종류 및 조성을 다르게 하여 염기성 전해질에서 각각의 물 분해 효율을 측정하는 실험을 진행하였으며 질소 도핑을 통해 질소가 산화철의 광전기화학 반응에 끼치는 영향을 확인하였다. 산화철 전극을 제조하여 solar simulator를 이용한 LSV 실험을 통해 각 전극의 onset potential 및 설정한 전압 범위에서의 최대 전류밀도를 측정하였으며, 전극의 내구성 평가를 위하여 LSV 실험을 반복하여 진행하였다. CMC (carboxymethyl cellulose)를 50 : 1의 비율로 섞어 binder로 이용한 산화철 전극이 가장 높은 전류밀도인 $12mA/cm^2$의 전류밀도를 나타내었고, CMC를 20 : 1 비율로 섞은 binder를 이용할 시 $3mA/cm^2$의 초기 전류밀도를 가지고 약 20회의 반복 실험을 견뎌내는 내구성을 나타내었다. 질소의 도핑이 산화철 나노입자의 광 전기 화학적 반응에 끼치는 영향은 미미한 것으로 확인되었다.

Keywords

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