• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.402.1-402.1
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• 2016

The performance of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) is directly related to the electrocatalytic activity of composite electrodes in which triple phase boundaries (TPBs) of metallic catalyst, oxygen ion conducting support, and gas should be three-dimensionally maximized. The distribution morphology of catalytic nanoparticle dispersed on external surfaces is of key importance for maximized TPBs. Herein in situ grown nickel nanoparticle onto the surface of fluorite oxide is demonstrated employing gadolium-nickel co-doped ceria ($Gd0.2-xNixCe0.8O2-{\delta}$, GNDC) by reductive annealing. GNDC powders were synthesized via a Pechini-type sol-gel process while maximum doping ratio of Ni into the cerium oxide was defined by X-ray diffraction. Subsequently, NiO-GNDC composite were screen printed on the both sides of yttrium-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) pellet to fabricate the symmetrical half cells. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) showed that the polarization resistance was decreased when it was compared to conventional Ni-GDC anode and this effect became greater at lower temperature. Ex situ microstructural analysis using scanning electron microscopy after the reductive annealing exhibited the exsolution of Ni nanoparticles on the fluorite phases. The influence of Ni contents in GNDC on polarization characteristics of anodes were examined by EIS under H2/H2O atmosphere. Finally, the addition of optimized GNDC into the anode functional layer (AFL) dramatically enhanced cell performance of anode-supported coin cells.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.470-475
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• 2012

$La_{1-x}Sr_xMnO_3$(LSM,$0{\leq}x{\leq}0.5$) powders as the air electrode for solid oxide fuel cell were synthesized by a glycine-nitrate combustion process. The powders were then examined by X-ray diffraction(XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The as-formed powders were composed of very fine ash particles linked together in chains. X-ray maps of the LSM powders milled for 1.5 h showed that the metallic elements are homogeneously distributed inside each grain and in the different grains. The powder XRD patterns of the LSM with x < 0.3 showed a rhombohedral phase; the phase changes to the cubic phase at higher compositions($x{\geq}0.3$) calcined in air at $1200^{\circ}C$ for 4 h. Also, the SEM micrographs showed that the average grain size decreases as Sr content increases. Composite air electrodes made of 50/50 vol% of the resulting LSM powders and yttria stabilized zirconia(YSZ) powders were prepared by colloidal deposition technique. The electrodes were studied by ac impedance spectroscopy in order to improve the performance of a solid oxide fuel cell(SOFC). Reproducible impedance spectra were confirmed using the improved cell, which consisted of LSM-YSZ/YSZ. The composite electrode of LSM and YSZ was found to yield a lower cathodic resistivity than that of the non-composite one. Also, the addition of YSZ to the $La_{1-x}Sr_xMnO_3$ ($0.1{\leq}x{\leq}0.2$) electrode led to a pronounced, large decrease in the cathodic resistivity of the LSM-YSZ composite electrodes.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.06a
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• pp.141-145
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• 2007

Due to their excellent catalytic activity with respect to methanol oxidation on platinum at low temperature, platinum nanosized catalysts have been a topic of great interest for use in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). Since pure platinum is readily poisoned by CO, a by-product of methanol electrooxidation, and is extremely expensive, a number of efforts to design and characterize Pt-based alloy nanosized catalysts or Pt nanophase-support composites have been attempted in order to reduce or relieve the CO poisoning effect. In this review paper, we summarize these efforts based upon our recent research results. The Pt-based nanocatalysts were designed by chemical synthesis and thin-film technology, and were characterized by a variety of analyses. According to bifunctional mechanism, it was concluded that good alloy formation with $2^{nd}$ metal (e.g., Ru) as well as the metallic state and optimum portion of Ru element in the anode catalyst contribute to an enhanced catalytic activity for methanol electrooxidation. In addition, we found that the modified electronic properties of platinum in Pt alloy electrodes as well as the surface and bulk structure of Pt alloys with a proper composition could be attributed to a higher catalytic activity for methanol electooxdation. Proton conducting contribution of nanosized electrocatalysts should also be considered to be excellent in methanol electrooxidation (Spillover effect). Finally, we confirmed the ensemble effect, which combined all above effects, in Pt-based nanocatalsyts especially, such as PtRuRhNi and $PtRuWO_{3}$, contribute to an enhanced catalytic activity.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.45 no.12
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• pp.772-776
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• 2008

The Korea Electric Power Research Institute (KEPRI) has been developing planar solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and power systems for combined heat and power (CHP) units. The R&D work includes solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) materials investigation, design and fabrication of single cells and stacks, and kW class SOFC CHP system development. Anode supported cells composed of Ni-YSZ/FL/YSZ/LSCF were enlarged up to $15{\times}15\;cm^2$ and stacks were manufactured using $10{\times}10\;cm^2$ cells and metallic interconnects such as ferritic stainless steel. The first-generation system had a 37-cell stack and an autothermal reformer for use with city gas. The system showed maximum stack power of about $1.3\;kW_{e,DC}$ and was able to recover heat of $0.57{\sim}1.2\;kW_{th}$ depending on loaded current by making hot water. The second-generation system was composed of an improved 48-cell stack and a prereformer (or steam reformer). The thermal management subsystem design including heat exchangers and insulators was also improved. The second-generation system was successfully operated without any external heat source. Under self-sustainable operation conditions, the stack power was about $1.3\;kW_{e,DC}$ with hydrogen and $1.2\;kW_{e,DC}$ with city. The system also recuperated heat of about $1.1\;kW_{th}$ by making hot water. Recently KEPRI manufactured a 2kW class SOFC stack and a system by scaling up the second-generation 1kW system and will develop a 5kW class CHP system by 2010.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.62-67
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• 2002

The corrosion of the metallic cell components is blown to be one of the major reason f3r the performance degradation and subsequently the life-time limitation of the MCFC. To elucidate the corrosion phenomena, a corrosion study with the AISI-type 316L stainless steel, the most widely used separator material, in 621Li/38K carbonate eutectic melt was carried out. Corrosion phenomena in an MCFC were observed to differ from one location to another due to different environmental condition. The stability of passive film was found to be responsible fur the variations in corrosion phenomena. According to the potentiodynamic analysis, the passive film formed in anode-gas environment was less stable than in cathode-gas environment. The potentiostatic method combined with XRD analysis in addition to the cyclicvoltammetry was conducted to get an insight on variety corrosion reaction of AISI-type 316L stainless steel in a carbonate melt.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.732-738
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• 2011

Effect of metal oxide catalysts and ionic liquids on the synthesis of methyl carbamate(MC) and dimethyl carbonate (DMC) from urea and methanol was investigated in a high pressure reaction system. In closed system, MC yield from urea and methanol reached almost 100% at reaction temperature over $150^{\circ}C$ without catalyst, whereas DMC yield of 1.5% under was obtained irrespective of catalysts used. In DMC synthesis from MC and methanol, $ZnCl_{2}$ showed the highest catalytic activity and led to the DMC yield of 16.3% under optimal conditions. Furthermore, DMC yield can be enhanced by the simultaneous application of ionic liquids with nano-sized catalysts in semi-continuous reaction system.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.271-276
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• 2019

Oxide-dispersion-strengthened (ODS) alloy has been developed to increase the mechanical strength of metallic materials; such an improvement can be realized by distributing fine oxide particles within the material matrix. In this study, the ODS layer was formed in the surface region of Zr-based alloy tubes by laser beam treatment. Two kinds of Zr-based alloys with different alloying elements and microstructures were used: KNF-M (recrystallized) and HANA-6 (partial recrystallized). To form the ODS layer, $Y_2O_3$-coated tubes were scanned by a laser beam, which induced penetration of $Y_2O_3$ particles into the substrates. The thickness of the ODS layer varied from 20 to $55{\mu}m$ depending on the laser beam conditions. A heat affected zone developed below the ODS layer; its thickness was larger in the KNF-M alloy than in the HANA-6 alloy. The ring tensile strengths of the KNF-M and HANA-6 alloy samples increased more than two times and 20-50%, respectively. This procedure was effective to increase the strength while maintaining the ductility in the case of the HANA-6 alloy samples; however, an abrupt brittle facture was observed in the KNF-M alloy samples. It is considered that the initial microstructure of the materials affects the formation of ODS and the mechanical behavior.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Combustion
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.46-51
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• 2011

Exhaust gas of an industrial furnace used at such as metallurgy or ceramic manufacturing usually contains thermal energy with high temperature which can be recycled by heat exchanger. However, when the temperature of the exhaust gas is high such as more than $1,000^{\circ}C$, ordinary metallic heat exchanger cannot fully recover the heat due to the limitation of operating temperature depending on the material property. In the present study, a compact ceramic heat exchanger of cross flow type is introduced and evaluated by heat exchange rate and operating temperature. The ceramic heat exchanger can endure the gas temperature more than $1,300^{\circ}C$, and its volumetric heat exchanging rate exceeds 1 MW/$m^3$. The experimental data is also compared with the previous numerical result which shows reasonable agreement. Meanwhile, the gas leakage rate is measured to be about 3~4%, and heat loss to environmental air is about 23~26% of the fuel energy.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Combustion
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 1996

An equilibrium analysis was carried out to determine principal species in the incineration of hazardous waste, which was assumed as a compound of hydrocarbon fuel, chlorine, sulfur, and heavy metals, and their behaviors with variation of temperature, chlorine and sulfur concentrations. Calculated results showed that the most important parameter influencing the principal species was temperature. Chlorine concentration affected on mole fractions of the species, especially at high temperature. Existence of sulfur had a significant effect on the species at low temperature, regardless of surfur concentration. Generally, principal species at high temperature were chlorides and oxides, while the principal species at low temperature were sulfides. As temperature increased, mole fractions of the principal species increased at low temperature, however, mole fractions of some metal species decreased at high temperature.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.1071-1077
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• 2009

A novel pretreatment technique was applied to the conventional Pt/alumina catalyst to prepare for the highly efficient catalyst for the preferential oxidation of carbon monoxide in hydrogen-rich condition. Their performance was investigated by selective CO oxidation reaction. CO conversion with the oxygen-treated Pt/Alumina catalyst increased remarkably especially at the low temperature below $100^{\circ}C$. This result is promising for the normal operation of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) without CO poisoning of the anode catalyst. XRD analysis results showed that metallic Pt peaks were not observed for the oxygen-treated catalyst. This implies that well dispersed small Pt particles exist on the catalyst. This result was continued by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) analysis. Consequently, it can be concluded that highly dispersed Pt nanoparticles could be prepared by the novel pretreatment technique and thus, CO conversion could be increased considerably especially at the low temperatures below $100^{\circ}C$.