The simulation program for solar cells, PC1D, was briefly reviewed and the device modeling of a multicrystalline Si solar cell using the program was carried out to understand the internal operating principles. The effects of design parameters on the light absorption and the quantum efficiency were investigated and strategies to reduce carrier recombination, such as back surface field and surface passivation, were also characterized with the numerical simulation. In every step of the process, efficiency improvements for the key performance characteristics of the model device were determined and compared with the properties of the solar cell, whose efficiency (20.3%) has been confirmed as the highest in multicrystalline Si devices. In this simulation work, it was found that the conversion efficiency of the prototype model (13.6%) can be increased up to 20.7% after the optimization of design parameters.
Directional solidification experiments were carried out at 1-300 μm/sec solidification rates in the single crystal superalloy, CMSX 10. The solid/liquid interface morphology changed from planar to dendritic, and the dendrite spacing became finer as the solidification rate increased. The pool size of the γ/γ' eutectic, formed between dendrites, reduced as the solidification rate increased. The phase formation temperatures, such as the solidus, liquidus and eutectic, were estimated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. The morphology of the γ/γ' phase, known to be eutectic, showed γ' cells with a γ intercellular network, and this γ/γ' was composed of coarse and fine γ/γ' regions. In this study, it is suggested that the γ/γ' phase was a coupled peritectic.The solidification procedure of the γ/γ' between dendrites is also discussed.
In this study, two series of CNT/TiO2 electrodes were prepared. The decrease of surface area compared with that of the pristine carbon nanotubes (CNTs) indicated the blocking of micropores on the surface of the CNTs; was further supported by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and field emission SEM (FE-SEM) observations. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) results showed that the CNT/TiO2 composites contained a mix of anatase and rutile forms of TiO2 particles when the precursor was TiO2 powder, whereas when the precursor was Ti (OC4H7) (TNB), the composites contained only the typical single and clear anatase TiO2 particles. The energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) spectra showed the presence of C, O and Ti peaks for all samples. It was found that catalytic decomposition of methylene blue (MB) solution could be attributed to synthetic effects between the TiO2 photocatalysis and electro-assisted CNTs network, and that photoelectrocatalytic oxidation increased with an increase of CNT composition. It was also found that the photoelectrocatalytic oxidation efficiency for MB is higher than that of photocatalytic oxidation. Moreover, the CNT/TiO2 composites catalyst prepared by the impregnation method demonstrates higher photoelectrocatalytic activity than the mechanical mixture with the same CNT content.
Spring constants (displacement per unit applied load) of MEMS socket pins of given structures were computed by theoretical analysis and confirmed by the finite element method (FEM). In the theoretical analysis, the displacement of pins was calculated based on the 2-dimensional bending theory of the curved beam. For the 3-dimensional modeling, CATIA was used. After modeling, the raw data were transferred to ANSYS, which was employed in the 3-dimensional analysis for the calculation of the stress and strain and loaddisplacement The theoretical analysis and the FEM results were found to agree, with each showing the spring constants as 63.4 N/m within a reasonable load range. These results show that spring constants can be easily obtained through theoretical calculation without resorting to experiments and FEM analysis for simple and symmetric structures. For the some change of shape and structural stiffness, this theoretical analysis can be applied to MEMS socket pins.
Oxide effects experiments on massive hydriding reactions of Zr alloy with hydrogen gas were carried out at 400˚C under 1 atm in a H2 environment with a thermo-gravimetric apparatus (TGA). Experimental results for oxide effects on massive hydriding kinetics show that incubation time is not proportional to oxide thickness. The results also show that the massive hydriding kinetics of pre-filmed Zr alloys follows linear kinetic law and that the hydriding rates are similar to that of oxide-free Zr alloys once massive hydriding is initiated. Unlikely microstructure of the oxide during incubation time, physical defects such as micro-cracks and pores were observed in the oxide after incubation time. Therefore, it seems that the massive hydriding of Zr alloys can be ascribed to short circuit paths and mechanical or physical defects, such as micro-cracks and pores in the oxide, rather than to hydrogen diffusion through the oxide resulting from the increase of oxygen vacancies in the hypo-stoichiometric oxide.
The sintering behavior of zircon with silica was investigated. Zircon with 5 vol% of sedimentation SiO2 resulted in the apparent density of 4.45 g/cm3, the diametral tensile strength of 12.125 kgf/cm2, and the micro Vickers hardness of 1283 HV. The dissociation temperature and mechanical characteristics of the ZrSiO4 were changed with different kinds of SiO2. SiO2 addition prevented dissociation of ZrSiO4. Zircon with 5 vol% of sedimentation SiO2 and with 5 vol% of fused SiO2 resulted in increased diametral tensile strength and increased micro Vickers hardness by suppression of ZrSiO4 dissociation and low temperature liquid SiO2 formation. Zircon with fumed SiO2 and quartz SiO2 resulted in decreased diametral tensile strength and decreased micro Vickers hardness because of cristobalite and quartz phase formation and high temperature liquid SiO2 formation. Zircon with 10 vol% of SiO2 resulted in decreased diametral tensile strength and decreased micro Vickers hardness because of weak particle coupling due to excess formation of liquid SiO2.
Oil-based nanofluids were prepared by dispersing Ag, graphite and carbon black nanoparticles in lubricating oil. Agglomerated nanoparticles were dispersed evenly with a high-speed bead mill and/or ultrasonic homogenizer, and the surfaces of the nanoparticles were modified simultaneously with several dispersants. Their tribological behaviors were evaluated with a pin-on-disk, disk-on-disk and four-ball EP and wear tester. It is obvious that the optimal combination of nanoparticles, surfactants and surface modification process is very important for the dispersity of nanofluids, and it eventually affects the tribological properties as a controlling factor. Results indicate that a relatively larger size and higher concentration of nanoparticles lead to better load-carrying capacity. In contrast, the use of a smaller size and lower concentration of particles is recommended for reducing the friction coefficient of lubricating oil. Moreover, nanofluids with mixed nanoparticles of Ag and graphite are more suitable for the improvement of load-carrying capacity and antiwear properties.
In this study, the additivity factors of compositions to density and glass transition point (Tg) in a xLi2O-(1-x)[(1-y)TeO2-yZnO] (0<x<20, 0<y<20) glass system were analyzed by using mixture design, and the change of ionic conductivity with density and Tg was discussed. As a method for predicting the relation between glass structure and ionic conductivity, density was measured by the Archimedes method. The glass transition point was analyzed to predict the relation between ionic conductivity and the bonding energy between alkali ions and non-bridge oxygen (NBO). The relation equations showing the additivity factor of each composition to the two properties are as follows: Density(g/cm3) = 2.441x1 + 5.559x2 + 4.863x3 Tg(˚C) = 319x1 + 247x2 + 609x3 - 1950x1x3 (x1 : fraction of Li2O, x2 : fraction of TeO2, x3 : fraction of ZnO) The density decreased as Li2O content increased. This was attributed to change of the TeO2 structure. From this structural result, the electric conductivity of the glass samples was predicted following the ionic conduction mechanism. Finally, it is expected that electric conductivity will increase as the activation energy for ion movement decreases.
For possible applications as luminescent materials for white-light emission using UV-LEDs, Ba2Mg(PO4)2:Eu2+ phosphors were prepared by a solid state reaction. The photoluminescence properties of the phosphor were investigated under ultraviolet ray (UV) excitation. The prepared phosphor powders were characterized to from a single phase of a monoclinic crystalline structure by a powder X-ray diffraction analysis. In the photoluminescence spectra, the Ba2Mg(PO4)2:Eu2+ phosphor showed an intense emission band centered at the 584 nm wavelength due to the f-d transition of the Eu2+ activator. The optimum concentration of Eu2+ activator in the Ba2Mg(PO4)2 host, indicating the maximum emission intensity under the excitation of a 395 nm wavelength, was 5 at%. In addition, it was confirmed that the Eu2+ ions are substituted at both Ba2+ sites in the Ba2Mg(PO4)2 crystal. On the other hand, the critical distance of energy transfer between Eu2+ ions in the Ba2Mg(PO4)2 host was evaluated to be approximately 19.3 A. With increasing temperature, the emission intensity of the Ba2Mg(PO4)2:Eu phosphor was considerably decreased and the central wavelength of the emission peak was shifted toward a short wavelength.
ZnO nanopowders were synthesized by the sol-gel method using hydrazine reduction, and their gas responses to 6 gases (200 ppm of C2H5OH, CH3COCH3, H2, C3H8, 100 ppm of CO, and 5 ppm of NO2) were measured at 300 ~ 400˚C. The prepared ZnO nanopowders showed high gas responses to C2H5OH and CH3COCH3 at 400˚C. The sensing materials prepared at the compositions of [ZnCl2]:[N2H4]:[NaOH] = 1:1:1 and 1:2:2 showed particularly high gas responses (S = Ra/Rg, Ra : resistance in air, Rg : resistance in gas) to 200 ppm of C2H5OH(S = 102.8~160.7) and 200 ppm of CH3COCH3(S = 72.6~166.2), while they showed low gas responses to H2, C3H8, CO, and NO2. The reason for high sensitivity to these 2 gases was discussed in relation to the reaction mechanism, oxidation state, surface area, and particle morphology of the sensing materials.