• Advances in nano research
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.373-392
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• 2017

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were successfully synthesized through a simple green route using the Nelumbo nucifera leaf, stem and flower extracts. These nanoparticles showed characteristic UV-Vis absorption peaks between 410-450 nm which arises due to the plasmon resonance of silver nanoparticles. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) confirmed the presence of amides and which acted as the stabilizing agent. X-ray diffraction spectrum of the nanoparticles confirmed the Face centered cubic (FCC) structure of the formed AgNPs. Dynamic light scattering technique was used to measure hydrodynamic diameter (68.6 nm to 88.1 nm) and zeta potential (-55.4 mV, -57.9 mV and 98.9 mV) of prepared AgNPs. The scanning electron micrographs of dislodged nanoparticles in aqueous solution showed the production of reasonably monodispersed silver nanoparticles (1-100 nm). The antimicrobial activity of prepared AgNPs was evaluated against fungi, Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria using disc diffusion method. Anti-corrosion studies were carried out using coupon method (mild steel and iron) and dye degradation studies were carried out by assessing photo-catalytic activity of Nelumbo nucifera extracts mediated AgNPs.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.108-114
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• 2019

In the present study, rutile phase titanium dioxide nanoparticles ($R-TiO_2$ NPs) were prepared by hydrolysis of titanium tetrachloride in an aqueous solution followed by calcination at $900^{\circ}C$. The composition of $R-TiO_2$ NPs was determined by the analysis of X-ray diffraction data, and the characteristic features of $R-TiO_2$ NPs such as the surface functional group, particle size, shape, surface topography, and morphological behavior were analyzed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and zeta potential measurements. The average size of the prepared $R-TiO_2$ NPs was 76 nm, the surface area was $19m^2/g$, zeta potential was -20.8 mV, and average hydrodynamic diameter in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-$H_2O$ solution was 550 nm. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and morphological observations revealed that $R-TiO_2$ NPs were cytocompatible with oral cancer cells, with no inhibition of cell growth and proliferation. This suggests the efficacy of $R-TiO_2$ NPs for the aesthetic white pigmentation of teeth.

• Journal of Ceramic Processing Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.80-83
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• 2019

The Mn4+-activated Li2ZnSn2O6 (LZSO:Mn4+) red phosphors were synthesized by the solid-state reaction at temperatures of 1100-1400 ℃ in air. The synthesized LZSO:Mn4+ phosphors were confirmed to have a single hexagonal LZSO phase without the presence of any secondary phase formed by the Mn4+ addition. With near UV and blue excitation, the LZSO:Mn4+ phosphors exhibited a double band deep-red emission peaked at ~658 nm and ~673 nm due to the 2E → 4A2 transition of Mn4+ ion. PL emission intensity showed a strong dependence on the Mn4+ doping concentration and the 0.3 mol% Mn4+-doped LZSO phosphor produced the strongest PL emission intensity. Photoluminescence emission intensity was also found to be dependent on the calcination temperature and the optimal calcination temperature for the LZSO:Mn4+ phosphors was determined to be 1200 ℃. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and field-effect scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) analysis revealed that the 0.3 mol% Mn4+-doped LZSO phosphor particles have an irregularly round shape and an average particle size of ~1.46 ㎛.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2021

The surface of silicon dummy wafers is contaminated with metallic impurities owing to the reaction with and adhesion of chemicals during the oxidation process. These metallic impurities negatively affect the device performance, reliability, and yield. To solve this problem, a wafer-cleaning process that removes metallic impurities is essential. RCA (Radio Corporation of America) cleaning is commonly used, but there are problems such as increased surface roughness and formation of metal hydroxides. Herein, we attempt to use a chelating agent (EDTA) to reduce the surface roughness, improve the stability of cleaning solutions, and prevent the re-adsorption of impurities. The bonding between the cleaning solution and metal powder is analyzed by referring to the Pourbaix diagram. The changes in the ionic conductivity, H2O2 decomposition behavior, and degree of dissolution are checked with a conductivity meter, and the changes in the absorbance and particle size before and after the reaction are confirmed by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) analyses. Thus, the addition of a chelating agent prevents the decomposition of H2O2 and improves the life of the silicon wafer cleaning solution, allowing it to react smoothly with metallic impurities.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.1171-1184
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• 2020

The green synthesis of inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) using biomaterials has garnered considerable attention in recent years because of its eco-friendly, non-toxic, simple, and low-cost nature. In this study, we synthesized NPs of noble metals, such as Ag and Au using an aqueous extract of a marine seaweed, Ecklonia cava. The formation of AgNPs and AuNPs was confirmed by the presence of surface plasmon resonance peaks in UV-Vis absorption spectra at approximately 430 and 530 nm, respectively. Various properties of the NPs were evaluated using characterization techniques, such as dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis. Phytochemicals in the seaweed extract, such as phlorotannins, acted as both reducing and stabilizing agents for the growth of the NPs. The green-synthesized AgNPs and AuNPs were found to exhibit high catalytic activity for the decomposition of organic dyes, including azo dyes, methylene blue, rhodamine B, and methyl orange.

• Clean Technology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.251-256
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• 2020

The biocompatibility and plasmonic properties of Au nanoparticles make them useful for photothermal therapy, drug delivery, imaging, and many other fields. This study demonstrated a novel, facile, economic, and green synthetic method to produce gold nanoparticles. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with spherical and triangular shapes were effectively synthesized using only Schisandra chenesis fruit extract as the capping and reducing agent. The shape of the AuNPs could be engineered simply by adjusting the molar concentration of HAuCl4 in the reaction mixture. The as-synthesized AuNPs were characterized using UV-VIS spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDXA). This study revealed that by using the HAuCl4 concentration in the AuNP synthesis, the shape and size of the AuNPs could be controlled by the concentration of HAuCl4 and Schisandra chinensis fruit extract as a surfactant. The as-synthesized AuNPs samples had sufficient colloidal stability without noticeable aggregation and showed the predominant growth of the (111) plane of face-centered cubic gold during the crystal growth. The catalytic efficiency of the AuNPs synthesized using Schisandra chenesis fruit extract was examined by monitoring the catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol using Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis spectroscopy). The synthesized AuNPs showed good catalytic activity to reduce 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol, revealing their practical usefulness.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.387-403
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• 2022

Silica nanoparticles, which have a broad range of sizes and specific surface features, have been used in many industrial applications. This study was conducted to synthesize monodispersed silica nanoparticles directly from tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) with an alkaline catalyst (NH₃) based on the sol-gel process and the Stöber method. A central composite design (CCD) is used to build a second-order (quadratic) model for the response variables without requiring a complete three-level factorial experiment. The process was then optimized to achieve the minimum particle size with the lowest concentration of TEOS. Dynamic light scattering and scanning electron microscopy were used to analyze the size, dispersity, and morphology of the synthesized nanoparticles. After optimization, a confirmation test was carried out to evaluate the confidence level of the software prediction. The results revealed that the predicted optimization is consistent with experimental procedures, and the model is significant at the 95% confidence level.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.279-296
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• 2022

The fundamental characteristics of groundwater colloids, such as composition, concentration, size, and stability, were analyzed using granitic groundwater samples taken from the KAERI Underground Research Tunnel (KURT) site by such analytical methods as inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, field emission-transmission electron microscopy, a liquid chromatography-organic carbon detector, and dynamic light scattering technique. The results show that the KURT groundwater colloids are mainly composed of clay minerals, calcite, metal (Fe) oxide, and organic matter. The size and concentration of the groundwater colloids were 10-250 nm and 33-64 ㎍·L^-1, respectively. These values are similar to those from other studies performed in granitic groundwater. The groundwater colloids were found to be moderately stable under the groundwater conditions of the KURT site. Consequently, the groundwater colloids in the fractured granite system of the KURT site can form stable radiocolloids and increase the mobility of radionuclides if they associate with radionuclides released from a radioactive waste repository. The results provide basic data for evaluating the effects of groundwater colloids on radionuclide migration in fractured granite rock, which is necessary for the safety assessment of a high-level radioactive waste repository.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.84 no.6
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• pp.733-741
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• 2022

The amount of natural gas that is used on a worldwide scale is continuously going up. Natural gas and acidic components, such as hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide, cause significant corrosion damage to transmission lines and equipment in various quantities. One of the fundamental processes in natural gas processing is the separation of acid gases, among which the safety and environmental needs due to the high toxicity of hydrogen sulfide and also to prevent wear and corrosion of pipelines and gas transmission and distribution equipment, the necessity of sulfide separation Hydrogen is more essential than carbon dioxide and other compounds. Given this problem's significance, this endeavor aims to extend the lifespan of the transmission lines' pipes for gas and oil. Zinc oxide nanoparticles made from the environmentally friendly source of Allium scabriscapum have been employed to accomplish this crucial purpose. This is a simple, safe and cheap synthesis method compared to other methods, especially chemical methods. The formation of zinc oxide nanoparticles was shown by forming an absorption peak at a wavelength of about 355 nm using a spectrophotometric device and an X-ray diffraction pattern. The size and morphology of synthesized nanoparticles were determined by scanning and transmission electron microscope, and the range of size changes of nanoparticles was determined by dynamic light scattering device.

• Journal of Ceramic Processing Research
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.810-814
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• 2017

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are some of the most efficient electrochemical energy sources for transportation applications because of their clean, green, and high efficiency characteristics. The optimization of catalyst layer morphology is considered a feasible approach to achieve high performance of PEMFC membrane electrode assembly (MEA). In this work, we studied the effect of the solvent on the catalyst layer of PEMFC MEAs fabricated using the electrostatic spray deposition method. The catalyst ink comprised of Pt/C, a Nafion ionomer, and a solvent. Two types of solvent were used: isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and dimethylformamide (DMF). Compared with the catalyst layer prepared using IPA-based ink, the catalyst layer prepared with DMF-based ink had a dense structure because the DMF dispersed the Pt/C-Nafion agglomerates smaller and more homogeneously. The size distribution of the agglomerates in catalyst ink was confirmed through Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and the microstructure of the catalyst layer was compared using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). In addition, the electrochemical investigation was performed to evaluate the solvent effect on the fuel cell performance. The catalyst layer prepared with DMF-based ink significantly enhanced the cell performance (1.2 A cm-2 at 0.5 V) compared with that fabricated using IPA-based ink (0.5 A cm-2 at 0.5 V) due to the better dispersion and uniform agglomeration on the catalyst layer.