• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.289-299
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• 2004

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were prepared by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) using various combination of binary catalysts and methane precursor. The maximum yield (10.3 %) of CNTs was obtained using a methane-hydrogen-nitrogen mixture with volume ratio of 1:1:2 at 1000 W of microwave power. As the microwave power increased up to 1000 W, the deposition yield of CNTs raised from 4.1 % to 10. 3 %. However, the prepared CNTs at 800 W showed the more crystalline structure than those prepared at 1000 W. The prepared CNTs over different binary catalysts had various structural conformations such as aligned cylinder, bamboo, and nanofibers. The Id/Ig value of CNTs over$Fe-Fe/Al_2O_3, $Co-Co/Al_2O_3, and $Co-Cu/Al_2O_3 were in the range of 0.89${\sim}$0.93. Among the various binary catalysts used, $Fe-Co./Al_2O_3 showed the highest yield.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.187-192
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• 2011

Photoelectrochemical performances of ZnO electrodes are enhanced by coupling with cobalt-based catalyst (CoPi) in phosphate electrolyte (pH 7). For this study, hexagonal pillar-shaped ZnO nanorods are grown on ZnO electrodes through a chemical bath deposition, onto which CoPi is deposited with different photodeposition times (10-30 min). A scanning electron microscopic study indicates that CoPi deposition does not induce any change of ZnO morphology and an energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopic analysis shows that inorganic phosphate ions (Pi) exist on ZnO surface. Bare ZnO electrodes generate the current of ca. $0.36mA/cm^2$ at a bias potential of 0.5 V vs. SCE, whereas ZnO/CoPi (deposited for 10 min) has ca. 50%-enhanced current ($0.54mW/cm^2$) under irradiation of AM 1.5G-light ($400mW/cm^2$). The excess loading of CoPi on ZnO results in decrease of photocurrents as compared to bare ZnO likely due to limited electrolyte access to ZnO and/or CoPi-mediated recombination of photogenerated charge carriers. The primary role of CoPi is speculated to trap the photogenerated holes and thereby oxidize water into molecular oxygen via an intervalency cycle among Co(II), Co(III), and Co(IV).

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.08a
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• pp.285-285
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• 2013

Recently, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), which is III-V compound of boron and nitride by strong covalent sp2 bonds has gained great interests as a 2 dimensional insulating material since it has honeycomb structure with like graphene with very small lattice mismatch (1.7%). Unlike graphene that is semi-metallic, h-BN has large band gap up to 6 eV while providing outstanding properties such as high thermal conductivity, mechanical strength, and good chemical stability. Because of these excellent properties, hBN can potentially be used for variety of applications such as dielectric layer, deep UV optoelectronic device, and protective transparent substrate. Low pressure and atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD and APCVD) methods have been investigated to synthesize h-BN by using ammonia borane as a precursor. Ammonia borane decomposes to polyiminoborane (BHNH), hydrogen, and borazine. The produced borazine gas is a key material that is a used for the synthesis of h-BN, therefore controlling the condition of decomposed products from ammonia borane is very important. In this paper, we optimize the decomposition of ammonia borane by investigating temperature, amount of precursor, and other parameters to fabricate high quality monolayer h-BN. Synthesized h-BN is characterized by Raman spectroscopy and its absorbance is measured with UV spectrophotometer. Topological variations of the samples are analyzed by atomic force microscopy. Scanning electron microscopy and Scanning transmission Electron microscopy are used for imaging and analysis of structures and surface morphologies.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.328-335
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• 2019

Nb-doped $TiO_2$(NTO) coated NiCrAl alloy foam for hydrogen production is prepared using ultrasonic spray pyrolysis deposition(USPD) method. To optimize the size and distribution of NTO particles based on good physical and chemical stability, we synthesize particles by adjusting the weight ratio of the Nb precursor solution(5 wt%, 10 wt% and 15 wt%). The morphological, chemical bonding, and structural properties of the NTO coated NiCrAl alloy foam are investigated by X-ray diffraction(XRD), X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy(XPS), and Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy(FESEM). As a result, the samples of controlled Nb weight ratio exhibit a common diffraction pattern at ${\sim}25.3^{\circ}$, corresponding to the(101) plane, and have chemical bonding(O-Nb=O) at 534 eV. The NTO particles with the optimum weight ratio of N (10 wt%) show a uniform distribution with a size of ~18.2-21.0 nm. In addition, they exhibit the highest corrosion resistance even in the electrochemical stability estimation. As a result, the introduction of NTO coated NiCrAl alloy foam by USPD improves the chemical stability of the NiCrAl alloy foam by protecting the direct electrochemical reaction between the foam and the electrolyte. Thus, the optimized NTO coating can be proposed for excellent protection of NiCrAl alloy foam for hydrocarbon-based steam methane reforming(SMR).

• Composites Research
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.377-382
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• 2023

To enhance the performance of graphene-based devices, it is of great importance to better understand the interfacial interaction of graphene with its underlying substrates. In this study, the adhesion energy of monolayer graphene placed on dielectric substrates was characterized using mode I fracture tests. Large-area monolayer graphene was synthesized on copper foil using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) with methane and hydrogen. The synthesized graphene was placed on target dielectric substrates using polymer-assisted wet transfer technique. The monolayer graphene placed on a substrate was mechanically delaminated from the dielectric substrate by mode I fracture tests using double cantilever beam configuration. The obtained force-displacement curves were analyzed to estimate the adhesion energies, showing 1.13 ± 0.12 J/m² for silicon dioxide and 2.90 ± 0.08 J/m² for silicon nitride. This work provides the quantitative measurement of the interfacial interactions of CVD-grown graphene with dielectric substrates.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.672-678
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• 2006

A new approach to fabricate an enzyme electrode was described based on the immobilization of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) on dithiobis-N-succinimidyl propionate (DTSP) self-assembled monolayer (SAM) formed on gold-nanoparticles (Au-NPs) which were electrochemically deposited onto glassy carbon electrode (GCE) surface. The overall surface area and average size of Au-NPs could be controlled by varying deposition time and were examined by Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM). The $O_2$ reduction capability of the surface demonstrated that Au-NPs were thermodynamically stable enough to stay on GCE surface. The immobilized HRP electrode based on Au-NPs/GCE presented faster, more stable and sensitive amperometric response in the reduction of hydrogen peroxide than a HRP immobilized on DTSP/gold plate electrode not containing Au-NPs. The effects of operating potential, mediator concentration, and pH of buffer electrolyte solution on the performance of the HRP biosensor were investigated. In the optimized experimental conditions, the HRP immobilized GCE incorporating smaller-sized Au-NPs showed higher electrocatalytic activity due to the high surface area to volume ratio of Au-NPs in the biosensor. The HRP electrode showed a linear response to $H_2O_2$ in the concentration range of 1.4 $\mu$M-3.1 mM. The apparent Michaelis-Menten constant ($K _M\; ^{app}$) determined for the immobilized HRP electrodes showed a trend to be decreased by decreasing size of Au-NPs electrodeposited onto GCE.

• 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.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.38-46
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• 1991

Regeneration of Ni catalyst deactivated by carbon-deposition and sulfur-poisoning was studied. When a carbon-deposited catalyst was regenerated by hydrogen, the final recovery of catalytic activity for benzene hydrogenation was large but relatively long period of regeneration was required, and futhermore the deposited carbon could not be removed completely. In case of oxygen-treatment, the regeneration rate was high and the deposited carbon could be removed almost completely after a subsequent reduction treatment. When a sulfur-poisoned catalyst was regenerated by hydrogen and water vapor, the catalytic activity was not recovered. The regeneration treatment with oxygen at $650^{\circ}C$ recovered the catalytic activity up to 60 % of the initial value. When $Cl^-$ was added to oxygen, the activity was easily recovered to 45 % of the initial value even after treatment at $500^{\circ}C$. Sintering of the dispersed Ni particles was enhanced by water vapor but was hindered by oxygen and chlorine addition.

• KSTLE International Journal
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.13-16
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• 2005

Friction characteristics at nano-scale of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) having different chain lengths and end groups were experimentally studied.51 order to understand the effect of the chain length and end group on the nano-scalefriction: (1) two different SAMs of shorter chain lengths with different end groups such as methyl and phenyl groups, and (2)four different kinds of SAMs having long chain lengths (C10) with end groups of fluorine and hydrogen were coated on siliconwafer (100) by dipping method and Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) technique. Their nano-scale friction was measuredusing an Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) in the range of 0-40 nN normal loads. Measurements were conducted at the scanning speed of 2 $mu$m/s for the scan size of 1$mu$m x 1 $mu$m using a contact mode type $Si_3N_4$ tip (NPS 20) that had a nominal spring constant0.58 N/m. All experiments were conducted at anlbient temperature (24 $pm$1$circ$C) and relative humidity (45 $pm$ 5%). Results showedthat the friction force increased with applied normal load for all samples, and that the silicon wafer exhibited highest frictionwhen compared to SAMs. While friction was affected by the inherent adhesion in silicon wafer, it was influenced by the chainlength and end group in the SAMs. It was observed that the nano-friction decreased with the chain length in SAMs. In the caseof monolayers with shorter length, the one with the phenyl group exhibited higher friction owing to the presence of benBenerings that are stiffer in nature. In the case of SAMs with longer chain length, those with fluorine showed friction values relativelyhigher than those of hydrogen. The increase in friction due to the presence of fluorine group has been discussed with respect tothe siBe of the fluorine atom.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.161-167
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• 1996

An investigation was made of possible ways in which one could control the relative rates of cadmium deposition and hydrogen evolution by binary additive systems. Benzyl alcohol was employed as an additives due to its ability to form a hydrophobic film which inhibit the electroreduction of water to form hydrogen. The second additive was chosen to make the cadmium(II) ion less hydrophilic and increase its ability to cross the hydrophobic benzyl alcohol film and be electrodeposited at the cathode. It was shown by voltammetric and current efficiency studies that ion pairing and complexing additives could be used to accelerate the reduction of cadmium in the presence of the benzyl alcohol film. It was also shown that the benzyl alcohol film lowered the dielectric constant of the solution near the electrode enough to obtain ion pairing between the sodium ion and the negative chloride complex of cadmium and accelerate the reduction of the cadmium. This acceleration did not occur in the sulfate solution in the absence of chloride since cadmium(II) is primarily present as a positive aquo complex and ion pairing, if it occured, would not accelerate but would hinder reduction of cadmium.