• The Journal of Natural Sciences
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.57-67
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• 2005

In Order to investigate the physiological role of thiol peroxidase in Bacillus subtilis, a thiol peroxidase (btpx) knock-out mutant was generated by homologous recombination. The growth of btpx knock-out mutant in aerobic condition showed a similar pattern with that of wild type of Bacillus subtilis 168/ But btpx knock-out mutant showed a retarded growht in response to oxidative stress such as $H_2O_2$, cumene hydroperoxide (CHP) treatments.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.91-91
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• 2012

We aim in synthesizing various functional thin films thinner than ~ 10 nm for environmental applications and photovoltaic devices. Atomic layer deposition is used for synthesizing inorganic thin films with a precise control of the film thickness. Several examples about application of our thin films for removing volatile organic compounds (VOC) will be highlighted, which are summarized in the below. 1) $TiO_2$ thin films prepared by ALD at low temperature ($<100^{\circ}C$) show high adsorption capacity for toluene. In combination with nanostructured templates, $TiO_2$ thin films can be used as building-block of high-performing VOC filter. 2) $TiO_2$ thin films on carbon fibers and nanodiamonds annealed at high temperatures are active for photocatalytic oxidation of VOCs, i.e. photocatalytic filter can be created by atomic layer deposition. 3) NiO can catalyze oxidation of toluene to $CO_2$ and $H_2O$ at $<300^{\circ}C$. $TiO_2$ thin films on NiO can reduce poisoning of NiO surfaces by reaction intermediates below $200^{\circ}C$. We also fabricated inverted organic solar cell based on ZnO electron collecting layers on ITO. $TiO_2$ thin films with a mean diameter less than 3 nm on ZnO can enhance photovoltaic performance by reducing electron-hole recombination on ZnO surfaces.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.1715-1720
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• 2011

Nanoporous structured tin dioxide ($SnO_2$) is characterized and its application in the photocatalytic destruction of endocrine, Bisphenol A, is examined. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals irregularly shaped nanopores of size 2.0-4.5 nm. This corresponds to the result of an average nanopore distribution of 4.5 nm, as determined by Barret-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) plot from the isotherm curve. The photoluminescence (PL) curve, corresponding to the recombination between electron and hole, largely decreases in the $TiO_2$/nanoporous $SnO_2$ composite. Finally, a synergy effect between $TiO_2$ and porous $SnO_2$ is exhibited in photocatalysis: the photocatalytic destruction of Bisphenol A is improved by combining the nanoporous structured $SnO_2$ with $TiO_2$, and 75% decomposition of 10.0 ppm of Bisphenol A is achieved after 24 h.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.57-67
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• 2021

Photocatalytic green energy H2 production utilizing inexhaustible solar energy has been considered as a potential solution to problems of energy scarcity and environmental contamination. However, the design of a cost-effective photocatalyst using simple synthesis methodology is still a grand challenge. Herein, a low-cost transition metal, Cu-loaded one-dimensional TiO2 nanorods (Cu/TNR) were fabricated using an easy-to-use synthesis methodology for significant H2 production under simulated solar light. X-ray photoelectron spectral studies and electron microscopy measurements provide evidence to support the successful formation of the Cu/TNR catalyst under our experimental conditions. UV-vis DRS studies further demonstrate that introducing Cu on the surface of TNR substantially increases light absorption in the visible range. Notably, the Cu/TNR catalyst with optimum Cu content, achieved a remarkable H2 production with a yield of 39,239 µmol/g after 3 h of solar light illumination, representing 7.4- and 27.7-fold enhancements against TNR and commercial P25, respectively. The notably improved H2 evolution activity of the target Cu/TNR catalyst was primarily attributed to its excellent separation and efficiently hampered recombination of photoexcited electron-hole pairs. The Cu/TNR catalyst is, therefore, a potential candidate for photocatalytic green energy applications.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.100-106
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• 2024

To improve charge transfer and surface contact between NiO and perovskite, sol-gel derived NiO is modified with [2-(9H-car-bazol-9-yl)ethyl] phosphonic acid (2PACz) in p-i-n structured perovskite solar cells (PeSCs). The phosphonic acid head group in the 2PACz can bind to the hydroxyl groups on the surface of NiO by a condensation reaction, which results in a better-matched energy level with the valence band of perovskite layers, reducing nonradiative recombination and energy loss. Furthermore, the formation of pin-hole free perovskite films is observed in the 2PACz modified NiO system. Consequently, the combination of sol-gel processed NiO with optimal 2PACz exhibits a higher efficiency of 17.08% and superior stability under ambient air conditions without any encapsulation, compared to a bare NiO based device showing 13.69%.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.46-51
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• 2016

In this study, we synthesized a combination of graphene oxide (GO) and titanium dioxide (TiO₂) and confirm that GO can be used for CO₂ photoreduction. TiO₂ exhibited highly efficient combination with other conventional electric charges generated by these paration phenomenon for suppression of hole-electron recombination. This improved the efficiency of CO₂ photoreduction. The synthetic form of GO-TiO₂ used in this study was agraphene sheet surrounded by TiO₂ powder. Efficiency and stability were enhanced by combination of GO and TiO₂. In a CO₂ photoreduction experiment, the highest CO conversion rate was 0.652 μmol/g·h in GO10-TiO₂ (2.3-fold that of pure TiO₂) and the highest CH₄ production rate was 0.037 μmol/g·h in GO0.1-TiO₂ (2.4-fold that of pure TiO₂). GO enhances photocatalytic efficiency by functioning as a support and absorbent, and enabling charge separation. With increasing GO concentration, the CH₄ level decreases to~45% due to decreased transfer of electrons. In this study, TiO₂ together with GO yielded a different result than the normal doping effect and selective CO₂ photoreduction.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.829-834
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• 1998

Concerned with environmental issue, a new decomposition method for CFCs that caused the destruction of ozone layer was proposed. Using thermal plasma process, CFC113 decomposed completely. In order to quantify the tendency in decomposition and recombination of CFC113, thermodynamic equilibrium calculations were performed. The calculation was conducted with CFC113, $H_2$, $O_2$ at 1 atm and 300 K~5000 K. In the experiment, products which are generated after decomposition in the plasma were examined by varying reacting gases($H_2$, $O_2$) flow rates and the changes of inside diameters of quenching tubes. Decomposition products were analyzed using Gas Chromatograph. The results are very promising with a decomposition efficiency greater than 99.99%. As to CFC113/$H_2$=1/3, conversion to CO decreased with increasing $O_2$ ratio. When CFC113/$O_2$=1/1, 1/1.5 and 1/2, conversion to CO increases above $H_2$ ratio of 3. The change of CO conversion is not sensitive to power changes. As total flow rate increased, CO conversion was slightly decreased. When the inside diameter of the quenching tube was changed from 8mm into 4mm, CO conversion was increased due to enhanced quenching rate.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1994.07b
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• pp.1277-1279
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• 1994

In the structure of ZnO/nip-SiC: H/metal substrate amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar cells, the effects of inserting a rear textured ZnO in the p-SiC:H/metal interface and a graded bandgap buffer layer in the i/p-SiC:H have been analysed by computer simulation. The incident light was taken to have an intensity of $100mW/cm^2$(AM-1). The thickness of the a-Si:H n, ${\delta}$-doped a-SiC:H p, and buffer layers was assumed to be $200{\AA},\;66{\AA}$, and $80{\AA}$, respectively. The scattering coefficients of the front and back ZnO were taken to be 0.2 and 0.7, respectively. Inserting the rear buffer layer significantly increases the open circuit voltage($V_{oc}$) due to reduction of the i/p interface recombination rate. The use of textured ZnO markedly improves collection efficiency in the long wavelengths( above ${\sim}550nm$ ) by back scattering and light confinement effects, resulting in dramatic enhancement of the short circuit current density($J_{sc}$). By using the rear buffer and textured ZnO, the i-layer thickness of the ceil for obtaining the maximum efficiency becomes thinner(${\sim}2500{\AA}$). From these results, it is concluded that the use of textured ZnO and buffer layer at the backside of the ceil is very effective for enhancing the conversion efficiency and reducing the degradation of a-Si:H pin-type solar cells.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.293-299
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• 2004

Transition metal ions doped $TiO_2$ nanostructured powders were prepared with simply heating aqueous $TiOCl_2$ solutions, contained various metal ions (Ni, Al, Fe, Zr, and Nb) of 1.47 mol% added as metal-chlorides, at $100^{\circ}C$ for 4 hrs by homogeneous precipitation process under suppressing conditions of water vaporization. The characterizations for prepared $TiO_2$ powders were carried out to observe doping of metal ions, their concentrations and microstructures using XRD, UV-VIS (DRS), XPS, SEM, TEM and ICP. Also, photo-oxidative abilities were evaluated by decomposition of 4-chlorophenol (4CP) under ultraviolet light irradiations. No secondary oxide phases were formed in all the $VTiO_2$ powders, showing doping with various transition metal ions. When adding ions ($Ni^{2+}$ or$ Al^{3+ }$ and $Zr^{4+}$ ) having valance states or ionic radii greatly different from those of $Ti^{4+}$ , the $TiO_2$ powders of mixed anatase and rutile phases were formed, whereas in the case of additions of $^Fe{3+ }$ and $Nb^{ 5+}$ as well as no addition of metal ion the powders with pure rutile phase alone were formed. Among the prepared $TiO_2$ powders, Ni$^{2+}$ doped $TiO_2$ powders, containing a small amount of anatase phase, showed excellent photo-oxidative ability in 4CP decomposition because of relative decreases in electron-hole recombination and poisoning of $TiO_2$ surface during the photoreaction.n.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.403-408
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• 2001

In this work, the cyclic perfluorinated ether (c-C$_4$F$_{8}$O) with very high destructive removal efficiency (DRE) than other alternative gases, such as $C_3$F$_{8}$, c-C$_4$F$_{8}$ and NF$_3$ was used as an alternative process chemical. The plasma cleaning of silicon nitride using gas mixtures of c-C$_4$F$_{8}$O/O$_2$ and c-C$_4$F$_{8}$O/O$_2$+ $N_2$ was investigated in order to evaluate the effects of adding $N_2$ to c-C$_4$F$_{8}$O/O$_2$ on the global warming effects. Under optimum condition, the emitted net perfluorocompounds (PFCs) during cleaning of silicon nitride were quantified and then the effects of additive $N_2$ by obtaining the destructive removal efficiency (DRE) and the million metric tons of carbon equivalent (MMT-CE) were calculated. DRE and MMTCE were obtained by evaluating the volumetric emission using. Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). During the cleaning using c-C$_4$F$_{8}$O/O$_2$+$N_2$, DRE values as high as (equation omitted) 98% were obtained and MMTCE values were reduced by as high as 70% compared to the case of $C_2$F$_{6}$O$_2$. Recombination characteristics were indirectly investigated by combining the measurements of species in the chamber using optical emission spectroscopy (OES), before and after the cleaning, in order to understand any correlation between plasma and emission characteristics as well as cleaning rate of silicon nitride.silicon nitride.