• Membrane Journal
• /
• v.31 no.6
• /
• pp.417-425
• /
• 2021

As the demand for high-capacity batteries increases, there has been growing researches on the lithium metal anode with a capacity (3,860 mAh/g) of higher than that of conventional one and a low electrochemical potential (-3.040 V). In this study, using the anatase phased TiO₂ nanoparticles synthesized by hydrothermal synthesis, a PVdF-HFP/TiO₂ organic/inorganic composite material was designed and used as an interfacial protective layer for a Li metal anode. As-formed organic/inorganic-lithium composite thin film was confirmed through the crystalline structure and morphological analyses. In addition, the electrochemical test (cycle stability and voltage profile) confirmed that the protective layer of PVdF-HFP/TiO₂ composite (10 wt% TiO₂ and 1.1 ㎛ film thickness) contributed to the enhanced electrochemical performance of the lithium metal anode (Colombic efficiency retention: 90% for 77 cycles). Based on comparative test with the untreated lithium electrode, it was confirmed that our protective layer plays an important role to stabilize/improve the EC performance of the lithium metal negative electrode.

• Advances in environmental research
• /
• v.1 no.4
• /
• pp.289-304
• /
• 2012

Tris (2-methyl-1-aziridinyl) phosphine oxide (MAPO) is extremely poisonous and persistent in aqueous media. An efficient UV/nano$TiO_2$ process was employed for its mineralization in a high duty falling film photo-reactor based on an experimental design scheme that considers interactions between the main variables. The influencing variables and their range were determined with preliminary studies. The results show substrate mineralization to some extent under mild conditions of: T = $30^{\circ}C$, pH = 8.5, $[MAPO]_0=60\;mg\;L^{-1}$ and $[TiO_2]=110\;mg\;L^{-1}$. The relative importance of the influencing parameters were initial pH > temperature > $[MAPO]_0$ > [$TiO_2$]; while the interdependence of all the parameters was significant. Accordingly, a reduced quadratic expression was developed. Meanwhile, mineralization kinetic studies, based on chemical oxygen demand, revealed a power law model with order of 2.6 during process time until 150 min.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.217-224
• /
• 2012

In recent decades, titanium dioxide ($TiO_2$) nanoparticles have been used in various applications, including paints, coatings, and food. However, data are lacking on the toxicological aspects associated with their use. The aim of this study was to assess the inhalation toxicity of $TiO_2$ nanoparticles in rats by using inhalation exposure. Male Wistar rats were exposed to $TiO_2$ nanoparticles for 2 weeks (6 hr/day, 5 days/week) at a mean mass concentration of $11.39{\pm}0.31mg/m^3$. We performed time-course necropsies at 1, 7, and 15 days after exposure. Lung inflammation and injury were assessed on the basis of the total and individual cell counts in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and by biochemical assays, including an assay for lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Furthermore, histopathological examination was performed to investigate the lungs and nasal cavity of rats. There were no statistically significant changes in the number of BALF cells, results of biochemical assays of BALF and serum, and results of cytokine analysis. However, we did observe histopathological changes in the nasal cavity tissue. Lesions were observed at post-exposure days 1 and 7, which resolved at post-exposure day 15. We also calculated the actual amounts of $TiO_2$ nanoparticles inhaled by the rats. The results showed that the degree of toxicity induced by $TiO_2$ nanoparticles correlated with the delivered quantities. In particular, exposure to small particles with a size of approximately 20 nm resulted in toxicity, even if the total particle number was relatively low.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
• /
• 2011.08a
• /
• pp.71-71
• /
• 2011

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) have drawn great academic attention due to their potential as low-cost renewable energy sources. DSCs contain a nanostructured TiO2 photoanode, which is a key-component for high conversion efficiency. Particularly, one-dimensional (1-D) nanostructured photoanodes can enhance the electron transport for the efficient collection to the conducting substrate in competition with the recombination processes. This is because photoelectron colletion is determined by trapping/detrapping events along the site of the electron traps (defects, surface states, grain boundaries, and self-trapping). Therefore, 1-D nanostructured photoanodes are advantageous for the fast electron transport due to their desirable features of greatly reduced intercrystalline contacts with specified directionality. In particular, anodic TiO2 nanotube (NT) electrodes recently have been intensively explored owing to their ideal structure for application in DSCs. Besides the enhanced electron transport properties resulted from the 1-D structure, highly ordered and vertically oriented nanostructure of anodic TiO2 NT can contribute additional merits, such as enhanced electrolyte diffusion, better interfacial contact with viscous electrolytes. First, to confirm the advantages of 1-D nanostructured material for the photoelectron collection, we compared the electron transport and charge recombination characteristics between nanoparticle (NP)- and nanorod (NR)-based photoanodes in DSCs by the stepped light-induced transient measurements of photocurrent and voltage (SLIM-PCV). We confirmed that the electron lifetime of the NR-based photoanode was much longer than that of the NP-based photoanode. In addition, highly ordered and vertically oriented TiO2 NT photoanodes were prepared by electrochemical anodization method. We compared the photovoltaic properties of DSCs utilizing TiO2 NT photoanodes prepared by one-step anodization and two-step anodization. And, to reduce the charge recombination rate, energy barrier layer (ZnO, Al2O3)-coated TiO2 NTs also applied in DSC. Furthermore, we applied the TiO2 NT photoanode in DSCs using a viscous electrolyte, i.e., cobalt bipyridyl redox electrolyte, and confirmed that the pore structure of NT array can enhance the performances of this viscous electrolyte.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.303-307
• /
• 2006

We have screened phage display peptide libraries to select for peptides binding to various sized $TiO_2$ nanoparticles. Phage libraries displaying random 7mer, 12mer, and C-7-Cmer peptides were used for screening. The size of target $TiO_2$ particles used were 7 nm, 15 nm, and 25 nm in diameter. We could select peptides binding each nanoparticles from all 3 libraries. Their binding was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Each peptide investigated was also shown to bind the other sized particles, meaning that the binding was specific for the nature of the particle rather than for the size of it. One of the 7mer peptides (PEP9, SVSPISH) was chosen for further analysis. The binding was shown to be in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting a specific interaction.

• Journal of Powder Materials
• /
• v.17 no.6
• /
• pp.449-455
• /
• 2010

The hybrid structured photo-electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells was fabricated based on the composites of $TiO_2$ nanoparticles and nanowires. Three samples with different hybrid structures were prepared with 17 vol%, 43 vol%, and 100 vol% nanowires. The energy conversion efficiency was enhanced from 5.54% for pure nanoparticle cells to 6.01% for the hybrid structure with 17 vol% nanowires. For the hybrid structured layers with high nanowires concentration (43 vol% and 100 vol%), the efficiency decreased with the nanowire concentration, because of the decrease of specific surface area, and of thus decreased current density. The random orientations of $TiO_2$ nanowires can be preserved by the doctor blade process, resulted in the enhanced efficiency. The hybrid structured $TiO_2$ layer can possess the advantages of the high surface area of nanoparticles and the rapid electron transport rate and the light scattering effect of nanowires.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.1-5
• /
• 2006

Lithium titanium oxide $(Li_4Ti_5O_{12})$ with spinel-framework structures as anode material for lithium-ion battery was prepared by sol-gel and high energy ball milling (HEBH) method. According to the X-ray diffraction (XRD), Particle Size Analyses(PSA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis, uniformly distributed $Li_4Ti_5O_{12}$ particles with grain sizes of 100 nm were observed. Half cells, consisting of $Li_4Ti_5O_{12}$ as working electrode and lithium foil as both counter and reference electrodes showed the high performance of high rate discharge capacity and 173 mAh/g at 0.2C in the range of $1.0\sim2.5 V$. Furthermore, the crystalline structure of $Li_4Ti_5O_{12}$ didn't transform during the lithium intercalation and deintercalation process.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.35 no.7
• /
• pp.1933-1938
• /
• 2014

Despite increasing importance of in vitro cell-based assays for the assessment of nanoparticles (NPs) cytotoxicity, their suitability for the assessment of NPs toxicity is still in doubt. Here, limitations of widely used cell viability assay protocol (i.e., MTT asssay) for the cytotoxicity assessment of P25 $TiO_2$ NPs were carefully examined and an alternative toxicity assessment method to overcome these limitations was proposed, where the artifacts caused by extracellularly formed formazan and light scattered by agglomerated NPs were minimized by measuring only the intracellular formazan via image cytometric methods.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
• /
• 2014.02a
• /
• pp.481.1-481.1
• /
• 2014

Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) has been extensively investigated as the next generation energy source. Despite attractive features of simple fabrication process and its economical efficiency, there are some problems such as low efficiency and low long-term stability. Many groups have attempted the proposed way to improve the cell efficiency and long-term stability such as low recombination rate between $TiO_2$ surface and electrolyte, the development of new dye molecules capable of light adsorption as broadly as possible, the fabrication of a solid-state DSSC by replacing the liquid electrolyte, and protective coating on glass. In this work, we confirmed new dye-coating conditions to maximize the dye adsorption between the dye and $TiO_2$ nanoparticle surface. The experiment results coating conditions with the coating temperature of $70^{\circ}C$, the dye concentration of 10 mM and the coating time of 3 min. Conditions have two times, three times cycle the experiment in progress efficiency rises.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.43 no.6
• /
• pp.1170-1182
• /
• 2023

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of chitosan (CH)-based nanocomposite coating applications [chitosan+TiO₂ (CHT) and chitosan+TiO₂+rosmarinic acid (CHTRA)] on changes in quality attributes of rainbow trout fillets during cold storage (4℃). Fish fillets were randomly divided into four groups and subjected to treatments (CH, CHT, CHTRA, and control). After treatments, the groups were packaged under a modified atmosphere (40% CO₂+30% O₂+30% N₂) and stored at 4℃ for 18 days. During cold storage, the samples were subjected to physico-chemical and microbiological analyses. During storage, CH, CHT, and CHTRA treatments showed lower aerobic mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacteria counts than the control. However, the differences between coating treatments were not significant. The highest mean pH value was determined in the control group. As the storage time increased, the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances value increased. At the end of the storage period, no significant differences were observed between the treatments, including in the control group. The total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) level in the control group was above 25 mg/100 g on day 15 of storage. However, the TVB-N level in the treatment groups was below 20 mg/100 g on day 18. It was also determined that coating application×storage period interaction had a significant effect on all color parameters (p<0.01). At the end of storage, the highest CIE L* was observed in CHTRA treatment. However, the value of this treatment did not differ from that of the CH treatment.