• Carbon letters
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• v.14 no.1
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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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• v.31 no.2
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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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• v.14 no.2
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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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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.756-760
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• 2005

In this study, the effect of $N_2$-plasma treatment on carbon blacks (CBs) was investigated by analyzing acid-base surface values and surface functional groups of CBs. The surface characteristics of the CBs were determined by fourier transformed-infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Boehm's titration method. Electrochemical properties of the plasma-treated CBs-supported Pt (Pt/CBs) catalysts were analyzed by cyclic voltammetry (CV) experiments. From the results of FT-IR and acid-base values, $N_2$-plasma treatment at 300 W intensity on the CBs led to the formation of the free radical. The peak intensity was increased with increasing the treatment time due to the formation of new basic functional groups(such as C-N, C=N, $-NH_3{^+}$, -NH, and =NH) by the free radical. Accordingly, the basic values were increased by the basic functional groups. However, after a specific reaction time, $N_2$-plasma treatment could hardly influence change of surface functional groups of CBs, due to the disappearance of free radical. Consequently, it was found that optimal treatment time was 30 second for electro activity of Pt/CBs catalysts.