• Carbon letters
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.55-57
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• 2013

The development of hollow carbon balls by $CO_2$ oxidation of two types of carbon blacks was studied. Super P (SP) and Denka Black (DB) were used for this study. Specific surface area (SSA), structural parameters, and microstructures were examined using Brunauer, Emmett and Teller apparatus, X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscope (TEM), respectively. The SSAs of both oxidized carbon blacks increased after oxidation. The SSAs of raw DB and SP were 73 $m^2/g$ and 60 $m^2/g$, respectively. Maximum SSAs of oxidized DB and SP were 152 $m^2/g$ and 253 $m^2/g$, respectively. The $d_{002}$ of DB and SP showed almost no change after oxidation. The Lc of raw DB ($38{\AA}$) and SP ($19{\AA}$) increased with increasing weight loss. The $L_c$ of SP increased up to $254{\AA}$ at 96% weight loss. The SSA increased about twice in DB (148 $m^2/g$) and about four times in SP (254 $m^2/g$) after 3 h oxidation compared with the original carbon blacks. Through TEM observation the outer parts of the oxidized carbon blacks showed a rigid shell structure and the inner parts looked empty. Generally it looked like an angular soccer ball, so we named it 'hollow carbon ball'. It is expected that the hollow carbon ball can be used as catalyst supports.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.331-334
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• 2010

In the present study, carbon supports mixed with purified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and carbon blacks (CBs) were used to improve the cell performance of direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). Additionally, the effect of $O_2$ plasma treatment on CBs/MWNTs supports was investigated for different plasma RF powers of 100, 200, and 300 W. The surface and structural properties of the CBs/MWNTs supports were characterized by FT-IR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and inductive coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). The electrocatalytic activity of PtRu/CBs/MWNTs catalysts was investigated by cyclic voltammetry measurement. In the experimental results, the oxygen functional groups of the supports were increased with increasing plasma RF power, while the average Pt particle size was decreased owing to the improvement of dispersibility of the catalysts. The electrochemical activity of the catalysts for methanol oxidation was gradually improved by the larger available active surface area, itself due to the introduction of oxygen functional groups. Consequently, it was found that $O_2$ plasma treatments could influence the surface properties of the carbon supports, resulting in enhanced electrocatalytic activity of the catalysts for DMFCs.

• Carbon letters
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.121-125
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• 2013

In this study, PtRu nanoparticles deposited on binary carbon supports were developed for use in direct methanol fuel cells using carbon blacks (CBs) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The particle sizes and morphological structures of the catalysts were analyzed using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy, and the PtRu loading content was determined using an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer. The electrocatalytic characteristics for methanol oxidation were evaluated by means of cyclic voltammetry with 1 M $CH_3OH$ in a 0.5 M $H_2SO_4$ solution as the electrolyte. The PtRu particle sizes and the loading level were found to be dependent on the mixing ratio of the two carbon materials. The electroactivity of the catalysts increased with an increasing MWCNT content, reaching a maximum at 30% MWCNTs, and subsequently decreased. This was attributed to the introduction of MWCNTs as a secondary support, which provided a highly accessible surface area and caused morphological changes in the carbon supports. Consequently, the PtRu nanoparticles deposited on the binary support exhibited better performance than those deposited on the single support, and the best performance was obtained when the mass ratio of CBs to MWCNTs was 70:30.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• 제43권6호
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• pp.756-760
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• 2005

본 연구에서는 카본블랙을 $N_2$-플라즈마 처리하여 표면 관능기를 변화시킨 후 백금을 담지시켜 전기화학적 활성을 향상시키는 방법에 대하여 고찰하였다. $N_2$-플라즈마 처리된 카본블랙의 표면특성은 FT-IR, XPS 그리고 산-염기도 측정법 등으로 분석하였으며, 전기화학적 특성을 알아보기 위하여 순환전류전압곡선(CV)를 측정하였다. FT-IR과 산-염기도 결과에 의하면 카본블랙을 300 W의 일정한 세기로 $N_2$-플라즈마 처리함으로써, 카본블랙 표면에 생성된 자유라디칼에 의해 새로운 염기성 관능기가 형성되어 처리시간이 증가할수록 염기도가 증가함을 알 수 있었다. C-N, C=N, $-NH_3{^+}$, -NH 그리고 =NH 등과 같은 새로운 염기성 관능기에 의해 염기도 값이 증가하였으나, 일정 반응시간 이후에는 카본블랙 표면에 도입한 약한 결합을 이루는 관능기가 파괴되어 새로운 관능기를 형성하지 못하고 아무런 영향을 미치지 못하는 것으로 판단된다. 결과적으로, 백금/카본블랙 촉매의 전기화학적 활성은 300 W의 세기로 처리하였을 때 최적의 표면처리 시간은 30초이다.