• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.764-768
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• 2011

The process of $CO_2$ capture using aqueous Monoethanolamine(MEA) has been considered as one of the leading technologies for intermediate-term strategy to reduce the $CO_2$ emission. This MEA process, however, consumes relatively a large amount of energy in the stripper for absorbent regeneration. For this reason, various process alternatives are recently established to reduce the regeneration energy. This paper suggests a flue gas split configuration as one of MEA process alternatives and then simulates this process using commercial simulator. This flue gas splitting has an effect on reducing the temperature of the lower section of absorber as well as decreasing the absorbent flow rate. Compared to the base model, this optimized flue gas split process provides 6.4% reduction of solvent flow rate and 5.8% reduction of absorbent regeneration energy.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.86.2-86.2
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• 2010

In order to improve polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) durability, the durability of membrane electrode assemblies (MEA), in which the electrochemical reactions actually occur, is one of the vital issues. Many articles have dealt with catalyst layer degradation of the durability-related factors on MEAs in relation to loss of catalyst surface area caused by agglomeration, dissolution, migration, formation of metal complexes and oxides, and/or instability of the carbon support. Degradation of catalyst layer during long-term operation includes cracking or delamination of the layer which result either from change in the catalyst microstructure or loss of electronic or ionic contact with the active surface, can result in apparent activity loss in the catalyst layer. Membrane degradation of the durability-related factors on MEAs can be caused by mechanical or thermal stress resulting in formation of pinholes and tears and/or by chemical attack of hydrogen peroxide radicals formed during the electrochemical reactions. All of these effects, the mechanical damage of membrane and degradation of catalyst layers are more facilitated by uneven stress or improper MEA fabrication process. In order to improve the PEMFC durability, therefore, it is most important to minimize the uneven stress or improper MEA fabrication process in the course of the fabrication of MEA. We analyzed the effects of the MEA fabrication condition on the PEMFC durability with MEA produced using CCM (catalyst coated membrane) method. This paper also investigated the effects of MEA fabrication condition on the PEMFC durability by adding additional treatment process, hot pressing and pressing, on the MEA produced using CCM method.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.64-81
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to analyze elementary science gifted students' characteristics of the thinking in the problem solving process through a MEA(Model Eliciting Activity)activity. The subjects of this study are 40 elementary science gifted students who passed the first screen for the admission to the science gifted education institute in P university in 2018. The MEA activity was 'Coffee cup challenge', which is to find the best way to place cup side and bottom to save paper in a given material. Three drawings from each student and explanations of each drawing through out the design process were collected as the main data source. The data were analyzed by statistically (correlation coefficient) and qualitatively to find the relationship between; 1) the intuitive thinking and visual representation and 2) analytical thinking ability and communication skills that reflect MEA activities. In conclusion, first, intuitive thinking plays an important role in the ability of visual representation through pictures and the whole problem solving process. Second, the analytical thinking and elaboration process which are reflected through reflection on the arrangement of the drawings have a great influence on the communication skills. Therefore, this study investigated that MEA activities are useful activities to stimulate both intuitive and analytical thinking in elementary science gifted students, and to develop communication ability, by organizing their own ideas and providing learning opportunities for various solutions.

• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.46-52
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• 2010

Membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have been extensively studied to improve their initial performance as well as their durability and to facilitate the commercialization of fuel cell technology. To improve the MEA performance, particularly at low Pt loadings, many approaches have been made. In the present study, MEA performance improvement was performed by adding $TiO_2$ particles into the catalyst layer of MEA. Most of previous studies have focused on the MEA performance enhancement under low humidity conditions by adding metal oxides into the catalyst layer mainly due to the water keeping ability of those metal oxides particles such as $Al_2O_3$, $SiO_2$ and zeolites. However, this study mainly focused on the improvement of MEA performance under fully humidified normal conditions. In this study, the MEA was prepared by decal method aiming for a continuous MEA fabrication process. The decal process can make very thin and uniform catalyst layer on the surface of electrolyte membrane resulting in very low interfacial resistance between catalyst layer and the membrane surface and uniform electrode structure in the MEA. It was found that the addition of $TiO_2$ particles into the catalyst layer made by decal method can minimize water flooding in the catalyst layer, resulting in the improvement of MEA performance.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.230-234
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• 2005

Fabrication of MEA is important factor for proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). MEA of PEMFC with hot pressing and direct coating method were prepared, and performances were evaluated and compared each other. The effect of MEA preparation methods, hot pressing methods and direct coating methods, on the cell performance was analyzed by impedance spectroscopy and SEM. The performance of PEMFC with direct coating method was better than with hot pressing method because membrane internal resistance and membrane-interfacial resistance were reduced by elimination of hot pressing process in MEA fabrication. In addition the micro structure of MEA with direct coating method reveals uniform interface between membrane and catalyst layer.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.61 no.2
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• pp.189-195
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• 2023

As a PEMFC (Polymer Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell) cathode catalyst, Pt-Co/C has recently been widely used because of its improved durability. In a fuel cell, electrodes and electrolytes have a close influence on each other in terms of performance and durability. The effect on the electrochemical durability of the electrolyte membrane when Pt-Co/C was replaced in the Pt/C electrode catalyst was studied. The durability of Pt-Co/C MEA (Membrane Electrode Assembly) was higher than that of Pt/C MEA in the electrochemical accelerated degradation process of PEMFC membrane. As a result of analyzing the FER (Fluorine Emission Rate) and hydrogen permeability, it was shown that the degradation rate of the membrane of Pt-Co/C MEA was lower than that of Pt/C MEA. In the OCV (Open Circuit Voltage) holding process, the rate of decrease of the active area of the Pt-Co/C electrode was lower than that of the Pt/C electrode, and the amount of Pt deposited on the membrane was smaller in Pt-Co/C MEA than in Pt/C MEA. Pt inside the polymer membrane deteriorates the membrane by generating radicals, so the degradation rate of the membrane of Pt/C MEA with a high Pt deposition rate was higher than Pt-Co/C MEA. When the Pt-Co/C catalyst was used, the electrode durability was improved, and the amount of Pt deposited on the membrane was also reduced, thereby improving the electrochemical durability of the membrane.

• 한국전기화학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2004.06a
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• pp.219-224
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• 2004

• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.50-58
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• 2021

We proposed an MEA development methodology that accurately measures intrinsic MEA performance while considering the uneven reaction environments formed inside a large-area BP. To facilitate measurement of the inherent MEA performance, we miniaturized the active area of the MEA to 3 cm², and prepared two MEAs with different ionomer contents of 0.65 and 0.80 (I/C). By simulating the operating conditions of a 100 cm² BP at the inlet (I), center (C), and outlet (O), the oxygen concentration and relative humidity were determined to be 20.7, 13.8, 11.7%, and 50, 66.1, and 70.1% respectively. We measured the performance and electrochemical analysis of the prepared MEAs under the three simulated conditions. Based on the results of statistical analysis of the evaluated MEA performance data, I/C 0.65 MEA had a higher average performance and lower performance deviation than I/C 0.80 MEA. Hence, it can be concluded that an I/C 0.65 MEA is a more effective MEA for large-area BP. Based on the above research process, we confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed MEA development methodology.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.445-449
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• 2012

The activation process of the membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) is important for the mass production of the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. The conventional activation process for the MEA requires excessive time and hydrogen gas and it might become the barrier for the commercialization of the fuel cell. The conventional activation process is based on hydrolysis of ion conducting membrane. In the study, we suggest the cyclic voltammetry (CV) technique as an on-line activation process and the CV activation process consists of two steps : 1) the humidification of the polymer electrolyte membrane and the electrode with 100% RH humidified nitrogen ($N_{2}$) gas, and 2) the removal step of the oxide layer on the surface of the Pt catalyst with CV cycling. The cycling reduces the activation time of the MEA by 2.5 h and use of hydrogen gas by 1/4.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.290-297
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• 2016

The absorbent loss due to degradation in $CO_2$ capture process using aqueous alkanol amine solution has adverse effect on the economics of overall process. The degradation causes absorbent loss, equipment corrosion, foaming, adhesive material producing and viscosity increase in operation. In this study, the degradation characteristics of $CO_2$ capture process using MEA (monoehtanolamine) under various conditions such as $O_2$ partial pressure, $CO_2$ loading and absorbent temperature. The effects of iron, which generated from the equipment corrosion, on absorbent degradation were studied using $Fe_2SO_4$ containing MEA solution. The produced gases were analyzed by FT-IR(Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometer) and the specifically measured $NH_3$ concentration was used as a degradation degree of aqueous MEA solution. The experiments showed that the higher $CO_2$ loadings (${\alpha}$), $O_2$ fraction ($y_{O2}$) and reaction temperature enhanced the more degradation of aqueous MEA solution. Comparing other operation parameters, the reaction temperature most affected on the degradation. Therefore, it could be concluded that the above parameters affects on degradation should be considered for the selections of $CO_2$ absorbent and operating conditions.