• Rapid Communication in Photoscience
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 2013

Visible light-sensitive $TiO_2$ and ZnO nanostructure materials have attracted great attention as the promising material for solar energy conversion systems such as photocatalysts for water splitting and environmental purification as well as nano-biosensors. Success of their applications relies on how to control their surface state behaviors related to the exciton dynamics and optoelectronic properties. In this paper, we briefly review some recent works on single nanoparticle photoluminescence (PL) technique and its application to observation of their surface state behaviors which are raveled by the conventional ensemble-averaged spectroscopic techniques. This review provides an opportunity to understand the temporal and spatial heterogeneities within an individual nanostructure, allowing for the potential use of single-nanoparticle approaches in studies of their photoenergy conversion and nano-scale optical biosensing.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.9
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• pp.904-910
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• 2009

The development of effective cellular imaging requires a specific labeling method for targeting, tracking, and monitoring cellular/molecular events in the living organism. For this purpose, we studied the cellular uptake of isocyanide-functionalized silver and gold nanoparticles by surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Inside a single mammalian cell, we could monitor the intracellular behavior of such nanoparticles by measuring the SERS spectra. The NC stretching band appeared clearly at ${\sim}2,100cm^{-1}$ in the well-isolated spectral region from many organic constituents between 300 and 1,700 or 2,800 and $3,600cm^{-1}$. The SERS marker band at ${\sim}2,100cm^{-1}$ could be used to judge the location of the isocyanide-functionalized nanoparticles inside the cell without much spectral interference from other cellular constituents. Our results demonstrate that isocyanide-modified silver or gold nanoparticle-based SERS may have high potential for monitoring and imaging the biological processes at the single cell level.

• Journal of Integrative Natural Science
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.211-215
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• 2012

Single-crystalline silicon nanowire arrays (SiNWAs) using electroless metal-assisted etchings of p-type silicon were successfully fabricated. Ag nanoparticle deposition on silicon wafers in HF solution acted as a localized micro-electrochemical redox reaction process in which both anodic and cathodic process took place simultaneously at the silicon surface to give SiNWAs. The growth effect of SiNWs was investigated by changing of etching times. The morphologies of SiNWAs were obtained by SEM observation. Well-aligned nanowire arrays perpendicular to the surface of the silicon substrate were produced. Optical characteristics of SiNWs were measured by FT-IR spectroscopy and indicated that the surface of SiNWs are terminated with hydrogen. The thicknesses and lengths of SiNWs are typically 150-250 nm and 2 to 5 microns, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2009.06a
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• pp.417-417
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• 2009

Although a transparent conductive film (TCF) belongs to essential supporting materials for many device applications such as touch screens, flat panel displays, and sensors, a conventional transparent conductive material, indium-tin oxide (ITO), suffers from considerable drawback because the price of indium has soared since 2001. Despite a recent falloff, a demand of ITO is expected to increase sharply in the future due to the trend of flat panel display technologies toward flexible, paper-like features. There have been recently extensive studies to replace ITO with new materials, in particular, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) since CNTs possess excellent properties such as flexibility, electrical conductivity, optical transparency, mechanical strength, etc., which are prerequisite to TCFs. This study fabricated TCFs with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) produced by arc discharge. The SWCNTs were dispersed in water with a surfactant of sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (NaDDBS) under sonication. Carbon black and fullerene nanoparticles were added to the SWCNT-dispersed solution to enhance contact resistance between CNTs. TCFs were manufactured by a filtration and transfer method. TCFs added with carbon black and fullerene nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-vis spectroscopy (optical transmittance), and four-point probe measurement (sheet resistance).

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.29
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• pp.16.1-16.9
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• 2014

Objectives Rapid increase in engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) in many goods has raised significant concern about their environmental safety. Proper methodologies are therefore needed to conduct toxicity and exposure assessment of nanoparticles in the environment. This study reviews several analytical techniques for nanoparticles and summarizes their principles, advantages and disadvantages, reviews the state of the art, and offers the perspectives of nanometrology in relation to ENP studies. Methods Nanometrology is divided into five techniques with regard to the instrumental principle: microscopy, light scattering, spectroscopy, separation, and single particle inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Results Each analytical method has its own drawbacks, such as detection limit, ability to quantify or qualify ENPs, and matrix effects. More than two different analytical methods should be used to better characterize ENPs. Conclusions In characterizing ENPs, the researchers should understand the nanometrology and its demerits, as well as its merits, to properly interpret their experimental results. Challenges lie in the nanometrology and pretreatment of ENPs from various matrices; in the extraction without dissolution or aggregation, and concentration of ENPs to satisfy the instrumental detection limit.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.421-425
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• 2012

Two types of Pt nanoparticle electrocatalysts were composited on Pt nanowires by a combination of an electrospinning method and an impregnation method with NaBH4 as a reducing agent. The structural properties and electrocatalytic activities for methanol electro-oxidation in direct methanol fuel cells were investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and cyclic voltammetry. In particular, SEM, HRTEM, XRD, and XPS results indicate that the metallic Pt nanoparticles with polycrystalline property are uniformly decorated on the electro-spun Pt nanowires. In order to investigate the catalytic activity of the Pt nanoparticles decorated on the electro-spun Pt nanowires, two types of 20 wt% Pt nanoparticles and 40 wt% Pt nanoparticles decorated on the electro-spun Pt nanowires were fabricated. In addition, for comparison, single Pt nanowires were fabricated via an electrospinning method without an impregnation method. As a result, the cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry results demonstrate that the electrode containing 40 wt% Pt nanoparticles exhibits the best catalytic activity for methanol electro-oxidation and the highest electrochemical stability among the single Pt nanowires, the 20 wt% Pt nanoparticles decorated with Pt nanowires, and the 40 wt% Pt nanoparticles decorated with Pt nanowires studied for use in direct methanol fuel cells.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.636-636
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• 2013

Since first discovery of strong Raman spectrum of molecules adsorbed on rough noble metal, surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been widely used for detection of molecules with low concentration. Surface plasmons at noble metal can enhance Raman spectrum and using Au nanostructures as substrates of SERS has advantages due to it has chemical stability and biocompatibility. However, the photoluminescence (PL) background from Au remains a problem because of obtaining molecular vibration information. Recently, graphene, two-dimensional atomic layer of carbon atoms, is also well known as PL quenchers for electronic and vibrational excitation. In this study, we observed SERS of single layer graphene on or under monolayer of Au nanoparticles (NPs). Single layer graphene is grown by chemical vapor deposition and transferred onto or under the monolayer of Au NPs by using PMMA transfer method. Monolayer of Au NPs prepared using Langmuir-Blodgett method on or under graphene surface provides closed and well-packed monolayer of Au NPs. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy (WItec, 532 nm) were performed in order to confirm effects of Au NPs on enhanced Raman spectrum. Highly enhanced Raman signal of graphene by Au NPs were observed due to many hot-spots at gap of closed well-packed Au NPs. The results showed that single layer graphene provides larger SERS effects compared to multilayer graphene and the enhancement of the G band was larger than that of 2D band. Moreover, we confirm the appearance of D band in this study that is not clear in normal Raman spectrum. In our study, D band appearance is ascribed to the SERS effect resulted from defects induced graphene on Au NPs. Monolayer film of Au NPs under the graphene provided more highly enhanced graphene Raman signal compared to that on the graphene. The Au NPs-graphene SERS substrate can be possibly applied to biochemical sensing applications requiring highly sensitive and selective assays.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.568-568
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• 2012

뛰어난 물리적, 전기적 특성을 가진 단일벽 탄소나노튜브는 여러 분야에서 응용 가능성이 매우 높은 물질이다. 그러나 단일벽 탄소나노튜브의 전기적 특성은 나노튜브의 직경과 카이랄리티(chirality)에 매우 강하게 의존되기 때문에 균일한 직경과 카이랄리티를 갖는 단일벽 탄소나노 튜브만의 사용은 나노튜브 기반의 전자소자 응용에서 매우 중요하다. 균일한 직경과 카이랄리티의 단일벽 탄소나노튜브를 얻는 방법은 나노튜브 합성을 통한 직접적인 방법과 후처리 기술을 통해 가능하며, 최근에는 금속 나노입자를 촉매로서 화학기상증착(Chemical vapor deposition, CVD)을 이용하여 좁은 직경 분포를 갖는 단일벽 탄소나노튜브의 합성이 보고되었다. 화학기상 증착은 용이하게 단일벽 탄소나노튜브를 합성하며, 성장된 나노튜브의 직경은 촉매금속 나노입자의 크기에 의해 결정된다. 본 연구는 크기가 제어된 산화철 나노입자를 촉매금속으로 사용하여 열화학기상증착법을 이용해 직경분포가 매우 좁고 균일한 단일벽 탄소나노튜브를 합성하였다. 합성된 단일벽 탄소나노튜브 직경과 카이랄리티는 라만 분광법(Raman spectroscopy)과 투과 전자현미경(Transmission electron microscope)을 이용하여 분석하였다.

• 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 the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.219-226
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• 2023

Utilizing low-dimensional structures of oxide semiconductors is a promising approach to fabricate relevant gas sensors by means of potential enhancement in surface-to-volume ratios of their sensing materials. In this work, vertically aligned cupric oxide (CuO) nanorods are successfully synthesized on a transparent glass substrate via seed-mediated hydrothermal synthesis method with the use of a CuO nanoparticle seed layer, which is formed by thermally oxidizing a sputtered Cu metal film. Structural and optical characterization by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Raman spectroscopy reveals the successful preparation of the CuO nanorods array of the single monoclinic tenorite crystalline phase. From gas sensing measurements for the nitrogen monoxide (NO) gas, the vertically aligned CuO nanorod array is observed to have a highly responsive sensitivity to NO gas at relatively low concentrations and operating temperatures, especially showing a high maximum sensitivity to NO at 200 ℃ and a low NO detection limit of 2 ppm in dry air. These results along with a facile fabrication process demonstrate that the CuO nanorods synthesized on a transparent glass substrate are very promising for low-cost and high-performance NO gas sensors.