• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.36.1-36.1
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• 2010

While the substrate-type solar cells with Cu(In,Ga)Se2 absorbers yield conversion efficiencies of up 20%[1], the highest published efficiency of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 superstrate solar cell is only 12.8% [2]. The commerciallized Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells are made in the substrate configuration having the stacking sequence of substrate (soda lime glass)/back contact (molybdenum)/absorber layer (Cu(In,Ga)Se2)/buffer layer (cadmium sulfide)/window layer (transparent conductive oxide)/anti reflection layer (MgF2) /grid contact. Thus, it is not possible to illuminate the substrate-type cell through the glass substrate. Rather, it is necessary to illuminate from the opposite side which requires an elaborate transparent encapsulation. In contrast to that, the configuration of superstrate solar cell allows the illumination through the glass substrate. This saves the expensive transparent encapsulation. Usually, the high quality Cu(In,Ga)Se2 absorber requires a high deposition temperature over 550C. Therefore, the front contact should be thermally stable in the temperature range to realize a successful superstrate-type solar cell. In this study, it was tried to make a decent superstrate-type solar cell with the thermally stable ZnO:Al layer obtained by adjusting its deposition parameters in magnetron sputtering process. The effect of deposition condition of the layer on the cell performance will be discussed together with hall measurement results and current-voltage characteristics of the cells.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.12 no.12
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• pp.941-946
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• 2002

Both Cu and Cu-oxide nanopowders have great potential as conductive paste, solid lubricant, effective catalysts and super conducting materials because of their unique properties compared with those of commercial micro-sized ones. In this study, Cu and Cu-oxide nanopowders were prepared by Pulsed Wire Evaporation (PWE) method which has been very useful for producing nanometer-sized metal, alloy and ceramic powders. In this process, the metal wire is explosively converted into ultrafine particles under high electric pulse current (between $10^4$ and $10^{ 6}$ $A/mm^2$) within a micro second time. To prevent full oxidations of Cu powder, the surface of powder has been slightly passivated with thin CuO layer. X-ray diffraction analysis has shown that pure Cu nanopowders were obtained at $N_2$ atmosphere. As the oxygen partial pressure increased in $N_2$ atmosphere, the gradual phase transformation occurred from Cu to $Cu_2$O and finally CuO nanopowders. The spherical Cu nanopowders had a uniform size distribution of about 100nm in diameter. The Cu-oxide nanopowders were less than 70nm with sphere-like shape and their mean particle size was 54nm. Smaller size of Cu-oxide nanopowders compared with that of the Cu nanopowders results from the secondary explosion of Cu nanopowders at oxygen atmosphere. Thin passivated oxygen layer on the Cu surface has been proved by XPS and HRPD.

• Composites Research
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.350-355
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• 2017

The new liquid crystalline (LC) epoxy was designed by substituting the phenylcyclohexyl (PCH) mesogen moiety with an alkyl chain at the 2,5 position of the diglycidyl terephthalate. The mesomorphic properties were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarized optical microscopy (POM). All LC epoxy derivatives exhibited an enantiotropic smectic phase upon heating and cooling process. The LC phase temperature range was widened by mixing the eutectic mixture of LC epoxies. Interestingly, the cured LC epoxy exhibited the highest thermal conductivity of $0.4W{\cdot}m^{-1}{\cdot}K^{-1}$. The novel LC epoxy with high thermal conductivity might be used as a composite material for electronic and display devices.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.622-627
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• 2009

Using an alkali-solution developable photosensitive resin and a carbon black as a conductive filler, photo-patternable pastes for polymer thick film resistor were fabricated and evaluated. A photo solder resist (PSR), which is usually used as protecting layer of printed circuit board (PCB), was used as a photosensitive resin so that ultraviolet exposure and alkali-aqueous solution development of paste were possible. After fabricating the photosensitive polymer resistor paste, the electrical properties of thick film resistors were measured using PCB test boards. Sheet resistance was decreased with increasing amount of carbon black, but the developability was limited in excess loading of carbon black. The sheet resistance was also reduced by re-curing and the change rate was smaller in higher carbon black loading. Moreover, finely patterned meander-type thick film resistors were fabricated using photo-process and large resistance up to several tens of sheet resistance could be obtained in small area by this technique.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.175-181
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• 2012

The synovial tissues are a valuable MSCs source for cartilage tissue engineering because these cells are easily obtainable by the intra-articular biopsy during diagnosis. In this study, we isolated and characterized the canine MSCs derived from synovial fluid of female and male donors. Synovial fluid was flushed with saline solution from pre and post-puberty male (cM1-sMSC and cM2-sMSC) and female (cF1-sMSC and cF2-sMSC) dogs, and cells were isolated and cultured in advanced-DMEM (A-DMEM) supplemented with 10% FBS in a humidified 5% $CO_2$ atmosphere at $38.5^{\circ}C$. The cells were evaluated for the expression of the early transcriptional factors, such as Oct3/4, Nanog and Sox2 by RT-PCR. The cells were induced under conditions conductive for adipogenic, osteogenic, and chondrogenic lineages, then evaluated by specific staining (Oil red O, von Kossa, and Alcian Blue staining, respectively) and analyzed for lineage specific markers by RT-PCR. All cell types were positive for alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity and early transcriptional factors (Oct3/4 and Sox2) were also positively detected. However, Nanog were not positively detected in all cells. Further, these MSCs were observed to differentiate into mesenchymal lineages, such as adipocytes (Oil red O staining), osteocytes (von Kossa staining), and chondrocytes (Alcian Blue staining) by cell specific staining. Lineage-specific genes (osteocyte; osteonectin and Runx2, adipocytes; PRAR-${\gamma}2$, FABP and LEP, and chondrocytes; collagen type-2 and Sox9) were also detected in all cells. In this study, we successfully established synovial fluid derived mesenchymal stem cells from female and male dogs, and determined their basic biological properties and differentiation ability. These results suggested that synovial fluid is a valuable stem cell source for cartilage regeneration therapy, and it is easily accessible from osteoarthritic knee.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.388-394
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• 2008

For purpose of anti-static film remaining unchanged in the condition of $160^{\circ}C$, organic solvent, acid and base solution $0.01\sim0.03{\mu}m$ particles of Sb doped tin oxide(ATO) were grafted by 3-Glycidyloxypropyltrimethoxysilane(GPTS) for improving interfere bonding force between ATO and epoxy resin. The particles were dispersed in 2-methoxyethanol with YD-I28(Bisphenol A type epoxy resin, Kukdo chemical) and 1-imidazole as hardener. The anti-static solutions were coated on PI film as thickness of $0.1{\mu}m$. Surface resistivity of anti-static film containing conductive polymer became $10^{12}\Omega/\Box$ after 32 hours in $160^{\circ}C$. The surface resistivity of ATO grafted by GPTS / Epoxy coating layer remained as $10^{7.6}\Omega/\Box$ in $160^{\circ}C$ for 7 days. ATO grafted by GPTS / Epoxy coating layer coated on PI film was dipped in acetone for 7 days. The surface resistivity remained unchanged as $10^{7.6}\Omega/\Box$. The anti-static layer dipped in water solutions containing each KOH 10 wt % and $H_2SO_4$ 2 wt% was ultra-sonicated for 10 minutes per once until 30th. The surface resistance of anti-static layer containing ATO grafted by GPTS remained unchanged.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.579-585
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• 2012

Polystyrene/carbon nanotube (CNT) microcellular foams were prepared to have electrically conductive properties via high internal phase emulsion polymerization. In this study, we have investigated the effects of surface modification of CNT, surfactant content and dispersion time to improve the stability of emulsion and the electrical conductivity of foam. Acid treatment and a surfactant were used to effectively disperse CNTs in the aqueous phase. In the organic phase, CNTs were used after a surface modification with organic functional groups. The degree of dispersion of CNTs was estimated by the electrical conductivity of resultant microcellular foams. With raw CNTs dispersed with the surfactant in the aqueous phase, substantial conductivity increase was observed but the foams were slightly shrunk. The foams prepared with organically modified CNTs dispersed in the organic phase showed stable cell morphology without shrinkage, but displayed limitation to improve the conductivity.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.3025-3029
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• 2014

To realize copper-based electrode materials for printed electronics applications, it is necessary to improve the adhesion strength between conductive lines and the substrate. Here, we report the preparation of Cu pastes using (3-glycidoxypropyl) trimethoxysilane (GPTMS) prepolymer as an adhesion promoter (AP). The Cu pastes were screen-printed on glass and polyimide (PI) substrates and sintered at high temperatures (> $250^{\circ}C$) under a formic acid/$N_2$ environment. According to the adhesion strengths and electrical conductivities of the sintered Cu films, the optimized Cu paste was composed of 1.0 wt % GPTMS prepolymer, 83.6 wt % Cu powder and 15.4 wt % vehicle. After sintering at $400^{\circ}C$ on a glass substrate and $275^{\circ}C$ on a PI substrate, the Cu films showed the sheet resistances of $10.0m{\Omega}/sq$. and $5.2m{\Omega}/sq$., respectively. Furthermore, the sintered Cu films exhibit excellent adhesion properties according to the results of the ASTM-D3359 standard test.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.111.1-111.1
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• 2012

Interest in flexible transparent conducting films (TCFs) has been growing recently mainly due to the demand for electrodes incorporated in flexible or wearable displays in the future. Indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films, which have been traditionally used as the TCFs, have a serious obstacle in TCFs applications. SWNTs are the most appropriate materials for conductive films for displays due to their excellent high mechanical strength and electrical conductivity. In this work, the fabrication by the spraying process of transparent SWNT films and reduction of its sheet resistance on PET substrates is researched Arc-discharge SWNTs were dispersed in deionized water by adding sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as surfactant and sonicated, followed by the centrifugation. The dispersed SWNT was spray-coated on PET substrate and dried on a hotplate. When the spray process was terminated, the TCF was immersed into deionized water to remove the surfactant and then it was dried on hotplate. The TCF film was then was doped with Au-ionic doping treatment, rinsed with deionized water and dried. The surface morphology of TCF was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy. The sheet resistance and optical transmission properties of the TCF were measured with a four-point probe method and a UV-visible spectrometry, respectively. This was confirmed and discussed on the XPS and UPS studies. We show that 87 ${\Omega}/{\Box}$ sheet resistances with 81% transmittance at the wavelength of 550nm. The changes in electrical and optical conductivity of SWNT film before and after Au-ionic doping treatments were discussed. The effect of Au-ion treatment on the electronic structure change of SWNT films was investigated by Raman and XPS.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2016.11a
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• pp.156-156
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• 2016

The effect of nitrogen doping on the mechanical and tribological performance of single-layer tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C:N) coatings of up to $1{\mu}m$ in thickness was investigated using a custom-made filtered cathode vacuum arc (FCVA). The results obtained revealed that the hardness of the coatings decreased from $65{\pm}4.8GPa$ to $25{\pm}2.4GPa$ with increasing nitrogen gas ratio, which indicates that nitrogen doping occurs through substitution in the $sp^2$ phase. Subsequent AES analysis showed that the N/C ratio in the ta-C:N thick-film coatings ranged from 0.03 to 0.29 and increased with the nitrogen flow rate. Variation in the G-peak positions and I(D)/I(G) ratio exhibit a similar trend. It is concluded from these results that micron-thick ta-C:N films have the potential to be used in a wide range of functional coating applications in electronics. To achieve highly conductive and wear-resistant coatings in system components, the friction and wear performances of the coating were investigated. The tribological behavior of the coating was investigated by sliding an SUJ2 ball over the coating in a ball-on-disk tribo-meter. The experimental results revealed that doping using a high nitrogen gas flow rate improved the wear resistance of the coating, while a low flow rate of 0-10 sccm increased the coefficient of friction (CoF) and wear rate through the generation of hematite (${\alpha}-Fe_2O_3$) phases by tribo-chemical reaction. However, the CoF and wear rate dramatically decreased when the nitrogen flow rate was increased to 30-40 sccm, due to the nitrogen inducing phase transformation that produced a graphite-like structure in the coating. The widths of the wear track and wear scar were also observed to decrease with increasing nitrogen flow rate. Moreover, the G-peaks of the wear scar around the SUJ2 ball on the worn surface increased with increasing nitrogen doping.