• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.967-974
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• 2018

In this study, we evaluated the photocatalytic oxidation efficiency of aromatic volatile hydrocarbons by using $WO_3$-doped $TiO_2$ nanotubes (WTNTs) under visible-light irradiation. One-dimensional WTNTs were synthesized by ultrasonic-assisted hydrothermal method and impregnation. XRD analysis revealed successful incorporation of $WO_3$ into $TiO_2$ nanotube (TNT) structures. UV-Vis spectra exhibited that the synthesized WTNT samples can be activated under visible light irradiation. FE-SEM and TEM images showed the one-dimensional structure of the prepared TNTs and WTNTs. The photocatalytic oxidation efficiencies of toluene, ethylbenzene, and o-xylene were higher using WTNT samples than undoped TNT. These results were explained based on the charge separation ability, adsorption capability, and light absorption of the sample photocatalysts. Among the different light sources, light-emitting-diodes (LEDs) are more highly energy-efficient than 8-W daylight used for the photocatalytic oxidation of toluene, ethylbenzene, and o-xylene, though the photocatalytic oxidation efficiency is higher for 8-W daylight.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.376-381
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• 2019

In this work, we evaluated the structural, electrical and optical properties of $Ge_8Sb_2Te_{11}$ and Cu-doped $Ge_8Sb_2Te_{11}$ thin films prepared by rf-magnetron reactive sputtering. The 200-nm-thick deposited films were annealed in a range of $100{\sim}400^{\circ}C$ using a furnace in an $N_2$ atmosphere. The amorphous-to-crystalline phase changes of the thin films were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Vis-IR spectrophotometry, a 4-point probe, and a source meter. A one-step phase transformation from amorphous to face-centered-cubic (fcc) and an increase of the crystallization temperature ($T_c$) was observed in the Cu-doped film, which indicates an enhanced thermal stability in the amorphous state. The difference in the optical energy band gap ($E_{op}$) between the amorphous and crystalline phases was relatively large, approximately 0.38~0.41 eV, which is beneficial for reducing the noise in the memory devices. The sheet resistance($R_s$) of the amorphous phase in the Cu-doped film was about 1.5 orders larger than that in undoped film. A large $R_s$ in the amorphous phase will reduce the programming current in the memory device. An increase of threshold voltage ($V_{th}$) was seen in the Cu-doped film, which implied a high thermal efficiency. This suggests that the Cu-doped $Ge_8Sb_2Te_{11}$ thin film is a good candidate for PRAM.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.282-287
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• 2019

The photovoltaic properties of $TiO_2$ used for the electron transport layer in perovskite solar cells(PSCs) are compared according to the particle size. The PSCs are fabricated and prepared by employing 20 nm and 30 nm $TiO_2$ as well as a 1:1 mixture of these particles. To analyze the microstructure and pores of each $TiO_2$ layer, a field emission scanning electron microscope and the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller(BET) method are used. The absorbance and photovoltaic characteristic of the PSC device are examined over time using ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared spectroscopy and a solar simulator. The microstructural analysis shows that the $TiO_2$ shape and layer thicknesses are all similar, and the BET analysis results demonstrate that the size of $TiO_2$ and in surface pore size is very small. The results of the photovoltaic characterization show that the mean absorbance is similar, in a range of about 400-800 nm. However, the device employing 30 nm $TiO_2$ demonstrates the highest energy conversion efficiency(ECE) of 15.07 %. Furthermore, it is determined that all the ECEs decrease over time for the devices employing the respective types of $TiO_2$. Such differences in ECE based on particle size are due to differences in fill factor, which changes because of changes in interfacial resistance during electron movement owing to differences in the $TiO_2$ particle size, which is explained by a one-dimensional model of the electron path through various $TiO_2$ particles.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.256-261
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• 2021

Indium-doped Mg_0.05Zn_0.95O thin films were deposited on glass substrates by a sol-gel method. Three types of indium precursors such as indium chloride, indium acetate, and indium nitrate were used as doping sources. Physical properties of fabricated thin films were analyzed through XRD (x-ray diffraction), UV-vis spectrophotometer, Hall effect measurement, and EDS (energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy). All In-doped thin films grown in this study exhibited a preferred orientation of (002) with over 80% transmittance. The results showed that the Mg_0.05Zn_0.95O thin film from indium chloride as the indium precursor has higher crystallinity and transmittance with lower resistivity when compared with those from other indium precursors.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.1213-1222
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• 2020

In the current study, a Cu2O/TiO2 photoinduced nanocomposite materials prepared by ultrasonification method was evaluated the photocatalytic oxidation efficiency of volatile organic compounds (BTEX) under visible-light irradiation. The results of XRD confirmed the successful preparation of photoinduced nanocomposite materials. However, diffraction peaks belonging to TiO2 were not confirmed for the Cu2O/TiO2. The possible reason for the absence of Cu2O peak is their low content and small particle size. The result of uv-vis spectra exhibited that the fabricated Cu2O/TiO2 can be activated under visible light irradiation. The FE-SEM/EDS and TEM showed the formation of synthesized nanocomposites and componential analysis in the undoped TiO2 and Cu2O/TiO2. The photocatalytic oxidation efficiencies of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and o-xylene with Cu2O/TiO2 were higher than undoped TiO2. According to light sources, the average oxidation efficiencies for BTEX by Cu2OT-0.5 were exhibited in the orer of 8 W day light > violet LEDs > white LEDs. However, the photocatalytic oxidation efficiencies normalized to supplied electric power were calculated to be in the following order of violet LEDs > white LEDs > 8 W day light, indicating that the LEDs could be a much more energy efficient light source for the photo-oxidation of gaseous BTEX using Cu2O/TiO2.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.98-103
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• 2011

Photocatalysis using UV light and catalysts is an attractive low temperature and non-energy- intensive method for remediation of a wide range of chemical contaminants like chloroform (CF). Recently development of environmental friendly and sustainable catalytic systems is needed before such catalysts can be routinely applied to large-scale remediation or drinking water treatment. Titanium dioxide is a candidate material, since it is stable, highly reactive, and inexpensive. Diatoms are photosynthetic, single-celled algae that make a microscale silica shell with nano scale features. These diatoms have an ability to biologically fabricate $TiO_2$ nanoparticles into this shell in a process that parallels nanoscale silica mineralization. We cultivated diatoms, metabolically deposited titanium into the shell by using a two-stage photobioreactor and used this biogenic $TiO_2$ to this study. In this study we evaluated how effectively biogenic $TiO_2$ nanoparticles transform CF compared with chemically-synthesized $TiO_2$ nanoparticlesthe and effect of pretreatment of diatom-produced $TiO_2$ nanoparticles on photocatalytic transformation of CF. The rate of CF transformation by diatom-$TiO_2$ particles is a factor of 3 slower than chemically-synthesized one and chloride ion production was also co-related with CF transformation, and 79~91% of CF mineralization was observed in two $TiO_2$ particles. And the period of sonication and mass transfer due to particle size, evaluated by difference of oxygen tention does not affect on the CF transformation. Based on the XRD analysis we conclude that slower CF transformation by diatom-$TiO_2$ might be due to incomplete annealing to the anatase form.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.249-256
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• 2008

0.5 wt% Al doped ZnO thin films (AZO) were prepared on glass substrates using RF magnetron sputtering method. Thin films were grown at substrate temperature of $250^{\circ}C$, RF power of 75W, working pressure of 10 mTorr, by changing the $O_2/Ar$ pressure ratio from 0% to 16.7%. The effects of oxygen partial pressure during the deposition process on structural and optical properties of the films were investigated using XRD, SEM, AFM, EPMA and UV-visible spectroscopy. All the AZO thin films were grown as hexagonal wurtzite phase with the c-axis preferred out-of-plane orientation. The surface roughness and grain size of AZO films decreased with increasing oxygen ratio from 10.6 nm to 3.2 nm and 94.9 nm to 30.9 nm, respectively. On the other hand, the transmittance and band gap energy of the AZO films increased from 84.7% to 92.6% and 3.24 eV to 3.28 eV, respectively with increasing the $O_2/Ar$ pressure ratio.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.88-96
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• 2008

Thermal evaporated 10 nm-$Ni_{50}Co_{50}$/(70 nm-poly)Si films were deposited to examine the energy saving properties of silicides formed by rapid thermal annealing at temperature ranging from 500 to $1,100^{\circ}C$ for 40 seconds. Thermal evaporated 10 nm-Ni/(70 nm-poly)Si films were also deposited as a reference using the same method for depositing the 10 nm-$Ni_{50}Co_{50}$/(70 nm-poly)Si films. A four-point probe was used to examine the sheet resistance. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction XRD were used to determine cross sectional microstructure and phase changes, respectively. UV-VIS-NIR and FT-IR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) were used to examine the near-infrared (NIR) and middle-infrared (MIR) absorbance. TEM analysis confirmed that the uniform nickel-cobalt composite silicide layers approximately 21 to 55 nm in thickness had formed on the single and polycrystalline silicon substrates as well as on the 25 to 100 nm thick nickel silicide layers. In particular, nickel-cobalt composite silicides showed a low sheet resistance, even after rapid annealing at $1,100^{\circ}C$. Nickel-cobalt composite silicide and nickel silicide films on the single silicon substrates showed similar absorbance in the near-IR region, while those on the polycrystalline silicon substrates showed excellent absorbance until the 1,750 nm region. Silicides on polycrystalline substrates showed high absorbance in the middle IR region. Nickel-cobalt composite silicides on the poly-Si substrates annealed at $1,000^{\circ}C$ superior IR absorption on both NIR and MIR region. These results suggest that the newly proposed $Ni_{50}Co_{50}$ composite silicides may be suitable for applications of IR absorption coatings.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.49 no.7
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• pp.583-588
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• 2011

$Cd_xZn_{1-x}O$ thin films were grown on quartz substrates by using the sol-gel spin-coating method. The mole fraction, x, of the $Cd_xZn_{1-x}O$ thin films was controlled from 0 to 1 by changes in the content ratio of the cadmium acetate dehydrate [$Cd{(CH_3COO)}_2{\cdot}2H_2O$] and zinc acetate dehydrate [$Zn{(CH_3COO)}_2{\cdot}2H_2O$]. The effects of the mole fraction on the morphological, structural, and optical properties of the $Cd_xZn_{1-x}O$ thin films were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and UV-visible spectroscopy. The $Cd_xZn_{1-x}O$ thin films exhibited the polygonal surface morphology and their grain size was increased ranging from 42.1 to 63.9 nm with the increase in the mole fraction. It was observed that the absorption bandgap of the $Cd_xZn_{1-x}O$ thin films decreased from 3.25 to 2.16 eV as the mole fraction increased and the Urbach energy ($E_U$) values changed inversely to the optical bandgap of the $Cd_xZn_{1-x}O$ thin films.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.434-444
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• 2022

Corrosion inhibitors based on Zn-Al hydrotalcites containing benzoate (ZnAlHB) with different molar ratios of Zn/Al were prepared with a co-precipitation process. Compositions and structures of the resulting hydrotalcites were studied with suitable spectroscopic methods such as inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry (UV-Vis), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and surface zeta potential measurements, respectively. Results of physico-chemical studies showed that crystallite sizes, compositions of products, and surface electrical properties were significantly changed when the molar ratio of Zn/Al was increased. The release of benzoate from hydrotalcites also differed slightly among samples. Anticorrosion abilities of hydrotalcites intercalated with benzoate at a concentration of 3 g/L on carbon steel were analyzed using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), polarization curve, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and SEM. Corrosion inhibition abilities of benzoate modified hydrotalcites in 0.1 M NaCl showed an upward trend with increasing Zn/Al ratio. The reason for the dependence of corrosion resistance on the Zn/Al ratio was discussed, including changes in the microstructure of hydrotalcites such as crystal size, density, uniformity, and formation of ZnO.