• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.02a
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• pp.423-423
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• 2011

Zinc oxide is metal oxide semiconductor with the 3.37 eV bandgap energy. Zinc oxide is very attractive materials for many application fields. Zinc Oxide has many advantages such as high conductivity and good transmittance in visible region. Also it is cheaper than other semiconductor materials such as indium tin oxide (ITO). Therefore, ZnO is alternative material for ITO. ZnO is attracting attention for its application to transparent conductive oxide (TCO) films, surface acoustic wave (SAW), films bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR), piezoelectric materials, gas-sensing, solar cells and photocatalyst. In this study, we synthesized ZnO nanoparticles and defined their physical and chemical properties. Also we studied about the application of ZnO nanoparticles as a photocatalyst and try to find a enhancement photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanorticles.. We synthesized ZnO nanoparticles using spray-pyrolysis method and defined the physical and optical properties of ZnO nanoparticles in experiment I. When the ZnO are exposed to UV light, reduction and oxidation (REDOX) reaction will occur on the ZnO surface and generate O2- and OH radicals. These powerful oxidizing agents are proven to be effective in decomposition of the harmful organic materials and convert them into CO2 and H2O. Therefore, we investigated that the photocatalytic activity was increased through the surface modification of synthesized ZnO nanoparticles. In experiment II, we studied on the stability of ZnO nanoparticles in water. It is well known that ZnO is unstable in water in comparison with TiO2. Zn(OH)2 was formed at the ZnO surface and ZnO become inactive as a photocatalyst when ZnO is present in the solution. Therefore, we prepared synthesized ZnO nanoparticles that were immersed in the water and dried in the oven. After that, we measured photocatalytic activities of prepared samples and find the cause of their photocatalytic activity changes.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.259-265
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• 2001

Photocatalytic degradation of Congo red was performed using various semiconductors as ZnO, CdS, rutile-$TiO_2$ or mixed rutile-$TiO_2$/ZnO. The change of degradation of the dye was investigated by UV-visible spectrophotometric method. The photocatalytic action of CdS was greater than ZnO and rutile-$TiO_2$ in account of low band gap energy of CdS. The rate of photocatalytic degradation reaction increased drastically in according to increasing ratio of ZnO on mixed rutile-$TiO_2$/ZnO. These photocatalytic effect of rutile-$TiO_2$ was suppressed by more stable rutile-$TiO_2$, doping the hydrolysis product with $Zn^{2+}$ prior to calcination onto the rutile-$TiO_2$ surface.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.441-447
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• 2014

$AgI/AgCl/H_2WO_4$ double heterojunctions photocatalyst was prepared via deposition-precipitation followed by ion exchange method. The structure, crystallinity, morphology, chemical content and other physical-chemical properties of the samples are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive x-ray spectra (EDX), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), and photoluminescence (PL). The photocatalytic activity of the $AgI/AgCl/H_2WO_4$ was evaluated by degrading methyl orange (MO) under visible light irradiation (${\lambda}$ > 400 nm). The double heterojunctions photocatalyst displayed more efficient photocatalytic activity than pure AgI, AgCl, $H_2WO_4$ and AgCl/$H_2WO_4$. Based on the reactive species and energy band structure, the enhanced photocatalytic activity mechanism of $AgI/AgCl/H_2WO_4$ was discussed in detail. The improved photocatalytic performance of $AgI/AgCl/H_2WO_4$ double heterojunctions could be ascribed to the enhanced interfacial charge transfer and the inhibited recombination of electron-hole pairs, which was in close relation with the $AgI/AgCl/H_2WO_4$ heterojunctions formed between AgI, AgCl and $H_2WO_4$.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.226-232
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• 2020

Bismuth vanadate (BiVO₄) is considered a potentially attractive candidate for the visible-light-driven photodegradation of organic pollutants. In an effort to enhance their photocatalytic activities, BiVO₄ nanofibers with controlled microstructures, grain sizes, and crystallinities are successfully prepared by electrospinning followed by a precisely controlled heat treatment. The structural features, morphologies, and photo-absorption performances of the asprepared samples are systematically investigated and can be readily controlled by varying the calcination temperature. From the physicochemical analysis results of the synthesized nanofiber, it is found that the nanofiber calcines at a lower temperature, shows a smaller crystallite size, and lower crystallinity. The photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine-B (RhB) reveals that the photocatalytic activity of the BiVO₄ nanofibers can be improved by a thermal treatment at a relatively low temperature because of the optimization of the conflicting characteristics, crystallinity, crystallite size, and microstructure. The photocatalytic activity of the nanofiber calcined at 350℃ for the degradation of RhB under visible-light irradiation exhibits a greater photocatalytic activity than the nanofibers synthesized at 400℃ and 450℃.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.1302-1307
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• 2006

This study describes the preparation of high-performance photocatalyst and its environmental applications. We prepared visible-light response nano-particle photocatalyst exhibiting the similar photocatalytic activity with $TiO_2$, dispersed $TiO_2$ on $SiO_2$ with an active rutile type titanium oxide prepared at low temperature. The binder and stable photocatalytic $TiO_2$ sol for photocatalytic system were also prepared. Such products were evaluated by UV/Vis spectrometer, X-ray diffraction analysis, SEM, measurement of photocatalytic activities and surface area, mechanical properties of $TiO_2$-coated surfaces. The results obtained can be applied in efficient photocatalytic systems using POF and metal plate for the purification of air.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.08a
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• pp.270.1-270.1
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• 2013

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is one of the most powerful materials for purifying organic pollutants using photocatalytic activity. In this study, we have introduced a novel method to design highly photoreactive flexible 3 dimensional (3D) ZnO nanocomposite [F-ZnO-m (m: reaction time, min)] by electrospinning and simple-step ZnO growth processing (one-step ZnO seed coating/growth processing). Significantly, the F-ZnO-m could be a new platform (or candidate) as a photocatalytic technology for both morphology control and largearea production. The highest photocatalytic degradation rate ([k]) was observed for F-ZnO-m at 2.552 h-1, which was 8.1 times higher than that of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs; [k] = 0.316 h-1). The enhanced photocatalytic activity of F-ZnO-m may be attributed to factors such as large surface area. The F-ZnO-m is highly recyclable and retained 98.6% of the initial decolorization rate after fifteen cycles. Interestingly, the F-ZnO-m samples show very strong antibacterial properties against both Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) after exposure to UV-light for 30 min. The antibacterial properties of F-ZnO-m samples are more effective than those of ZnO NPs. More than 96.6% of the E. coli is sterilized after ten cycles. These results indicate that F-ZnO-m samples might have utility in several promising applications such as highly efficient water/air treatment and inactivation of pathogenic microorganisms.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.08a
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• pp.130.1-130.1
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• 2013

We made attempts to improve photocatalytic activity of $TiO_2$ nanoparticles under visible light exposure by combining two additional treatments. N-doping of $TiO_2$ by ammonia gas treatment at $600^{\circ}C$ increased absorbance of visible light. By coating thin film of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and subsequent vacuum-annealing at $800^{\circ}C$, $TiO_2$, became more hydrophilic, thereby enhancing photocatalytic activity of $TiO_2$. Four types of $TiO_2$ samples were prepared, bare-$TiO_2$, hydrophilic-modified $TiO_2$ ($h-PDMS/TiO_2$), N-doped $TiO_2$ ($N/TiO_2$) and hydrophilic-modified and N-doped $TiO_2$ ($h-PDMS/N/TiO_2$). Adsorption capability was evaluated under dark condition and photocatalytic activity of $TiO_2$ was evaluated by photodegradation of MB under blue LED (400 nm< ${\lambda}$) irradiation. N-doping on $TiO_2$ was characterized using XPS and hydrophilic modification of $TiO_2$ surface was analyzed by FT-IR spectrometer. It was found that N-doping and hydrophilic modification both had positive effect on enhancing adsorption capability and photocatalytic activity of $TiO_2$ at the same time. Particularly, N-doping enhanced visible light absorption of $TiO_2$, whereas hydrophilic surface modification increased MB adsorption capacity. By combining these two strategies, photocatalytic acitivity under visible light irradiation became the sum of individual effects of N-doping and hydrophilic modification.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.352-357
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• 2012

$SnO_2$-mixed and Sn-doped $TiO_2$ nanoparticles were synthesized via a hydrothermal process. $SnO_2$-mixed $TiO_2$ nanoparticles prepared in a neutral condition consisted of anatase $TiO_2$ nanoparticles(diamond shape, ~25 nm) and cassiterite $SnO_2$ nanoparticles(spherical shape, ~10 nm). On the other hand, Sn-doped $TiO_2$ nanoparticles obtained under a high acidic condition showed a crystalline phase corresponding to rutile $TiO_2$. As the Sn content increased, the particle shape changed from rod-like(d~40 nm, 1~200 nm) to spherical(18 nm) with a decrease in the particle size. The peak shift in the XRD results and a change of the c-axis lattice parameter with the Sn content demonstrate that the $TiO_2$ in the rutile phase was doped with Sn. The photocatalytic activity of the $SnO_2$-mixed $TiO_2$ nanoparticles dramatically increased and then decreased when the $SnO_2$ content exceeded 4%. The increased photocatalytic activity is mainly attributed to the improved charge separation of the $TiO_2$ nanoparticles with the $SnO_2$. In the case of Sn-doped $TiO_2$ nanoparticles, the photocatalytic activity increased slightly with the Sn content due most likely to the larger energy bandgap caused by Sn-doping and the decrease in the particle size. The $SnO_2$-mixed $TiO_2$ nanoparticles generally exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than the Sn-doped $TiO_2$ nanoparticles. This was caused by the phase difference of $TiO_2$.

• Nano
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.1850129.1-1850129.10
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• 2018

To improve the high charge carrier recombination rate and low visible light absorption of {001} facets exposed $TiO_2$ [$TiO_2(001)$] nanosheets, few-layered $MoS_2$ nanoparticles were loaded on the surfaces of $TiO_2(001)$ nanosheets by a simple photodeposition method. The photocatalytic activities towards Rhodamine B (RhB) were investigated. The results showed that the $MoS_2-TiO_2(001)$ nanocomposites exhibited much enhanced photocatalytic activities compared with the pure $TiO_2(001)$ nanosheets. At an optimal Mo/Ti molar ratio of 25%, the $MoS_2-TiO_2(001)$ nanocomposites displayed the highest photocatalytic activity, which took only 30 min to degrade 50 mL of RhB (50 mg/L). The active species in the degradation reaction were determined to be $h^+$ and $^{\bullet}OH$ according to the free radical trapping experiments. The reduced charge carrier recombination rate, enhanced visible light utilization and increased surface areas contributed to the enhanced photocatalytic performances of the 25% $MoS_2-TiO_2(001)$ nanocomposites.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.51-56
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• 2023

Composite membranes consisting of TiO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) and porous polymers have been widely utilized in photocatalytic water treatment because the composite membranes can allow an easy recovery of NPs after the photocatalytic reaction as well as the reduction of fouling in the membrane. However, the photocatalytic efficiency of the immobilized TiO₂ NPs in the composite membranes has been discussed to a limited degree. In this study, we prepared polyethersulfone (PES)/TiO₂ composite membranes to study the photocatalytic decomposition of organic dyes under light illumination. The decomposition kinetics of dye molecules by the PES/TiO₂ composite membranes and colloidal TiO₂ NPs have been compared to discuss the photocatalytic efficiency of NPs before and after their immobilization on the polymer membrane.