• Ceramist
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.189-197
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• 2019

Direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) have found a wide variety of commercial applications such as portable computer and mobile phone. In a fuel cell, the catalysts have an important role and durability and efficiency are determined by the ability of the catalyst. The activity of the catalyst is determined by the structure and shape control of the nanoparticles and the dispersion of the nanoparticles and application system. The surface energy of nanoparticles determines the activity by shape control and the nanostructure is determined by the ratio of bi- and tri-metals in the alloy and core-shell. The dispersion of nanoparticles depends on the type of support such as carbon, graphen and metal oxide. In addition, a hybrid system using both optical and electrochemical device has been developed recently.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.187-194
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• 2020

Two types of sodium cobalt pyrophosphates, triclinic Na_3.12Co_2.44(P₂O₇)₂ and orthorhombic Na₂CoP₂O₇, are compared as high-voltage cathode materials for Na-ion batteries. Na₂CoP₂O₇ shows no electrochemical activity, delivering negligible capacity. In contrast, Na_3.12Co_2.44(P₂O₇)₂ exhibits good electrochemical performance, such as high redox potential at ca. 4.3 V (vs. Na/Na⁺) and stable capacity retention over 50 cycles, although Na_3.12Co_2.44(P₂O₇)₂ delivered approximately 40 mA h g^-1. This is attributed to the fact that Na₂CoP₂O₇ (~3.1 Å) has smaller diffusion channel size than Na_3.12Co_2.44(P₂O₇)₂ (~4.2 Å). Moreover, the electrochemical performance of Na_3.12Co_2.44(P₂O₇)₂ is examined using Na cells and Li cells. The overpotential of Na cells is smaller than that of Li cells. This is due to the fact that Na_3.12Co_2.44(P₂O₇)₂ has a smaller charge transfer resistance and higher diffusivity for Na⁺ ions than Li⁺ ions. This implies that the large channel size of Na_3.12Co_2.44(P₂O₇)₂ is more appropriate for Na⁺ ions than Li⁺ ions. Therefore, Na_3.12Co_2.44(P₂O₇)₂ is considered a promising high-voltage cathode material for Na-ion batteries, if new electrolytes, which are stable above 4.5 V vs. Na/Na⁺, are introduced.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.24 no.10
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• pp.556-564
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• 2014

To synthesize a high-performance photocatalyst, N doped $TiO_2$ nanotubes deposited with Ag nanoparticles were synthesized, and surface characteristics, electrochemical behaviors, and photocatalytic activity were investigated. The $TiO_2$ nanotubular photocatalyst was fabricated by anodization; the Ag nanoparticles on the $TiO_2$ nanotubes were synthesized by a reduction reaction in $AgNO_3$ solution under UV irradiation. The XPS results of the N doped $TiO_2$ nanotubes showed that the incorporated nitrogen ions were located in interstitial sites of the $TiO_2$ crystal structure. The N doped titania nanotubes exhibited a high dye degradation rate, which is effectively attributable to the increase of visible light absorption due to interstitial nitrogen ions in the crystalline $TiO_2$ structure. Moreover, the precipitated Ag particles on the titania nanotubes led to a decrease in the rate of electron-hole recombination; the photocurrent of this electrode was higher than that of the pure titania electrode. From electrochemical and dye degradation results, the photocurrent and photocatalytic efficiency were found to have been significantly affected by N doping and the deposition of Ag particles.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.83-89
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• 2012

We investigate the electrocatalytic activities for oxygen reduction at nanoporous gold (NPG) surfaces fabricated by selective dissolution of Ag from electrodeposited Ag-Au layers on electrode surfaces. The structure of NPG was controlled by changing the concentration ratios of precursor metal complexes during the electrodeposition of Ag-Au layers and the corresponding surface morphology and surface area was examined. NPG structures with Ag/Au ratio of 2.0 exhibited the highest electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction, where the nanoporous structure plays a key role, but the surface area does not affect on the electrocatalytic activity. The mechanism of electroreduction of oxygen was investigated by rotating disk electrode techniques. In acidic media, oxygen was first reduced to hydrogen peroxide followed by further reduction to water through 2-step 4-electron mechanism, whereas the oxygen was reduced directly to water by 4-electron mechanism in basic media.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.416-423
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• 2019

A novel non-enzymatic oxalic acid (OA) sensor based on the platinum/carbon black-nickel-reduced graphene oxide (Pt/CBNi-rGO) nanocomposite is reported. The nanocomposites were prepared by the ethylene glycol reduction method. Their morphology and chemical composition were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results clearly demonstrated the formation of the Pt/CB-Ni-rGO nanocomposite. The electrocatalytic activity of the Pt/CB-Ni-rGO electrode was investigated by cyclic voltammetry. It was determined that the appropriate amount of Pt enhanced the catalytic activity of Pt for oxalic acid electro-oxidation. Moreover, the modified electrode was determined to be highly selective for oxalic acid without interference from compounds commonly found in urine including uric acid and ascorbic acid. The chronoamperometric signal gave a wide linearity range of 20 μM-60 mM and the detection limit (3σ) was found to be 2.35 μM. The proposed method showed high selectivity, stability, and good reproducibility and could be used with micro-volumes of sample for the detection of oxalic acid. Finally, the oxalic acid content in artificial and control urine samples were successfully determined by our proposed electrode.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.63-69
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• 2017

In this work, two different platinum (Pt) counter electrodes have been prepared by spin coating a Pt solution and screen printing a Pt paste on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrate followed by sintering at $380^{\circ}C$ for 30 min. Linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analyses of the Pt electrodes showed that the spin coated electrode was catalytically more active than the screen printed electrode. The above result agrees well with the surface morphology of the electrodes studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and the photovoltaic performance of the dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) fabricated with the Pt electrodes. Moreover, calculation of current density-voltage (j-V) curves according to diode model with the parameters obtained from the experimental j-V curves and the EIS data of the DSSCs provided a quantitative insight about how the catalytic activity of the counter electrodes affected the photovoltaic performance of the cells. Even though the experimental situations involved in this work are trivial, the method of analyses outlined here gives a strong insight about how the catalytic activity of a counter electrode affects the photovoltaic performance of a DSSC. This work, also, demonstrates how the photovoltaic performance of DSSCs can be improved by tuning the performance of counter electrode materials.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.180-185
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• 2011

This study is aimed to increase the activity of cathodic catalysts for PEMFCs(Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells). we investigated the temperature effect of 20wt% Pt/C catalysts at five different temperatures. The catalysts were synthesized by using chemical reduction method. Before adding the formaldehyde as reducing agent, process was undergone for 2 hours at the room temperature (RT), $40^{\circ}C$, $60^{\circ}C$, $80^{\circ}C$ and $100^{\circ}C$, respectively. The performances of synthesize catalysts are compared. The electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was studied on 20wt% Pt/C catalysts by using a glassy carbon electrode through cyclic voltammetric curves (CV) in a 1M H2SO4 solution. The ORR specific activities of 20wt% Pt/C catalysts increased to give a relative ORR catalytic activity ordering of $80^{\circ}C$ > $100^{\circ}C$ > $60^{\circ}C$ > $40^{\circ}C$ > RT. Electrochemical active surface area (EAS) was calculated with cyclic voltammetry analysis. Prepared Pt/C (at $80^{\circ}C$, $100^{\circ}C$) catalysts has higher ESA than other catalysts. Physical characterization was made by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The TEM images of the carbon supported platinum electrocatalysts ($80^{\circ}C$, $100^{\circ}C$) showed homogenous particle distribution with particle size of about 2~3.5 nm. We found that a higher reaction temperature resulted in more uniform particle distribution than lower reaction temperature and then the XRD results showed that the crystalline structure of the synthesized catalysts are seen FCC structure.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.95-103
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• 2009

In order to improve the electrochemical, mechanical and electrocatalytic characteristics, engineering plastic of polyether ether ketone (PEEK) as polymer matrix was sulfonated (SPEEK) and the organic-inorganic blend composite membranes has been prepared by loading heteropoly acids (HPAs), including tungstophosphoric acid (TPA), molybdophosphoric acid (MoPA), and tungstosilicic acid (TSiA). And then these were covalently cross-linked (CL-SPEEK/HPA) as the electrolyte and MEA of polymer electrolyte membrane electrolysis (PEME). As a result, the optimum reaction conditions of CL-SPEEK/HPA was established and the electrochemical characteristics such as ion conductivity ($\sigma$) were in the order of magnitude: CL-SPEEK /TPA30 (${\sigma}=0.128\;S/cm^{-1}$) < /MoPA40 (${\sigma}=0.14\;S/cm^{-1})$ < /TSiA30 (${\sigma}=0.22\;S/cm^{-1}$) at $80^{\circ}C$, and mechanical characteristics such as tensile strength: CL-SPEEK /TSiA30 $\fallingdotseq$ /MoPA40 < /TPA30. Consequently, in regards of above characterisitics and oxidation durability, the CL-SPEEK/TPA30 exhibited a better performance in PEME than the others, but CL-SPEEK/MoPA40 showed the best electrocatalytic activity of cell voltage 1.71 V among the composite membranes. The dual effect of higher proton conductivity and electrocatalytic activity with the addition of HPAs, causes a synergy effect.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.388-396
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• 2023

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is a vital source of clean and sustainable hydrogen energy. Moreover, the large-scale H₂ production is currently necessary, while long-term stability and high PEC activity still remain important issues. In this study, a GaN-based photoelectrode was modified by an additional NH₃ treatment (900℃ for 10 min) and its PEC behavior was monitored. The bare GaN exhibited a highly crystalline wurtzite structure with the (002) plane and the optical bandgap was approximately 3.2 eV. In comparison, the NH₃-treated GaN film exhibited slightly reduced crystallinity and a small improvement in light absorption, resulting from the lattice stress or cracks induced by the excessive N supply. The minor surface nanotexturing created more surface area, providing electroactive reacting sites. From the surface XPS analysis, the formation of an N-Ga-O phase on the surface region of the GaN film was confirmed, which suppressed the charge recombination process and the positive shift of E_FB. Therefore, these effects boosted the PEC activity of the NH₃-treated GaN film, with J values of approximately 0.35 and 0.78 mA·cm^-2 at 0.0 and 1.23 V_RHE, respectively, and an onset potential (V_on) of -0.24 V_RHE. In addition, there was an approximate 50% improvement in the J value within the highly applied potential region with a positive shift of V_on. This result could be explained by the increased nanotexturing on the surface structure, the newly formed defect/trap states correlated to the positive V_on shift, and the formation of a GaO_xN_1-x phase, which partially blocked the charge recombination reaction.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.516-520
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• 2023

Highly safe lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are required for large-scale applications such as electrical vehicles and energy storage systems. A highly stable cathode is essential for the development of safe LIBs. LiFePO₄ is one of the most stable cathodes because of its stable structure and strong bonding between P and O. However, it has a lower energy density than lithium transition metal oxides. To investigate the high energy density of phosphate materials, vanadium phosphates were investigated. Vanadium enables multiple redox reactions as well as high redox potentials. LiVPO₄O has two redox reactions (V⁵⁺/V⁴⁺/V³⁺) but low electrochemical activity. In this study, LiVPO₄O is doped with fluorine to improve its electrochemical activity and increase its operational redox potential. With increasing fluorine content in LiVPO₄O_1-xF_x, the local vanadium structure changed as the vanadium oxidation state changed. In addition, the operating potential increased with increasing fluorine content. Thus, it was confirmed that fluorine doping leads to a strong inductive effect and high operating voltage, which helps improve the energy density of the cathode materials.