• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.08a
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• pp.75.2-75.2
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• 2013

Atomic layer deposition (ALD), utilizing self-limiting surface reactions, could offer promising perspectives for future efficient energy conversion devices. The capabilities of ALD for surface/interface modification and construction of novel architectures with sub-nanometer precision and exceptional conformality over high aspect ratio make it more valuable than any other deposition methods in nanoscale science and technology. In the context, a variety of researches on fabrication of active materials for energy conversion applications by ALD are emerging. Among those materials, one-dimensional nanotubular titanium dioxide, providing not only high specific surface area but also efficient carrier transport pathway, is a class of the most intensively explored materials for energy conversion systems, such as photovoltaic cells and photo/electrochemical devices. The monodisperse, stoichiometric, anatase, TiO2 nanotubes with smooth surface morphology and controlled wall thickness were fabricated via low-temperature template-directed ALD followed by subsequent annealing. The ALD-grown, anatase, TiO2 nanotubes in alumina template show unusual crystal growth behavior which allows to form remarkably large grains along axial direction over certain wall thickness. We also fabricated dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) introducing our anatase TiO2 nanotubes as photoanodes, and studied the effect of blocking layer, TiO2 thin films formed by ALD, on overall device efficiency. The photon convertsion efficiency ~7% were measured for our TiO2 nanotubebased DSCs with blocking layers, which is ~1% higher than ones without blocking layer. We also performed open circuit voltage decay measurement to estimate recombination rate in our cells, which is 3 times longer than conventional nanoparticulate photoanodes. The high efficiency of our ALD-grown, anatase, TiO2 nanotube-based DSCs may be attributed to both enhanced charge transport property of our TiO2 nanotubes photoanode and the suppression of recombination at the interface between transparent conducting electrode and iodine electrolytes by blocking layer.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2014

Ion exchange membrane is widely used in various fields such as electro dialysis, diffusion dialysis, redox flow battery, fuel cell. PVC cation exchange membrane using ultrasonic modification was prepared by sulfonation reaction in various sulfonation times. Sulfuric acid was used as a sulfonating agent with ultrasonic condition. We've characterized basic structure of sulfonated PVC cation exchange membrane by FT-IR, EDX, water uptake, ion exchange capacity (IEC), electrical resistance (ER), conductivity, ion transport number and surface morphology (SEM). The presence of sulfonic groups in the sulfonated PVC cation exchange membrane was confirmed by FT-IR. The maximum values of water uptake, IEC, electrical resistance and ion transport number were 40.2%, 0.87 meq/g, $35.2{\Omega}{\cdot}cm^2$ and 0.88, respectively.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.1821-1833
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• 2021

The gas-liquid counter-current flow limitation (CCFL) is closely related to efficient and safety operation of many equipment in industrial cycle. Air-water countercurrent flow experiments were performed in a tube with diameter of 25 mm to understand the triggering mechanism of CCFL. A parallel electrode probe was utilized to measure film thickness whereby the time domain and frequency domain characteristics of liquid film was obtained. The amplitude of the interface wave is small at low liquid flow rate while it becomes large at high liquid flow rate after being disturbed by the airflow. The spectral characteristic curve shows a peak-shaped distribution. The crest exists between 0 and 10 Hz and the amplitude decreases with the frequency increase. The analysis of visual observation and characteristic of film thickness indicate that two flooding mechanisms were identified at low and high liquid flow rate, respectively. At low liquid flow rate, the interfacial waves upward propagation is responsible for the formation of CCFL onset. While flooding at high liquid flow rate takes place as a direct consequence of the liquid bridging in tube due to the turbulent flow pattern. Moreover, it is believed that there is a transition region between the low and high liquid flow rate.

• 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.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2023

Silicon has been studied as an anode material for next-generation lithium ion batteries due to its high theoretical electrochemical capacity. However, the extreme volume change during the lithiation/delithiation and the inherently low electronic conductivity of silicon hamper the practical application of silicon anodes. Conductive polymer binders are effective means to solve these problems, and it has been reported that the performance of the silicon anode can be greatly improved through the proper molecular design of the conductive polymer binders. In this paper, representative recent studies on conductive polymer binders for silicon anodes will be introduced, and through this, binder design strategies to overcome the limitations of silicon anodes will be explored.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.228-236
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• 1996

An electrolysis system with a vertically circulating mercury capillary bundle electrode was developed with a very large electrode area in a minimum space. This system was operated by forcedly feeding mercury and aqueous solution containing metal ion into a fiber bundle packed densely within a small porous glass tube. In order to test the characteristics and stability of the electrolysis system, the reduction voltammograms of uranyl and ferric ions were measured with changes of the mercury flow rate and the aqueous flow rate. The aqueous flow rate had a large effect on the electrochemical reaction of metal ion occurring at the interface between the mercury and the aqueous solution and had to be regulated as an appropriate value to have a good limiting current shape. The limiting current was linearly proportional to the aqueous flow rate, and complete reductions of uranyl and ferric ions were rapidly and continuously accomplished at the potential showing limiting current. With a mercury flow rate high enough to keep a capillary continuum of mercury in the fiber bundle, the mercury flow rate had almost no effect on the electrochemical reaction. This system was confirmed to be effective and stable enough to control rapidly and continuously the oxidation state of metal ions fed into the system under an appropriate aqueous flow rate.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.8.1-8.1
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• 2011

Nanocrystalline titanium dioxide ($TiO_2$) materials have been widely used as an electron collector in DSSC. This is required to have an extremely high porosity and surface area such that the dye can be sufficiently adsorbed and be electronically interconnected, resulting in the generation of a high photocurrent within cells. In particular, their geometrical structures and crystalline phase have been extensively investigated as important issues in improving its photovoltaic efficiency. In this study, we present a new strategy to fabricate a photoelectrode having a periodic structured $TiO_2$ film templated from 1D or 3D polystyrene (PS) microspheres array. Monodisperse PS spheres of various radiuses were used for colloidal array on FTO glasses and two types of photoelectrode structures with different $TiO_2$ materials were investigated respectively. One is the igloo-shaped electrode prepared by $TiO_2$ deposition by RF-sputtering onto 2D microsphere-templated substrates. At the interface between the film and substrate, there are voids formed by the decomposition of PS microspheres during the calcination step. These holes might be expected to play the predominant roles as scattering spherical voids to promote a light harvesting effect, a spacious structure for electrolytes with higher viscosity and effective paths for electron transfer. Additionally the nanocrystalline $TiO_2$ phase prepared by the RF-sputtering method was previously reported to improve the electron drift mobility within $TiO_2$ electrodes. This yields solar cells with a cell efficiency of 2.45% or more at AM 1.5 illumination, which is a very remarkable result, considering its $TiO_2$ electrode thickness (<2 ${\mu}m$). This study can be expanded to obtain higher cell efficiency by higher dye loading through the increase of surface area or multi-layered stacking. The other is the inverse opal photonic crystal electrode prepared by titania particles infusion within 3D colloidal arrays. To obtain the enlargement of ordered area and high quality of crystallinity, the synthesis of titania particles coated with a organic thin layer were applied instead of sol-gel process using the $TiO_2$ precursors. They were dispersed so well in most solvents without aggregates and infused successfully within colloidal array structures. This ordered mesoporous structure provides the large surface area leading to the enough adsorption of dye molecules and have an light harvesting effect due to the photonic band gap properties (back-and-forth reflection effects within structures). A major advantage of this colloidal array template method is that the pore size and its distribution within $TiO_2$ photoelectrodes are determined by those of latex beads, which can be controlled easily. These materials may have promising potentials for future applications of membrane, sensor and so on as well as solar cells.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.49-54
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• 2003

We have investigated the effects of hydrogen annealing on the physical and electrical properties of $SrBi_{2}Ta_{2}O_9(SBT)$ thin films in the Pt/SBT/Si (MFS) structure and Pt/SBT/Pt (MFM) one, respectively. The microstructure and electrical characteristics of the SBT films were deteriorated after hydrogen annealing due to the damage of the SBT films during the annealing process. To investigate the reason of the degradation of the SBT films in this work, in particular, the effect of the Pt top electrodes, SBT thin films deposited on Si, Pt, respectively, were annealed with the same process conditions. From the XRD, XPS, P-V, and C-V data, it was seen that the SBT itself was degraded after $H_2$ annealing even without the Pt top electrodes. In addition, the degradation of the SBT films after $H_2$ annealing was accelerated by the catalytic reaction of the Pt top electrodes which is so-called hydrogen degradation. To prevent this phenomenon, we proposed the alternative top electrode material, i.e. Ir, and the electrical properties of the SBT thin films were examined in the $Ir/IrO_2/SBT/IrO_2$ structures before and after the H$_2$ annealing and recovery heat-treatment processes. From the results of the P-V measurement, it could be concluded that Ir is one of the promising candidate as the electrode material for degradation resistance in the MFM structure using SBT thin films.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 1999.10a
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• pp.15-15
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• 1999

In chip plating, several parameters must be taken into consideration. Current density, solution concentration, pH, solution temperature, components volume, chip and media ratio, barrel geometrical shape were most likely found to have an effect to the process yields. The 3 types of barrels utilized in chip plating industry are the conventional rotating barrel. vibrational barrel (vibarrel), and the centrifugal type. Conventional rotating barrel is a close type and is commonly used. The components inside the barrel are circulated by the barrel's rotation at a horizontal axis. Process yield has known to have higher thickness deviation. The vibrational barrel is an open type which offers a wide exposure to electrolyte resulting to a stable thickness deviation. It rotates in a vertical axis coupled with multi-vibration action to facilitate mixed up and easy transportation of components, The centrifugal barrel has its plated work centrifugally compacted against the cathode ring for superior electrical contact with simultaneous rotary motion. This experiment has determined the effect of barrel vibration intensity to the plating thickness distribution. The procedures carried out in the experiment involved the overall plating process., cleaning, rinse, Nickel plating, Tin-Lead plating. Plating time was adjusted to meet the required specification. All other parameters were maintained constant. Two trials were performed to confirm the consistency of the result. The thickness data of the experiment conducted showed that the average mean value obtained from higher vibrational intensity is nearer to the standard mean. The distribution curve shown has a narrower specification limits and it has a reduced variation around the target value, Generally, intensity control in vi-barrel facilitates mixed up and easy transportation of components, However, it is desirable to maintain an optimum vibration intensity to prevent solution intrusion into the chips' internal electrode. A cathodic reaction can occur in the interface of the external and internal electrode. $2HD{\;}+{\;}e{\;}{\rightarrow}20H{\;}+{\;}H_2$ Hydrogen can penetrate into the body and create pressure which can cause cracks. At high intensity, the chip's motion becomes stronger, its contact between each other is delayed and so plating action is being controlled. However, the strong impact created by its collision can damage the external electrode's structure thereby resulting to bad plating condition. 1 lot of chip was divided into two equal partion. Each portion was loaded to the same barrel one after the other. Nickel plating and tin-lead plating was performed in the same station. Portion A maintained the normal barrel vibration intensity and portion B vibration intensity was increased two steps higher. All other parameters, current, solution condition were maintained constant. Generally, plating method find procedures were carried out in a best way to maintained the best plating condition. After plating, samples were taken out from each portion. molded and polished. Plating thickness was investigated for both. To check consistency of results. 2nd trial was done now using different lot of another characteristics.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1999.07d
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• pp.1771-1773
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• 1999

Ferroelectric PZT(10/90)/(90/10)heterolayered thin films were fabricated by the alkoxide-based Sol-Gel method Electric and dielectric properties of PZT(10/90)/(90/10) heterolayered thin films have been investigated, focusing on the effect of PZT/PZT and PZT/electrode interface on the heterolayered films. Dielectric constant increased with increasing the number of coatings. Increasing the number of coatings, remanent polarization and coercive field were decreased and the values of the PZT-6 heterolayered thin films deposited on Pt/Ti/$SiO_2$/Si were $7.18{\mu}C/cm$, $68.5kV/cm^2$, respectively. Leakage current, densities were increased with increasing the number of coatings, and the value of the PZT-4 film deposited on the Pt/Ti/$SiO_2$/Si substrate was about $7{\times}10^{-8}A/cm^2$ at 0.05MV/cm.