• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.38-44
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• 2015

This review article summarizes the recent progress of quantum dot (QD)-sensitized solar cells based on mesoporous $TiO_2$ thin films. From the intrinsic characteristics of nanoscale inorganic QDs with various compositions, it was possible to construct a variety of 3rd-generation thin film solar cells by solution process. Depending on preparation methods, colloidal QD sensitizers are pre-prepared for later deposition onto the surface of $TiO_2$ or in-situ deposition of QDs from chemical bath is done for direct growth of QD sensitizers over substrates. Recently, colloidal QD sensitizers have shown an overall power conversion efficiency of ~7% by a very precise control of composition while a representative CdS/CdSe from chemical bath deposition have done ~5% with polysulfide electrolytes. In the near future, it is necessary to carry out systematic investigations for developing new hole-conducting materials and controlling interfaces within the cell, thus leading to an enhancement of both open-circuit voltage and fill factor while keeping the current high value of photocurrents from QDs towards more efficient and stable QD-sensitized solar cells.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.61-69
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• 2013

The effect of humic acid (HA), and the roles of microfiltration (MF), PES (polyethersulfone) beads adsorption, and photo-oxidation were investigated in hybrid process of ceramic MF and PES beads loaded with titanium dioxide ($TiO_2$) photocatalyst for advanced drinking water treatment. Those were compared and studied in viewpoints of membrane fouling resistance ($R_f$), permeate flux (J), and total permeate volume ($V_T$). Because membrane fouling increased dramatically as decreasing HA, $R_f$ increased and J decreased, and finally $V_T$ was the highest at 2 mg/L HA. In the experiment to investigate the roles of photo-oxidation and adsorption at humic acid 4 mg/L and 6 mg/L. In both conditions, $R_f$ was the lowest and $V_T$ was the highest in MF + $TiO_2$ + UV process. The average treatment efficiencies of turbidity and dissolved organic matters were the highest in MF + $TiO_2$ + UV process, too.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.35 no.11
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• pp.1297-1308
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• 2011

This research investigates the application of ZnO (zinc oxide) nanoparticles and $TiO_2$ (titanium dioxide) nanoparticles to polypropylene nonwoven fabrics via an electrospinning technique for the development of textile materials that can decompose harmful gases. To fabricate uniform ZnO nanocomposite fibers, two types of ZnO nanoparticles were applied. Colloidal $TiO_2$ nanoparticles were chosen to fabricate $TiO_2$ nano- composite fibers. ZnO/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and $TiO_2$/PVA nanocomposite fibers were electrospun under a variety of conditions that include various feed rates, electric voltages, and capillary diameters. The morphology of electrospun nanocomposite fibers was examined with a field-emission scanning electron micro- scope and a transmission electron microscope. Decomposition efficiency of gaseous materials (formaldehyde, ammonia, toluene, benzene, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide) by nanocomposite fiber webs with 3wt% nano-particles (ZnO or $TiO_2$) and 7$g/m^2$ web area density was assessed. This study shows that ZnO nanoparticles in colloid were more suitable for fabricating nanocomposite fibers in which nanoparticles are evenly dispersed than in powder. A heat treatment was applied to water-soluble PVA nanofiber webs in order to stabilize the electrospun nanocomposite fibrous structure against dissolution in water. ZnO/PVA and $TiO_2$/PVA nanofiber webs exhibited a range of degradation efficiency for different types of gases. For nitrogen dioxide, the degradation efficiency was 92.2% for ZnO nanocomposite fiber web and 87% for $TiO_2$ nanocomposite fiber web after 20 hours of UV light irradiation. The results indicate that ZnO/PVA and $TiO_2$/PVA nano- composite fiber webs have possible uses in functional textiles that can decompose harmful gases.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.691-698
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• 2015

In the area of high traffic volume, such as expressway across large cities, the amount of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emitted into the atmosphere as air pollution can be significant since NOx gases are the major cause of smog and acid rain. Recently, the importance of NOx removal has arisen in the world. Titanium dioxide ($TiO_2$), that is one of photocatalytic reaction material, is very efficient for removing NOx. Therefore, application of $TiO_2$ concrete is a good alternative in order to remove NOx which is a main cause of air pollution. This experimental study aimed to evaluate the long-term performance of $TiO_2$ concrete such as NOx removal efficiency due to performance period and environmental resistance for application of road structures. It was found that the $TiO_2$ is reasonable applicable on the road structure because $TiO_2$ concrete has a long-term performance.

• 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.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.51-61
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• 2003

Pollution purification using titanium dioxide (TiO$_2$) photocatalyst has attracted a great deal of attention with increasing number of relent environmental problems. Currently, the application of TiO$_2$ photocatalyst has been focused on purification and treatment of waste water. However. the use of conventional TiO$_2$ powder photocatalyst results in disadvantage of stirring during the reaction and of separation after the reaction. And the usage of artificial UV lamp has made the cost of photocatalyst treatment system high. Consequently, we herein studied the pilot-scale design to aid in optimization of the energy-saving process for more through development and reactor design by solar light/UV lamp/ TiO$_2$system. In this study, we manufactured the TiO$_2$sol by sol-gel method. According to analysis by XRD, SEM and TEM, characterization of TiO$_2$ sol were nano-size (5-6 nm) and anatase type. Inorganic binder (SiO$_2$) was added to TiO$_2$ lot to be coated for support strongly, and support of ceramic bead was used to lower separation rate that of glass bead The influences were studied of various experimental parameters such as TiO$_2$ quantity, pH, flow rate. additives, pollutants concentration, climate condition and reflection plate by means of reaction time of the main chararteristics of the obtained materials. In water treatment system, variable realtor as solar light/ or UV lamp according to climate condition such as sunny and cloudy days treated the phenol and E-coli(Escherichia coli) effectively.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.102-106
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• 2022

Currently, the demand for real-time monitoring of water quality has increased dramatically. Total organic carbon (TOC) analysis is a suitable method for real-time analysis compared with conventional biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) methods in terms of analysis time. However, this method is expensive because of the complicated internal processes involved. The photocatalytic titanium dioxide (TiO2)-based TOC method is simpler as it omits more than three preprocessing steps. This is because it reacts only with organic carbon (OC) without extra processes. We optimized the rate between the TiO2 photocatalyst and binder solution and the TiO2 concentration. The efficiency was investigated under 365 nm UV exposure onto a TiO2 coated substrate. The optimized conditions were sufficient to apply a real-time monitoring system for water quality with a short reaction time (within 10 min). We expect that it can be applied in a wide range of water quality monitoring industries.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.26 no.3B
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• pp.321-327
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• 2006

This study was performed to provide basic information for evaluating the efficiency and applicable extent of photocatalysis for the treatment of swine wastewater. Acid area was more efficient than neutral and alkalic areas in wastewater treatment, and level of pH3 was the most effective and the treatment efficiency continually increased as the amount of photocatalyst was increased. When the photocatalyst was increased, $TCOD_{Mn}$ was removed faster than chromaticity. Pollutants were more effectively eliminated with both UV light illumination and $TiO_2$ than with either UV or $TiO_2$ alone. The removal efficiency was increased with the addition of $H_2O_2$ as an oxidant, but the removal efficiency was decreased with over an dosage of $H_2O_2$. The optimal dosage of $H_2O_2$ was 200 mg/L. Continuous injection of $H_2O_2$ was required for effective oxidation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.907-912
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• 2011

Development of visible light responsive photocatalysts is a promising research area to facilitate utilization of solar energy for hydrogen production via photocatalytic water splitting. In this study two groups of samples, nitrogen (N)-doped niobium pentoxide ($Nb_2O_5$) and titanium dioxide ($TiO_2$) ($Nb_2O_5-N$, $HNb_3O_8-N$, $TiO_2-N$) and N-undoped ones ($Nb_2O_5$ and $TiO_2$) were tested. In order to utilize visible light, nitrogen atoms were doped in selected photocatalysts by using urea. A shift of the absorption edges of the Ndoped samples in the visible light region was observed. Under visible light irradiation, N-doped samples were more prominent photocatalytic activities than the N-undoped samples. Specifically, 99.7% of rhodamine B (RhB) was degraded after 60 minutes of visible light irradiation with $TiO_2-N$. Since $TiO_2-N$ shows the highest activity of RhB degradation, it was supposed to generate the highest current response. However, $HNb_3O_8-N$ showed the highest current response ($63.7mA/cm^2$) than $TiO_2-N$. More interestingly, when we compare the hydrogen production, $Nb_2O_5-N$ produced $19.4{\mu}mol/h$ of hydrogen.

• Textile Coloration and Finishing
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.238-249
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• 2021

In this study, the effect on flame retardancy and various physical properties when TiO₂ was added with a citric acid/phosphate complex acid catalyst together with Pyrovatex CP new (N-methylol dimethylphosphonopropionamide), a phosphorus-based flame retardant, was studied on cotton fibers. SEM-EDS analysis was performed to confirm the surface characteristics and surface element analysis of the flame-retardant treated cotton fibers, and a vertical carbonization test was performed to confirm the char formation capability and flame retardancy according to the phosphoric acid ratio. By comparing the LOI index before and after washing 10 times, the washing durability of the flame retardant solution containing the phosphoric acid catalyst and TiO₂ was tested by LOI index after ten washing cycles. In addition, the influence of the flame-retardant processing on the physical properties were compared including thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), tear strength and whiteness.