• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.185-190
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• 2022

Among the operating limits of a heat pipe, the capillary limit is significantly affected by the characteristics of the wick, which is determined by the capillary performance. The major parameters for determining capillary performance are the maximum capillary pressure and the spreading characteristics that can be expected through the wick. A well-designed wick structure improves capillary performance and helps improve the stability of the heat pipe by enhancing the capillary limit. The capillary performance can be improved by forming a porous microstructure on the surface of the wick structure through surface modification techniques. In this study, a microstructure is formed on the surface of the wick by using a surface modification method (i.e., an electrochemical etching process). In the experiment, specimens are prepared using stainless-steel screen mesh wicks with various fabrication conditions. In addition, the spreading and capillary rise performances are observed with low-surface-tension fluid to quantify the capillary performance. In the experiments, the capillary performance, such as spreading characteristics, maximum capillary pressure, and capillary rise rate, improves in the specimens with microstructures formed through surface modification compared with the specimens without microstructures on the surface. The improved capillary performance can have a positive effect on the capillary limit of the heat pipe. It is believed that the surface microstructures can enhance the operational stability of heat pipes.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.345-351
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• 2004

Highly ordered pure-silica MCM-41 materials possessing well-defined morphology have been successfully prepared with surfactant used as a template. The fabrication of mesoporous silica has received considerable attention due to the need to develop more efficient materials' for catalysis, separations, and chemical sensing. The surface modified MCM-41 was used as anadsorbent for biomolecules. Silica-supported organic groups and DNA adsorption on surface modified MCM-41 were investigated by FT-IR and UV-Vis spectrometer, respectively. The use of MCM-41 as the modification of electrode surfaces were investigated electrochemical properties of metal mediators with biomolecules. The modified ITO electrodes increased peak currents for a redox process of $[Ru(bpy)_3]^{2+}$ relative to the bare electrode. The electrochemical detection of DNA by cyclic voltammetry when the current is saturated in the presence of the mediator appeared more sensitive due to a higher catalytic current on the MCM-41 supported electrodes modified by carboxylic acid functional groups. The carboxyl or amine groups on the surface of MCM-41 interact and react with the $-NH_2$ groups of guanine and backbone, respectively. Highly ordered mesoporous materials with organic groups could find applications as DNA sensors.

• Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry
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• v.68
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• pp.187-195
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• 2018

$Sr_{0.92}Y_{0.08}Ti_{1-x}Ni_xO_{3-{\delta}}$ (SYTN) was investigated in the presence of $H_2S$ containing fuels to assess the feasibility of employing oxide materials as alternative anodes. Aliovalent substitution of $Ni^{2+}$ into $Ti^{4+}$ increased the ionic conductivity of perovskite, leading to improved electrochemical performance of the SYTN anode. The maximum power densities were 32.4 and $45.3mW/cm^2$ in $H_2$ at $900^{\circ}C$ for the SYT anode and the SYTN anode, respectively. However, the maximum power densities in 300 ppm of $H_2S$ decreased by 7% and by 46% in the SYT and the SYTN anodes, respectively. To enhance the sulfur tolerance and to improve the electrochemical properties, the surface of SYTN anode was modified with samarium doped ceria (SDC) using the sol-gel coating method. For the SDC-modified SYTN anode, the cell performance was mostly recovered in the pure $H_2$ condition after 500-ppm $H_2S$ exposure in contrast to the irreversible cell performance degradation exhibited in the unmodified SYTN anode.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.189-194
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• 2021

A straightforward, yet effective surface modification method of stainless steel mesh and its interesting anti-wetting characteristics are reported in this study. The stainless steel mesh is electrochemically etched, and the specimen has both micro and nano-scale structures on its surface. This process transforms the two types of mesh specimens known as the regular and dense specimens into hydrophobic specimens without applying any hydrophobic chemical coating process. The fundamental wettability of the modified mesh is analyzed through a dedicatedly designed experiment to investigate the waterproof characteristics, for instance, the penetration threshold. The waterproof characteristics are evaluated in a manner that the modified mesh resists as high as approximately 2.7 times the pressure compared with the bare mesh, i.e., the non-modified mesh. The results show that the penetration threshold depends primarily on the advancing contact angles, and the penetration stop behaviors are affected by the contact angle hysteresis on the surfaces. The findings further confirm that the inexpensive waterproof meshes created using the proposed straightforward electrochemical etching process are effective and can be adapted along with appropriate designs for various practical applications, such as underwater devices, passive valves, and transducers. In general, , additional chemical coatings are applied using hydrophobic materials on the surfaces for the applications that require water-repelling capabilities. Although these chemical coatings can often cause aging, the process proposed in this study is not only cost-effective, but also durable implying that it does not lose its waterproof properties over time.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.25-29
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• 2001

This study examined the effects of carbon surface modification by the epoxy resin coating on the electrochemical performance. The mesocarbon microbeads(MCMB) carbon was surface-modified by coating the epoxy resin and its electrochemical properties as an anode was examined. The surface coating of MCMB was carried out by refluxing the MCMB powders in a dilute H2SO4 solution, and mixing them with the epoxy resin-dissolved tetrahydrofuran(THF) solution. Under heat-treatment of the coated MCMB at the temperature over $1000^{\circ}C$, the epoxy-resin coating layer was converted into amorphous phase which was identified by a high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). The epoxy resin coated MCMB has higher Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area, higher charge/ discharge capacity and better cycleability than a raw MCMB without coating. The reason for the enhancement of cell performance by the epoxy resin coating were considered as the epoxy resin coating layer plays an important role to be a barrier for carbon reacting with electrolyte and to retard the formation of passivation layer.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.239-244
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• 2009

This paper aims to report the effect of surface treatment on graphite and its effect on the improvement of $Al_2O_3$ and $nano-Li_4Ti_5O_{12}$. The structure and property of surface treatment on graphite were determined by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and electrochemical property and safety were determined by charge/discharge cycler, accelerating rate calorimeter. The composite with different metallic oxide exhibited the first efficiency of 82.5% and specific capacity of 350 mAh/g. Although the composite showed same efficiency and specific capacity at first cycle, surface treatment on graphite by $nano-Li_4Ti_5O_{12}$ exhibited a higher charge/discharge rate, cycle life and thermal stability.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.592-597
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• 2014

The graphite/$SiO_2$ composites as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries were prepared by sol-gel method to improve the graphite's electrochemical characteristics. The prepared graphite/$SiO_2$ composites were analysed by XRD, FE-SEM and EDX. The graphite surface modified by silicon dioxide showed several advantages to stabilize SEI layer. The electrochemical characteristics were investigated for lithium ion battery using graphite/$SiO_2$ as the working electrode and Li metal as the counter electrode. Electrochemical behaviors using organic electrolytes ($LiPF_6$, EC/DMC) were characterized by charge/discharge, cycle, cyclic voltammetry and impedance tests. The lithium ion battery using graphite/$SiO_2$ electrodes had better capacity than that of using graphite electrodes and was able to deliver a discharge capacity with 475 mAh/g at a rate of 0.1 C. Also, the capacity retention ratio of the modified graphite reaches 99% at a rate of 0.8 C.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.335-343
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• 2019

In this study, $Sr_2Ni_{1.8}Mo_{0.2}O_{6-{\delta}}$ (SNM) with a double perovskite structure was investigated as an alternative anode for use in the $CH_4$ fuel in solid oxide fuel cells. SNM demonstrates a double perovskite phase over $600^{\circ}C$ and marginal crystallization at higher temperatures. The Ni nanoparticles were exsolved from the SNM anode during the fabrication process. As the SNM anode demonstrates poor electrochemical and electro-catalytic properties in the $H_2$ and $CH_4$ fuels, it was modified by applying a samarium-doped ceria (SDC) coating on its surface to improve the cell performance. As a result of this SDC modification, the cell performance improved from $39.4mW/cm^2$ to $117.7mW/cm^2$ in $H_2$ and from $15.9mW/cm^2$ to $66.6mW/cm^2$ in $CH_4$ at $850^{\circ}C$. The mixed ionic and electronic conductive property of the SDC provided electrochemical oxidation sites that are beyond the triple boundary phase sites in the SNM anode. In addition, the carbon deposition on the SDC thin layer was minimized due to the SDC's excellent oxygen ion conductivity.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.237-245
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• 2021

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) enhances the stability of cathode materials via surface modification. Previous studies have demonstrated that an Ni-rich cathode, such as LiNi_0.8Co_0.1Mn_0.1O₂, is a promising candidate owing to its high capacity, but is limited by poor cycle stability. In this study, to enhance the stability of the Ni-rich cathode, synthesized LiNi_0.8Co_0.1Mn_0.1O₂ was coated with Al₂O₃ using ALD. Thus, the surface-modified cathode exhibited enhanced stability by protecting the interface from Ni-O formation during the cycling process. The coated LiNi_0.8Co_0.1Mn_0.1O₂ exhibited a capacity of 176 mAh g^-1 at 1 C and retained up to 72% of the initial capacity after 100 cycles within a range of 2.8-4.3 V (vs Li/Li⁺. In contrast, pristine LiNi_0.8Co_0.1Mn_0.1O₂ presented only 58% of capacity retention after 100 cycles with an initial capacity of 173 mAh g^-1. Improved cyclability may be a result of the ALD coating, which physically protects the electrode by modifying the interface, and prevents degradation by resisting side reactions that result in capacity decay. The electrochemical impedance spectra and structural and morphological analysis performed using electron microscopy and X-ray techniques establish the surface enhancement resulting from the aforementioned strategy.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.121-129
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• 2005

Basic design concept of the future steel structure requires environmental compatibility and maintenance free capability to minimize economic burdens. Recent trends in alloy design for advanced weathering steel include addition of various alloying elements which can enhance formation of stable and protective rust layer even in polluted urban and/or high $Cl^{-}$ environment. The effects of Ca, Ni, W, and Mo addition on the corrosion property of Ca-modified weathering steel were evaluated through a series of electrochemical tests (pH measurement and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy: EIS) and structural analysis on rust layer formed on the steel surface. Ca-containing inclusions of Ca-Al-Mn-O-S compound are formed if the amount of Ca addition is over 25 ppm. Steels with higher Ca content results in higher pH value for condensed water film formed on the steel surface, however, addition of Ni, W, and Mo does not affect pH value of the thin water film. The steels containing a high amount of Ca, Ni, W and Mo showed a dense and compact rust layer with enhanced amount of ${\alpha}-FeOOH$. Addition of Ni, W and Mo in Ca-modified weathering steel shows anion-selectivity and contributes to lower the permeability of $Cl^{-}$ ions. Effect of each alloying element on the formation of protective rust layer will be discussed in detail with respect to corrosion resistance.