• Clean Technology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.223-231
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• 2021

In order to address many issues associated with large volume changes of silicon, which has very low electrical conductivity but offers about 10 times higher theoretical capacity than graphite (Gr), a silicon nanoparticles/hollow carbon (SiNP/HC) composite having bimodal-mesopores was prepared using silica nanoparticles as a template. A control SiNP/C composite without a hollow structure was also prepared for comparison. The physico-chemical and electrochemical properties of SiNP/HC were analyzed by X-ray diffractometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption/desorption measurements for surface area and pore size distribution, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, galvanostatic cycling, and cyclic voltammetry tests to compare them with those of the SiNP/C composite. The SiNP/HC composite showed significantly better cycle life and efficiency than the SiNP/C, with minimal increase in electrode thickness after long cycles. A hybrid composite, SiNP/HC@Gr, prepared by physical mixing of the SiNP/HC and Gr at a 50:50 weight ratio, exhibited even better cycle life and efficiency than the SiNP/HC at low capacity. Thus, silicon/carbon composites designed to have hollow spaces capable of accommodating volume expansion were found to be highly effective for long cycle life of silicon-based composites. However, further study is required to improve the low initial coulombic efficiency of SiNP/HC and SiNP/HC@Gr, which is possibly because of their high surface area causing excessive electrolyte decomposition for the formation of solid-electrolyte-interface layers.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.470-476
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• 2018

Facial motor evoked potential (FMEP) by multi-pulse transcranial electrical stimulation (mpTES) can complement free-running electromyography (EMG) and direct facial nerve stimulation to predict the functional integrity of the facial nerve during cerebello-pontine angle (CPA) tumor surgery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the standardized test methods and the usefulness of FMEP as a predictor of facial nerve function and to minimize the incidence of facial paralysis as an aftereffect of surgery. TES was delivered through electrode Mz (cathode) - M3/M4 (anode), and extracranially direct distal facial muscle excitation was excluded by the absence of single pulse response (SPR) and by longer onset latency (more than 10 ms). FMEP from the orbicularis oris (o.oris) and the mentalis muscle simultaneously can improve the accuracy and success rate compared with FMEP from the o.oris alone. Using the methods described, we can effectively predict facial nerve outcomes immediately after surgery with a reduction of more than 50% of FMEP amplitude as a warning criterion. In conclusion, along with free-running EMG and direct facial nerve stimulation, FMEP is a useful method to reduce the incidence of facial paralysis as a sequela during CPA tumor surgery.

• Clean Technology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.159-174
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• 2024

The rapid increase in energy consumption based on fossil fuels is accelerating global warming. In particular, the road transportation sector has high carbon dioxide emissions, so transitioning towards electric vehicles is recommended. Thus, the importance of secondary batteries is increasing. Secondary batteries are reversible batteries that use energy and can be reused through a charging and discharging process. Currently, lithium-ion batteries are widely used. Secondary batteries place importance on six major factors: energy, output, lifespan, environmental friendliness, cost, and stability. Research is actively being conducted to satisfy all six factors by understanding the material characteristics of each component of the battery. As it is difficult to move away from lithium as a cathode material, researchers are investigating higher performance materials that mix materials such as cobalt, nickel, manganese, and aluminum with lithium and use graphite, silicon, and lithium metal to increase capacity. In the case of electrolytes, liquid electrolytes are still mainly used. However, solid electrolytes are being studied due to their stability, but additional research must be conducted to satisfy the energy and output factors. This review paper aims to provide an understanding of secondary batteries through an overview of secondary batteries, the materials and characteristics of their components, their technological trends, and their associated companies.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.249-255
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• 2009

The performance of microbial fuel cell (MFC) can be affected by many factors including the rate of organic matter oxidation, the electron transfer to electrode by electrochemical bacteria, proton diffusion, the concentration of electron acceptor, the rate of electron acceptor reduction and internal resistance. the performance of MFC using oxygen as electron acceptor can be influenced by oxygen concentration as limit factors in cathode compartment. Many studies have been performed to enhance electricity production from MFC. The series or parallel stacked MFC connected several MFC units can use to increase voltages and currents produced from MFCs. In this study, a single MFC (S-MFC) and a stacked MFC (ST-MFC) using acetate as electron donor and oxygen as electron acceptor were used to investigate the influence of dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations in cathode compartment on MFC performance. The power density (W/$m^3$) of S-MFC was in order DO 5 > 3 > 7 > 9 mg/L, the maximum power density (W/$m^3$) of S-MFC was 42 W/$m^3$ at DO 5 mg/L. The power density (W/$m^3$) of ST-MFC was in order DO 5 > 7 > 9 > 3 mg/L and the maximum power density (W/$m^3$) of STMFC was 20 W/$m^3$ at DO 5 mg/L. These results suggest that the DO concentration of cathode chamber should be considered as important limit factor of MFC operation and design for stacked MFC as well as single MFC. The results of ST-MFC operation showed the voltage decrease of some MFC units by salt formation on the surface of anode, resulting in decrease total voltage of ST-MFC. Therefore, connecting MFC units in parallel might be more appropriate way than series connections to enhance power production of stacked MFC.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.120-129
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• 2003

The anodic alumina is synthesized using 0.3M oxalic acid and the barrier layers of the anodic alumina are removed using the 20wt% $H_2SO_4$ solution. The structure of the anodic alumina is analyzed by XRD and SEM. It is observed by SEM that the size of anodic alumina pore is about 60nm. And the uniformity of the anodic alumina surface under the 20wt% $H_2SO_4$ solution is poorer than the unifomity of the the normal anodic alumina surface. The anodic alumina and the carbon are used cathode and anode in$Cd(NO_3)_2{\cdot}4H_2O$, $Co(NO_3)_2{\cdot}6H_2O$ and $PbSO_4$ solutions. In this study, the constant D.C. electrical current is flowed in each solution for 24hours. It is found that the voltages so far as 4.6, 3.4 and 5.1V at $Cd(NO_3)_2{\cdot}4H_2O$, $Co(NO_3)_2{\cdot}6H_2O$ and $PbSO_4$ solutions increase with increasing the flowing current time and after the voltage does not change which values are 4.2, 2.7 and 2.4V, respectively. The amount of metal ions in solutions decrease with increasing the flowing current time until the flowing current time is 18hours and the metals are formed at the surface of anodic alumina. After the metal ions are removed using the anodic alumina, and $Cd^{2+}$, $Co^{2+}$ and $Pb^{2+}$ ions are removed again using flow cell with retriculate vitreous carbon(RVC) working electrode. The concentration of $Cd^{2+}$, and $Co^{2+}$ions decrease until the flowing time of the solutions is 20minutes and the concentration of $Pb^{2+}$ ion decreases until that time is 30minutes. In this case, the removal effects of $Cd^{2+}$, $Co^{2+}$ and $Pb^{2+}$ ions are 34.78, 28.79 and 86.38%, respectively. And it is possible that both $Cd^{2+}$ and $Co^{2+}$ions are adsorbed in pore of RVC at the same time and the removal effects of $Cd^{2+}$ and $Co^{2+}$ions are 32.30 and 31.37%.

• Clean Technology
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• v.13 no.1 s.36
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• pp.54-63
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• 2007

Even traces of CO in the hydrogen-rich feed gas to proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) poison the platinum anode electrode and dramatically decrease the power output. In this work, a variety of catalytic materials consisting of $Cu/Ce_xZr_{1-x}O_2$, (x = 0.0-1.0) were synthesised, characterized and tested for CO oxidation and preferential oxidation of CO (PROX). These catalysts prepared by hydrothermal and deposition-precipitation methods. The catalysts were characterized by XRD, XRF, SEM, BET, $N_2O$ titration and oxygen storage capacity (OSC) measurement. The effects of composition of the support and degree of excess oxygen were investigated fur activity and $CO_2$ selectivity with different temperatures. The composition of the support markedly influenced the PROX activity. Among the various $Cu/Ce_xZr_{1-x}O_2$ catalysts having different composition, $Cu/Ce_{0.9}Zr_{0.1}O_2$ and $Cu/Ce_{0.7}Zr_{0.3}O_2$ showed the highest activities (>99%) and selectivities (ca.50%) in the temperature range of $150{\sim}160^{\circ}C$. It was found that by using of $Ce_xZr_{1-x}O_2$ mixed oxide support which possesses a high oxygen storage capacity, oxidation-reduction activity of Cu-based catalyst was improved, which resulted in the increase of catalytic activity and selectivity of CO oxidation in excess $H_2$ environments.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.8 no.2 s.23
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• pp.15-27
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• 2004

The purpose of this paper is to improve the performance of Polymer electrolyte fuel cell(PEMFC) by studying the channel dimension of bipolar plates using commercial CFD program 'Fluent'. Simulations are done ranging from 0.5 to 3.0mm for different size in order to find the channel size which shoves the highst hydrogen consumption. The results showed that the smaller channel width, land width, channel depth, the higher hydrogen consumption in anode. When channel width is increased, the pressure drop in channel is decreased because total channel length Is decreased, and when land width is increased, the net hydrogen consumption is decreased because hydrogen is diffused under the land width. It is also found that the influence of hydrogen consumption is larger at different channel width than it at different land width. The change of hydrogen consumption with different channel depth isn't as large as it with different channel width, but channel depth has to be small as can as it does because it has influence on the volume of bipolar plates. however the hydrogen utilization among the channel sizes more than 1.0mm which can be machined in reality is the most at channel width 1.0, land width 1.0, channel depth 0.5mm and considered as optimum channel size. The fuel cell combined with 2cm${\times}$2cm diagonal or serpentine type flow field and MEA(Membrane Electrode Assembly) is tested using 100W PEMFC test station to confirm that the channel size studied in simulation. The results showed that diagonal and serpentine flow field have similarly high OCV and current density of diagonal (low field is higher($2-40mA/m^2$) than that of serpentine flow field under 0.6 voltage, but the current density of serpentine type has higher performance($5-10mA/m^2$) than that of diagonal flow field under 0.7-0.8 voltage.