• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.180-186
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• 2017

In this work, the effect of low-temperature dehydration of a poly(styrene-co-styrenesulfonic acid) (PSSA) membrane was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), electron magnetic resonancespectroscopy (EMR), and $^1H$- and $^{13}C$ solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. These analyses were performed at room temperature for powdered PSSA specimens with and without dehydration and the following key observations were made. First, FT-IR analysis showed that low-temperature dehydration not only transformed the [${SO_3}^-{\cdots}H^+$] ionic pair in the non-hydrated PSSA to an $SO_3H$ group, but also induced the formation of -C=C- double bonds in the dehydrated PSSA. Second, the ${-SO_3}^{\bullet}$ radical was unambiguously identified by EMR spectroscopy. Third, H-abstraction was detected by $^1H$ magic-angle spinning spectroscopy. Finally, an unexpected color shift from white for the non-hydrated PSSA to a yellowish brown for the dehydrated sample was observed. In order to explain these experimental results, it was proposed that the formation of the intermediate hydrogen ($H^{\bullet}$) or hydroxyl radical ($HO^{\bullet}$) species was initiated by the dehydration process. The sespecies attacked the $SO_3H$ group and the tertiary proton at the ${\alpha}-carbon$, resulting in the formation of $-SO^{\bullet}$ radicals and -C=C- double bonds, which correlated with the color shift in the dehydrated PSSA sample. The semechanisms are useful for understanding the simultaneous loss of an aromatic ring and -SO- groups in the PSSA fuel cell membrane.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.15-19
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• 2021

In this study, we studied a facile method for the synthesis of stable and nearly spherical gold nanoparticles using a tyrosine-rich peptide, Tyr-Tyr-Gly-Tyr-Tyr (YYGYY), as both the reducing and capping agent. The peptide coated spherical and polycrystalline gold nanoparticles with diameters from 3 to 15 nm were successfully synthesized by varying the concentration of the peptide and metal precursor under UV irradiation. The nanoparticles were then characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-Vis spectroscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (STEM-EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Furthermore, the catalytic activity of gold nanoparticles was confirmed by the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol, in which the catalytic reaction rate constant was 7.3 × 10-3 s-1.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.127-134
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• 2016

A series of Ce-doped ZnO (Ce/ZnO) nanostructures were fabricated using the co-precipitation method, then a simply nontoxic hydrothermal approach was proposed for preparation of reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-Ce/ZnO composites. The synthesized composites were investigated by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) techniques and Raman pattern. The as-synthesized rGO-Ce/ZnO composites showed high photodecomposition efficiency in comparison with the rGO-ZnO, Ce/ZnO, pure ZnO under UV, visible-light and sunlight irradiation. The degradation of methylene blue (MB) (10 mg/L, 100ml) by 95.8% within 60 min by using rGO-2 (10 mg) under sunlight irradiation was observed. The repeated use of the rGO-2 was investigated, and the results showed almost no decay in the catalytic activity.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.207-207
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• 2009

In this work, we report the physical properties of amorphous $Al_2O_3$ thin films by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) using trimethyl-aluminium (TMA) as the Al precursor at low temperatures. The thin films were deposited on Si substrates. The composition and the bonding structure of the amorphous $Al_2O_3$ films were studied using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Ellipsometer and UV-visible Spectrophotometer and MOCON.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.2613-2618
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• 2012

Hydrothermal route have been used in different conditions for preparation of $Ni(OH)_2$ nanostructures. The NiO nanoparticles were obtained by calcining the $Ni(OH)_2$ precursor at $450^{\circ}C$ for 2 h. The effect of sodium dodecyl sulfonate (SDS) as surfactant on the morphology and size of $Ni(OH)_2$ nanoparticles were discussed in detail. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy were used to characterize the products. The growth mechanism of the as-synthesized nanostructures was also discussed in detail based on the experimental results. Coming up, the NiO nanoparticle modified carbon paste electrode was applied to the determination of captopril in aqueous solution.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.335-338
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• 2010

In this study, the atmospheric plasma treatment with $He/O_2$ was conducted to modify the surface chemistry of carbon fibers. The effects of plasma treatment parameters on the surface energetics of carbon fibers were experimentally investigated with respect to gas flow ratio, power intensity, and treatment time. Surface characteristics of the carbon fibers were determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), Zeta-potential, and contact angle measurements. The results indicated that oxygen plasma treatment led to a large amount of reactive functional groups onto the fiber surface, and these groups can form together as physical intermolecular bonding to improve the surface wettability with a hydrophilic polymer matrix.

• Composites Research
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.94-98
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• 2018

Well-defined, monodispersed hollow ZnO nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by a facile one-pot solution method at room temperature. Hollow ZnO nanoparticles were fabricated using polystyrene nanoparticles as seed particles. The removal of core particles via solvent extraction yields hollow nanoparticles. The structures and morphologies of the obtained products were characterized with Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The formation mechanism of the hollow structure of the ZnO nanoparticles was also investigated. The technique developed here is expected to be useful in the preparation other metal oxides and hollow architectures.

• Proceedings of the KAIS Fall Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.431-435
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• 2012

Aluminum containing mesoporous molecular sieves Al-SBA-1 ($n_{Si}/n_{Al}$= 2, 5, 10, 15) was synthesized with a one-step method, and the catalyst was characterized with powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption-desorption, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Finally, we studied the catalytic activities of Al-SBA-1 molecular sieves in Pechmann reaction of 3-methoxyphenol and Ethyl acetoacetate to get 7-methoxy-4-methyl coumarin. Four parameters reaction temperature, time, catalyst weight and reactants ratio were optimized.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.871-874
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• 2014

Monodispersed carbon nanospheres (CNSs) were fabricated by a novel method and their structural properties were investigated. CNSs were prepared by the pyrolysis of nanospherical polystyrenes (PS). With the coating of $SiO_2$ shell, PS particles were effectively separated during pyrolysis process which resulted to CNSs with an average diameter of 40 nm. Moreover, CNSs could be crosslinked with each other through the bondings between the functional groups on their surfaces. Morphology of the fabricated carbon spheres and their crosslinked form were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR).

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.43 no.1 s.284
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• pp.1-3
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• 2006

Well-shaped NaA zeolite cubic crystals of a large size of $5-7{\mu}m$ were synthesized by a hydrothermal method in a mother solution having a $3.55Na_2O:Al_2O_3:1.6SiO_2:593\~2000H_2O$ composition. Thermal treatment of NaA zeolite crystals resulted in the formation of a crystalline phase of $NaAlSiO_4-Camegeite$ between 800 and $900^{\circ}C$. Even at $1000^{\circ}C,\;NaAlSiO_4$ phase was found as a major product. Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM), High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM), X-Ray powder Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and DTA/TGA and BET analyses were used to characterize the initial materials and the obtained products after various heat treatments.