• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.321-328
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• 2020

Zinc nitrate hexahydrate (Zn(NO3)2·6H2O) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) were dissolved in distilled water and stirred for 30 min. The resulting solution was sonicated by an ultrasonic wave for 45 min. This solution was washed with distilled water and ethanol after centrifugation; next, it was placed in an electric furnace at 200℃ for 1 h under the flow of Ar gas to obtain zinc oxide nanoparticle. A zinc oxide nanoparticle-(C60) fullerene nanowhisker composite was synthesized using the zinc oxide nanoparticle solution, C60-saturated toluene, and isopropyl alcohol via the liquid-liquid interfacial precipitation method. The zinc oxide nanoparticle and zinc oxide nanoparticle-(C60) fullerene nanowhisker composite were characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy, and they were used for the catalytic degradation of methyl orange (MO) under ultraviolet (at 254 and 365 nm) and ultrasonic irradiation. In addition, the catalytic degradation of MO over the zinc oxide nanoparticle and zinc oxide nanoparticle-(C60) fullerene nanowhisker composite was evaluated using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy.

• 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 Magnetics
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.230-234
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• 2013

The $Ni_{0.5}Zn_{0.5}Fe_2O_4$ nanoparticles about 30 nm were prepared using sol-gel method with metal nitrates dissolved in 2-methoxyathanol. The concentrations of the metal nitrates are adjusted from 0.1 to 0.75 M in order to study the influence on the structural and magnetic properties. The structure and morphology characterization revealed that the crystallinity was improved and the nanoparticle size was increased with the nutrition solution concentrations up to 0.5 M. Degraded crystallinity together with decreased nanoparticle size were observed for concentration of 0.75 M. The saturation magnetization at room temperature reached maximum at 0.5 M, which can be explained by considering the crystallinity and size effect.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.610-616
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• 2011

A series of polyurethane acrylate/ZnO (PUA/ZnO) nanocomposite films with different ZnO contents were successfully prepared via a UV-curing system. The synthesis and physical properties including morphological structure, thermal properties, barrier properties and optical properties, and antimicrobial properties were investigated as a function of ZnO concentration. FTIR and SEM results showed that these PUA/ZnO nanocomposite films did not have a strong interaction between PUA and ZnO, which may lead to no increase in thermal stability. By incorporating ZnO nanoparticles, the UV blocking and antibacterial properties increased as the content of ZnO increased. Specially, the oxygen permeability in composite films changed from $2005cc/m^2/day$ to $150cc/m^2/day$ by adding the ZnO nanoparticle, which indicates that the PUA/ZnO nanocomposite films can be applied as good barrier packaging materials. Physical properties of the UV-cured PUA/ZnO nanocomposite film are strongly dependent upon the dispersion state of ZnO nanoparticles and their morphology in the films.

• Progress in Superconductivity
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.47-51
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• 2009

For many large-scale applications of high-temperature superconducting materials, large critical current density ($J_c$) in high applied magnetic fields are required. A number of methods have been reported to introduce artificial pinning centers in $YBa_2Cu_3O_{7-{\delta}}$ films for enhancement of their $J_c$. We studied the microstructures and characteristic of $YBa_2Cu_3O_{7-{\delta}}$ films fabricated on $SrTiO_3$ (100) substrates with ZnO nanorods as pinning centers. Au catalyst nanoparticles were synthesized on STO substrates with self assembled monolayer to control the number of ZnO nanorods. The density of Au nanoparticles is approximately $240{\sim}260{\mu}m^{-2}$ with diameters of $41{\sim}49nm$. ZnO nanorods were grown on STO by hot-walled PLD with Au nanoparticles. Typical size of ZnO nanorod was around 179 nm in diameter and $2{\sim}6{\mu}m$ in length respectively. YBCO films deposited directly on STO substrates show the c-axis orientation, while YBCO films with ZnO nanorods exhibit any mixed phases without any typical crystal orientation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.08a
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• pp.209-209
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• 2010

금(Au) 또는 은(Ag) 금속 나노입자의 모양, 크기, 분포 상태를 조절하여 가시광선과 적외선, 자외선 영역에서 강한 표면 플라즈몬 효과을 이용할 수 있는데, 최근 이러한 금속 나노입자의 표면플라즈몬 효과를 이용하여 태양광 소자의 성능을 향상시키는 연구가 매우 활발하게 이루어지고 있다. 그 중, 높은 효율과 낮은 제작비용 그리고 간단한 공정과정의 장점을 갖고 있어서 크게 주목 받고 있는 염료감응태양전지에서도 금(Au) 또는 은(Ag) 금속 나노입자을 이용하기 위한 많은 연구가 진행되고 있다. 그 예로, Au가 코팅된 $TiO_2$ 기반의 염료감응태양전지구조를 제작하여, 입사된 빛이 표면플라즈몬 효과를 통해, Au에서 여기된 전자들이 Au/$TiO_2$ 사에의 schottky 장벽을 통과하여 $TiO_2$의 전도대 전자들의 밀도가 증가하여, charge carrier generating rate을 높여 소자의 광변환 효율의 향상을 증명하였다. 이에 본 연구에서는, $TiO_2$보다 높은 전자 이동도(mobility)와 직선통로(direct path way)의 장점을 갖고 있는 ZnO nanorod에서의 charge carrier generating rate을 높일 수 있도록, 비교적 가격이 저렴한 Ag nanoparticle을 코팅하였다. ZnO nanorod 제작은 낮은 온도에서 간단하게 성장시킬 수 있는 hydrothermal 방법을 이용하였다. 기판위에 RF magnetron 스퍼터를 이용하여 AZO seed layer를 증착한 후, zinc nitrate $Zn(NO_3)_2{\cdot}6H_2O$과 hexamethylentetramines (HMT)으로 혼합된 용액을 사용해 ZnO nanorods를 성장시켰다. 이 후, Ag를 형성할 수 있도록 열증기증착법을 이용하여 코팅하였다. Ag의 증착시간에 따른 ZnO nanorods에서의 코팅된 구조와 형태를 관찰하기 위해 field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM)을 이용하여 측정하였으며, 결정성을 조사하기 위해 X-ray diffraction (XRD)을 이용하여 분석하였다. 또한 입사된 빛에 의해, 여기된 ZnO 전도대 전자들이 다시 재결합을 통해 방출되는 photoluminescence 양을 scanning PL 장비를 통해 측정하여 Ag가 코팅된 ZnO nanorod의 광특성을 분석하였다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.318.1-318.1
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• 2014

Metal nano-crystals have been received much attentions owing to their excellent catalytic property and surface plasmon effect. In the last decade, many studies on synthesizing well-dispersive nanoparticles and on understanding their distinct physical properties have been performed. There were tremendous reports revealing the electrochemical activities and enhancement of surface plasmonic effect were dependent mainly on the size, shape, and composition. So far, most fabrication methods have been based on vacuum based deposition techniques, such as chemical vapor deposition and electron-beam evaporation, and then annealed them to transform into the nanoparticles. Recently, there were several reports regarding to the photoinduced nano-crystal synthesis as an effective way to produce the metal nanoparticles. In this study, we report synchrotron x-ray mediated synthesis of Au nanoparticles on ZnO nanowires. ZnO nanowires were fabricated by hydrothermal method, and then they were dip into a solution having Au clusters. Detailed structural evolution of Au nanoparticles was investigated using scanning electron microscopy and photoluminescence measurements. The results on formation of well-dispersive Au nanoparticles on ZnO nanowires will be presented.

• Clean Technology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.39-44
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• 2015

This study investigated the effects of six metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs: CuO, NiO, TiO₂, Fe₂O₃, Co₃O₄, ZnO) on seed germination and germination index (G.I) for five types of seeds: Brassica napus L., Malva verticillata L., Brassica olercea L., Brassica campestris L., Daucus carota L. NPs of CuO, ZnO, NiO show significant toxicity impacts on seed activities [CuO (6-27 mg/L), ZnO (16-86 mg/L), NiO (48-112 mg/L)], while no significant effects were observed at > 1000 mg/L of TiO₂, Fe₂O₃, Co₃O₄. Tested five types of seed showed different sensitivities on seed germination and root activity, especially on NPs of CuO, ZnO, NiO. Malva verticillata L. seed was highly sensitive to toxic metal oxide NPs and showed following EC₅₀s : CuO 5.5 mg/L, ZnO 16.4 mg/L, NiO 53.4 mg/L. Mostly following order of toxicity was observed, CuO > ZnO > NiO > Fe₂O₃ ≈ Co₃O₄ ≈ TiO₂, where slightly different toxicity order was observed for carrot, showing CuO > NiO ≈ ZnO > Fe₂O₃ ≈ Co₃O₄ ≈ TiO₂.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.100-105
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• 2005

$Ni_{0.9}Zn_{0.1}Fe_2O_4$ nanoparticles have been prepared by a sol-gel method. The structural and magnetic properties have been investigated by DTA/TGA, XRD, SEM, and $M\ddot{o}ssbauer$ spectroscopy, VSM. $Ni_{0.9}Zn_{0.1}Fe_2O_4$ powder that was annealed at $300^{\circ}C$ has spinel structure and behaved superparamagnetically. The estimated size of superparammagnetic Ni-Zn ferrite nanoparticle is around 10 nm. The hyperfine fields at 13 K for the A and B patterns were found to be 533 and 507 kOe, respectively. The blocking temperature ($T_B$) of superparammagnetic $Ni_{0.9}Zn_{0.1}Fe_2O_4$ nanoparticle is about 250 K. The magnetic anisotropy constant and relaxation time constant of $Ni_{0.9}Zn_{0.1}Fe_2O_4$ nanoparticle were calculated to be $1.6\times10^6\;ergs/cm^3$ and ${\tau}_0=5.0{\times}10^{-13}$ s, respectively. Also, Temperature increased up to $43^{\circ}C$ within 10 minutes under AC magnetic field of 7 MHz. It is considered that $Ni_{0.9}Zn_{0.1}Fe_2O_4$ powder that was annealed at $300^{\circ}C$ is available for biomedicine application such as hyperthermia, drug delivery system and contrast agents in MRI.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.11
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• pp.3301-3306
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• 2013

This paper aims to address the cellular toxicity of ultra-pure titanium dioxide ($TiO_2$) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) frequently employed in sunscreens as inorganic physical sun blockers to provide protection against adverse effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation including UVB (290-320 nm) and UVA (320-400 nm). In consideration that the production and the use of inorganic NPs have aroused many concerns and controversies regarding their safety and toxicity and that microsized $TiO_2$ and ZnO have been increasingly replaced by $TiO_2$ and ZnO NPs (< 100 nm), it is very important to directly investigate a main problem related to the intrinsic/inherent toxicity of these NPs and/or their incompatibility with biological objects. In the present study, we took advantage of the laser-assisted method called laser ablation for generation of $TiO_2$ and ZnO NPs. NPs were prepared through a physical process of irradiating solid targets in liquid phase, enabling verification of the toxicity of ultra-pure NPs with nascent surfaces free from any contamination. Our results show that $TiO_2$ NPs are essentially non-poisonous and ZnO NPs are more toxic than $TiO_2$ NPs based on the cell viability assays.