• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.478-482
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• 2017

Humidity control of proton exchange membrane fuel cell(PEMFC) is very important control condition during driving. In terms of water management, low humidification conditions are advantageous, and high humidification is advantageous in terms of drainage utilization and energy efficiency. In this study, the characteristics of outlet water in low humidification and high humidification process were studied in terms of utilization of discharged water. Since the impurities in the effluent are generated during the degradation of the membrane and the electrode assembly(MEA), degradation of the MEA under low humidification and high humidification conditions was also studied. The rate of radical generation was high at low humidification condition of the anode RH 0%, which showed that it was the main cause of the degradation of the polymer membrane. Analysis of effluent showed low concentration of fluoride ion concentration of about 20 ppb at high humidification (both electrodes RH 100%) and 0.6 V, which was enough to be used as the feed water for electrolysis. Very low concentration of platinum below 0.2 ppb was detected in the condensate discharged from the high humidification condition.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.1765-1773
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• 2013

The cathode reaction is one of the most seriously limiting factors in a microbial fuel cell (MFC). The critical dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration of a platinum-loaded graphite electrode was reported as 2.2 mg/l, about 10-fold higher than an aerobic bacterium. A series of MFCs were run with the cathode compartment inoculated with activated sludge (biotic) or not (abiotic) on platinum-loaded or bare graphite electrodes. At the beginning of the operation, the current values from MFCs with a biocathode and abiotic cathode were $2.3{\pm}0.1$ and $2.6{\pm}0.2mA$, respectively, at the air-saturated water supply in the cathode. The current from MFCs with an abiotic cathode did not change, but that of MFCs with a biotic cathode increased to 3.0 mA after 8 weeks. The coulomb efficiency was 59.6% in the MFCs with a biotic cathode, much higher than the value of 15.6% of the abiotic cathode. When the DO supply was reduced, the current from MFCs with an abiotic cathode decreased more sharply than in those with a biotic cathode. When the respiratory inhibitor azide was added to the catholyte, the current decreased in MFCs with a biotic cathode but did not change in MFCs with an abiotic cathode. The power density was higher in MFCs with a biotic cathode ($430W/m^3$ cathode compartment) than the abiotic cathode MFC ($257W/m^3$ cathode compartment). Electron microscopic observation revealed nanowire structures in biofilms that developed on both the anode and on the biocathode. These results show that an electron-consuming bacterial consortium can be used as a cathode catalyst to improve the cathode reaction.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.118-123
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• 2008

In the present study, the effect of oxyfluorination treatment on multi-walled nanotubes (MWNTs) supports was investigated by analyzing surface functional groups. The surface characteristics were determined by Fourier transformed-infrared (FT-IR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). After the deposition of platinum nanoparticles on the above treated carbon supports, a crystalline size and a loading level had been investigated. Electrochemical properties of the treated MWNTs-supported Pt (Pt/MWNTs) catalysts were analyzed by current-voltage curve measurements. From the results of surface analysis, an oxygen and fluorine-containing functional group had been introduced to the surface of carbon supports. The oxygen and fluorine contents were the highest value at the treatment of 100 temperature. The Pt/100-MWNTs showed the smallest particle crystalline size of 3.5 nm and the highest loading level of 9.4% at the treatment of 100 temperature. However, the sample treated at the higher temperature showed the larger crystalline size and the lower loading level. This indicated that the crystalline size and the loading level could be controlled by changing the temperature of oxyfluorination treatment. Accordingly, an electrochemical activity was enhanced by increasing the temperature of treatment upto 100, and then decreased in the case of 200 and 300. The highest specific current density of 120 mA/mg had been obtained in the case of Pt/100-MWNTs.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.405-410
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• 2010

The photovoltaic performance of DSSCs fabricated with different electrode thickness and different annealing temperature with the P25 $TiO_2$ and the Dyesol $TiO_2$ was measured. Thickness change of $TiO_2$ electrodes was measured using cross-sectional FE-SEM before and after annealing. Photovoltaic efficiencies of DSSCs were also measured by changing annealing temperature of platinum (Pt) paste on the counter electrode. Photovoltaic performances of DSSCs made with one layer of P25 (${\sim}20.4\;{\mu}m$) and one layer of Dyesol $TiO_2$ (${\sim}9.1\;{\mu}m$) annealed at $500^{\circ}C$ for 30 min. showed highest efficiencies of 3.8% and 5.8%, respectively.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.183-196
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• 2017

The research efforts directed at advancing water electrolysis technology continue to intensify together with the increasing interest in hydrogen as an alternative source of energy to fossil fuels. Among the various water electrolysis systems reported to date, systems employing a solid polymer electrolyte membrane are known to display both improved safety and efficiency as a result of enhanced separation of products: hydrogen and oxygen. Conducting water electrolysis in an alkaline medium lowers the system cost by allowing non-platinum group metals to be used as catalysts for the complex multi-electron transfer reactions involved in water electrolysis, namely the hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions (HER and OER, respectively). We briefly review the anion exchange membranes (AEMs) and electrocatalysts developed and applied thus far in alkaline AEM water electrolysis (AEMWE) devices. Testing the developed components in AEMWE cells is a key step in maximizing the device performance since cell performance depends strongly on the structure of the electrodes containing the HER and OER catalysts and the polymer membrane under specific cell operating conditions. In this review, we discuss the properties of reported AEMs that have been used to fabricate membrane-electrode assemblies for AEMWE cells, including membranes based on polysulfone, poly(2,6-dimethyl-p-phylene) oxide, polybenzimidazole, and inorganic composite materials. The activities and stabilities of tertiary metal oxides, metal carbon composites, and ultra-low Pt-loading electrodes toward OER and HER in AEMWE cells are also described.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.103-110
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• 2008

The most failure mode of PEM fuel cell is gas crossover caused by pinhole formation in MEAs. The degradation phenomena of MEA with pinholes were evaluated in various accelerated operation condition, such as OCV, low humidity and high partial pressure of oxygen. The performances of MEA with pinholes were almost same before and after normal 144 hours operation($70^{\circ}C$, $640mA/cm^2$, 65%RH $H_2/air$). The results of accelerated operation showed that OCV and low humidity condition more deteriorated MEA than gas crossover owing to pinholes. When oxygen was used as cathode gas, the pinholes of MEA were enlarged due to heat of combustion reaction on Pt catalyst of electrodes. This combustion reaction occurred at pinholes near gas inlet and resulted in local MEA failure.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.172-177
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• 1985

The semiconducting property of Sb-doped tin oxide thin film electrode was investigated and the electrocatalytic effect of this electrode for $SO_2$ (or sulfite, bisulfite ions) oxidation reaction was studied under various conditions. The anodic oxidation of $SO_2$ at tin oxide thin film electrode commenced at lower potential with increasing pH, and good electrocatalytic effect was shown of $SO_3^=$ oxidation in basic solution. In the acidic solutions the electrocatalytic effect of platinum-or palladium-incorporated tin oxide electrode was found to be due to the sites of Pt or Pd exposed on the electrode surface. The electrocatalytic effect of tin oxide electrode was distinctive from that of Pt-or Pd-containing electrodes.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.51.3-51.3
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• 2010

Due to the recent public awareness of global warming and sustainable economic growth, there has been a growing interest in alternative clean energy sources. Hydrogen is considered as a clean fuel for the next generation. One of the technical challenges related to the use of hydrogen is safe monitoring of the hydrogen leak during separation, purification and transportation. For detecting various gases, chemiresistor-type gas sensors have been widely studied and used due to their well-established detection scheme and low cost. However, it is known that many of them have the limited sensitivity and slow response time, when used at low temperature conditions. In our work, a sensor based on Schottky barriers at the electrode/sensing material interface showed promising results that can be utilized for developing fast and highly sensitive gas sensors. Our hydrogen sensor was designed and fabricated based on indium oxide (In2O3)-doped tin oxide (SnO2) semiconductor nanoparticles with platinum (Pt) nanoclusters in combination with interdigitated electrodes. The sensor showed the sensitivity as high as $10^7%$ (Rair/Rgas) and the detection limit as low as 30 ppm. The sensor characteristics could be obtained via optimized materials synthesis route and sensor electrode design. Not only the contribution of electrical resistance from the film itself but also the interfacial effect was identified as an important factor that contribute significantly to the overall sensor characteristics. This promises the applicability of the developed sensor for monitoring hydrogen leak at room temperature.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.118.2-118.2
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• 2011

In order to increase the energy conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), we employed a counter electrode that was platinum coated using a doctor blade technique on synthesized ZnO nanostructures on fluorinedoped tin oxide (FTO). The ZnO nanostructures possessing high electrochemical activity and large surface area of the counter electrode were grown by a chemical bath deposition (CBD) method at various times, 2, 4, and 8 h. The efficiency of DSSC with the Pt-ZnO counter electrode was improved 7.01% (grown for 2 h), 7.63% (grown for 4 h), and 6.13% (grown for 8 h), respectively. Compared with a standard DSSC without ZnO nanostructures, whose efficiency was 6.27%, the energy conversion efficiency increased approximately 22% for the DSSC with the Pt-ZnO (grown for 4 h) electrode. It indicates that the Pt coated on the ZnO nanostructure improves the electrocatalytic activity of the counter electrode.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.817-821
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• 2016

Levodopa or L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) is the direct precursor of the neurotransmitter dopamine. L-DOPA is a well-known neuroprotective agent for the treatment of Parkinson's disease symptoms. L-DOPA was synthesized using the enzyme, tyrosinase, as a biocatalyst for the conversion of L-tyrosine to L-DOPA and an electrochemical method for reducing L-DOPAquinone, the product resulting from enzymatic synthesis, to L-DOPA. In this study, three electrode systems were used: A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) as working electrode, a platinum, and a Ag/AgCl electrode as auxiliary and reference electrodes, respectively. GCE has been modified using electropolymerization of pyrrole to facilitate the electron transfer process and immobilize tyrosinase. Optimum conditions for the electropolymerization modified electrode were a temperature of $30^{\circ}C$ and a pH of 7 producing L-DOPA concentration 0.315 mM. After 40 days, the relative activity of an enzyme for electropolymerization remained 38.6%, respectively.