• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.307-312
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• 2017

In this study, the electrochemical performance of surface modified carbon using the PFO (pyrolyzed fuel oil) was investigated by chemical activation with KOH and $K_2CO_3$. PFO was heat treated at $390{\sim}400^{\circ}C$ for 1~3h to prepared the pitch. Three carbon precursors (pitch) prepared by the thermal reaction were 3903 (at $390^{\circ}C$ for 3h), 4001(at $400^{\circ}C$ for 1h) and 4002 (at $400^{\circ}C$ for 2h). Also, the effect of chemical activation catalysts and mixing time on the development of porosity during carbonization was investigated. The prepared carbon was analyzed by BET and FE-SEM. It was shown that chemical activation with KOH could be successfully used to develop carbon with specific surface area ($3.12m^2/g$) and mean pore size (22 nm). The electrochemical characteristics of modified carbon as the anode were investigated by constant current charge/discharge, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance tests. The coin cell using pitch (4002) modified by KOH has better initial capacity (318 mAh/g) than that of other pitch coin cells. Also, this prepared carbon anode appeared a high initial efficiency of 80% and the retention rate capability of 2C/0.1 C was 92%. It is found that modified carbon anode showed improved cycling and rate capacity performance.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.534-538
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• 2017

In this study, the molecular weight controlled pitches derived from pyrolyzed fuel oil (PFO) were prepared using solvent extraction and were carbonized. Electrochemical characteristics of lithium battery anode materials were investigated using these petroleum pitches. Three pitch samples prepared by the thermal reaction were 3903 (at $390^{\circ}C$ for 3 h), 4001 (at $400^{\circ}C$ for 1 h) and 4002 (at $400^{\circ}C$ for 2 h). The prepared hexane insoluble pitches were analysed by XRD, TGA, SEM and Gel permeation Chromatography (GPC). The electrochemical characteristics of the PFO-derived pitch as an anode material were investigated by constant current charge/discharge, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance tests. The coin cell using pitch (4001) and the electrolyte of $LiPF_6$ in organic solvents (EC : DMC = 1 : 1 vol%, VC 3 wt%) has better initial capacity (310 mAh/g) than that of other pitch coin cells. Also, this carbon anode showd a high initial efficiency of 82%, retention rate capability at 2 C/0.1 C of 90% and cycle retention of 85%. It was found that modified pitches improved the cycling and rate capacity performance.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.58 no.1
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• pp.142-149
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• 2020

In this study, the electrochemical performance of Graphite/Silicon/Pitch composites as anode material was investigated to improve the low theoretical capacity of artificial graphite. Spherical artificial graphite surface was coated with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) amphiphiles material to synthesize Graphite/Silica material by silica islands growth. The Graphite/Silicon/Pitch composites were prepared by petroleum pitch coating and magnesiothermic reduction. The Graphite/Silicon/Pitch composite electrodes manufactured using poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and polyacrylic acid (PAA) binders. The coin type half cell was assembled using various electrolytes and additives. The Graphite/Silicon/Pitch composites were analysed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA). The electrochemical characteristics of Graphite/Silicon/Pitch composite were investigated by constant current charge/discharge, rate performance, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The Graphite/Silicon/Pitch composites showed high cycle stability at a graphite/silica/pitch ratio (1:4:8 wt%). When the electrode is prepared using PAA binder, the high capacity and stability is obtained. The coin type half cell assembled using EC: DMC: EMC electrolyte showed high initial capacity (719 mAh/g) and excellent cycle stability. The rate performance has an capacity retention (77%) at 2 C/0.1 C and an capacity recovery (88%) at 0.1 C / 0.1 C when the vinylene carbonate (VC) was added.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.149-155
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• 2014

In this study, a positive-electrode material in a lithium secondary battery $Li[Ni_{0.575}Co_{0.1}Mn_{0.325}]O_2$ was synthesized as precursor by co-precipitation. Cathode material was synthesized by adding iron. The synthesized cathode material was analyzed by scanning electron microscope and x-ray diffraction. The analysis of x-ray diffraction showed that the a-axis and c-axis is increased by doping iron. And $I_{(003)}/I_{(104)}$ is increased and $I_{(006)}+I_{(102)}/I_{(101)}$ is decreased. Through this result, it was confirmed that the structural stability is improved. And impedance measurements show that the charge transfer resistance ($R_{ct}$) is lowered by doping iron. Consequently, electrochemical properties are improved by doping iron. In particular, the cycle characteristics are improved at a high temperature condition (328 K). Structural stabilities are contributing to the cycle properties.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.191-197
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• 2013

The one of the cathode material, $Li(Ni_{0.5}Co_{0.2}Mn_{0.3})O_2$, was synthesized by the precursor, $Ni_{0.5}Co_{0.2}Mn_{0.3}(OH)_2$, from the co-precipitation method and the morphologies of the primary particle of precursors were flake and needle-shape by controlling the precipitation parameters. Identical powder properties, such as particle size, tap density, chemical composition, were obtained by same process of lithiation and heat-treatment. The relation between electrochemical performances of $Li(Ni_{0.5}Co_{0.2}Mn_{0.3})O_2$ and the primary particle morphology of precursors was analyzed by SEM, XRD and EELS. In the $Li(Ni_{0.5}Co_{0.2}Mn_{0.3})O_2$ cathode from the needle-shape precursor, the primary particle size was smaller than that from flake-shape precursor and high Li concentration at grain edge comparing grain center. The cycle and rate performances of the cathode from needle-shape precursor shows superior to those from flake-shape precursor, which might be attributed to low charge-transfer resistance by impedance measurement.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.57 no.6
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• pp.832-840
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• 2019

To improve the electrochemical performances of the cathode materials, boron-doped $LiNi_{0.90}Co_{0.05}Ti_{0.05}O_2$ were synthesized by using concentration gradient precursor. The characteristics of the prepared cathode materials were analyzed by XRD, SEM, EDS, PSA, ICP-OES and electrical conductivity measurement. The electrochemical performances were investigated by initial charge/discharge capacity, cycle stability, C-rate, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The cathode material with 0.5 mol% boron exhibited a capacity of 187 mAh/g (0.5 C) in a voltage range of 2.7~4.3 V(vs. $Li/Li^+$), and an capacity retention of 94.7% after 50 cycles. In the relatively high voltage range of 2.7~4.5 V(vs. $Li/Li^+$), it showed a high capacity of 200 mAh/g and capacity retention of 80.5% after 50 cycles.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.118-123
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• 2019

In this study, the electrochemical characteristics of Graphite/Silicon/Pitch anode composites were analyzed to improve the low theoretical capacity of graphite as a lithium ion battery. The Graphite/Silica composites were synthesized by bonding silica onto polyvinylpyrrolidone coated graphite. The surface of used silica was treated with (3-Aminopropyl)triethoxysilane(APTES). Graphite/Silicon/Pitch composites were prepared by carbonization of petroleum pitch, the fabrication processes including the magnesiothermic reduction of nano silica to obtain silicon and varying the mass ratio of silica. The Graphite/Silicon/Pitch composites were analysed by XRD, SEM and XRD. Also the electrochemical performances of Graphite/Silicon/Pitch composite as the anode of lithium ion battery were investigated by constant current charge/discharge, rate performance, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance tests in the electrolyte of $LiPF_6$ dissolved in organic solvents (EC:DMC:EMC=1:1:1 vol%). The Graphite/Silicon/Pitch anode composite (silica 28.5 in weight) has better capacity (537 mAh/g). The cycle performance has an excellent capacity retention to 30th cycle of 95% and the retention rate capability of 98% in 0.1 C/0.2 C.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.282-291
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• 2018

The pristine fluorine-doped $SnO_2$ (abbreviated as FTO) inverse opal (IO) was developed using a 410 nm polystyrene bead template. The nanolayered copper tungsten oxide ($CuWO_4$) was decorated on the FTO IO film using a facile electrochemical deposition, subsequently followed by annealing at $500^{\circ}C$ for 90 min. The morphologies, crystalline structure, optical properties and photoelectrochemical characteristics of the FTO and $CuWO_4$-decorated FTO (briefly denoted as $FTO/CuWO_4$) IO film were investigated by field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, UV-vis spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, showing FTO IO in the hexagonally closed-pack arrangement with a pore diameter and wall thickness of about 300 nm and 20 nm, respectively. Above this film, the $CuWO_4$ was electrodeposited by controlling the cycling number in cyclic voltammetry, suggesting that the $CuWO_4$ formed during 4 cycles (abbreviated as $CuWO_4$(4 cycles)) on FTO IO film exhibited partial distribution of $CuWO_4$ nanoparticles. Additional distribution of $CuWO_4$ nanoparticles was observed in the case of $FTO/CuWO_4$(8 cycles) IO film. The $CuWO_4$ layer exhibits triclinic structure with an indirect band gap of approximately 2.5 eV and shows the enhanced visible light absorption. The photoelectrochemical (PEC) behavior was evaluated in the 0.5 M $Na_2SO_4$ solution under solar illumination, suggesting that the $FTO/CuWO_4$(4 cycles) IO films exhibit a photocurrent density ($J_{sc}$) of $0.42mA/cm^2$ at 1.23 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE, denoted as $V_{RHE}$), while the FTO IO and $FTO/CuWO_4$(8 cycles) IO films exhibited a $J_{sc}$ of 0.14 and $0.24mA/cm^2$ at $1.23V_{RHE}$, respectively. This difference can be explained by the increased visible light absorption by the $CuWO_4$ layer and the favorable charge separation/transfer event in the cascading band alignment between FTO and $CuWO_4$ layer, enhancing the overall PEC performance.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2022

As the demand for wearable devices increases, many studies have been studied on the development of flexible electrode materials recently. In particular, the development of high-performance flexible electrode materials is very important for wearable sensors for healthcare because it is necessary to continuously monitor and accurately detect body information such as body temperature, heart rate, blood glucose, and oxygen concentration in real time. In this study, we fabricated the nonenzymatic glucose sensor based on polyaniline/carbon nanotube fiber (PANI/CNT fiber) electrode. PANI layer was synthesized on the flexible CNT fiber electrode through electrochemical polymerization process in order to improve the performance of a flexible CNT fiber based electrode material. Surface morphology of the PANI/CNT fiber electrode was observed by scanning electron microscopy. And its electrochemical characteristics were investigated by chronoamperometry, cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Compared to bare CNT fiber electrode, this PANI/CNT fiber electrode exhibited small electron transfer resistance, low peak separation potential and large surface area, resulting in enhanced sensing properties for glucose such as wide linear range (0.024~0.39 and 1.56~50 mM), high sensitivity (52.91 and 2.24 ㎂/mM·cm²), low detection limit (2 μM) and good selectivity. Therefore, it is expected that it will be possible to develop high performance CNT fiber based flexible electrode materials using various nanomaterials.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.542-547
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• 2015

Since the oil price has been significantly jumped for several years, a heavy oil of low quality has been mainly used in the diesel engine of the merchant ship. Thus, a combustion chamber of the engine has been often exposed to severely corrosive environment more and more because temperature of the exhaust gas of the combustion chamber has been getting higher and higher with increasing of using the heavy oil of low quality. As a result, wear and corrosion of the engine parts such as exhaust valve, piston crown and cylinder head surrounded with combustion chamber are more serious compared to the other parts of the engine. Therefore, an optimum repair welding for these engine parts is very important to prolong their lifetime in a economical point of view. In this study, Inconel 625 filler metal were welded with GTAW method in the cast steel which would be generally used with piston crown material. And the corrosion properties of weld metal, heat affected and base metal zones were investigated using electrochemical methods such as measurement of corrosion potential, anodic polarization curves, cyclic voltammogram and impedance etc. in 35% $H_2SO_4$ solution. The weld metal and base metal zones exhibited the highest and lowest values of hardness respectively. Furthermore, the corrosion current density of the weld metal zone revealed the lowest value, having the highest value of hardness. The corrosive products with red color and local corrosion like as a pitting corrosion were considerably observed at the base metal zone, while these morphologies were not wholly observed in the weld metal zone. In particular, the polarization characteristics such as impedance, polarization curve and cyclic voltammogran associated with corrosion resistance property were well in good agreement with each other. Consequently, it is suggested that the mechanical and corrosion characteristics of the piston crown can be predominantly improved by repair welding method using the Inconel 625 electrode.