• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.690-694
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• 2015

Recently, direct formic acid fuel cells (DFAFC) among direct liquid fuel cells is studied actively. Economical hydrocarbon membranes alternative to fluorinated membranes for DFAFC's membrane are receiving attention. In this study, characteristics of sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone, sPEEK) and sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone, PAES) membranes were compared with Nafion membrane at DFAFC operation condition. Formic acid crossover current density of hydrocarbon membranes were lower than that of Nafion 211 fluorinated membrane. I-V performance of sPEEK MEA(Membrane and Electrode Assembly) was similar to that of Nafion 211 MEA due to similar membrane resistance each other. sPEEK MEA with low formic acid crossover showed higher stability compared with Nafion 211 MEA.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2023

The electromembrane process, which has advantages such as scalability, sustainability, and eco-friendliness, is used in renewable energy fields such as fuel cells and reverse electrodialysis power generation. Most of the research to visualize the internal flow in the electromembrane process has mainly been conducted on heterogeneous ion exchange membranes, because of the non-uniform swelling characteristics of the homogeneous membrane. In this study, we successfully visualize the electro-convective vortices near the Nafion homogeneous membrane in PDMS-based microfluidic devices. To reinforce the mechanical rigidity and minimize the non-uniform swelling characteristics of the homogeneous membrane, a newly developed swelling supporter was additionally adapted to the Nafion membrane. Thus, a clear image of electroconvective vortices near the Nafion membrane could be obtained and visualized. As a result, we observed that the heterogeneous membrane has relatively stronger electroconvective vortices compared to the Nafion homogeneous membranes. Regarding electrical response, the Nafion membrane has a higher limiting current and less overlimiting current compared to the heterogeneous membrane. Based on our visualization, it is assumed that the heterogeneous membrane has more activated electroconvective vortices, which lower electrical resistance in the overlimiting current regime. We anticipate that this work can contribute to the fundamental understanding of the ion transport characteristics depending on the homogeneity of ion exchange membranes.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.207-211
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• 2013

In this research, the pH sensor was developed using CNT nanosheet with Nafion coating for the advanced medical sensor such as a blood gas analyzer. The CNT nanosheet was formed by dielectrophoresis and water-meniscus between cantilever-type electrodes. Then, the process of the heat annealing and the Nafion coating was conducted for reducing contact resistance and giving proton selectivity respectively. We measured the response of the pH sensor as the electrolyte-gated CNT-nanosheet field effect transistor. The sensor showed a linear current ratio in a similar range of the normal blood pH. A calibration method for decreasing of the response variation among sensors has also been introduced. Coefficient of variance of the pH sensor was decreased by applying the calibration method. A linear relation between the calibrated response of the sensors and pH variance was also obtained. Finally, the pH sensor with a high resolution was fabricated and we verify the feasibility of the sensor by applying the calibration method.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.579-584
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• 2011

Sulfonated poly (ether sulfone)s containing BFBN were prepared from 2,3-bis(4-fluorophenyl)-2-butenedinitrile , 4,4-sulfonyldiphenol and sulfonated 4,4'-difluorodiphenylsulfone sodium salt using potassium carbonate, and followed acidification reaction with 1M $H_2SO_4$. BFBN was prepared from 4-fluorobenzylcyanide, $CCl_4$, NaOH using trimethylbenzylammoniumchloride . Sulfonated poly(ether sulfone)s containing BFBN were studied by FT-IR, $^1H$-NMR spectroscopy, and thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA). The water uptake of synthesized S-PBFBN membranes exhibit 31~62% compared with 28% of Nafion 211. The S-PBFBN membranes exhibit proton conductivities ($80^{\circ}C$, RH 100) of 53.8~117.4 mS/cm compared with 137.4 mS/cm of Nafion 211.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.673-681
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• 2023

Hydrocarbon-based polymer membranes to replace perfluorinated polymer membranes are being continuously researched. However, hydrocarbon-based membranes have a problem in that they are less durable than fluorine-based membranes. In this study, we sought to compare the annealing effect to improve the durability of sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK). After membranes formation, thermogravimetric analysis and tensile strength were measured to compare changes in membranes properties due to annealing. After manufacturing the membrane and electrode assembly (MEA), the initial performance and chemical durability was compared with unit cell operation. During the 24-hour annealing process, the strength increased due to the increase in-S-O-S-crosslinking, and the sulfonic acid group decreased, leading to a decrease in I-V performance. By annealing, the hydrogen permeability was reduced to less than 1/10 of that of the nafion membrane, and as a result, open circuit voltage (OCV) and durability was improved. The SPEEK membranes annealed for 24 hours showed higher durability than the nafion 211 membranes of the same thickness.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.211-217
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• 2011

In this study, ion exchange membranes were prepared using high impact polystyrene(HIPS) with various crosslinking and sulfonation time. Degree of sulfonation(DS) of sulfonated HIPS(SHIPS) membrane was increased with sulfonation time and decreased with crosslinking time. The highest value of DS was 66%. Also, water uptake and ion exchange capacity(IEC) of SHIPS membrane were decreased with degree of crosslinking and increased with sulfonation time. Then their values were 35.2% and 1.55 meq/g, respectively. Electrical resistance and ion conductivity of the membranes were showed more excellent value with sulfonation time. The maximum value of electrical resistance and ion conductivity were $0.4\Omega{\cdot}cm^{2}$ and 0.1 S/cm, respectively. It is indicated that the SHIPS membrane has the higher performance compare with Nafion 117. Durability of SHIPS membranes in a organic solvent was increased with increasing crosslinking time. The surface roughness of HIPS membranes were confirmed with SEM that was become uneven surface with progressing sulfonation.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.517-522
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• 2023

A chemical/mechanical durability test of polymer membrane evaluation method is used in which air and hydrogen are supplied to the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) and wet/dry is repeated in the open circuit voltage (OCV) state. In this protocol, when wet/dry is repeated, voltage increase/decrease is repeated, resulting in electrode degradation. When the membrane durability is excellent, the number of voltage changes increases and the evaluation is terminated due to electrode degradation, which may cause a problem that the original purpose of membrane durability evaluation cannot be performed. In this study, the same protocol as the department of energy (DOE) was used, but oxygen was used instead of air as the cathode gas, and the wet/dry time and flow rate were also increased to increase the chemical/mechanical degradation rate of the membrane, thereby shortening the durability evaluation time of the membrane to improve these problems. The durability test of the Nafion 211 membrane electrode assembly (MEA) was completed after 2,300 cycles by increasing the acceleration by 2.6 times using oxygen instead of air. This protocol also accelerated degradation of the membrane and accelerated degradation of the electrode catalyst, which also had the advantage of simultaneously evaluating the durability of the membrane and the electrode.