• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.384-388
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• 2015

We prepared blocking layers by adding 0.0 ~ 0.6 wt% nano diamond blends (DBs) to $TiO_2$ blocking layers to improve the energy conversion efficiencies (ECEs) of dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). TEM and micro-Raman spectroscopy were used to characterize the microstructure and phases of DBs, respectively. Optical microscopy and FE-SEM were used to analyze the microstructure of the $TiO_2$ blocking layer with DBs. UV-VIS-NIR spectroscopy was used to determine the absorbance of the working electrodes. A solar simulator and a potentiostat were used to determine the photovoltaic properties and the impedance of the DSSCs with DBs. From the results of the DBs analysis, we determined a 6.97 nm combination of nano diamonds and graphite. We confirmed that ECE increased from 5.64 to 6.48 % when the added DBs increased from 0.0 to 0.2 wt%. This indicates that the effective surface area and electron mobility increased when DBs were added to the $TiO_2$ blocking layer. Our results indicate that the ECE of DSSCs can be enhanced by adding an appropriate amount of DBs to the $TiO_2$ blocking layers.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2003.07c
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• pp.1571-1573
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• 2003

Diamond films including nanocystalline and graphite phase are grown by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition using $N_2$ additives and negative substrate bias at growth step. The microstructure of the films is controlled by changing $N_2$ gas ratio and negative bias. Defects and grain boundaries between diamond and graphite are proposed to be crucial factors for forming the conducting path of electron emissions. The effect of growth parameters on the film microstructure are investigated by Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy(SEM). Electron emission characteristics are also examined in terms of the film growth conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.229-233
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• 2011

Diamond thin films were deposited on pretreated Co cemented tungsten carbide (WC-6%Co) inserts as substrate by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) system, equipped with a 915MHz, 30kW generator for generating a large-size plasma. The substrates were pretreated with two solutions Murakami solution $[KOH:K_3Fe(CN)_6:H_2O]$ and nitric solution $[HNO_3:H_2O]$ to etch, WC and Co at cemented carbide substrates, respectively. The deposition experiments were performed at an input power of 10 kW and in a total pressure of 100 torr. The influence of various $CH_4$ contents on the crystallinity and morphology of the diamond films deposited in MPCVD was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The diamond film synthesized by the $CH_4$ plasma shows a triangle-faceted (111) diamond. As $CH_4$ contents was increased, the thickness of diamond films increased and the faceted planes disappeared. Finally, Faceted diamond changed into nano-crystalline diamond with random crystallinity.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.237-242
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• 2018

We report on the fabrication and photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties of a ZnO nanorod array structure as an efficient photoelectrode for hydrogen production from sunlight-driven water splitting. Vertically aligned ZnO nanorods were grown on an indium-tin-oxide-coated glass substrate via seed-mediated hydrothermal synthesis method with the use of a ZnO nanoparticle seed layer, which was formed by thermally oxidizing a sputtered Zn metal thin film. The structural and morphological properties of the synthesized ZnO nanorods were examined using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, as well as Raman scattering. The PEC properties of the fabricated ZnO nanorod photoelectrode were evaluated by photocurrent conversion efficiency measurements under white light illumination. From the observed PEC current density versus voltage (J-V) behavior, the vertically aligned ZnO nanorod photoelectrode was found to exhibit a negligible dark current and high photocurrent density, e.g., $0.65mA/cm^2$ at 0.8 V vs Ag/AgCl in a 1 mM $Na_2SO_4$ electrolyte. In particular, a significant PEC performance was observed even at an applied bias of 0 V vs Ag/AgCl, which made the device self-powered.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.353-360
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• 2012

The corrosion product of archaeological iron objects is supposed to be removed because it causes re-corrosion. So far it is removed by scapel and sand blaster but they depend on the skill and experience of a conservator and the glass-dust of the sand blaster is harmful to humans. Therefore this study applies a laser cleaning system which is used in various industrial cleaning processes, to remove corrosion product from archaeological iron objects. In addition, this work studies the alternation of corrosion product after laser irradiation, which evaluates the reliability of the laser cleaning system. Optical microscopy, SEM-EDS, XRD, Raman have been used to observe and analyse the surface of the objects. The results show the capacity of laser cleaning some corrosion product, but blackening appears with increasing pulses and laser energy, and some corrosion products, goethite and hematite, are partially altered to magnetite. These problems, blackening and alternation of corrosion product, should be solved by further studies which find the optimal laser irradiation condition and use a wetting agent.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.260-266
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• 2021

Synthesizing low-dimensional structures of oxide semiconductors is a promising approach to fabricate highly efficient gas sensors by means of possible enhancement in surface-to-volume ratios of their sensing materials. In this work, vertically aligned zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods are successfully synthesized on a transparent glass substrate via seed-mediated hydrothermal synthesis method with the use of a ZnO nanoparticle seed layer, which is formed by thermally oxidizing a sputtered Zn metal film. Structural and optical characterization by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Raman spectroscopy reveals the successful preparation of the ZnO nanorods array of the single hexagonal wurtzite crystalline phase. From gas sensing measurements for the nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) gas, the vertically aligned ZnO nanorod array is observed to have a highly responsive sensitivity to NO₂ gas at relatively low concentrations and operating temperatures, especially showing a high maximum sensitivity to NO₂ at 250 ℃ and a low NO₂ detection limit of 5 ppm in dry air. These results along with a facile fabrication process demonstrate that the ZnO nanorods synthesized on a transparent glass substrate are very promising for low-cost and high-performance NO₂ gas sensors.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.313-320
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• 2019

In this study, cobalt diselenide ($CoSe_2$) and the composites ($CoSe_2@RGO$) of $CoSe_2$ and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) were synthesized by a facile hydrothermal reaction using cobalt ions and selenide source with or without graphene oxide (GO). The formation of $CoSe_2@RGO$ composites was identified by analysis with X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Electrochemical analyses demonstrated that the $CoSe_2@RGO$ composites have excellent catalytic activity for the reduction of $I_3{^-}$, possibly indicating a synergetic effect of $CoSe_2$ and RGO. As a consequence, the $CoSe_2@RGO$ composites were applied as a counter electrode in DSSC for the reduction of redox couple electrolyte, and exhibiting the comparable power conversion efficiency (7.01%) to the rare metal platinum (Pt) based photovoltaic device (6.77%).

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.229-233
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• 2019

Pure $BiFeO_3$ (BFO) and (Eu, V) co-doped $Bi_{0.9}Eu_{0.1}Fe_{0.975}V_{0.025}O_{3+{\delta}}$ (BEFVO) thin films were deposited on $Pt(111)/Ti/SiO_2/Si(100)$ substrates by chemical solution deposition. The effects of co-doping were observed by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The electrical properties of the BEFVO thin film were improved as compared to those of the pure BFO thin film. The remnant polarization ($2P_r$) of the BEFVO thin film was approximately $26{\mu}C/cm^2$ at a maximum electric field of 1,190 kV/cm with a frequency of 1 kHz. The leakage current density of the co-doped BEFVO thin film ($4.81{\times}10^{-5}A/cm^2$ at 100 kV/cm) was two orders of magnitude lower than of that of the pure BFO thin film.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.13-24
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• 2019

Well-crystalline $SnO_2$ nanoparticles of 4-5 nm size with different In contents were synthesized by hydrothermal process at relatively low temperature and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), microRaman spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Indium incorporation in $SnO_2$ lattice is seen to cause a lattice expansion, increasing the average size of the nanoparticles. The fundamental phonon vibration modes of $SnO_2$ lattice suffer a broadening, and surface modes associated to particle size shift gradually with the increase of In content. Incorporation of In drastically enhances the PL emission of $SnO_2$ nanoparticles associated to deep electronic defect levels. Although In incorporation reduces the band gap energy of $SnO_2$ crystallites only marginally, it affects drastically their dye degradation behaviors under UV illumination. While the UV degradation of methylene blue (MB) by undoped $SnO_2$ nanoparticles occurs through the production of intermediate byproducts such as azure A, azure B, and azure C, direct mineralization of MB takes place for In-doped $SnO_2$ nanoparticles.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.179-188
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• 2021

Reputed for their low friction coefficient and wear protection effect, diamond-like carbon (DLC) materials are considered amongst the most important lubricant coatings for tribological applications. In this framework, this investigation aims to elucidate the effect of a few operating parameters, such as applied stress and sliding amplitude on the friction lifetime of DLC coatings. Fretting wear tests are conducted using a 12.7 mm radius counterpart of 52100 steel balls slid against a substrate of the same material coated with a 2 ㎛ thickness DLC. Approximately, 5 to 57 N force is applied, generating a maximum Hertzian contact pressure of 430 to 662 MPa, corresponding to the applied force. The coefficient of friction (CoF) generates three regimes, first a running-in period regime, followed by a steady-state evolution regime, and finally a progressive increase of the CoF reaching the steel CoF value, as an indicator of reaching the substrate. To track the wear scenario, interrupted tests are performed with analysis combining scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), 3D profilometer and micro-Raman spectroscopy. The results show two endurance values: one characterizing the coating failure (Nc₁), and the other (Nc₂) indicating the friction failure which is situated where the CoF reaches a threshold value of μ_th = 0.3 in the third regime. The Archard energy density factor is used to determine the two endurance values (Nc₁, Nc₂). Based on this approach, a master curve is established delimitating both the coating and the friction endurances.