• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.67-95
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• 2024

Direct alcohol fuel cells (DAFCs) have gained much attention as promising energy conversion devices due to their ability to utilize alcohol as a fuel source. In this regard, Molybdenum-based electrocatalysts (Mo-ECs) have emerged as a substitution for expensive Pt and Ru-based co-catalyst electrode materials in DAFCs, owing to their unique electrochemical properties useful for alcohol oxidation. The catalytic activity of Mo-ECs displays an increase in alcohol oxidation current density by several folds to 1000-2000 mA mg_Pt^-1, compared to commercial Pt and PtRu catalysts of 10-100 mA mg_Pt^-1. In addition, the methanol oxidation peak and onset potential have been significantly reduced by 100-200 mV and 0.5-0.6 V, respectively. The performance of Mo-ECs in both acidic and alkaline media has shown the potential to significantly reduce the Pt loading. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the bifunctional mechanism involved in the oxidation of alcohols and factors affecting the electrocatalytic oxidation of alcohol, such as synthesis method, structural properties, and catalytic support materials. Furthermore, the challenges and prospects of Mo-ECs for DAFCs anode materials are discussed. This in-depth review serves as valuable insight toward enhancing the performance and efficiency of DAFC by employing Mo-ECs.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.171-171
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• 2009

The electrodes are usually made of a porous mixture of carbon-supported platinum and ionomers. $SnO_2$ particles provide as supports that have been used for DMFCs, and it have high catalytic activities toward methanol oxidation. The main advantage of $SnO_2$ supported electrodes is that it has strong chemical interactions with metallic components. The high activity to a synergistic bifunctional mechanism in which Pt provides the adsorption sites for CO, while oxygen adsorbs dissociative on $SnO_2$. The reaction between the adsorbed species occurs at the Pt/$SnO_2$ boundary. The morphological observations were characterized by FESEM and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). $SnO_2$ particles crystallinity was analyzed by the X-ray diffraction (XRD). The surface bonded state of the $SnO_2$ particles and electrode materials were observed by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The electric properties of the Pt/$SnO_2$ catalyst for methanol oxidation have been investigated by the cyclic voltametry (CV) in 0.1M $H_2SO_4$ and 0.1M MeOH aqueous solution. The peak current density of methanol oxidation was increased as the $SnO_2$ content in the anode catalysts increased. Pt/$SnO_2$ catalysts improve the removal of CO ads species formed on the platinum surface during methanol electro-oxidation.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.39-50
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• 2001

Vanadium based solid solution alloys have been studied as a potential negative electrode of Ni/MH battery due to their high hydrogen storage capacity. In order to improve the kinetic property of V-Ti alloy in KOH electrolyte, the ball-milling process with Ni, which has a catalytic effect of hydrogen absorption/desorption, was carried out to modify the surface properties of V-Ti-Cr alloys with high hydrogen storage capacity. Moreover, to overcome the problem of poor cycle life, V-Ti alloy substituted by Cr, V0.68 Ti0.20 Cr0.12, has been developed showing a good cycle performance (keeping about 80 % of initial discharge capacity after 200 cycles). The cycle life of surface-modified V0.68 Ti0.20 Cr0.12 alloy was improved by suppressing the formation of TiO2 layer on the alloy surface while decreasing the amount of dissolved vanadium in the KOH electrolyte. In order to promote the effect of Ni coating on the surface property of V0.68 Ti 0.20 Cr 0.12 alloy by ball-milling, filamentary-typed Ni, which has higher surface coverage area than sphere-typed Ni was used as a surface modifier. Consequently, the surface-modified V0.68 Ti0.20 Cr0.12 alloy electrode showed a improved discharge capacity of 460 mAh/g.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.345-351
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• 2004

Highly ordered pure-silica MCM-41 materials possessing well-defined morphology have been successfully prepared with surfactant used as a template. The fabrication of mesoporous silica has received considerable attention due to the need to develop more efficient materials' for catalysis, separations, and chemical sensing. The surface modified MCM-41 was used as anadsorbent for biomolecules. Silica-supported organic groups and DNA adsorption on surface modified MCM-41 were investigated by FT-IR and UV-Vis spectrometer, respectively. The use of MCM-41 as the modification of electrode surfaces were investigated electrochemical properties of metal mediators with biomolecules. The modified ITO electrodes increased peak currents for a redox process of $[Ru(bpy)_3]^{2+}$ relative to the bare electrode. The electrochemical detection of DNA by cyclic voltammetry when the current is saturated in the presence of the mediator appeared more sensitive due to a higher catalytic current on the MCM-41 supported electrodes modified by carboxylic acid functional groups. The carboxyl or amine groups on the surface of MCM-41 interact and react with the $-NH_2$ groups of guanine and backbone, respectively. Highly ordered mesoporous materials with organic groups could find applications as DNA sensors.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.157-162
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• 2014

In this research, we investigate electrical performance and electrochemical properties of carbon supported Pt (Pt/C) that is synthesized by polyol method. With the Polyol_Pt/C that is adopted for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) as cathode of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), their catalytic activity and ORR performance and electrical performance are estimated and compared with commercial Pt/C(Johnson Mattey) catalyst. Their electrochemically active surface (EAS) area are measured by cyclic voltammetry (CV), respectively. On the other hand, regarding ORR activity and electrical performance of the catalysts, (i) linear sweeping voltammetry by rotating disk electrode and (ii) PEMFC single cell tests are used. The CV measurement demonstrate EAS of Polyol_Pt/C is compared with commercial JM_Pt/C. In case of Polyol_Pt/C, its half-wave potential, kinetic current density are excellent. Based on data obtained by half-cell test, when PEMFC single cell tests are carried out, current density measured at 0.6V and maximum power density of the PEMFC single cell employing Polyol_Pt/C are better than those employing commercial Pt/C. Conclusively, Polyol_Pt/C synthesized by modified polyol process shows better ORR catalytic activity and PEMFC performance than other catalysts.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.479-485
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• 2011

Pt-Bi/C catalysts supported on carbon black with various Pt/Bi ratios were synthesized by a reduction method. Chloroplatinic acid hydrate ($H_2PtCl_6{\cdot}xH_2O$) and bismuth (III) nitrate pentahydrate ($Bi(NO_3)_3{\cdot}5H_2O$) were used as precursors for Pt and Bi, respectively. Before loading metal on carbon, heat treatment and pretreatment of carbon black in an acidic solution was conducted to enhance the degree of dispersion. The physical property of the synthesized catalysts was investigated by X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The XRD pattern of untreated Pt-Bi/C catalyst showed BiPt and $Bi_2Pt$ peaks in addition to Pt peaks. These results imply that Bi atoms were incorporated into the Pt crystal lattice by Pt-Bi alloy formation. The catalytic activity for methanol oxidation was measured using cyclic voltammetry in a mixture of 0.5 M $H_2SO_4$ and 0.5 M $CH_3OH$ aqueous solution. The addition of proper amount of Bi was found to significantly improve catalytic activity for methanol oxidation. The catalytic activity for methanol oxidation was closely related to the stability between electrode and electrolyte. In order to investigate the stability of catalysts, chronoamperometry analysis was carried out in the same solution at 0.6 V.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2007.05b
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• pp.2232-2237
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• 2007

Steam reforming and catalytic reforming of $CH_4$ conversion to produce synthesis gas require both high temperatures and high pressure. Non-thermal plasma is considered to be a promising technology for the hydrogen rich gas production from methane. In this study, three phase AC GlidArc plasma system was employed to investigate the effects of gas composition, gas flow rate, catalyst reactor temperature and applied electric power on the $CH_4$ and $H_2$ yield and the product distribution. The studied system consisted of three electrode and it connected AC generate power system different voltages. In this study, air was used for the partial oxidation of methane. The results showed that increasing gas flow rate, catalyst reactor temperature, or electric power enhanced $CH_4$ conversion and $H_2$ concentration. The reference conditions were found at a $O_2$/C molar ratio of 0.45, a feed flow rate of 4.9 ${\ell}$/min, and input power of 1kW for the maximum conversions of $CH_4$ with a high selectivity of $H_2$ and a low reactor energy density.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.692-700
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• 1993

Corrosivities and catalytic activities of platinum-transition metal alloy catalyses loaded on carbon substrate and were studied by electrochemical method using a unit cell. And the analysis of Pt-alloy catalyst was conducted by x-ray diffractometer. Among the catalysts, the Pt-Mo/carbon, Pt-Fe-Co/carbon and Pt-Fe/carbon catalyst showed more excellent cathodic current densities than others. It was found that most of cathodic current density for the Pt-Mo/carbon electrode was $120mA/cm^2$. The current density of the Pt-Fe-Co/carbon was much higher than that of Pt/carbon, reaching $200mA/cm^2$.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.238-247
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• 2020

Some nano structured bimetallic NiPd electrocatalysts were electrodeposited on glassy carbon electrodes using a double potential step chronoamperometry. The morphology of the electrodeposited samples was investigated by field emission-scanning electron microscopy, while their compositions were evaluated using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. It was observed that the electrodeposited samples contained a low Ni content, in the range of 0.80 - 7.10%. The electrodeposited samples were employed as the anode electro-catalysts for the oxidation of sodium borohydride in NaOH solution (1.0 M) using cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, rotating disk electrode, and impedance spectroscopy. The number of exchanged electrons, charge transfer resistances, apparent rate constants, and double layer capacitances were calculated for the oxidation of borohydride on the prepared catalysts. According to the results obtained, the NiPd-2 sample with the lowest Ni content (0.80%), presented the highest catalytic activity for borohydride oxidation compared with the other NiPd samples as well as the pure Pd sample. The anodic peak current density was obtained to be about 1.3 times higher on the NiPd-2 sample compared with that for the Pd sample.

• Carbon letters
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.198-202
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• 2014

Amorphous agglomerates of carbon nanospheres (CNS) with a diameter range of 10-50 nm were synthesized using the solution combustion method. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) revealed a densely packed high surface area of $SP^2$-hybridized carbon; however, there were no crystalline structural components, as can be seen from the scanning electron microscopy, HRTEM, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and thermal gravimetric analyses. Electrochemical and thermo catalytic decomposition study results show that the material can be used as a potential electrode candidate for the fabrication of energy storage devices and also for the production of free hydrogen if such devices are used in a fluidized bed reactor loaded with the as-prepared CNS as the catalyst bed.