• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.49 no.10
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• pp.818-822
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• 2011

ZnO nanorods were grown on Au-coated Si substrates by vapor phase transport (VPT) at the growth temperature of $600^{\circ}C$ using a mixture of zinc oxide and graphite powders as source material. Au thin films with the thickness of 5 nm were deposited by ion sputtering. Temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) was carried out to investigate the optical properties of the ZnO nanorods. Five peaks at 3.363, 3.327, 3.296, 3.228, and 3.143 eV, corresponding to the free exciton (FX), neutral donor bound exciton ($D^{\circ}X$), first order longitudinal optical phonon replica of free exciton (FX-1LO), FX-2LO, and FX-3LO emissions, were obtained at low-temperature (10 K). The intensity of these peaks decreased and their position was red shifted with the increase in the temperature. The FX emission peak energy of the ZnO nanorods exhibited an anomalous behavior (red-blue-red shift) with the increase in temperature. This is also known as an "S-shaped" emission shift. The thermal activation energy for the exciton with increasing temperature in the ZnO nanorods is found to be about 26.6 meV; the values of Varshni's empirical equation fitting parameters are = $5{\times}10^{-4}eV/K$, ${\beta}=350K$, and $E_g(0)=3.364eV$.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.237-242
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• 2018

We report on the fabrication and photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties of a ZnO nanorod array structure as an efficient photoelectrode for hydrogen production from sunlight-driven water splitting. Vertically aligned ZnO nanorods were grown on an indium-tin-oxide-coated glass substrate via seed-mediated hydrothermal synthesis method with the use of a ZnO nanoparticle seed layer, which was formed by thermally oxidizing a sputtered Zn metal thin film. The structural and morphological properties of the synthesized ZnO nanorods were examined using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, as well as Raman scattering. The PEC properties of the fabricated ZnO nanorod photoelectrode were evaluated by photocurrent conversion efficiency measurements under white light illumination. From the observed PEC current density versus voltage (J-V) behavior, the vertically aligned ZnO nanorod photoelectrode was found to exhibit a negligible dark current and high photocurrent density, e.g., $0.65mA/cm^2$ at 0.8 V vs Ag/AgCl in a 1 mM $Na_2SO_4$ electrolyte. In particular, a significant PEC performance was observed even at an applied bias of 0 V vs Ag/AgCl, which made the device self-powered.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.196-203
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• 2019

We report on the fabrication and characterization of an oxide photoanode with a zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod array embedded in cuprous oxide ($Cu_2O$) thin film, namely a $ZnO/Cu_2O$ oxide p-n heterostructure photoanode, for enhanced efficiency of visible light driven photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. A vertically oriented n-type ZnO nanorod array is first prepared on an indium-tin-oxide-coated glass substrate via a seed-mediated hydrothermal synthesis method and then a p-type $Cu_2O$ thin film is directly electrodeposited onto the vertically oriented ZnO nanorod array to form an oxide p-n heterostructure. The introduction of $Cu_2O$ layer produces a noticeable enhancement in the visible light absorption. From the observed PEC current density versus voltage (J-V) behavior under visible light illumination, the photoconversion efficiency of this $ZnO/Cu_2O$ p-n heterostructure photoanode is found to reach 0.39 %, which is seven times that of a pristine ZnO nanorod photoanode. In particular, a significant PEC performance is observed even at an applied bias of 0 V vs $Hg/Hg_2Cl_2$, which makes the device self-powered. The observed improvement in the PEC performance is attributed to some synergistic effect of the p-n bilayer heterostructure on the formation of a built-in potential including the light absorption and separation processes of photoinduced charge carriers, which provides a new avenue for preparing efficient photoanodes for PEC water splitting.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.11-16
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• 2022

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are porous materials with nano-sized pores. The degree of gas adsorption and pore size can be controlled according to types of metal ions and organic ligands. Many studies have been conducted on MOFs in the fields of gas storage and separation, and gas sensors. For rapid and quantitative gas adsorption/desorption analyses, it is necessary to form various MOF structures in uniform films on a sensor surface. In this review, some of representative direct methods for uniformly synthesizing MOFs such as MIL-53 (Al), ZIF-8, and Cu-BDC from anodized aluminum oxide, zinc oxide nanorods, and copper thin films, respectively on the surface of a microresonator are highlighted. In addition, the operation principle of quartz crystal microbalance and microcantilever, which are representative microresonators, and the interpretation of signals that change when gas is adsorbed to MOFs are covered. This is intended to enhance the understanding of gas adsorption/desorption analysis of MOFs using microresonators.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.278-283
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• 2014

In this study, we propose an immunosensor using zinc oxide nanorods (NRs) inside PDMS channel for detecting the influenza A virus subtype H7N9. ZnO with high isoelectric point (IEP, ~9.5) makes it suitable for immobilizing proteins with low IEP. In this proposed H7N9 immunosensor structure ZnO NRs were grown on the PDMS channel inner surface to immobilize H7N9 capture antibody. A sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method with was used 3,3',5,5' tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) for detecting H7N9 influenza virus. The immunosensor was evaluated by amperometry at various H7N9 influenza antigen concentrations (1 pg/ml - 1 ng/ml). The redox peak voltage and current were measured by amperometry with ZnO NWs and without ZnO NWs inside PDMS channel. The measurement results of the H7N9 immunosensor showed that oxidation peak current of TMB at 0.25 V logarithmically increased from 2.3 to 3.8 uA as the H7N9 influenza antigen concentration changed from 1 pg/ml to 1 ng/ml. And then we demonstrated that ZnO NRs inside PDMS channel can improve the sensitivity of immunosensor to compare non-ZnO NRs inside PDMS channel.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.198-203
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• 2014

ZnO nanorods have been deposited on ITO glass by electrodeposition method. The optimization of two process parameters (precursor concentration and current) has been studied in order to control the orientation, morphology, and optical property of the ZnO nanorods. The structural and optical properties of ZnO nanorods were systematically investigated by using field-emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometer, and photoluminescence. Commonly, the results show that ZnO nanorods with a hexagonal form and wurtzite crystal structure have a c-axis orientation and higher intensity for the ZnO (002) diffraction peaks. Both high precursor concentration and high electrodeposition current cause the increase in nanorods diameter and coverage ratio. ZnO nanorods show a strong UV (3.28 eV) and a weak visible (1.9 ~ 2.4 eV) bands.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.34-38
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• 2016

In this paper, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were synthesized using the sonochemical method, where equimolar amounts of zinc acetate dehydrate and sodium hydroxide were separately dissolved in deionized water, and then mixed for 30 min under magnetic stirring. The resultant white gel was sonicated for 60, 120, 180, 240, and 360 min with magnetic stirring. The obtained precipitates were centrifuged, repeatedly washed with ethanol to remove ionic impurities, and dried at 50 ℃ for 24 h. The formation of pure NPs was confirmed by X-ray diffraction, and their crystallinity and crystal phases were analyzed as well. Structural investigation was carried out by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The photocatalysis behavior of the ZnO NPs was investigated in a dark room under UV irradiation, using Rhodamine B. Spherical, rod, and flower-like ZnO NPs could be obtained by adjusting the sonication time, as observed by FE-SEM. The flower-like ZnO NPs exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity.