• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.14 no.3 s.62
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• pp.157-164
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• 2007

An electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) instrument attached on transmission electron microscopy (TEM) becomes a powerful and analytical tool for extracting the noble information of materials using the enhancement of TEM images, elemental analysis, elemental or chemical mapping images, electron energy loss near edge structure (ELNES), and extended energy-loss fine structure (EXELFS). In this review, the principle and applications of EELS which is widely used in material, life, and electronic sciences were introduced.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.02a
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• pp.487-487
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• 2011

Recently graphene has emerged as a fascinating 2D system in condensed-matter physics as well as a new material for the development of nanotechnology. The unusual electronic band structure of graphene allows it to exhibit a strong ambipolar electric field effect with high mobility. These properties lead to the possibility of its application in high-performance transparent conducting films (TCFs). Compared to indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes, which have a typical sheet resistance of ${\sim}60{\Omega}$/sq and ~85 % transmittance in the visible range (400?900 nm), the CVD-grown graphene electrodes have a higher/flatter transmittance in the visible to IR region and are more robust under bending. Nevertheless, the lowest sheet resistance of the currently available CVD graphene electrodes is higher than that of ITO. Here, we report an ingenious strategy, irradiation of MeV electron beam (e-beam) at room temperature under ambient condition, for obtaining size-homogeneous gold nanoparticle decorated on graphene. The nano-particlization promoted by MeV e-beam irradiation was investigated by transmission electron microscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy elemental mapping, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. These results clearly revealed that gold nanoparticle with 10 ~ 15 nm in mean size were decorated along the surface of the graphene after 1.5 MeV-e-beam irradiation. A chemical transformation and charge transfer for the metal gold nanoparticle were systematically explored by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. This approach advances the numerous applications of graphene films as transparent conducting electrodes.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2022.04a
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• pp.101-102
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• 2022

A new hydrazone derivatives namely (E)-N'-(4-(dimethylamino)benzylidene)-2-(5-methoxy-2-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl)acetohydrazide (HIND) has been confirmed for mitigating the corrosion of the steel rebar exposed to chloride contaminated synthetic concrete pore solution (ClSCPS). The mitigation of corrosion properties has been characterized by weight loss and electrochemical methods (Electrochemical impedance, Potentiodynamic polarization studies) as well as surface observations. The presence of HIND in the ClSCPS decreased the corrosion of steel rebar by adsorption of HIND molecules on the surface of the steel rebar. The optimal HIND concentration was 0.5 mmol/L, corresponding to an inhibition efficiency of 88.4%. The use of HIND enables the corrosion process to have a higher energy barrier. X-ray photo electron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy interpretations confirmed that HIND mitigates the corrosion attack on the surface steel rebar.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.50
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• pp.8.1-8.7
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• 2020

Two thickness measurement methods using an electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and 10a convergent beam electron diffraction (CBED) were compared in an Fe-18Mn-0.7C alloy. The thin foil specimen was firstly tilted to satisfy 10a two-beam condition. Low loss spectra of EELS and CBED patterns were acquired in scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and TEM-CBED modes under the two-beam condition. The log-ratio method was used for measuring the thin foil thickness. Kossel-Möllenstedt (K-M) fringe of the $13{\ba{1}}$ diffracted disk of austenite was analyzed to evaluate the thickness. The results prove the good coherency between both methods in the thickness range of 72 ~ 113 nm with a difference of less than 5%.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.189-194
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• 2012

The consequences of microbe-mineral interaction often resulted in the chemical, structural modification, or both in the biologically induced mineral. It is inevitable to utilize the high powered resolution of electron microscopy to investigate the mechanism of biogenic mineral transformation at nano-scale. The applications of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) capable of electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) to the study of microbe-mineral interaction were demonstrated for two examples: 1) biogenic illite formation associated with structural Fe(III) reduction in nontronite by Fereducing bacteria; 2) siderite phase formation induced by microbial Fe(III) reduction in magnetite. In particular, quantification of the changes in Fe-oxidation state at nanoscale is essential to understand the dynamic modification of minerals resulted from microbial Fe reduction. The procedure of EELS acquisition and advantages of EELS techniques were discussed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.02a
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• pp.369-369
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• 2011

In the current work, we demonstrate the gas phase plasma synthesis of ultrafine boron nanoparticles by decomposing boron trichloride (BCl3) gas in an argon-hydrogen thermal plasma and quenching the hot plasma by expansion through a ceramic nozzle, driving the homogeneous nucleation of nanoparticles. It is shown that ultrafine nanoparticles can be produced from the experiments. We also show the characterization results regarding the oxidation of boron nanoparticles at room temperature using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and the combined Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope (STEM) and Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS).

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.08a
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• pp.388-388
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• 2011

Graphene, with its unique physical and structural properties, has recently become a proving ground for various physical phenomena, and is a promising candidate for a variety of electronic device and flexible display applications. The physical properties of graphene depend directly on the thickness. These properties lead to the possibility of its application in high-performance transparent conducting films (TCFs). Compared to indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes, which have a typical sheet resistance of ~60 ${\Omega}/sq$ and ~85% transmittance in the visible range, the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) synthesized graphene electrodes have a higher transmittance in the visible to IR region and are more robust under bending. Nevertheless, the lowest sheet resistance of the currently available CVD graphene electrodes is higher than that of ITO. Here, we report an ingenious strategy, irradiation of MeV electron beam (e-beam) at room temperature under ambient condition,for obtaining size-homogeneous gold nanoparticle decorated on graphene. The nano-particlization promoted by MeV e-beam irradiation was investigated by transmission electron microscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy elemental mapping, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. These results clearly revealed that gold nanoparticle with 10~15 nm in mean size were decorated along the surface of the graphene after 1.0 MeV-e-beam irradiation. The fabrication high-performance TCF with optimized doping condition showed a sheet resistance of ~150 ${\Omega}/sq$ at 94% transmittance. A chemical transformation and charge transfer for the metal gold nanoparticle were systematically explored by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. This approach advances the numerous applications of graphene films as transparent conducting electrodes.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.131-138
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• 2023

The carbon felt is usually hired as electrodes for vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB). In the study, surface modification of carbon felt under CO₂ atmosphere with variables of operating various temperature ranges between 700℃ and 900℃. The qualitative and quantitative analysis were carried out such as scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to observe degree of surface modification. Result of XPS analysis confirmed increase of carbon and oxidation functional group on the surface with increase of temperature. SEM image was discovered similar phenomena. Electrochemical characteristics such as cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) revealed the improved electrode performance with increase of temperature. However, the electrochemical performance under treatments temperature of 900℃ was less than that of under treatment temperature of 850℃ due to weight loss at the treatment temperature of 900℃. From the CV and EIS results, the best electrochemical characteristics was at the temperature of 850℃. That of at the temperature of 900℃ was decreased due to weight loss. The energy efficiencies (EE) obtained from full cell test were 69.37, 80.76, 82.45, and 75.47%, at the temperature of 700, 800, 850, and 900℃, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.153-153
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• 2016

Polyoxymethylene copolymer (POM-C) is an attractive and widely used engineering thermoplastic across many industrial sectors owing to outstanding physical, mechanical, self-lubricating and chemical properties. In this research work, the POM-C blocks were irradiated with 1 MeV electron beam energy in five doses (100, 200, 300, 500 and 700 KGy) in vacuum condition at room temperature. The tribological and physico-chemical properties of electron beam irradiated POM-C blocks have been analyzed using Pin on disk tribometer, Raman spectroscopy, SEM-EDS, Optical microscopy, 3D Nano surface profiler system and Contact angle analyzer. Electron beam irradiation at a dose of 100 kGy resulted in a decrease of the friction coefficient and wear loss of POM-C block due to well suited cross-linking, carbonization, free radicals formation and energetic electrons-atoms collisions (physical interaction). It also shows lowest surface roughness and highest water contact angle among all unirradiated and irradiated POM-C blocks. The irradiation doses at 200, 300, 500 and 700 kGy resulted in increase of the friction coefficient as compared to unirradiated POM-C block due to severe chain scission, chemical and physical structural degradation. The electron beam irradiation transferred the wear of unirradiated POM-C block from the abrasive wear, adhesive wear and scraping to mild scraping for the 1 MeV, 100 kGy irradiated POM-C block which is concluded from SEM-EDS and Optical microscopic observations. The degree of improvement for tribological attribute relies on the electron beam irradiation condition (energy and dose rate).

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.279-284
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• 1992

Oxygen adsorption on the single crystal NbC(111) surface was studied by high-resolution electron energy loss and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. On the NbC(111) surface, oxygen molecules as well as oxygen atoms were adsorbed. Oxygen atoms were located at the 3-fold hollow site of the NbC(111) surface with the frequency of 548c$m^{-1}$. It was found that oxygen molecules had vibrational frequency of 968c$m^{-1}$which was much lower than that of the free oxygen molecule. Also the work function of the NbC(111) surface has increased by adsorption of oxygen molecule. These suggest electron tranfer from the NbC(111) substrate to the 2p${pi}_g$ substrate of the oxygen molecule.