Papers by Author: Kwang Bo Shim

Abstract: The oxidation behavior of tantalum diboride (TaB2) powder at high temperature was investigated in order to determine the possibility of the use of advanced high temperature structural materials. Unfortunately, monolithic TaB2 were known to be chemical stability up to high temperatures. To date, there have been few reports regarding the properties of TaB2 ceramics. The samples were oxidized at room temperature to 1273 K for 5 minutes to 25 hours in air. The weight changes were measured to estimate the oxidation resistance. The oxidation of samples oxidized for short oxidation time of 5 minutes started at 873 K, and the weight gain increased with increasing oxidation temperature. On the other hand, at the oxidation time of above 1 hour, a maximum weight gain value at 973 to 1073 K was observed. However, even if the oxidation temperature was increased an additional weight change slightly occurred. The weight gain of the sample oxidized at 1273 K for 5 minutes to 25 hours was about 40 to 20 % of the theoretical oxidation mass change. According to the powder X-ray diffraction date, the oxidized TaB2 sample was changed to Ta2O5 at 873 K. Finally, the TaB2 showed a good oxidation resistance at high temperature, because the surface film of tantalum oxide (Ta2O5) formed by oxidation acted as an oxidation resistant layer.

Abstract: Al doped Li(Ni1/3Co1/3Mn1/3-xAlx)O2 (x=0.005, 0.01, 0.05) and Li(Ni1/3-x/2Co1/3Mn1/3-x/2Alx)O2 (x=0.01, 0.05) cathode materials for lithium ion batteries were synthesized using an ultrasonic spray pyrolysis and heat treatment. The substitution with Al reduced the content of Mn3+, promoted grain growth, and broadened the particle size distribution of synthesized powders. The initial discharge capacity of cells made with 0.5 mol% Al doped Li(Ni1/3Co1/3Mn1/3-0.005Al0.005)O2 powder was as high as that of the undoped (~180 mAhg-1, 3.0
4.5 V), and showed an excellent cycle stability. The improvement of the cycle stability was considered to be due to the decrease of Mn3+ in Li(Co1/3Ni1/3Mn1/3-xAlx)O2 by Al doping.

Abstract: The surface of Li(Ni1/3Co1/3Mn1/3)O2 was modified with Al2O3 using aqueous alumina sol and the electrochemical properties of the coated oxide were measured and compared with both uncoated and Al-doped one. The alumina coated powder showed 185 mAh/g at first cycle, and 139 mAh/g after 50 cycles in the voltage range of 3.0~4.6 V at 1C rate. The initial discharge capacity of the coated powder was slightly lower than that of the alumina doped one, but the cycle stability of the coated was better than that of the doped.

Abstract: Lithium manganese oxide (LiMn2O4) powders for lithium ion batteries were synthesized from two separate raw material pairs, LiOH/MnO and LiOH/MnO2. The prepared powders and their electrochemical properties were investigated. Powders calcined at 780°C were composed of a single-phase spinel structure but those treated at 850°C showed a higher intensity ratio of I400 to I311, a slightly larger lattice parameter, and an increased discharge capacity by 10% under 3.0~4.3V voltage range. The XPS study on the oxidation states of manganese repealed that powders made from LiOH/MnO had less Mn3+ ion and gave better battery performances than those from LiOH/MnO2.

Abstract: Several boride sintered bodies such as TiB2, ZrB2, and SiB6 were previously reported. In the present study, the sinterability and physical properties of chromium boride (CrB2) containing chromium carbide (Cr3C2) sintered bodies were investigated in order to determine its new advanced material. The samples were sintered at desired temperature for 1 hour in vacuum under a pressure by hot pressing. The relative density of sintered bodies was measured by Archimedes’ method. The relative densities of CrB2 addition of 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 mass % Cr3C2 composites were 92 to 95 %. The Vickers hardness of the CrB2 with 10 and 15 mass % Cr3C2 composites were about 14 and 15 GPa at room temperature, respectively. The Vickers hardness at high temperature of the CrB2 addition of 10 mass % Cr3C2 composite decreased with increasing measurement temperature. The Vickers hardness at 1273 K of the sample was 6 GPa. The Vickers hardness of CrB2 addition of Cr3C2 composites was higher than monolithic CrB2 sintered body. The powder X-ray diffraction analysis detected CrB and B4C phases in CrB2 containing Cr3C2 composites.

Abstract: agents. The glass abrasive sludges were mixed with expanding agents and compacted into pellets. These pellets were sintered in the range of 700-900oC for 20min. The sintered porous materials had a surface layer with smaller pores and inner parts with larger pores. The surface layer and pores controlled the absorption ratio and physical properties. As the expanding agent fraction and the sintering temperature increased, the porosity and pore size increased. The porous materials with Fe2O3 and graphite as the expanding agents had a low absorption ratio of about 3% or lower while the porous material with CaCO3 as the expanding agent had a higher absorption ratio and more open pores.

Abstract: Dense 8mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia (8YSZ) consisting of submicrometer-sized grains was prepared using spark plasma sintering (SPS) along with Al2O3 additives. The starting powder with average particle size of 50nm was densified to 98% of the relative density with short sintering time (5min) at 1200
while preserving a submicrometer grain size. The fracture toughness and bending strength showed maximum values of 2.54MPam1/2 and 380MPa at 2vol% alumina-added 8YSZ, due mainly to the higher relative density and small grain size. The electrical conductivity of 2vol% alumina-added 8YSZ was 0.0278 S/cm at 700
 in airThus, alumina additions in 8YSZ using the SPS method are an effective process to improve the mechanical strength and electrical conductivity.

Abstract: Uniformly nano-sized macroporous silica consisting of well-defined pore sizes were successfully fabricated. A modified sol-gel process, using mono-dispersed polystyrene(PS) spheres as templates, was employed for configuring three-dimensionally ordered macroporous structure. The nano-sized macroporous silica structure was formed when the templates were removed by the calcination at high temperature. The pH value affected uniformly stacked order in the PS/silica matrix due to the PS being uniformly coated by silica film at appropriate pH value. Also this pH value affected the iso-electrics points between the PS and silica particles surface charges. The heating temperatures and the reaction times were considered to conform the microstructural morphology, the thermal deposition of organic components, the matrix wall thickness and densification behavior. Three-dimensionally assembled porous silica consists of uniform-sized pores of 200nm and high specific surface area of 163 m2/g.

Abstract: The nitrogenated diamond-like carbon films (a-C:H:N) were deposited on Si-wafer by the rf-PECVD method with the addition of nitrogen to the mixture gas of methane and hydrogen. We were investigating the effect of the additive nitrogen gases and annealing in relationship between bonding structure and electrical properties of the deposited films. The electrical conductivity of films increased with the flow rate of nitrogen increasing up to 10 sccm. Also as annealing temperature was increased, the electrical conductivity of films increased. The structure analysis results show that an increase of the flow rate of nitrogen and annealing temperature favor the formation of sp2 bonding in the films. Therefore, we confirmed that the increase of the electrical conductivity is due to structure change by graphitization of the films.

Abstract: Amorphous/pseudoamorphous GaN was prepared by pulsed-laser ablation at room temperature without any heat treatment. The structure and chemical composition of the specimens were systematically investigated. Laser ablation at low Ar pressure (<50Pa) led to deposition of smooth Ga-rich films, which is independent with laser energy. Under same pressures, as laser energy increased, the film stoichiometry changed from Ga-rich to near stoichiometric composition. Varying background Ar pressure strongly affected the product structure showing little effect on the chemical composition. Under higher pressure than 100 Pa, fine nanoparticles with a size of 5 nm rather than films were deposited on substrate due to the increased collision by plume confining. The optical band-gap of the deposited a-GaN is 2.8 eV for thin films and 3.9 eV for nanoparticles.