• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.08a
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• pp.77.2-77.2
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• 2013

In this talk, I will briefly review recent results of my group related to application of atomic layer deposition (ALD) for fabricating environmental catalysts and organic solar cells. ALD was used for preparing thin films of TiO2 and NiO on mesporous silica with a mean pore size of 15 nm. Upon depositing TiO2 thin films of TiO2 using ALD, the mesoporous structure of the silica substrate was preserved to some extent. We show that efficiency for removing toluene by adsorption and catalytic oxidation is dependent of mean thickness of TiO2 deposited on silica, i.e., fine tuning of the thickness of thin film using ALD can be beneficial for preparing high-performing adsorbents and oxidation catalysts of volatile organic compound. NiO/silica system prepared by ALD was used for catalysts of chemical conversion of CO2. Here, NiO nanoparticles are well dispersed on silica and confiend in the pore, showing high catalytic activity and stability at 800oC for CO2 reforming of methane reaction. We also used ALD for surface modulation of buffer layers of organic solar cell. TiO2 and ZnO thin films were deposited on wet-chemically prepared ZnO ripple structures, and thin films with mean thickness of ~2 nm showed highest power conversion efficiency of organic solar cell. Moreover, performance of ALD-prepared organic solar cells were shown to be more stable than those without ALD. Thin films of oxides deposited on ZnO ripple buffer layer could heal defect sites of ZnO, which can act as recombination center of electrons and holes.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.34 no.8
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• pp.377-386
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• 2024

The surface of titanium (Ti) dental implants was modified by applying a zinc (Zn)-doped titanium dioxide (TiO₂) coating. Initially, the Ti surfaces were etched with NaOH, followed by a hydrolysis co-condensation using tetrabutyl titanate (TBT, Ti(OC₄H₉)₄) and zinc nitrate hexahydrate (Zn(NO₃)₂·6H₂O), with ammonia water (NH₃·H₂O) acting as a hydroxide anion source. The morphology and chemical composition of the Zn-doped TiO₂-coated Ti plates were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Synthesis temperatures were carefully adjusted to produce anatase Zn-doped TiO₂ nanoparticles with a bipyramidal structure and approximate sizes of 100 nm. Wettability tests and cell viability assays demonstrated the biomedical potential of these modified surfaces, which showed high biocompatibility with a survival rate of over 95 % (p < 0.05) and improved wettability. Corrosion resistance tests using potentiodynamic polarization reveal that Zn-TiO₂-treated samples with an anatase crystal structure exhibited a lower corrosion current density and more noble corrosion potential compared to samples coated with a rutile structure. This method offers a scalable approach that could be adapted by the biomaterial industry to improve the functionality and longevity of various biomedical implants.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.457-460
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• 2005

Nano-sized titanium oxide and zirconium oxide powders were synthesized by hydrolysis of titanium isopropoxide $[Ti(OC_3H7)_4]$ and zirconium tetrachloride ($ZrC1_4$) via a sol-gel technique. Lead titanate powders were prepared by mixing $TiO_2$ precursors with PbO slurry made with dilute $NH_4OH$. Lead zirconate titanate powders were, then, synthesized by mixing $PbTiO_3$ with $ZrO_2$ powders. The goal of this research was to obtain the $PbZrTiO_3(PZT)$ powders and sintering these powders at low temperature. The $PbTiO_3$ and PZT powders after firing were analyzed by X-ray diffraction(XRD) and transmission electron microscopy(TEM) was utilized to observe the shape and size of the synthesized nano-particles. In the XRD pattern, the well-crystallized PZT phase could be obtained in consequence of firing at $900^{\circ}C$. SEM micrographs also showed that grains of PZT were relatively well grown with the size of the range of $2{\~}4{\mu}m$. The densified perovskite structure of $PbZrTiO_3$ could be obtained by sintering at temperature as low as $900^{\circ}C$. Characterization of the samples showed improved piezoelectric properties.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.330-336
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• 2015

Photocatalytic degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) in aqueous solution was investigated using $TiO_2$ nanoparticles (Degussa P25) in this study. After a 3 hr photocatalytic reaction (${\lambda}=365nm$ and $I=3mW\;cm^{-2}$, $[TiO_2]=2.0g\;L^{-1}$), 98% of BPA ($1.0{\times}10^{-5}M$) was degraded and 89% of the total organic carbon was removed. In addition, BPA degradation by photolytic, hydrolytic and adsorption reactions was found to be 2%, 5% and 13%, respectively. The reaction rate of BPA degradation by photocatalysis decreased with increasing concentration of methanol that is used as a hydroxyl radical scavenger. This indicates that the reaction between BPA and hydroxyl radical was the key mechanism of BPA degradation. The pseudo-first-order reaction rate constant for this reaction was determined to be $7.94{\times}10^{-4}min^{-1}$, and the time for 90% BPA removal was found to be 25 min. In addition, acute toxicity testing using Daphnia magna neonates (< 24 h old) was carried out to evaluate the reduction of BPA toxicity. Acute toxicity (48 hr) to D. magna was decreased from 2.93 TU (toxic unit) to non-toxic after photocatalytic degradation of BPA for 3 hr. This suggests that there was no formation of toxic degradation products from BPA photocatalysis.

• Clean Technology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.147-154
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• 2022

Titanate nanotubes (TNTs) were synthesized via alkaline hydrothermal treatment using commercial TiO₂ nanoparticles (P25). The TNTs were prepared at various TiO₂/NaOH ratios, hydrothermal temperatures, and hydrothermal times. The synthesized catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, N₂ adsorption-desorption isotherms, field-emission transmission electron microscopy, and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. TNTs were generated upon a decrease in the TiO₂/NaOH ratio due to the dissolution of TiO₂ in the alkaline solution and the generation of new Ti-O-Ti bonds to form titanate nanoplates and nanotubes. The hydrothermal treatment temperature and time were important factors for promoting the nucleation and growth of TNTs. The TNT catalyst with the largest surface area (389.32 m² g^-1) was obtained with a TiO₂/NaOH ratio of 0.25, a hydrothermal treatment temperature of 130 ℃, and a hydrothermal treatment time of 36 h. Additionally, we investigated the photocatalytic activity of methyl violet 2B (MV) over the TNT catalysts under UV irradiation and found that the degradation efficiencies of the TNTs were higher than that of P25. Among the TNT catalysts, the TNT catalyst that was hydrothermally synthesized for 36 h (TNT 36 h) exhibited a 96.9% degradation efficiency and a degradation rate constant that was 4.8 times higher than P25 due to its large surface area, which allowed for more contact between the MV molecules and TNT surfaces and facilitated rapid electron transfer. Finally, these results were correlated with the specific surface area.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.345-352
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• 2024

The synthesis of Pt nanoparticles and catalytically active materials using the electrochemical top-down approach involves dispersing Pt electrodes in an electrolyte solution containing alkali metal cations and support material powder using an alternating pulsed current. Platinum is dispersed to form particles with a predominant crystallographic orientation of Pt(100) and a particle size of approximately 7.6±1.0 nm. The dispersed platinum particles have an insignificant content of PtO_x phase (0.25±0.03 wt.%). The average formation rate was 9.7±0.5 mg cm^-2 h^-1. The nature of the support (carbon material, metal oxide, carbon-metal oxide hybrid) had almost no effect on the formation rate of the Pt nanoparticles as well as their crystallographic properties. Depending on the nature of the support material, Pt-containing catalytic materials obtained by the electrochemical top-down approach showed good functional performance in fuel cell technologies (Pt/C), catalytic oxidation of CO (Pt/Al₂O₃) and electrochemical oxidation of methanol (Pt/TiO₂-C) and ethanol (Pt/SnO₂-C).

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.261-271
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• 2015

Toxicity results of metals, nanoparticles (NPs), and soils contaminated with metals were introduced on this review. Following methods were used: seed germination, bioluminescence, enzyme activity, and mutation. In general, different sensitivities were observed, depending on types of bioassays and pollutants. Among tested seeds, sensitivities of Lactucus and Raphanus were greater than others. Of single metal exposure, effect by As(III) was greater than others, and high revertant mutation ratio (5.1) was observed at 1 mg/L arsenite, indicating high mutagenicity. No general pattern was observed on the effect of metal mixture, but synergistic effect was observed with seeds. In case of soils, no correlation was observed between total metal contents and toxicity. Toxicity of NPs was observed as follows: CuO > ZnO > NiO > $TiO_2$, $Fe_2O_3$, $Co_3O_4$. Especially, no considerable effects were observed by $TiO_2$, $Fe_2O_3$, and $Co_3O_4$ under tested concentration (max. 1,000 mg/L). The evaluation results of interactive toxic effects using various bioassays may comprise a useful tool for the bioassessment of various environmental pollutants.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2009.06a
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• pp.375-375
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• 2009

For many large-scale applications of high-temperature superconducting materials, large critical current density($J_c$) in high applied magnetic fields are required. A number of methods have been reported to introduce artificial pinning centers(APCs) in $YBa_2Cu_3O_{7-\delta}$(YBCO) films for enhancement of their $J_c$. We report measurements of critical current in $YBa_2Cu_3O_{7-\delta}$ films deposited by PLD on $SrTiO_3$ substrates decorated with Au nanoparticles. Au nanoparticles were synthesized on STO substrates with self assembled monolayer. Microstructural analysis of the obtained YBCO films was performed by using cross-section transmission electron microscopy(TEM). Phase and textural analysis was done using X-ray diffraction. The surface morphology and surface roughness(Ra) of the layers was measured by atomic force microscopy(AFM).

• Transactions of the Society of Information Storage Systems
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.17-22
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• 2007

[ $TiO_2$ ] nanoparticles are added into UV curable resin to increase the refractive index of the cover-layer which is laminated on the media for cover-layer incident NFR. High refractive index is required for the cover-layer operating for the solid immersion lens optics with high effective numerical aperture. The eyepattern could be achieved from the cover-layer coated 20 GB ROM disc in which the refractive index of the cover-layer was 1.75, but the gap servo was unstable due to the rough surface of the cover-layer. Even though the light loss due to the nanoparticles is not serious, the rough microstructure is developed by adding the nanoparticles in the organic binder material. To achieve smooth surface for the stable gap servo, some special techniques should be added, for example the solubility of the nanoparticles should be enhanced by the optimization of the surface of the nanoparticles.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.59 no.3
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• pp.238-245
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• 2015

The crystallization and morphology change of amorphous titanias by hydrothermal treatment have been investigated. The amorphous titanias were prepared by pure water hydrolysis of two different precursors, titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) and TTIP modified with acetic acid (HOAc) and characterized prior to hydrothermal treatment. In order to avoid complicate situation, the hydrothermal treatment was performed in a single solvent water with and without strong acids at various temperatures. The effects of strong acid, temperature and time were systematically investigated on the transformation of amorphous titania to crystalline TiO₂ under simple hydrothermal condition. Without strong acid the titanias were transformed into only anatase phase nanoparticle regardless of precursor type, temperature and time herein used (up to 250 ℃ and 48 hours). The treatment temperature and time effected only on the crystalline size, not on the crystal phase et al. However, it was clearly revealed that the strong acids such as HNO₃ and HCl catalyzed the formation of rutile phase depending on temperature. HCl was slightly better than HNO₃ in this catalytic activity. The morphology of rutile TiO₂ formed was also a little affected by the type of acid. The precursor modifier, HOAc slightly reduced the catalytic activity of the strong acids in rutile phase formation.