• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.174-179
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• 2018

$TiO_2$-embedded expanded polystyrene (TiEPS) balls with powdered $TiO_2$ particles embedded on the surface of EPS were developed, and the growth inhibition of Chlorella ellipsoidea, a green algae, was evaluated. The experiment was conducted using four reactors with various conditions of (A) natural sunlight, (B) natural sunlight + TiEPS balls, (C) dark, and (D) dark + TiEPS balls on the roof of the building during five days. Based on the analysis of cell number, cell morphology, concentrations of chlorophyll-a and phaeopigments, both surface reactions in heterogeneous photocatalysis and light shielding could inhibit the growth of C. ellipsoidea. The highly reactive hydroxyl radicals ($OH{\cdot}$) from TiEPS balls degraded the lipid cell membrane through the peroxidation reaction with the light shielding, eventually resulting in cell inactivation. Although dominant inhibitory effects on the growth of C. ellipsoidea were ambiguous, TiEPS balls were feasible to prevent and inhibit the excessive growth of algae in eutrophic water body.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2012

In this article, I will introduce recent developments of environmental-friendly materials fabricated using atomic layer deposition (ALD). Advantages of ALD include fine control of the thin film thickness and formation of a homogeneous thin fim on complex-structured three-dimensional substrates. Such advantages of ALD can be exploited for fabricating environmental-friendly materials. Porous membranes such as anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) can be used as a substrate for $TiO_2$ coating with a thickness of about 10 nm, and the $TiO_2$-coated AAO can be used as filter of volatile organic compound such as toluene. The unique structural property of AAO in combination with a high adsorption capacity of amorphous $TiO_2$ can be exploited in this case. $TiO_2$ can be also deposited on nanodiamonds and Ni powder, which can be used as photocatalyst for degradation of toluene, and $CO_2$ reforming of methane catalyst, respectively. One can produce structures, in which the substrates are only partially covered by $TiO_2$ domains, and these structures turns out to be catalytically more active than bare substrates, or complete core-shell structures. We show that the ALD can be widely used not only in the semiconductor industry, but also environmental science.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.223-229
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• 2013

Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) is a power generation system to convert chemical energy of fuels and oxidants to electricity directly by electrochemical reactions. As a catalyst support for PEMFCs, carbon black has been generally used due to its large surface area and high electrical conductivity. However, under certain circumstances (start up/shut down, fuel starvation, ice formation etc.), carbon supports are subjected to serve corrosion in the presence of water. Therefore, it would be desirable to switch carbon supports to corrosion-resistive support materials such as metal oxide. $TiO_2$ has been attractive as a support with its stability in fuel cell operation atmosphere, low cost, commercial availability, and the ease to control size and structure. However, low electrical conductivity of $TiO_2$ still inhibits its application to catalyst support for PEMFCs. In this paper, to explore feasibility of $TiO_2$ as a catalyst support for PEMFCs, $TiO_2$ nanofibers were synthesized by electrospinning and calcinated at 600, 700, 800 and $900^{\circ}C$. Effects of calcination temperature on crystal structure and electrical conductivity of electrospun $TiO_2$ nanofibers were examined. Electrical conductivity of $TiO_2$ nanofibers increased significantly with increasing calcination temperature from $600^{\circ}C$ to $700^{\circ}C$ and then increased gradually with increasing the calcination temperature from $700^{\circ}C$ to $900^{\circ}C$. It was revealed that the remarkable increase in electrical conductivity could be attributed to phase transition of $TiO_2$ nanofibers from anatase to rutile at the temperature range from $600^{\circ}C$ to $700^{\circ}C$.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.269-278
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• 2023

Enzyme Immobilized Membrane Bioreactors (EMBRs) are a novel method to treat dyes within wastewater. Due to their efficacy and high resistance to the environment, there has been a large amount of research being done in this area. There are a variety of ways to approach EMBRs that include both the enzyme itself and the structure of said enzymes. The bioreactor itself can be modified to suit the needs of the dye removal. Ranging from Enzymatic bioreactors to utilizing nanostructures such as graphene oxide or carbon nanotubes. Furthermore, nanoparticles such as TiO₂ can be used to enhance the EMBR further as well. The polymer-based membrane supporting structure also includes a variety of different ways to approach the problem of increasing efficacy. As seen, during the past decades, different approaches to this issue that utilize EMBRs have been done. This review aims to summarize the methodologies and describe the various improvements to EMBRs that have been made.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.196-200
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• 2018

In this study, the intermediate layer in Pd-based hydrogen separation membrane was synthesized to minimize the surface roughness and defects using powder-type and sol-type metal oxides. The surface properties and gas permeation characteristics were analysed by SEM and $N_2$ gas permeation test. The coating layer composed of sol type metal oxides has smooth surface, especially the layer coated by $TiO_2$ sol has little pin holes, cracks and defects. The binary layer composed of powder type and sol type metal oxides has similar flux characteristics to a single sol type layer. The Pd-based composite membrane improved by the binary intermediate layer exhibited $0.32mol/m^2s$ of the hydrogen permeation flux with a selectivity ($H_2/N_2$) of ~10,890 at 672 K and a pressure difference of 1 bar.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.143-156
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• 2018

In this review article, hybrid water/wastewater treatment processes of membrane and photocatalyst were summarized from papers published in various journals. It included (1) membrane photoreactor (MPR), (2) fouling control of a membrane coupled photocatalytic process, (3) photocatalytic membrane reactors for degradation of organic pollutants, (4) integration of photocatalysis with membrane processes for purification of water, (5) hybrid photocatalysis and ceramic membrane filtration process for humic acid degradation, (6) effect of $TiO_2$ nanoparticles on fouling mitigation of ultrafiltration membranes for activated sludge filtration, (7) hybrid photocatalysis/submerged microfiltration membrane system for drinking water treatment, (8) purification of bilge water by hybrid ultrafiltration and photocatalytic processes, and (9) Hybrid water treatment process of membrane and photocatalyst-coated polypropylene bead.

• Clean Technology
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.211-217
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• 2008

We investigated the reduction of pollutants such as TOC (total organic carbon) and decolorization of Reactive Black 5 (RB5) by photocatalytic oxidation. The optimal values of major parameters for the reaction were obtained including the concentration of RB5, the amount of $TiO_2$ dosage and pH of solution. The values were 100 mg/L, 2 g/L and 4.9, respectively. As the concentration of oxygen increased, removal rate of pollutants increased. After $TiO_2$ was regenerated and used again by micro filtration (MF) ceramic membrane, the removal efficiency of color and removal rate of pollutants did not decrease significantly.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.29 no.11
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• pp.905-911
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• 1992

Model equations for the gas permeation through a ceramic composite membrane were derived for examining the existence of crack, the reproducibility, and the microstructural properties of composite membranes. From the results of analyzing the nitrogen permeability data through alumina-tube supported TiO2 and SiO2 composite membranes, the extent of cracking, and the formation and structure of membrane top-layers were modelled. It was proved that the crack-free and reproducible composite membranes could be easily prepared only by the pore-filled coating within pores of the support in the sol-gel coating process.

• The Korean Journal of Ceramics
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.36-40
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• 2001

In order to fabricate uncooled IR sensors for pyroelectric applications, multilayered thin films of Pt/PbTiO$_3$/Pt/Ti/Si$_3$N$_4$/SiO$_2$/Si and thermally isolating membrane structures of square-shaped/cantilevers-shaped microstructures were prepared. Cavity was also fabricated via direct silicon wafer bonding and etching technique. Metallic Pt layer was deposited by ion beam sputtering while PbTiO$_3$ thin films were prepared by sol-gel technique. Micromachining technology was used to fabricate microstructured-membrane detectors. In order to avoid a difficulty of etching active layers, silicon-nitride membrane structure was fabricated through the direct bonding and etching of the silicon wafer. Although multilayered thin film deposition and device fabrications were processed independently, these could b integrated to make IR micro-sensor devices.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.123-135
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• 2014

The effects of pH, saturated oxygen, and back-flushing media were investigated in hybrid process of tubular ceramic microfiltration and $TiO_2$ photocatalyst-loaded PES (polyethersulfone) beads for advanced drinking water treatment, and compared results of water, nitrogen, or oxygen back-flushing in the viewpoints of membrane fouling resistance ($R_f$), permeate flux (J) and total treated water ($V_T$). $R_f$ decreased, and J and $V_T$ increased as decreasing pH. Turbidity treatment efficiencies were similar at water or nitrogen back-flushing independent of pH, but DOM (dissolved organic matter) treatment efficiency did not have a trend at water back-flushing. $R_f$ at NBF (no back-flushing) with SO (saturated oxygen) was the lower than that at NBF without SO. Also, the DOM treatment efficiency at NBF with SO was the lower than that at NBF without SO. It happened because OH radicals produced by reaction of SO and photocatalyst could dilute with water inside the module. The DOM treatment efficiency of gas back-flushing showed the larger than that of water back-flushing at back-flushig period 10 min. It proved that the adsorption or photo-oxidation of PES beads could be activated by the more effective bead-cleaning of gas back-flushing than water back-flushing.