• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.383-392
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• 2020

In this paper, AgCl/Ag₃PO₄/diatomite photocatalyst is successfully synthesized by microemulsion method and anion in situ substitution method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) are used to study the structural and physicochemical characteristics of the AgCl/Ag₃PO₄/diatomite composite. Using rhodamine B (RhB) as a simulated pollutant, the photocatalytic activity and stability of the AgCl/Ag₃PO₄/diatomite composite under visible light are evaluated. In the AgCl/Ag₃PO₄/diatomite visible light system, RhB is nearly 100 % degraded within 15 minutes. And, after five cycles of operation, the photocatalytic activity of AgCl/Ag₃PO₄/diatomite remains at 95 % of the original level, much higher than that of pure Ag₃PO₄ (40 %). In addition, the mechanism of enhanced catalytic performance is discussed. The high photocatalytic performance of AgCl/Ag₃PO₄/diatomite composites can be attributed to the synergistic effect of Ag₃PO₄, diatomite and AgCl nanoparticles. Free radical trapping experiments are used to show that holes and oxygen are the main active species. This material can quickly react with dye molecules adsorbed on the surface of diatomite to degrade RhB dye to CO₂ and H₂O. Even more remarkably, AgCl/Ag₃PO₄/diatomite can maintain above 95 % photo-degradation activity after five cycles.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.426-429
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• 2017

In this study, we investigated the effect of BN (boron nitride) on the thermal and the electrical conductivity of composites. In case of epoxy/BN composites, the thermal conductivity was increased as the BN contents were increased. Epoxy/AgNP (Ag nanoparticle) nanocomposites exhibited a slight change of thermal conductivity and showed a electrical percolation threshold at 20 vol% of Ag nanoparticles. At the fixed Ag nanoparticle content below the electrical percolation threshold, increasing the amount of BN enhanced the electrical conductivity as well as thermal conductivity for the epoxy/AgNP/BN composites.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.202-207
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• 2024

This study examines a manufacturing process for the photoelectrode material of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) intending to increase efficiency through the surface plasmon resonance phenomenon of nanoparticles with a composite structure made of Ag and TiO₂. This invention involves the use of Ag and TiO₂ nanoparticles in the solar cell. These nanoparticles cause surface plasmon resonance, which amplifies and scatters incident solar energy, enhancing the dye's rate of light absorption. It also makes it possible to absorb energy in wavelength ranges that were previously difficult to do, which increases efficiency. Centrifugal separation and heat synthesis are used to create the composite metal structures, and certain combinations are used to decide the particle morphologies. To increase the efficiency of organic solar cells and DSSC, the Ag/TiO₂ composite structure is therefore quite likely to be used.

• Proceedings of the Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute Conference
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• 2006.09b
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• pp.921.1-921.1
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• 2006

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.285-290
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• 2007

Ag nanoparticles were distributed onto polystyrene nanoparticle (PS-Ag) beads using two synthetic methodologies. In the first methodology, polystyrene (PS) beads were prepared via emulsion polymerization, with Ag nanoparticles subsequently loaded onto the surface of the PS beads. The polymerization of styrene was radiolytically induced in an ethanol (EtOH)/water medium, generating PS beads. Subsequently, Ag nanoparticles were loaded onto the PS beads via the reduction of Ag ions. The results from the morphological studies, using field emission transmission electron microscopy (FE-TEM), reveal the PS particles were spherical and nanosized, and the average size of the PS spherical particles decreased with increasing volume % of water in the polymerization medium. The size of the PS spherical particles increases with increasing radiation dose for the polymerization. Also, the amount of Ag nanoparticle loading could be increased by increasing the irradiation dose for the reduction of the Ag ions. In the second methodology, the polymerization of styrene and reduction of Ag ions were simultaneously performed by irradiating a solution containing styrene and Ag ions in an EtOH/water medium. Interestingly, the Ag nanoparticles were preferentially homogeneously distributed within the PS particles (not on the surface of the PS particles). Thus, Ag nanoparticles were distributed onto the surface of the PS particles using the first approach, but into the PS clusters of the particles via the second. The antimicrobial efficiency of a cloth coated with the Ag-PS composite nanoparticles was tested against bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniase, for 100 water washing cycles.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.246-251
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• 2019

Facilitated transport membranes using silver nanoparticles as carriers for olefin/paraffin separation have been interested. $AgBF_4$ has been used as a precursor of silver nanoparticles in previous studies. However, relatively expensive $AgBF_4$ is not suitable for commercialization, and thus, PEBAX-5513/AgNPs (precursor: $AgClO_4$)/7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) composite membranes were prepared using silver nanopaticles with relatively inexpensive $AgClO_4$ precursors. Composite membranes of various compositions were prepared for PEBAX-5513/AgNPs/TCNQ composites, but no separation performance was observed. As a result of FT-IR analysis, it was confirmed that silver nanoparticles were formed in the PEBAX-5513 polymer and the surface of Ag nanoparticles was polarized by TCNQ, but the formed silver nanoparticles were not stabilized. From these results, it was concluded that the anion of the precursor plays an important role in the olefin/paraffin separation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society For Composite Materials Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.23-26
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• 2004

Ag/Ni multilayers with different bilayer thickness between 3 and 100 nm produced by DC magnetron puttering have been studied by cross-sectional TEM and nanoindentation. The micrograph shows perfect layered structure with sharp interfaces between Ag and Ni layers. Absolute hardness is calculated as a reference value to compare hardness of specimens regardless of indent depth. A hardness enhancement of nearly $100\%$ over the rule-of-mixtures values, calculated from the measured hardness of single Ag and Ni thin films, is observed. The hardness increases with decreasing bilayer thickness until 8nm. This enhancement shows a good agreement with Hall-Petch relation using grain size (one half of the bilayer thickness) confined within a layer. The deformation behavior can be explained by dislocation pile-up in smaller grains.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.50 no.12
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• pp.931-937
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• 2012

The microstructure of Cu-15 wt%Ag composites fabricated by equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) with intermediate heat treatment at $320^{\circ}C$ was investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations. Ag precipitates with a thickness of 20-40 nm were observed in the eutectic region of the Cu-15 wt%Ag composite solution treated at $700^{\circ}C$ before ECAP. The Cu matrix and Ag precipitates had a cube on cube orientation relationship. ECAPed composites exhibited ultrafine-grained microstructures with the shape and distribution dependent on the processing routes. For route A in which the sample was pressed without rotation between each pass, the Cu and Ag grains were elongated along the shear direction and many micro-twins were observed in elongated Cu grains as well as in Ag filaments. The steps were observed on coherent twin boundaries in Cu grains. For route Bc in which the sample was rotated by 90 degrees after each pass, a subgrain structure with misorientation of 2-4 degree by fragmentation of the large Cu grains were observed. For route C in which the sample was rotated by 180 degrees after each pass, the microstructure was similar to that of the route A sample. However, the thickness of the elongated grains along the shear direction was wider than that of the route A sample and the twin density was lower than the route A sample. It was found that more microtwins were formed in ECAPed Cu-15 wt%Ag than in the drawn sample. Grain boundaries were observed in relatively thick and long Ag filaments in Cu-15 wt%Ag ECAPed by route C, indicating the multi-crystalline nature of Ag filaments.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.110-114
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• 2014

We propose a low temperature sol-gel ZnO/Ag nanowire composite thin film to fulfill low temperature and low cost requirements, which are essential criteria in future flexible electronic devices. In this proposed thin film, Ag nanowire plays the role of electrical conduction, and sol-gel ZnO provides a structural medium with a high visible transmittance. Low temperature restriction in the sol-gel fabrication process prevents sufficient oxidation of Zn acetate precursors, which were solved by a post-coating treatment with ultraviolet light irradiation. Composite thin film formation was performed by spin coating methods with a mixed precursor solution or in a sequential manner. We obtained an average visible transmittance larger than 85% and a sheet resistance smaller than $50{\Omega}/sq$. After optimization in a fabricated composite transparent conductive thin film with the thickness around 100 nm. Similar experimental demonstration in a flexible substrate (polyethyleneterephthalate) was successful, which implies a promising application opportunity of this technology.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.111-119
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• 2014

The chemical synthesis of anisotropic defective polyaniline/Ag composite (PANI/Ag) is explored using silver nitrate ($AgNO_3$) as the precursor material. This study provides a simple method for the formation of PANI/Ag nanocomposites at two different aniline concentrations $5{\mu}l$ (PANC5) and $10{\mu}l$ (PANC10). The composite PANC5 exhibits UV-Visible absorption peaks at 436 nm and 670 nm whereas, PANC10 exhibits absorption peaks at 446 nm and 697 nm. This shift is caused by the strong interaction between polyaniline and silver. The characterized FTIR peaks observed at around $3410cm^{-1}$ (PANC5) and $3420cm^{-1}$ (PANC10) was due to the N-H stretching vibrations. The appearance of a broad band instead of a sharp peak can be attributed due to the presence of a high concentration of N-H groups in the nanocomposite. The TEM images show that the sample contains defective spherical, truncated triangular and rod shaped particles. The results showed that the PANI/Ag nanocomposites are composed of nano-sized particles of 43-53 nm that contain Ag domains of 33-37 nm with polymer thickness 5.7-11.2 nm at two different aniline concentrations.