• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.255-262
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• 2017

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) can be produced by interactions between sunlight and light-absorbing substances in natural water environments and can completely destroy various organic pollutants in waste water. In this study, we used graphene oxide modified $Ag_2Se$ nanoparticles to enhance photochemically generated oxygen (PGO) species activity. Surface area and pore volumes of the $Ag_2Se-graphene$ ($Ag_2Se-G$) samples showed catastrophic decrease due to deposition of $Ag_2Se$. The generation of reactive oxygen species was detected through the oxidation reaction of DPCI to DPCO. The photocurrent density and the PGO effect increase in the case of the use of modified graphene. The PGO effect of the graphene modified with $Ag_2Se$ composites increased significantly due to a synergetic effect between graphene and the $Ag_2Se$ nanoparticles. The photocatalytic activity of sample was evaluated by measuring the degradation of organic pollutants such as methylene blue (MB) and industrial dyes such as Texbrite BA-L (TBA) under visible light.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.3.1-3.1
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• 2010

Water splitting reaction using photocatalysts is of great interest in the utilization of solar energy [1]. In the present work, visible light-responsive $TiO_2$ thin films (Vis-$TiO_2$) were prepared by a radio frequency magnetron sputtering (RF-MS) deposition method and applied for the separate evolution of $H_2$ and $O_2$ from water as well as the photofuel cell. Special attentions will be focused on the effect of HF treatment of Vis-$TiO_2$ thin films on their photocatalytic activities. Vis-$TiO_2$ thin films were prepared by an RF-MS method using a calcined $TiO_2$ plate and Ar as the sputtering gas. The Vis-$TiO_2$ thin films were then deposited on the Ti foil substrate with the substrate temperature at 873 K (Vis-$TiO_2$/Ti). Vis-$TiO_2$/Ti thin films were immersed in a 0.045 vol% HF solution at room temperature. The effect of HF treatments on the activity of Vis-$TiO_2$/Ti thin films for the photocatalytic water splitting reaction have been investigated. Vis-$TiO_2$/Ti thin films treated with HF solution (HF-Vis-$TiO_2$/Ti) exhibited remarkable enhancement in the photocatalytic activity for $H_2$ evolution from a methanol aqueous solution as well as in the photoelectrochemical performance under visible light irradiation as compared with the untreated Vis-$TiO_2$/Ti thin films. Moreover, Pt-loaded HF-Vis-$TiO_2$/Ti thin films act as efficient and stable photocatalysts for the separate evolution of $H_2$ and $O_2$ from water under visible light irradiation in the presence of chemical bias. Thus, HF treatment was found to be an effective way to improve the photocatalytic activity of Vis-$TiO_2$/Ti thin films. Furthermore, unique separate type photofuel cell was fabricated using a Vis-$TiO_2$ thin film as an electrode, which can generate electrical power under solar light irradiation by using various kinds of biomass derivatives as fuel. It was found that the introduction of an iodine ($I^-/{I_3}^-$) redox solution at the cathode side enables the development of a highly efficient photofuel cell which can utilize a cost-efficient carbon electrode as an alternative to the Pt cathode.

• 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 Powder Materials
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• v.12 no.4 s.51
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• pp.266-272
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• 2005

Transition metal ions($Ni^{2+}$, $Cr^{3+}$ and $V^{5+}$) doped $TiO_2$ nanostructured powders were synthesized by mechanical alloying(MA) to shift the adsorption threshold into the visible light region. The synthesized powders were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM and BET for structural analysis, UV-Vis and photoluminescence spectrum for the optical study. Also, photocatalytic abilities were evaluated by decomposition of 4-chlorophenol(4CP) under ultraviolet and visible light irradiations. Optical studies showed that the absorption wavelength of transition metal ions doped $TiO_2$ powders moved to visible light range, which was believed to be induced by the energy level change due to the doping. Among the prepared $TiO_2$ powders, $NiO^{2+}$ doped $TiO_2$ powders, showed excellent photooxidative ability in 4CP decomposition.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.12
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• pp.3671-3676
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• 2013

A series of carbon nanotube, $C_{60}$, and graphene modified $TiO_2$ nanocomposites were prepared by hydrothermal method. X-ray diffraction, $N_2$ adsorption, UV-Vis spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and Electrochemical impedance spectra were used to characterize the prepared composite materials The results reveal that incorporating $TiO_2$ with carbon materials can extend the adsorption edge of all the $TiO_2$-carbon nanocomposites to the visible light region. The photocatalytic activities were tested in the degradation of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP) under visible light. No obvious difference in essence was observed in structural and optical properties among three series of carbon modified $TiO_2$ nanocomposites. Three series of carbon materials modified $TiO_2$ composites follow the analogous tentative reaction mechanism for TCP degradation. GR modified $TiO_2$ nanocomposite exhibits the strongest interaction and the most effective interfacial charge transfer among three carbon materials, thus shows the highest electron-hole separation rate, leading to the highest photocatalytic activity and stability.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.669-669
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• 2013

Hierarchical N doped TiO2 nanostructured catalyst with micro, meso and macro porosity have been synthesized by a facile self-formation route using ammonia and titanium isopropoxide precursor. The samples were calcined in different calcination temperature ranging from $300^{\circ}C$ to $800^{\circ}C$ at slow heating rate ($5^{\circ}C$/min) and designated as NHPT-300 to NHPT-800. $TiO_2$ nanostructured catalyst have been characterized by physico-chemical and spectroscopy methods to explore the structural, electronic and optical properties. UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra confirmed the red shift and band gap narrowing due to the doping of N species in TiO2 nanoporous catalyst. Hierarchical macro porosity with fibrous channel patterning was observed (confirmed from FESEM) and well preserved even after calcination at $800^{\circ}C$, indicating the thermal stability. BET results showed that micro and mesoporosity was lost after $500^{\circ}C$ calcination. The photocatalytic activity has been evaluated for methanol oxidation to formaldehyde in visible light. The enhanced photocatalytic activity is attributed to combined synergetic effect of N doping for visible light absorption, micro and mesoporosity for increase of effective surface area and light harvestation, and hierarchical macroporous fibrous structure for multiple reflection and effective charge transfer.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.58 no.3
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• pp.486-492
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• 2020

The method for preparing a perovskite-type bismuth ferrite (BFO) photocatalyst which reacts to visible LED light and the characteristics of visible light photocatalysis were investigated. BFO was prepared according to the sol-gel method. The prepared BFO consisted mainly of BiFeO₃ structure and formed a nano-sized crystal including Bi₂₄Fe₂O₃₉ structure. The BFO nano crystallines were identified from the UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectra to absorb UV and visible light up to about 600 nm. The bandgap of the BFO determined from the diffuse reflectance spectrum was about 2.2 eV. Formaldehyde was decomposed by the photoreaction of BFO photocatalysts with the visible light LED lamps with wavelengths of 585 nm and 613 nm. The narrow bandgap of BFO led to elicit BFO photocatalytic activity in visible LED light.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.458-465
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• 2016

A $TiO_2$/CNT nanohybrid photocatalyst is synthesized via sol-gel route, with titanium (IV) isopropoxide and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as the starting materials. The microstructures and phase constitution of the nanohybrid $TiO_2$/CNT (0.005wt%) samples after calcination at $450^{\circ}C$, $550^{\circ}C$ and $650^{\circ}C$ in air are compared with those of pure $TiO_2$ using field-emission scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, respectively. In addition, the photocatalytic activity of the nanohybrid is compared with that of pure $TiO_2$ with regard to the degradation of methyl orange under visible light irradiation. The $TiO_2$/CNT composite exhibits a fast grain growth and phase transformation during calcination. The nanocomposite shows enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation in comparison to pure $TiO_2$ owing to not only better adsorption capability of CNT but also effective electron transfer between $TiO_2$ and CNTs. However, the high calcination temperature of $650^{\circ}C$, regardless of addition of CNT, causes a decrease in photocatalytic activity because of grain growth and phase transformation to rutile. These results such as fast phase transformation to rutile and effective electron transfer are related to carbon doping into $TiO_2$.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.555-561
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• 2009

Expanded graphite (EG) is synthesized by chemical intercalation of natural graphite (NG) and rapid expansion at high temperature, with titanium n-butoxide (TNB) used as titanium source by a sol-gel method to prepare EG-TiO$_2$ composite. The performances of the prepared EG-TiO$_2$ composite are characterized by BET surface area measurement, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). To compare the photocatalytic activities of the EG-TiO$_2$ composite, three kinds of dye solutions, methylene blue (MB), methylene orange (MO) and rhodamine B (RhB), and two kinds of light source, UV light and visible light (VL), are used. Comparing the results, it can be clearly seen that the degradation of all of the dye solutions under irradiation by UV light is much better than that under irradiation by visible light, and the decomposition of MB solution was better than that of both of MO and RhB solution.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.199-203
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• 2012

A modified sol-gel method and $N_2$-plasma treatment were used to prepare bulk and surface doped N-$TiO_2$, respectively. XRD, TEM, UV-vis spectroscopy, $N_2$ adsorption, Elemental Analyzer, Photoluminescence, and XP spectra were used to characterize the prepared $TiO_2$ samples. The N doping did not change the phase composition and particle sizes of $TiO_2$ samples, but increased the visible light absorption. The photocatalytic activities were tested in the degradation of an aqueous solution of a reactive dyestuff, methylene blue, under visible light. The photocatalytic activity of surface doped N-$TiO_2$ prepared by $N_2$-plasma was much higher than that of bulk doped N-$TiO_2$ prepared by sol-gel method. The possible mechanism for the photocatalysis was proposed.