Patent Application
20250196058
The present application relates to an electrode, a method of manufacturing the electrode, and an electrostatic discharge system including the electrode.
Electrostatic discharge technology for improving indoor air quality has been mainly used to replace a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter shown in
In the case of electrostatic discharge technology, it is essential to design a differentiated electrostatic discharge system in order to maintain a residual ozone concentration of an indoor reference value or less. Accordingly, there is a need for an electrode that can exhibit the above-described effects, a method of manufacturing the electrode, and an electrostatic discharge system including the electrode.
An objective of the present application is directed to providing an electrode that has an excellent anion generation concentration and maintains a residual ozone concentration of an indoor reference value or less, a manufacturing method of the electrode, and an electrostatic discharge system including the electrode.
The present application relates to an electrode. According to an exemplary electrode of the present invention, an anion generation concentration is excellent and a residual ozone concentration can be maintained at an indoor reference value or less.
In the present specification, the term “nano” may refer to a size in a unit of nanometer (nm), for example, 0.1 nm to 1,000 nm, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In addition, in the present specification, the term “nano-pin” refers that a protrusion with an average diameter in a unit of nm is formed on a surface of a pin-shaped body. In addition, in the present specification, “pin” may refer to a rod-shaped structure with a larger length compared to a cross-sectional area, and a diameter becoming smaller toward an end portion, giving it a pointed shape.
Hereinafter, an electrode of the present application will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are illustrative, and the electrode of the present invention is not limited to the accompanying drawings.
The body 11 is a portion that becomes a body of the electrode.
In one example, the body may have a pin shape. Since the electrode body has a pin shape, when anions are generated, an active area may expand and, simultaneously, an ionization discharge onset voltage for anion generation may be lowered to suppress ozone generation.
The body 11 may be made of an electrode material commonly used in the art. Specifically, the body 11 may include a transition metal selected from the group consisting of: iron, tungsten, silver, copper, gold, nickel, cobalt, zinc, molybdenum, and an alloy thereof.
The first protrusion 12 is a portion that protrudes from a surface of the body 11, is formed as a plurality of first protrusion 12 on the surface of the body 11, and may have a nano size. Since the electrode has the plurality of nano-sized first protrusions on the surface of the body, an ionization discharge onset voltage required for generating anions is lowered, and when anions are generated, the anions distributed on the surface of the body and the first protrusions are dispersed, an amount of impact, which is reduced by a low electron transfer speed generated due to the dispersed anions, causes outer electrons of an oxygen atom to escape mainly rather than oxygen dissociation so that ozone generation can be suppressed and a phenomenon of increasing an amount of anion generation can be induced. In addition, due to the above description, the electrode may maintain a residual ozone concentration of an indoor reference value or less. In the present specification, the term “plurality” refers to two or more, and an upper limit thereof is not particularly limited.
In one example, the first protrusion 12 may have a radius curvature ranging from 1 nm to 10 μm. Specifically, the radius curvature of the first protrusion 12 may range from 5 nm to 8 μm, from 10 nm to 6 μm, from 50 nm to 4 μm, or from 100 nm to 2 μm. The radius curvature may be measured through a high-magnification image (×10000 or more) captured using a scanning electron microscope. Since the first protrusion 12 has the radius curvature in the above-described ranges, the ionization discharge onset voltage for anion generation may be lowered, and in this way, an electric field intensity may be lowered to suppress ozone generation.
For example, in the electrode, an ionization discharge onset voltage for anion generation may range from 0.02 kV to 20 kV, specifically, from 0.05 kV to 18 kV, from 0.1 kV to 15 kV, from 0.5 kV to 13 kV, or from 1 kV to 10 kV. In the electrode, the ionization discharge onset voltage for anion generation satisfies the above-described ranges so that an electric field strength may be lowered to suppress ozone generation.
In this case, the ionization discharge onset voltage Vs for anion generation may be calculated using the following general equation 1.
In General Equation 1, r denotes the radius curvature of the first protrusion, E denotes an electric field strength when ionization begins to appear on the surfaces of the body and the first protrusion to generate anions, and d denotes a distance between the electrode and a ground. In this case, the electric field strength E may be calculated by substituting the ionization discharge onset voltage Vs obtained through an actual experiment, the radius curvature r of the protrusion, which is specified in advance, and the distance d between the electrode and the ground.
The distance d between the electrode and the ground may range from 4 mm to 16 mm in the air, and specifically, a lower limit may be 6 mm or more, 8 mm or more, or 10 mm or more, and the upper limit may be 14 mm or less or 12 mm or less. When the distance between the electrode and the ground satisfies the above-described ranges, a voltage applied for anion generation is lowered so that the electric field strength may be lowered to suppress ozone generation. However, when the distance between the electrode and the ground exceeds the above-described ranges, a voltage applied for anion generation increases, resulting in shortcomings of increasing the electric field strength and the ozone generation.
In one example, the first protrusion 12 is integrated with the body 11 through a first forming operation, which will be described below, and may be made of the same material as the body 11. For example, the first protrusion 12 may include a transition metal selected from the group consisting of: iron, tungsten, silver, copper, gold, nickel, cobalt, zinc, molybdenum, and an alloy thereof.
An anion generation concentration, which is measured while supplying air to the electrode at a flow rate of 5 L/min, may be 15×105 ions/cm3 or more. A specific method of measuring the anion generation concentration of the electrode may be performed to measure an anion generation concentration generated by applying a DC negative voltage, for example, a DC negative voltage of 7 kV, while supplying air at the above-described flow rate through an anion measurement part, specifically, an air ion meter, installed to be spaced a predetermined distance, e.g., 3.5 cm in one example, from the electrode. In addition, the anion generation concentration of the electrode measured in the above-described condition may be, specifically, 18×105 ions/cm3 or more, 20×105 ions/cm3 or more, 25×105 ions/cm3 or more, 30×105 ions/cm3 or more, or 33×105 ions/cm3 or more. In addition, an upper limit of the anion generation concentration of the electrode measured in the above-described condition may be 1×108 ions/cm3 or less, 5×107 ions/cm3 or less, 1×107 ions/cm3 or less, 5×106 ions/cm3 or less, 45×105 ions/cm3 or less, or 43×105 ions/cm3 or less. The anion generation concentration of the electrode measured in the above-described condition satisfies the above-described ranges so that the anion generation concentration may be excellent, and a residual ozone concentration can be maintained at an indoor reference value or less.
In another example, when anions are generated in the electrode in the above-described condition, the residual ozone concentration may be less than 70 ppb, specifically, 65 ppb or less, 60 ppb or less, 55 ppb or less, 50 ppb or less, 45 ppb or less, or 40 ppb or less. When the anions are generated in the electrode in the above-described condition, the electrode has a residual ozone concentration in the above-described ranges so that the residual ozone concentration can be maintained at the indoor reference value or less.
In addition, an electric field applied when the anions are generated in the electrode in the above-described condition may range 500 V/m to 500,000 V/m. Specifically, the electric field applied when the anions are generated in the electrode in the above-described condition may range from 1000 V/m to 300000 V/m or from 5000 V/m to 200000 V/m. Since the electrode generates the anions with the electric field in the above-described range, the anion generation concentration is excellent and the residual ozone concentration may be maintained at the indoor reference value or less.
In one example, the electrode may further include second protrusions 13.
For example, the second protrusion 13 may be made of conductive metal particles. Specifically, a transition metal selected from the group consisting of: iron, tungsten, silver, copper, gold, nickel, cobalt, zinc, molybdenum, and an alloy thereof may be used as the conductive metal particle.
In addition, in the second protrusion, a size of the conductive metal particle may be a nano size. Since the conductive metal particle has a nano size, an active area when anions are generated may increase. On the other hand, when the size of the second protrusion exceeds the nano size, an area covering the body and the first protrusion increases so that anion generation may be suppressed.
The present application also relates to a method of manufacturing an electrode. The method of manufacturing an electrode relates to a method of manufacturing the above-described electrode, and detailed contents regarding the electrode, which will be described below, may be applied in the same manner as those described in the electrode.
The method of manufacturing an electrode includes a first forming operation.
The first forming operation is an operation of forming an electrode and is performed by forming a plurality of nano-sized first protrusions on the surface of the body. Since the plurality of nano-sized first protrusions are formed on the electrode, an ionization discharge onset voltage for anion generation may be lowered, and in this way, an electric field intensity may be lowered to suppress ozone generation.
In one example, the first forming operation may be performed through etching. Specifically, the etching may be performed by one or more selected from wet etching, optical etching, and physical etching. The first forming operation is performed by the above-described etching so that the first protrusion may be formed on the surface of the body in a simplified process.
In one example, wet etching may be used as the first forming operation. The wet etching may be performed by impregnating the body with an etching solution and then applying ultrasound. Since the wet etching is used in the first forming operation, easiness of the process can be achieved and thus manufacturing costs can be reduced.
For example, due to easiness of application, a low price, and stable performance, a single or mixed solution based on strong acids such as HCl, H2SO2, and HF; or strong base such as NaOH, and potassium hydroxide is used as the etching solution, and a commercially available etching solution such as a tungsten etching solution, a stainless etching solution, or a nickel etching solution may be used.
In addition, an ultrasound application time may range from 10 seconds to one hour. Specifically, the ultrasound application time may range from 20 seconds to 45 minutes, from 30 seconds to 30 minutes, from 40 seconds to 15 minutes, from 1 minute to 10 minutes, or from 1 minute to 5 minutes. When the ultrasonic application time during the wet etching satisfies the above-described ranges, an electrode having an excellent anion generation concentration and maintaining a residual ozone concentration at an indoor reference value or less may be manufactured.
In another example, photolithography or laser lithography may be used as the optical etching.
In another example, the method manufacturing an electrode may further include a second forming operation.
The electrode manufactured by the above-described method may have an anion generation concentration of 15×105 ions/cm3 measured by applying a DC negative voltage of 7 kV while supplying air at a flow rate of 5 L/min. The detailed description of the anion generation concentration of the electrode measured in the above-described conditions is the same as described above, and thus it will be omitted. The anion generation concentration of the electrode measured in the above-described condition satisfies the above-described ranges so that the anion generation concentration may be excellent, and a residual ozone concentration can be maintained at an indoor reference value or less.
The present application also relates to an electrostatic discharge system. The electrostatic discharge system relates to an electrostatic discharge system including the above-described electrode, and detailed contents regarding the electrode, which will be described below, may be applied in the same manner as those described in the electrode.
The electrostatic discharge system includes the above-described electrode. Since electrostatic discharge system includes the above-described electrode, an anion generation concentration is excellent and a residual ozone concentration can be maintained at an indoor reference value or less. Other configurations of the electrostatic discharge system can be those commercially available in the art and are not particularly limited as long as they include the above-described electrode.
According to an electrode, a manufacturing method of the electrode, and an electrostatic discharge system including the electrode of the present application, an anion generation concentration is excellent and a residual ozone concentration can be maintained at an indoor reference value or less.
Hereinafter, the above-described content will be described in more detail through examples and comparative examples, but the scope of the present application is not limited by contents described below.
An electrode was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that a nano-pin-type electrode containing tungsten was impregnated with an etching solution contained in a beaker, ultrasound was generated for two minutes, and first protrusions were formed on the surface of the body. In this case, a radius curvature of the first protrusion may be 1 μm or less.
An electrode was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that a nano-pin-type electrode containing tungsten was impregnated with an etching solution contained in a beaker, ultrasound was generated for three minutes, and first protrusions were formed on the surface of the body. In this case, a radius curvature of the first protrusion may be 500 nm or less.
An electrode was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that a nano-pin-type electrode containing tungsten was impregnated with an etching solution contained in a beaker, ultrasound was generated for four minutes, and first protrusions were formed on the surface of the body. In this case, a radius curvature of the first protrusion may be 300 nm or less.
An electrode was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that a nano-pin-type electrode containing tungsten was impregnated with an etching solution contained in a beaker, ultrasound was generated for five minutes, and first protrusions were formed on the surface of the body. In this case, a radius curvature of the first protrusion may be 100 nm or less.
A pin-type electrode containing tungsten, on which first protrusions were not formed, was prepared. In this case, the electrode prepared in Comparative Example 1 does not include the first protrusions, and a radius curvature of a pointed portion at an upper end of the body may be 100 μm.
Surface shapes of the electrodes manufactured in Examples 1, 3, and 5 and the electrode prepared in Comparative Example 1 were captured as low and high magnification images using a SEM (S-4800, Hitachi, Japan), and the results were shown in
In addition, compositions of the electrode manufactured in Example 1 and the electrode prepared in Comparative Example 1 were observed using an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX) (S-4800, Hitachi, Japan), and the results were shown in
As shown in
By using the anion concentration evaluation device of
As shown in
Ionization discharge onset voltages according to radius curvatures of the first protrusions of the electrodes manufactured in Examples 1 to 5 and a radius curvature of an upper end of a body of the electrode prepared in Comparative Example 1 were calculated using the following general equation 1, and the results were shown in
In General Equation 1, r denotes the radius curvature of the first protrusion, E denotes an electric field strength when ionization begins to appear on the surfaces of the body and the first protrusion to generate anions, and d denotes a distance between the electrode and a ground.
As shown in
By using a residual ozone concentration evaluation device of
As a result, it was confirmed that the residual ozone concentrations according to the electrodes manufactured in Examples 1 to 5 were lower than the residual ozone concentration according to the electrode prepared in Comparative Example 1. In particular, it was confirmed that the residual ozone concentration of the electrode manufactured in Example 5 compared to the electrode prepared in Comparative Example 1 was 70 ppb and was significantly lower than the residual ozone concentration of 130 ppb of the electrode prepared in Comparative Example 1.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2021-0151552 | Nov 2021 | KR | national |
| 10-2022-0092795 | Jul 2022 | KR | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/KR2022/010994 | 7/26/2022 | WO |
