• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.663-668
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• 2021

For the development of highly efficient quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSCs), it is important to enhance the electrocatalytic activity of the counter electrodes (CEs). Herein, a fabrication process of Cu₂S CEs are optimized for the development highly efficient QDSCs. The surface of brass film is treated with HCl solution to prepare the Cu₂S CEs, and the concentraion as well as the temperature of HCl solution are controlled. It is found that the uniformity for the thickness of prepared Cu₂S CEs is enhanced when the diluted HCl solution is used, compared to the HCl solution of standard concentration. In addition, the electrocatalytic activity of the Cu₂S CEs is also increased with the modificed process, which is confirmed by impedance data and Tafel polarization curves. As a result, the photoconversion efficiency of QDSCs is improved from 4.49% up to 5.73%, when the concentraion and temperature of the HCl treatment are efficiently optimized.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2017

Cu/Mn/Ce catalysts for water gas shift (WGS) reaction were synthesized by urea-nitrate combustion method with the fixed molar ratio of Cu/Mn as 1:4 and 1:1 with the doping concentration of Ce from 0.3 to 0.8 mol%. The prepared catalysts were characterized with SEM, BET, XRD, XPS, $H_2$-TPR, $CO_2$ TPD, $N_2O$ chemisorption analysis. The catalytic activity tests were carried out at a GHSV of $28,000h^{-1}$ and a temperature range of 200 to $400^{\circ}C$. The Cu/Mn(CM) catalysts formed Cu-Mn mixed oxide of spinel structure ($Cu_{1.5}Mn_{1.5}O_4$) and manganese oxides ($MnO_x$). However, when a small amount of Ce was doped, the growth of $Cu_{1.5}Mn_{1.5}O_4$ was inhibited and the degree of Cu dispersion were increased. Also, the doping of Ce on the CM catalyst reduced the reduction temperature and the base site to induce the active site of the catalyst to be exposed on the catalyst surface. From the XPS analysis, it was confirmed that maintaining the oxidation state of Cu appropriately was a main factor in the WGS reaction. Consequently, Ce as support and dopant in the water gas shift reaction catalysts exhibited the enhanced catalytic activities on CM catalysts. We found that proper amount of Ce by preparing catalysts with different Cu/Mn ratios.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.513-517
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• 2013

We investigated the properties of impregnated activated carbons, a commercial adsorbent for the individual protection equipment, and examined CO adsorption and oxidation to $CO_2$. The surface area, pore volume and pore size were measured for four commercial samples using Brunauer-Emmett-Teller/Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BET/BJH), and atomic compositions of the sample surface were analyzed based on SEM/EDS and XPS. Impregnated activated carbons containing Mn and Cu for fire showed the catalytic CO oxidation to $CO_2$ with a high catalytic activity (up to 99% $CO_2$ yield), followed by the CO adsorption at an initial reaction time. On the other hand, C: for chemical biologial and radiological (CBR) samples, not including Mn, showed a lower CO conversion to $CO_2$ (up to 60% yield) compared to that of fire samples. It was also found that a heat-treated activated carbon has a higher removal capacity both for CO and $CO_2$ at room temperature than that of untreated carbon, which was probably due to the impurity removal in pores resulted in a detection-delay about 30 min.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.423-430
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• 2015

$Cu/ZnO/Al_2O_3$ catalysts for water gas shift (WGS) reaction were synthesized by co-precipitation method with the fixed molar ratio of Cu/Zn/Al precursors as 45/45/10. Copper and zinc precursor were added into sodium carbonate solution for precipitation and aged for 24h. During the aging period, aluminum precursor was added into the aging solution with different time gap from the precipitation starting point: 6h, 12h, and 18h. The resulting catalysts were characterized with SEM, XRD, BET surface measurement, $N_2O$ chemisorption, TPR, and $NH_3$-TPD analysis. The catalytic activity tests were carried out at a GHSV of $27,986h^{-1}$ and a temperature range of 200 to $400^{\circ}C$. The catalyst morphology and crystalline structures were not affected by aluminum precursor addition time. The Cu dispersion degree, surface area, and pore diameter depended on the aging time of Cu-Zn precipitate without the presence of $Al_2O_3$ precursor. Also, the interaction between the active substance and $Al_2O_3$ became more stronger as aging duration, with Al precursor presented in the solution, increased. Therefore, it was confirmed that aluminum precursor addition time affected the catalytic characteristics and their catalytic activities.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.5350-5355
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• 2012

Human tyrosinase (hTyr) catalyzes the first and rate limiting step in the biosynthesis of a skin color determinant, melanin. Although a number of cosmetic companies have tried to develop hTyr inhibitors for several decades, absence of 3D structure of hTyr make it impossible to design or screen inhibitors by structure-based approach. Therefore, we built a 3D structure by comparative modeling technique based on the crystal structure of tyrosinase from Bacillus megaterium to provide structural information and to search new hit compounds from database. Our model revealed that two copper atoms of active site located deep inside and were coordinated with six strictly conserved histidine residues coming from four-helix-bundle. Substrate binding site had narrow funnel like shape and its entrance was wide and exposed to solvent. In addition, hTyr-tyrosine and hTyr-kojic acid, a well-known inhibitor, complexes were modeled with the guide of solvent accessible surface generated by in-house software. Our model demonstrated that only phenol group or its analogs could fill the binding site near the nuclear copper center, because inside of binding site had narrow shape relatively. In conclusion, the results of this study may provide helpful information for designing and screening new anti-melanogenic agents.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.615-615
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• 2013

탄소나노튜브(carbon nanotubes; CNT)는 강철보다 10~100배 견고할 뿐만 아니라 영률과 탄성률 은 각각 1.8 TPa, 1.3 TPa에 달하는 매우 우수한 기계적 강도를 지니고 있으며, 구리보다 좋은 전기 전도도와 다이아몬드의 2배에 이르는 열전도도를 지닌 물질이다. 이러한 탄소나노튜브의 우수한 특성을 이용하여 나노섬유, 고분자-탄소나노튜브의 고기능 복합체, 나노소자, 전계방출원(field emitter), 가스센서 등 다양한 분야로의 활용을 위한 연구가 진행되고 있다. 특히, 수백 ${\mu}m$ 이상의 길이로 수직 성장된 탄소나노튜브(VA-CNTs)의 합성은 길이 대 직경의 비(aspect ratio)가 비약적으로 증가하여 앞서 언급한 분야로의 활용이 더욱 유리하며, 그 중에서도 대량 생산, 나노섬유 및 나노복합체로서의 활용에 극히 유용하다. 최근에는 열 화학기상증착(thermal chemical vapor deposition; TCVD)법을 이용하여 탄소나노튜브의 구조를 제어하는 연구들이 많이 보고되고 있다. 열 화학기상증착을 이용한 수직 정렬된 탄소나노튜브의 합성에서 합성조건의 변화는 탄소나노튜브의 길이, 벽의 수, 직경, 결정성 등 구조에 큰 영향을 미친다. 탄소나노튜브는 이러한 구조에 따 라 물리적 특성이 달라지기 때문에 다양한 분야로의 응용을 위해서는 합성에 대한 근본적인 이해 가 절실히 요구된다. 본 연구에서는 열 화학기상증착법을 이용한 합성에서 성장압력의 변화에 따른 탄소나노튜브의 구조적 특성을 조사하였다. 성장압력의 변화는 탄소나노튜브의 밀도, 길이, 결정성에 큰 영향을 미치는 것을 주사전자현미경과 라만분광법을 이용하여 확인하였다. 이러한 결과 는 탄소나노튜브 박막(CNT forest)의 가장자리(edge)에 비정질 탄소(amorphous carbon)의 흡착으로 인한 나노튜브사이의 간격(intertube distance)이 좁아짐에 따른 가스공급 차단 효과로 설명이 가능 하다. 또한, 마이크로웨이브 플라즈마 화학기상증착법을 이용하여 탄소나노튜브를 합성하였다. 합성과정 중 산소(O2)를 주입 하였을 경우, 그렇지 않은 경우에 비하여 성장 속도가 증가하여 3시간 합성 시 2 mm가 넘는 수직 정렬된 탄소나노튜브를 합성 할 수 있었다. 이러한 결과는 과잉 공급 되어 탄소나노튜브로 합성되지 못하고 촉매금속의 표면과 탄소나노튜브의 벽에 비정질의 형태로 붙어있는 탄소 원자들을 추가 주입해 준 산소에 의하여 CO 또는 CO2 형태로 제거해 줌으로써 활성화된 촉매금속의 반응 시간을 향상 시켜주어 탄소공급이 원활하게 이루어졌기 때문이라 생각된다.

• Clean Technology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.108-116
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• 2015

Hydrogen sulfide and ammonia are one of the common malodorous compounds that can be found in emissions from many sewages treatment plants and industrial plants. Therefore, removing these harmful gases from emissions is of significance in both life and industry because they can cause health problems to human and detrimental effects on the catalysts. In this work, pyrolytic carbon blacks from waste tires were used to develop adsorbent with good adsorption capacity for removal of hydrogen and ammonia. Pellet-type adsorbents were prepared by a mixture of carbon black, metal oxide and sodium hydroxide or hydrochloric acid, and their adsorption capacities were estimated by using breakthrough curve of a continuous fixed bed adsorption column at ambient condition. The adsorbent manufactured with a mixture of carbon black, iron oxide(III) and sodium hydroxide showed the maximum working capacity of hydrogen sulfide. For ammonia, maximum working capacity was obtained by the adsorbent manufactured with a mixture of carbon black, copper oxide(II) and hydrochloric acid.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.539-548
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• 1998

Multidentate N,O-containing ligands, such as N,N'-bis(2-hydroxybenzyl)-ethylenediamine(BHED), N,N'-bis(2-hydroxybenzyl)-propylenediamine(BHPD), N,N'-bis(2-hydroxybenzyl)-diethylenetriamine(BHDT), N,N'-bis(2-hydroxybenzyl)-triethylenetriamine(BHTT) and N,N'-bis(2-hydroxybenzyl)-tetraethylenepentaamine (BHTP) were synthesized by reduction of the imine group of Bis(salicylidene)-ethylendiamine(BSED), Bis (salicylidene)-propylenediamine(BSPD), Bis(salicylidene)-diethylentriamine(BSDT), Bis(salicylidene)-triethylenetetraamine(BSTT) and Bis(salicylidene)-tetraethylenepentaamine(BSTP). Proton dissociation constants of the ligands and stability constants of transition metal(Ⅱ) ion complexes with BHED, BHPD, BHDT, BHTT, and BHTP were determined by potentiometic titration. The sequence of stability constants $(logK_{ML})$ of complex increases as BHED Zn(Ⅱ) which follows the Irving-Williams series.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.345-351
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• 2017

Single stage water-gas shift reaction has been carried out at a gas hourly space velocity of $150,494h^{-1}$ over $Cu-Ce_{0.8}Zr_{0.2}O_2$ catalysts prepared by a co-precipitation method. Cu loading was optimized to obtain highly active co-precipitated $Cu-Ce_{0.8}Zr_{0.2}O_2$ catalysts for single stage water-gas shift reaction. 80 wt.% $Cu-Ce_{0.8}Zr_{0.2}O_2$ exhibited the excellent catalytic performance as well as 100% $CO_2$ selectivity (CO conversion = 27% at $240^{\circ}C$ for 50 h). The high activity and stability of 80 wt.% $Cu-Ce_{0.8}Zr_{0.2}O_2$ are correlated to low activation energy and large amount of surface Cu atoms.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.68-73
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• 2007

In this study, we investigated the decomposition of highly concentrated hydrogen peroxide in the range of 1.04-2.55 M by transition metal ion catalysts such as $Fe^{2+}$ and $Cu^{2+}$. The effect of metal ion concentration on the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide was examined experimentally, and the decomposition rate constants were determined by combining the experimental data with a theoretical approach. The rate of the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide was found to be first order with respect to its concentration. The decomposition rate constant was able to be treated as a linear function of the initial metal ion concentration. The validity of the decomposition rate constants determined was verified by good agreements between the calculated and experimental results.