• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.1-7
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• 2017

Cobalt silicide was used as a counter electrode in order to confirm its reliability in dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) devices. 100 nm-Co/300 nm-Si/quartz was formed by an evaporator and cobalt silicide was formed by vacuum heat treatment at $700^{\circ}C$ for 60 min to form approximately 350 nm-CoSi. This process was followed by etching in $80^{\circ}C$-30% $H_2SO_4$ to remove the cobalt residue on the cobalt silicide surface. Also, for the comparison against Pt, we prepared a 100 nm-Pt/glass counter electrode. Cobalt silicide was used for the counter electrode in order to confirm its reliability in DSSC devices and maintained for 0, 168, 336, 504, 672, and 840 hours at $80^{\circ}C$. The photovoltaic properties of the DSSCs employing cobalt silicide were confirmed by using a simulator and potentiostat. Cyclic-voltammetry, field emission scanning electron microscopy, focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive spectrometry analyses were used to confirm the catalytic activity, microstructure, and composition, respectively. The energy conversion efficiency (ECE) as a function of time and ECE of the DSSC with Pt and CoSi counter electrodes were maintained for 504 hours. However, after 672 hours, the ECEs decreased to a half of their initial values. The results of the catalytic activity analysis showed that the catalytic activities of the Pt and CoSi counter electrodes decreased to 64% and 57% of their initial values, respectively(after 840 hours). The microstructure analysis showed that the CoSi layer improved the durability in the electrolyte, but because the stress concentrates on the contact surface between the lower quartz substrate and the CoSi layer, cracks are formed locally and flaking occurs. Thus, deterioration occurs due to the residual stress built up during the silicidation of the CoSi counter electrode, so it is necessary to take measures against these residual stresses, in order to ensure the reliability of the electrode.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.57-65
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• 2020

It is crucial to investigate the thermal degradation of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) to understand the possible malfunction at high temperature. Herein, we investigated the effects of surface film formation on the thermal degradation of lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO₂, LCO) cathode that is one of representative cathode materials. Cycling test at 60℃ exhibited poorer cycleability compared with the cycling at 25℃. Cathodes after the initial 5 cycles at 60℃ (60-LCO) exhibited higher impedance compared to the cathode after initial 5 cycles at 25℃ (25-LCO), resulting in the lower rate capability upon subsequent cycling at 25℃, although the capacity values were similar at the lowest C-rate of 0.1C. In order to understand degradation of the LCO cathode at the high temperature, we analyzed the cathodes surface using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Among various peaks, intensity of lithium hydroxide (LiOH) increased substantially after the operation at 60℃, and the C-C signal that represents the conductive agent was distinctly lower on 60-LCO compared to 25-LCO. These results pointed to an excessive formation of cathode-electrolyte interphase including LiOH at 60℃, leading to the increase in the resistance and the resultant degradation in the electrochemical performances.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.60-67
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• 2016

A scale-up test with a continuous solvent extraction and electro-winning system was carried out to separate and recover copper from a synthetic sulfuric acid solution (Cu 10.5 g/L, Co 2.0 g/L, Ni 15.0 g/L, Fe 0.2 g/L). The solution was introduced into mixer-settlers with four stages of extraction and two stages of stripping for continuous countercurrent solvent extraction to separate copper from nickel and cobalt. The loading was carried out using 40% LIX 84-I(v/v) as extractant with a phase ratio of A : O = 1 : 1. Meanwhile, the stripping was undertaken at a phase ratio of A : O = 1 : 1.5 using depleted electrolyte containing 35.0 g/L Cu and 180 g/L $H_2SO_4$ as stripping solution. The extraction and stripping efficiencies were found to be 96.7% and 91.0%, respectively. The copper composition of the stripped solution (pregnant electrolyte) was 50.0 g/L Cu with impurities of 25 ppm nickel, 5 ppm cobalt and 3 ppm iron. In the electro-winning process, copper metal of 99.833 purity was yielded with current efficiency of 98.9% and current density of $1.50A/dm^2$.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.32-37
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• 2022

In a carbon-zero social atmospher, research is underway to reduce the use of fossil fuels. Interest in cleaner energy sources and their storage system is growing, and among them, research on effective energy storage is being actively conducted. Energy storage system(ESS) can be divided into secondary batteries, fuel cells, and capacitors, and the superiority of energy density of secondary batteries has a dominent influence on the ESS market. However, as problems with secondary batteries, charge/discharge speed, safety, and deterioration of electrodes are being highlighted. In this study, an electrode for supercapacitor with superior charge/discharge speed and specific capacitance is manufactured. The manufactured spinel nickel cobalt electrodes had specific capacitances of 1018.8 F/g, 690.8 F/g, and 475.1 F/g at 1 A/g in 1 M KOH electrolyte, and shows a performance retention rate of 77.48%, 63.30%, and 58.16% after 2000cycles at 7 A/g.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2016

Capacity of layered lithium nickel-cobalt-manganese oxide ($LiNi_{1-x-y}Co_xMn_yO_2$) cathode material can increase by raising the charge cut-off voltage above 4.3 V vs. $Li/Li^+$, but it is limited due to anodic instability of conventional electrolyte. We have been screening and evaluating various sulfone-based compounds of dimethyl sulfone (DMS), diethyl sulfone (DES), ethyl methyl sulfone (EMS) as electrolyte additives for high-voltage applications. Here we report improved cycling performance of $LiNi_{0.5}Co_{0.2}Mn_{0.3}O_2$ cathode by the use of dimethyl sulfone (DMS) additive under an aggressive charge condition of 4.6 V, compared to that in conventional electrolyte, and cathode-electrolyte interfacial reaction behavior. The cathode with DMS delivered discharge capacities of $198-173mAhg^{-1}$ over 50 cycles and capacity retention of 84%. Surface analysis results indicate that DMS induces to form a surface protective film at the cathode and inhibit metal-dissolution, which is correlated to improved high-voltage cycling performance.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.08a
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• pp.71-71
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• 2011

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) have drawn great academic attention due to their potential as low-cost renewable energy sources. DSCs contain a nanostructured TiO2 photoanode, which is a key-component for high conversion efficiency. Particularly, one-dimensional (1-D) nanostructured photoanodes can enhance the electron transport for the efficient collection to the conducting substrate in competition with the recombination processes. This is because photoelectron colletion is determined by trapping/detrapping events along the site of the electron traps (defects, surface states, grain boundaries, and self-trapping). Therefore, 1-D nanostructured photoanodes are advantageous for the fast electron transport due to their desirable features of greatly reduced intercrystalline contacts with specified directionality. In particular, anodic TiO2 nanotube (NT) electrodes recently have been intensively explored owing to their ideal structure for application in DSCs. Besides the enhanced electron transport properties resulted from the 1-D structure, highly ordered and vertically oriented nanostructure of anodic TiO2 NT can contribute additional merits, such as enhanced electrolyte diffusion, better interfacial contact with viscous electrolytes. First, to confirm the advantages of 1-D nanostructured material for the photoelectron collection, we compared the electron transport and charge recombination characteristics between nanoparticle (NP)- and nanorod (NR)-based photoanodes in DSCs by the stepped light-induced transient measurements of photocurrent and voltage (SLIM-PCV). We confirmed that the electron lifetime of the NR-based photoanode was much longer than that of the NP-based photoanode. In addition, highly ordered and vertically oriented TiO2 NT photoanodes were prepared by electrochemical anodization method. We compared the photovoltaic properties of DSCs utilizing TiO2 NT photoanodes prepared by one-step anodization and two-step anodization. And, to reduce the charge recombination rate, energy barrier layer (ZnO, Al2O3)-coated TiO2 NTs also applied in DSC. Furthermore, we applied the TiO2 NT photoanode in DSCs using a viscous electrolyte, i.e., cobalt bipyridyl redox electrolyte, and confirmed that the pore structure of NT array can enhance the performances of this viscous electrolyte.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.215-219
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• 2020

MnCo₂S₄/CoS₂ electrode with highly accessible electroactive sites is prepared using the hydrothermal method. The electrode exhibits an areal capacitance of 0.75 Fcm^-2 at 6 mAcm^-2 in 1 M KOH. The capacitance is further increased to 2.06 Fcm^-2 by adding K₃Fe(CN)₆ and K₄Fe(CN)₆ (a redox couple) to KOH. This increment is associated with the redox-active properties of cobalt and manganese transition metals, as well as the ion pair of [Fe(CN)₆]^-3/[Fe(CN)₆]^-4. The capacitance retention of the MnCo₂S₄/CoS₂ electrode is 87.5% for successive 4000 charge-discharge cycles at 10 mAcm^-2 in a composite electrolyte system of KOH and ferri/ferrocyanide. The capacitance enhancement is supported by the lowest equivalent series resistance (0.62 Ωcm^-2) of MnCo₂S₄/CoS₂ in the presence of redox additive couple compared with the bare KOH electrolyte.

• 한국전기화학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1998.12a
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• pp.7-27
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• 1998

In order to design capacity of lithium ion battery, some calculations were carried out based on the characteristics of materials by the given battery shape and dimension. The principle of design was built by the interpretation of the correlation of material, electrochemical and battery factors. Parameters of materials are fundamental physical properties of constituent such as cathode. separator, anode, current collectors and electrolyte. Electrochemical factor includes potential pattern as a function of specific capacity, specific discharge capacity(or initial irreversible specific capacity or Ah efficiency) as a function of specific charge capacity and material balancing. Parameters of battery are dimension, construction hardware and performance. Battery capacity was simulated for a lithium cobalt dioxide as cathode and a hard carbon as anode to achieve 1100 mAh for the charge limit voltage of 4.2V, the weight ratio(+/-) of 2.4 and ICR18650. A fabricated test cell (ICR18650) which have weight ratio(+/-) of 2.4 discharged to 1093 mAh for the charge limit voltage of 4.2V. The sequential discharge capacity show good correspondence with designed capacity.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.489-493
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• 2016

Scandia ($Sc2O_3$)-stabilized zirconia (ScSZ) electrolyte-supported symmetrical solid oxide electrolyzer cells (SOECs), in which lanthanum strontium cobalt ferrite (LSCF)-gadolinia ($Gd_2O_3$)-doped ceria (GDC) composite materials are used as both the cathode and anode, were fabricated and their high temperature steam electrolysis (HTSE) performance was investigated. Current density-voltage curves were obtained for cells operated in 10% $H_2O$/90% Ar at 750, 800, and $850^{\circ}C$. It was possible to determine the ohmic, cathodic, and anodic contributions to the total overpotential using the three-electrode technique. The HTSE performance was significantly improved in the symmetrical cell with LSCF-GDC electrodes compared to the cell consisting of an Ni-YSZ cathode and LSCF-GDC anode. It was found that the overpotential due to the LSCF-GDC cathode largely decreased and, at a given current density, the total cell voltage decreased, which resulted in the enhanced hydrogen production rate in the symmetrical cell.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.261-272
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• 1992

Tetradentate Schiff base Cobalt(II)(3MeOSED)$(H_2O)_2$ complexe was synthesized and allowed to react with dry oxygen to form oxygen adducts of Cobalt(III) complexes such as ${\mu}$-peroxo type [Co(III)(3MeOSED)(DMF)]$_2O_2$ and [Co(III)(3MeOSED)(DMSO)]$_2O_2$in DMF and DMSO or superoxo type [Co(III)(3MeOSED)(Py)]$O_2$ in pyridine. The oxygen adducted complex was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and DPP method with glassy carbon electrode in 0.1M TEAP-DMF (-DMSO,-Py) as supporting electrolyte solution. As a result the reduction reaction process occurred to four steps including prewave Of $O_2^-$in 1 : 1 oxygen adducted superoxo type [Co(III)(3MeOSED)(Py)]$O_2$complex and three steps not including prewave of $O_2^-$ in 1 : 2 oxygen adducted ${\mu}$-peroxo type [Co(III)-(3MeOSED)(DMF)]$_2O_2$ and [Co(III)(3MeOSED)(DMSO)]$_2O_2$. A superoxo type [Co(III)(3MeOSED)(L)]$O_2\;(L: CH_3OH)$ was generated with oxygen in methanol. Selectively oxidized hydrazobenzene $(H_2AB)$ to trans-azobenzene(t-AB) and the rate constant k for oxidation reaction of the following equation is $(2.96 {\pm} 0.2)$${\times}$ $10^{-1}$M/sec. $H_2AB$ + Co (II)(3MeOSED)$(L_2)+O_2\;{\rightleftarrow^K}$ [Co(III)(3MeOSED)(L)]$O_2{\cdot}H_2AB{\longrightarrow^K}$ Co(II(3MeOSED)$(L)_2$+t-AB+$H_2O_2 $.