• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2010

This is an overview paper reporting our most recent work on processing and microstructure of nano-structured oxides and their photoluminescence and photo-catalysis properties. Zinc oxide and related transition metal oxides such as vanadium pentoxide and titanium dioxide were produced by a combination of magnetron sputtering, hydrothermal growth and atmosphere controlled heat treatment. Special morphology and microstructure were created including nanorods arrays, core-brushes, nano-lollipops and multilayers with very large surface area. These structures showed special properties such as much enhanced photoluminescence and chemical reactivity. The photo-catalytic properties have also been promoted significantly. It is believed that two factors contributed to the high reactivity: the large surface area and the interaction between different oxides. The transition metal oxides with different band gaps have much enhanced photoluminescence under laser stimulation. Use of these complex oxide structures as electrodes can also improve the energy conversion efficiency of solar cells. The mixed oxide complex may provide a promising way to high-efficiency photo emitting materials and photo-catalysts.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.02a
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• pp.190-190
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• 2010

Zinc oxide is the most attractive material due to the large direct band gap (3.37 eV), excellent chemical and thermal stability, and large exciton binding energy (60 meV). Recently, ZnO nanorods were used as the high efficient antireflection coating layer of solar cells based on silicon (Si). In this reports, we studied the effects of rapid thermal annealing (RTA) treatment on optical properties of ZnO nanorods. For fabrication of ZnO nanorods, there are many methods such as hydrothermal method, sol-gel method, and metal organic chemical vapor deposition method. Among of them, we used the conventional wet chemical method which is simple and low temperature growth. In order to synthesize the ZnO nanorods, the ZnO films were deposited on Si substrate by RF magnetron sputtering at room temperature and the samples were dipped to aqua solution containing the zinc nitrate and hexamethylentetramines (HMT). The synthesis process was achieved in keeping with temperature of $90-95^{\circ}C$ and under constant stirring. The morphology of ZnO nanorods on glass and Si was characterized by scanning electron microscopy. For the analysis of antireflection performance, the reflectance and transmittance were measured by spectrophotometer. And for analyzing the effects of RTA treatment on ZnO nanorods, crystalline properties were investigated by X-ray diffraction measurements and optical properties was estimated by photoluminescence spectra.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.236-237
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• 2012

ZnO nanorods were grown on R-plane sapphire substrates with the seed layers annealed at different temperature. The effects of annealing temperature for the seed layers on the properties of the ZnO nanorods were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, UV-visible spectroscopy, and photoluminescence. For the as-prepared seed layers, the ZnO nanorods and the ZnO nanosheets were observed. Only the ZnO nanorods were grown as the annealing temperature was above $700^{\circ}C$. The optical transmittance in the UV region was almost zero while that in the visible region was gradually increased as the annealing temperature increased to $700^{\circ}C$. The optical band gap of the ZnO nanorods was increased as the annealing temperature increased to $700^{\circ}C$. In the visible region, the refractive index was decreased with increasing the wavelength, and the extinction coefficient was decreased as the annealing temperature increased to $700^{\circ}C$. The non-linear exciton radiative life time of the FX emission peak was established by cubic equation. The values of Varshni's empirical equation fitting parameters were ${\alpha}=4{\times}10^{-3}eV/K$, ${\beta}=1{\times}10^4K$, and $E_g(0)=3.335eV$ and the activation energy was found to be about 94.6 meV.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.211-216
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• 2011

In this study, the effects of growth temperature on structural and optical properties of hydrothermally grown ZnO nanorod arrays have been investigated. Zinc nitrate ($Zn(NO_3)_2$) and hexamethylenetetramine were used as precursors. The ZnO buffered Si(100) with a thickness of 40 nm was used as the substrates. The ZnO nanorods were grown on these substrates with the temperature ranging from 55 to $115^{\circ}C$. The results were characterized by scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction and room temperature photoluminescence measurements. Well-aligned ZnO nanorods arrays were obtained from all samples. The tips of nanorods were flat when the temperature was less than $95^{\circ}C$, and the sharp-tip nanoneedle-like morphologies were obtained with the temperature of $115^{\circ}C$. In addition, some bundles were on the nanorods arrays with $115^{\circ}C$ due to the non-equilibrium growth. The growth temperature could affect the crystal and optical properties of ZnO. For the effects on crystal properties, the intensity of (002) peak was increased as the temperature was increased to $75^{\circ}C$, then decreased as the temperature was further increased to $115^{\circ}C$. As for the effects on optical properties, the intensity ratio of UV peak to visible peak is increased with the temperature increasing and the strongest UV peak intensity was obtained with the growth temperature of $95^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.191-196
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• 1999

Effects of agitation and heating rate on crystallinity, size distribution and mean size of $\alpha$-$SiO_2$powder prepared hydrothermally were investigated. $\alpha$-$SiO_2$crystalline powder, in mean particle size of 1~3.2 $\mu\textrm{m}$, was obtained at $350^{\circ}C$ using KOH as a mineralized for a 3 h reaction. Experimental results showed that particle size became smaller as the rate of agitation increased if it was introduced from the beginning of reaction, however, crystallinity was reduced at the low rate of agitation and it was became enhanced at above 150 r/min. Particle size became larger if agitation was introduced at any time during the reaction rather than introduced from the beginning of reaction. It was also found that particle size became smaller if heating rate was reduced, while the rate of agitation kept constant.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.298-304
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• 2009

The effect of the surface treatments on the high temperature properties of the Inconel 617, one of the promising candidate alloys for high temperature heat-transport system, has been studied. Various surface modification methods including a rapid thermal process(RTP), a hydrothermal treatment, and a physical vapor deposition($2{\mu}m$ thick TiAlN film by an arc discharge) were applied to the Inconel 617. The morphological and the structural properties of the surface-modified Inconel 617 samples after heat treatment at $1000^{\circ}C$ in the air were compared to find out whether inhomogeneous formation of $Cr_2O_3$ crust at the surface region was suppressed or not. TiAlN-coated Inconel 617 showed homogeneous microstructure and the lowest wear loss compared to bare, RTP- and hydrothermally-treated Inconel 617 by suppressing the $Cr_2O_3$ crust formation.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.233-238
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• 2000

t-$ZrO_2/Al_2O_3$composites having a superior biocompatability and phase stability were prepared by adding 0~4 mol% of $Eu_2O_3$and sintered for 1 h at $1600^{\circ}C$ to evaluate phase stability, chromaticity and mechanical properties of the composites. No tetragonal to monoclinic phase transformation was observed for the composites containing $Eu_2O_3$after heat treatment for 20 h at $180^{\circ}C$ under 3.5 MPa water vapor pressure condition. As $Eu_2O_3$content increased, the color of the composites was changed from a slight white ivory to a light pink. The strength and the fracture toughness of the composites containing $Eu_2O_3$were above 620 MPa and 7.6 MPa.$m^{1/2}$, respectively, when $Eu_2O_3$was added up to 3 mol%.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.150-154
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• 2016

Method for synthesizing a $K_2Ti_6O_{13}$ whisker is a solid-state method, hydrothermal synthesis method, calcination method, flux method, slow-cooling method, melting method, kneading-drying-calcination method, sol-gel method etc. $K_2Ti_6O_{13}$ whisker have been synthesized by a flux method. The average size and distribution of the synthesized $K_2Ti_6O_{13}$ whisker can be controlled by a kind of potassium precursors and reaction temperature and time. The average size of the synthesized $K_2Ti_6O_{13}$ whisker was about in the size range of 500 nm to $2{\mu}m$. The effect of synthesis parameters, such as the molar ratio of KOH to $TiO_2$, pH, reaction temperature and time, are discussed. The synthesized $K_2Ti_6O_{13}$ whisker were characterized by x-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM).

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.92-97
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• 2024

To improve the efficiency of water splitting systems for hydrogen production, the high overvoltages of electrochemical reactions caused by catalysts in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER, Oxygen Evolution Reaction) must be reduced. Among them, LDH (Layered Double Hydroxide) compounds containing transition metal such as Ni, are attracting attention as catalyst materials that can replace precious metals such as platinum that are currently used. In this study, nickel foam, an inexpensive metallic porous material, was used as a support, and NiCo LDH (Layered Double Hydroxide) nanocrystals were synthesized through a hydrothermal synthesis process. In addition, changes in the shape, crystal structure, and water decomposition characteristics of the Mo-doped NiCo LDH nanocrystal samples synthesized by doping Mo to improve OER properties were observed.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.713-718
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• 2009

Advanced industries-IT, BT, NT and ET are rapidly developing in 21 century. And the cement industry is becoming the principal factor in air pollution because of the creation of $CO_2$ during manufacturing. Also, the cement industry will be faced with a crisis due to the exhaustion of natural resources. In this study, nano cement by Bottom-up method of a chemical synthesis was developed. The generation of $CO_2$ during the plasticization process of cement manufacturing was avoided. The purpose was to produce building materials that have both high strength and durability as the high value-added growth engine industry of the 21 century. The nano cement was developed using hydrothermal synthesis. This is a method of mixing after ripening, by manufacturing the high density gel and low gel, which does not require special test equipment or pressure conditions to produce. Particle size, SEM, EDX, and porosity tests were conducted. This study investigated the compressive strength of concrete with various compositions. Specimens were tested for compressive strength at 3, 7, 14 and 28 days. The medium-sized (50% by weight) cement particles created by chemical synthesis were less than 168 nm. The compressive strength of the mortar prepared using this cement was 53.9 MPa. But it was judged that succeeding study will be necessary for development of nano building materials with high ability and economical analysis.