• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.89-94
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• 2013

Layered $Li_{1+x}(Mn_{0.4}Ni_{0.4}Fe_{0.2})_{1-x}O_2$ (0 < x < 0.3) solid solutions were synthesized using solgel method with adipic acid as chelating agent. Structural and electrochemical properties of the prepared powders were examined by means of X-ray diffraction, Scanning electron microscopy and galvanostatic charge/discharge cycling. All powders had a phase-pure layered structure with $R\bar{3}m$ space group. The morphological studies confirmed that the size of the particles increased at higher x content. The charge-discharge profiles of the solid solution against lithium using 1 M $LiPF_6$ in EC/DMC as electrolyte revealed that the discharge capacity increases with increasing lithium content at the 3a sites. Among the cells, $Li_{1.2}(Mn_{0.32}Ni_{0.32}Fe_{0.16})O_2$ (x = 0.2)/$Li^+$ exhibits a good electrochemical property with maximum initial capacity of 160 $mAhg^{-1}$ between 2-4.5 V at 0.1 $mAcm^{-2}$ current density and the capacity retention after 25 cycles was 92%. Whereas, the cell fabricated with x = 0.3 sample showed continuous capacity fading due to the formation of spinel like structure during the subsequent cycling. The preparation of solid solutions based on $LiNiO_2-LiFeO_2-Li_2MnO_3$ has improved the properties of its end members.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.21 no.11
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• pp.587-591
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• 2011

The effect of the precipitator (NaOH, $NH_4OH$) and the amount of the precipitator (150, 200, 250, 300 ml) on the formation of $Fe_3(PO_4)_2$, which is the precursor used for cathode material $LiFePO_4$ in Li-ion rechargeable batteries was investigated by the co-precipitation method. A pure precursor of olivine $LiFePO_4$ was successfully prepared with coprecipitation from an aqueous solution containing trivalent iron ions. The acid solution was prepared by mixing 150 ml $FeSO_4$(1M) and 100 ml $H_3PO_4$(1M). The concentration of the NaOH and $NH_4OH$ solution was 1 M. The reaction temperature (25$^{\circ}C$) and reaction time (30 min) were fixed. Nitrogen gas (500 ml/min) was flowed during the reaction to prevent oxidation of $Fe^{2+}$. Single phase $Fe_3(PO_4)_2$ was formed when 150, 200, 250 and 300 ml NaOH solutions were added and 150, 200 ml $NH_4OH$ solutions were added. However, $Fe_3(PO_4)_2$ and $NH_4FePO_4$ were formed when 250 and 300 ml $NH_4OH$ was added. The morphology of the $Fe_3(PO_4)_2$ changed according to the pH. Plate-like lenticular shaped $Fe_3(PO_4)_2$ formed in the acidic solution below pH 5 and plate-like rhombus shaped $Fe_3(PO_4)_2$ formed around pH 9. For the $NH_4OH$, the pH value after 30 min reaction was higher with the same amount of additions of NaOH and $NH_4OH$. It is believed that the formation mechanism of $Fe_3(PO_4)_2$ is quite different between NaOH and $NH_4OH$. Further investigation on this mechanism is needed. The prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the pH value was measured by pH-Meter.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.9-17
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• 2023

Efforts are currently underway to develop a method for efficiently recovering lithium from the cathode material of waste lithium iron phosphate batteries (LFP). The successful application of lithium battery recycling can address the regional ubiquity and price volatility of lithium resources, while also mitigating the environmental impact associated with both waste battery material and lithium production processes. The isomorphic substitution leaching process was used to recover lithium from spent lithium iron phosphate batteries. Lithium was leached by the isomorphic substitution of Fe²⁺ in LFP using a relatively inexpensive ferric chloride etching solution as a leaching agent. In the study, the leaching rate of lithium was compared using the ferric chloride etching solution at various multiples of the LFP molar ratio: 0.7, 1.0, 1.3, and 1.6 times. The highest lithium leaching rate was shown at about 98% when using 1.3 times the LFP molar ratio. Subsequently, to eliminate Fe, the leachate was treated with NaOH. The Fe-free solution was then used to synthesize lithium carbonate, and the harvested powder was characterized and validated. The surface shape and crystal phase were analyzed using SEM and XRD analysis, and impurities and purity were confirmed using ICP analysis.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.271-277
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• 2014

To overcome the limitations of the solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) due to the high temperature operation, there has been increasing interest in proton conducting fuel cells (PCFCs) for reduction of the operating temperature to the intermediate temperature range. In present work, the perovskite $BaCe_{0.85-x}Zr_xY_{0.15}O_{3-\delta}$ (BCZY, x = 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7) were synthesized via solid state reaction (SSR) and adopted as an electrolyte materials for PCFCs. Powder characteristics were examined using X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET) surface area analysis. Single phase BCZY were obtained in all compositions, and chemical stability was improved with increasing Zr content. Anode-supported cell with $Ni-BaCe_{0.55}Z_{0.3}Y_{0.15}O_{3-\delta}$ (BCZY3) anode, BCZY3 electrolyte and BCZY3-$Ba_{0.5}Sr_{0.5}Co_{0.8}Fe_{0.2}O_{3-\delta}$ (BSCF) composite cathode was fabricated and electrochemically characterized. Open-circuit voltage (OCV) was 1.05 V, and peak power density of 370 ($mW/cm^2$) was achieved at $650^{\circ}C$.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.240-245
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• 2013

Electrochemical surface treatment is commonly used to form a thin, rough, and porous oxidation layer on the surface of titanium. The purpose of this study was to investigate the formation of nanotubular titanium oxide arrays during short anodization processing. The specimen used in this study was 99.9% pure cp-Ti (ASTM Grade II) in the form of a disc with diameter of 15 mm and a thickness of 1 mm. A DC power supplier was used with the anodizing apparatus, and the titanium specimen and the platinum plate ($3mm{\times}4mm{\times}0.1mm$) were connected to an anode and cathode, respectively. The progressive formation of $TiO_2$ nanotubes was observed with FE-SEM (Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy). Highly ordered $TiO_2$ nanotubes were formed at a potential of 20 V in a solution of 1M $H_3PO_4$ + 1.5 wt.% HF for 10 minutes, corresponding with steady state processing. The diameters and the closed ends of $TiO_2$ nanotubes measured at a value of 50 cumulative percent were 100 nm and 120 nm, respectively. The $TiO_2$ nanotubes had lengths of 500 nm. As the anodization processing reached 10 minutes, the frequency distribution for the diameters and the closed ends of the $TiO_2$ nanotubes was gradually reduced. Short anodization processing for $TiO_2$ nanotubes of within 10 minutes was established.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.1719-1723
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• 2009

The LiFeP$O_4$ powder was synthesized by using the solid state reaction method with Fe($C_2O_4){\cdot}2H_2O,\;(NH_4)_2HPO_4,\;Li_2CO_3$, and chitosan as a carbon precursor material for a cathode of a lithium-ion battery. The chitosan added LiFePO4 powder was calcined at 350 ${^{\circ}C}$ for 5 hours and then 800 ${^{\circ}C}$ for 12 hours for the calcination. Then we calcined again at 800 ${^{\circ}C}$ for 12 hours. We characterized the synthesized compounds via the crystallinity, the valence states of iron ions, and their shapes using TGA, XRD, SEM, TEM, and XPS. We found that the synthesized powders were carbon-coated using TEM images and the iron ion is substituted from 3+ to 2+ through XPS measurements. We observed voltage characteristics and initial charge-discharge characteristics according to the C rate in LiFeP$O_4$ batteries. The obtained initial specific capacity of the chitosan added LiFeP$O_4$ powder is 110 mAh/g, which is much larger than that of LiFeP$O_4$ only powder.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.290-294
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• 2010

We performed a density functional theory study to investigate the intercalation voltage and lithium ion conduction in lithium cobalt oxide for lithium ion battery as a function of the lithium concentration. There were two methods for the intercalation of lithium ions; the intercalation of a lithium ion at a time in the individual layer and the intercalation of lithium ions in all the sites of one layer after all the sites of another layer. The average intercalation voltage was the same value, 3.48 V. However, we found the former method was more favorable than the latter method. The lattice parameter c was increased as the increase of the lithium concentration in the range of x < 0.25 while it was decreased as increase of the lithium concentration in the range of x > 0.25. The energy barrier for the conduction of lithium ion in lithium cobalt oxide was increased as the lithium concentration was increased. We demonstrated that the decrease of the intercalation voltage and increase of the energy barrier as the increase of the lithium concentration caused lower output voltage during the discharge of the lithium ion battery.

• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.179-184
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• 2016

In recent years, the on-resistance, power loss and cell density of Si power devices have not exhibited significant improvements, and performance is approaching the material limits. GaN is considered an attractive material for future high-power applications because of the wide band-gap, large breakdown field, high electron mobility, high switching speed and low on-resistance. Here we report on the Ohmic contact resistance and reverse-bias characteristics of AlGaN/GaN Schottky barrier diodes with and without annealing. Annealing in oxygen at $500^{\circ}C$ resulted in an increase in the breakdown voltage from 641 to 1,172 V for devices with an anode-cathode separation of $20{\mu}m$. However, these annealing conditions also resulted in an increase in the contact resistance of $0.183{\Omega}-mm$, which is attributed to oxidation of the metal contacts. Auger electron spectroscopy revealed diffusion of oxygen and Au into the AlGaN and GaN layers following annealing. The improved reverse-bias characteristics following annealing in oxygen are attributed to passivation of dangling bonds and plasma damage due to interactions between oxygen and GaN/AlGaN. Thermal annealing is therefore useful during the fabrication of high-voltage GaN devices, but the effects on the Ohmic contact resistance should be considered.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2015.08a
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• pp.111.2-111.2
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• 2015

Typical electrodes (metal or indium tin oxide (ITO)), which were used in conventional organic light emitting devices (OLEDs) structure, have transparency and conductivity, but, it is not suitable as the electrode of the flexible OLEDs (f-OLEDs) due to its brittle property. Although Graphene is the most well-known alternative material for conventional electrode because of present electrode properties as well as flexibility, its carrier injection barrier is comparatively high to use as electrode. In this work, we performed plasma treatment on the graphene surface and alkali metal doping in the organic materials to study for its possibility as anode and cathode, respectively. By using Ultraviolet Photoemission Spectroscopy (UPS), we investigated the interfaces of modified graphene. The plasma treatment is generated by various gas types such as O2 and Ar, to increase the work function of the graphene film. Also, for co-deposition of organic film to do alkali metal doping, we used three different organic materials which are BMPYPB (1,3-Bis(3,5-di-pyrid-3-yl-phenyl)benzene), TMPYPB (1,3,5-Tri[(3-pyridyl)-phen-3-yl]benzene), and 3TPYMB (Tris(2,4,6-trimethyl-3-(pyridin-3-yl)phenyl)borane)). They are well known for ETL materials in OLEDs. From these results, we found that graphene work function can be tuned to overcome the weakness of graphene induced carrier injection barrier, when the interface was treated with plasma (alkali metal) through the value of hole (electron) injection barrier is reduced about 1 eV.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.7 no.10
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• pp.856-862
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• 1997

박막형 CdTe/CdS 태양전지의 배면전극(back contacts)물질로서 Cu도핑된 ZnTe 박막(ZnTe:Cu)을 전착법(electroplating)으로 제조하는 연구를 수행하였다. Sulfate계의 전해질 수용액에서 CdTe 기판과 투명전극으로 코팅된 유리(In$_{2}$O$_{3}$: Sn, ITO)기판 위에 ZnTe 박막을 코팅하는 방법으로써 potentiostat와 기판(cathode), Pt counter electrode, Ag/AgCI 표준전극으로 구성된 장치를 사용하여 pH=2.5-4, T=70-8$0^{\circ}C$, 0.02M $Zn^{2+}$ 1x$10^{-4}$M TeO$_{2}$, 0.2M $K_{2}$SO$_{4}$조건에서 -0.800 Vs~-0.975 V 범위의 전압(V$_{a}$ )에 걸쳐 실험하였다. ITO박막을 기판으로 사용하여 cyclic voltammogram을 작성한 결과 약 -0.50 V 에서 Te환원 peak이 나타났다. Auger electron spectroscopy (AES)로 조성분석한 결과 표면에서 Zn signal이 강하게 나왔고 시편의 두께에 따라 Zn의 signal감소하는 반면 Cd signal은 증가하는 것이 확인되었다. SEM 사진으로부터 ZnTe의 표면이 작은 입자 (0.2$\mu\textrm{m}$ 이하)로 구성되어 있으며 낮은 V$_{a}$ 에서는 입자가 작아지면서 조직이 치밀해짐이 관찰되었다. Optical transmission방법에 의하여 ITO기판위에 입혀진 박막의 밴드갭은 2.5 eV으로 측정되었다. 수용액중의 Cu$_{2+}$와 triethanolamine(TEA)은 산성용액에서 착물형성이 이루어지지 않았으며 1,10-phenanthroline과는 pH=2에서도 착물이 형성되었다.