고분자 전해질 막 연료전지(polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell, PEMFC)의 핵심 구성요소 중 하나인 고분자 전해질 막(polymer electrolyte membrane, PEM)은 수소이온을 애노드(anode)에서 캐소드(cathode)로 이동시키는 전해질의 역 할 및 연료의 투과를 막는 분리막으로서의 역할을 수행하며 PEMFC의 성능 및 효율을 결정짓는 핵심 소재이다. 현재 나피온 (Nafion®)으로 대표되는 과불소화계 전해질 막이 높은 수소이온 전도도 및 화학적 안정성으로 인해 상용화 되었지만, 높은 생 산비용과 구동 시 환경오염 물질이 배출된다는 문제점을 갖고 있다. 이를 대체할 PEM 소재로써 고분자의 구조 조절 및 개질 과정이 용이한 다양한 종류의 탄화수소계 고분자가 제시되고 있지만, 실제 PEMFC에 적용되기 위해서는 성능 및 내구 특성 을 개선해야 하는 과제가 남아있다. 이에 본 총설은 탄화수소계 PEM의 성능 및 내구 특성을 향상시키기 위해 1) 가교 구조 를 도입한 가교 막 개발, 2) 무기 첨가제 도입을 통한 유⋅무기 복합 막 개발 및 3) 다공성 지지체를 활용한 강화 복합 막을 개발하는 연구에 대해 살펴보고자 한다.

A Cu-15Ag-5P filler metal (BCuP-5) is fabricated on a Ag substrate using a high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) thermal spray process, followed by post-heat treatment (300oC for 1 h and 400oC for 1 h) of the HVOF coating layers to control its microstructure and mechanical properties. Additionally, the microstructure and mechanical properties are evaluated according to the post-heat treatment conditions. The porosity of the heat-treated coating layers are significantly reduced to less than half those of the as-sprayed coating layer, and the pore shape changes to a spherical shape. The constituent phases of the coating layers are Cu, Ag, and Cu-Ag-Cu3P eutectic, which is identical to the initial powder feedstock. A more uniform microstructure is obtained as the heat-treatment temperature increases. The hardness of the coating layer is 154.6 Hv (as-sprayed), 161.2 Hv (300oC for 1 h), and 167.0 Hv (400oC for 1 h), which increases with increasing heat-treatment temperature, and is 2.35 times higher than that of the conventional cast alloy. As a result of the pull-out test, loss or separation of the coating layer rarely occurs in the heat-treated coating layer.

In this study, a new manufacturing process for a multilayer-clad electrical contact material is suggested. A thin and dense BCuP-5 (Cu-15Ag-5P filler metal) coating layer is fabricated on a Ag plate using a high-velocity oxygen-fuel (HVOF) process. Subsequently, the microstructure and bonding properties of the HVOF BCuP-5 coating layer are evaluated. The thickness of the HVOF BCuP-5 coating layer is determined as 34.8 μm, and the surface fluctuation is measured as approximately 3.2 μm. The microstructure of the coating layer is composed of Cu, Ag, and Cu-Ag-Cu3P ternary eutectic phases, similar to the initial BCuP-5 powder feedstock. The average hardness of the coating layer is 154.6 HV, which is confirmed to be higher than that of the conventional BCuP-5 alloy. The pull-off strength of the Ag/BCup-5 layer is determined as 21.6 MPa. Thus, the possibility of manufacturing a multilayer-clad electrical contact material using the HVOF process is also discussed.

Chitosan powder is synthesized by a deasetylation process of chitin, obtained from processing of dried shrimp shell powder. Subsequently, chitosan (CS) membranes filled by montmorillonite (MMT) particles and phosphotungstic acid are prepared, and characterized by FT-IR and SEM. The morphology, obtained by SEM for the composite membrane, showed that MMT filler is successfully incorporated and relatively well dispersed in the chitosan polymer matrix. Water and methanol uptake for the CS/MMT composite membranes decrease with increasing MMT loadings, but IEC value increases. In all prepared CS/ MMT composite membranes, the CS membrane filled by 5 wt% MMT particles exhibits the best proton conductivity, while that with 10 wt% MMT loading exhibits the lowest methanol permeability; these values are 2.67 mS·cm−1 and 3.40 × 10−7 cm2·s−1, respectively. The best membrane selectivity is shown in the CS/MMT10 composite membrane; this shows that 10 wt% filled MMT is the optimum loading to improve the performance of the chitosan composite membrane. These characteristics make the developed chitosan composite membranes a promising electrolyte for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) application.

Due to severe environmental pollution from ships, IMO(International Maritime Organization) is imposing strict controls on pollutant emission in ECA(Emission Control Area). There have been active studies to find fuel that could replace existing fossil fuel and especially in recent times, diverse studies on recycling of coffee ground are in progress. The annual domestic consumption of coffee was 150,000 tons according to the data of 2017 year and 99% of them are coffee ground to be scrapped. Therefore, in this study, coffee ground was mixed with diesel oil to develop alternative fuel. The analysis result showed that when coffee ground and diesel oil were mixed at a rate of 30%, 20% and 10%, the diameter of coffee ground droplet was 49.1μm, 45.9μm and 17.5μm respectively.

국제해사기구(IMO)의 황함유량 규제에 따르는 저유황연료유는 생산 공정에 따라 다양한 물리화학적 특성을 가지게 된다. 본 연구는 저유황연료유 및 저유황-고유황 혼합연료유의 물리화학적 특성연구 결과를 해양오염 방제대응의 기초자료로 활용하고자 한다. 연구에 사용된 혼합연료유는 황함유량이 0.46 mass%인 저유황연료유와 0.36 mass%인 저유황연료유에 고유황연료유를 25, 50, 75 mass% 혼합하여 제조하였다. 이 혼합연료유에 대해 동점도, 유동점 및 Saturates, Aromatics, Resins, Asphaltenes(SARA)분포 등 물리화학적 특성에 대해 실험실 연구를 하였다. 동점도가 높고 유동점이 낮은 특징의 고유황연료유가 75 mass% 혼합함에 따라, 혼합연료유의 동점도는 350.2 %까지 증가 하였으며, 유동점이 23℃와 -11℃의 저유황연료유는 각각 -3℃ 및 -6℃까지 유동점이 내려가거나 올라갔다. Asphaltenes 분포가 적은 저유황연료유에 고유황연료유를 혼합함에 따라, Saturates분포는 68.8 %까지 감소하고, Asphaltenes분포는 1,417 %까지 크게 증가하였다.

Currently, the Korean nuclear industry uses ZIRLO as material for nuclear fuel cladding(zirconium alloy). KEPCO Nuclear Fuel is in the process of developing a HANA alloy to enable domestic production of cladding. Cladding manufacture involves multistage heat treatments and pickling processes, the latter of which is vital for the removal of defects and impurities on the cladding surface. SMUT that forms on the cladding surface during such pickling process is a source of surface defects during heat treatment and post-treatment processes if not removed. This study analyzes ZIRLO, HANA-4, and HANA-6 alloy claddings to extensively study the SEM/EDS, XRD, and particle size characteristics of SMUT, which are second phase particles that are formed on the cladding surface during pickling processes. Using the analysis results, this study observes SMUT formation characteristics according to Nb concentration in Zr alloys during the washing process following the pickling process. In addition, this study observes SMUT removal characteristics on cladding surfaces according to concentrations of nitric acid and hydrofluoric acid in the acid solution.

Pitch precursors affording excellent spinnability, high-level oxidation-resistance, and good carbonization yields were prepared by bromination–dehydrobromination of various ratios of pyrolyzed fuel oil and coal tar pitch. The pitches exhibited spinnabilities that were much better than those of pitches prepared via simple distillation. A pitch prepared using a 1:2 ratio of fuel oil and coal tar pitch exhibited the best tensile strength. Pitch fibers of diameter 8.9 ± 0.1 μm were stabilized at 270 °C without soaking time after heating at a rate of 0.5 °C/min and carbonized at 1100 °C for 1 h after heating at 5 °C/min. The resulting carbon fibers exhibited a tensile strength, elongation, Young’s modulus, and average diameter of 1700 ± 170 MPa, 1.6 ± 0.1%, 106 ± 37 GPa, and 7.1 ± 0.2 μm, respectively.

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, Y2O3-coated tubes were scanned by a laser beam, which induced penetration of Y2O3 particles into the substrates. The thickness of the ODS layer varied from 20 to 55 μm 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.

In anion exchange membrane fuel cells, Pd nanoparticles are extensively studied as promising non-Pt catalysts due to their electronic structure similar to Pt. In this study, to fabricate Pd nanoparticles well dispersed on carbon support materials, we propose a synthetic strategy using mixed organic ligands with different chemical structures and functions. Simultaneously to control the Pd particle size and dispersion, a ligand mixture composed of oleylamine(OA) and trioctylphosphine(TOP) is utilized during thermal decomposition of Pd precursors. In the ligand mixture, OA serves mainly as a reducing agent rather than a stabilizer since TOP, which has a bulky structure, more strongly interacts with the Pd metal surface as a stabilizer compared to OA. The specific roles of OA and TOP in the Pd nanoparticle synthesis are studied according to the mixture composition, and the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR) activity and durability of highly-dispersed Pd nanocatalysts with different particles sizes are investigated. The results of this study confirm that the Pd nanocatalyst with large particles has high durability compared to the nanocatalyst with small Pd nanoparticles during the accelerated degradation tests although they initially indicated similar ORR performance.

This study investigates the microstructure and wear properties of cermet (ceramic + metal) coating materials manufactured using high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) process. Three types of HVOF coating layers are formed by depositing WC-12Co, WC-20Cr-7Ni, and Cr3C2-20NiCr (wt.%) powders on S45C steel substrate. The porosities of the coating layers are 1 ± 0.5% for all three specimens. Microstructural analysis confirms the formation of second carbide phases of W2C, Co6W6C, and Cr7C3 owing to decarburizing of WC phases on WC-based coating layers. In the case of WC-12Co coating, which has a high ratio of W2C phase with high brittleness, the interface property between the carbide and the metal binder slightly decreases. In the Cr3C2-20CrNi coating layer, decarburizing almost does not occur, but fine cavities exist between the splats. The wear loss occurs in the descending order of Cr3C2-20NiCr, WC-12Co, and WC-20Cr-7Ni, where WC-20Cr-7Ni achieves the highest wear resistance property. It can be inferred that the ratio of the carbide and the binding properties between carbide–binder and binder–binder in a cermet coating material manufactured with HVOF as the primary factors determine the wear properties of the cermet coating material.

점차 강화되는 배출가스 규제와 적은 연료로 많은 거리를 주행할 수 있는 고효율 자동차에 대한 요구로 에너지소비효율에 대한 관심이 점차 늘어나고 있다. 국내의 에너지소비효율은 도심주행모드와 고속도로 모드를 주행하여 복합연비로 산정하고 5-Cycle 보정식을 이용하여 최종 에너지소비효율을 표시하고 있다. 에너지소비효율의 경우 카본발란스법에 의하여 산출되는데 이때 배출가스에 의해 계산이 됨에 따라 연소에 사용되는 연료는 자동차 성능과 에너지소비효율에 매우 중요한 역할을 하게 된다. 자동차 연료의 경우 국내에서는 석유 및 석유대체연료 사업법 품질기준에 따라 국내에 유통되고 있는데 정유사의 정제 방법이나 원유에 따라 품질 기준 내에서 물성 차이를 보일 수 있다. 일정 품질기준을 정하고 있음에 따라 연료별 큰 차이는 나지 않을 것으로 보이나 자동차의 성능에는 영향을 미칠 수 있어 그에 따른 연구가 필요한 실정이다. 따라서, 본 연구에서는 시중에서 유통되고 있는 연료 중 여름철에 판매되는 경유를 정유사 직영점을 통해 구매하였으며, 각 시료별 물성을 분석하고 그에 따른 에너지소비효율을 측정하였다. 에너지소비효율의 경우 현행 경유 자동차의 에너지소비효율 산정식과 휘발유 에너지소비효율에서 사용되는 산출식을 이용하여 물성 적용에 따른 변화를 살펴보았다. 그 결과 시료별 밀도는 최대 약 0.9%의 차이를 보였으며, 순발열량은 1.6%의 차이를 보였으며, 현행 에너지소비효율 산출 결과에서는 도심모드에서 약 1%, 고속모드에서 1.4% 차이를 보였다. 휘발유 산출식을 이용한 산출에서는 현행 에너지소비효율 산출때 보다 약 6%정도 낮은 수치를 보였으며, 각 시료별 에너지소비효율은 최대 도심과 고속에서 최대 약 1.4%의 차이를 보였다.

액상 바이오연료를 생산할 수 있는 하수슬러지는 자국의 에너지 안보와 지속가능한 생산이 가능하고 경제적인 원료로 여겨지고 있다. 열화학적 기술은 하수슬러지를 에너지화, 연료화할 수 있는 가장 효과적인 방법이다. 일반적으로 하수슬러지는 수분 함량이 80% 이상으로 높은 금속 함량과 14 ~ 20 MJ/kg의 발열량을 갖고 있다. 본 논문에서는 하수슬러지를 활용한 액상 바이오연료를 생산하는 열분해 반응, 전이에스테르화 반응, 초임계 반응 기술에 대해 살펴보고자 한다. 또한, 하수슬러지 유래 액상 바이오연료의 연료적 특성과 액상 바이오연료와 관련한 국내 법에 대해 검토하였다.