• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.105-108
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• 2011

Newly-developed fabrication of a p-n heterojunction diode constructed with a p-Si nanowire (NW) and an n-ZnO nanoparticle (NP) thin-film by the dielectrophoresis (DEP) technique is demonstrated in this study. With the bias of 20 Vp-p at the input frequency of 1 MHz, the most efficient assembly of the n-ZnO NPs is shown for the fabrication of the p-n heterojunction diode with a p-Si NW. The p-n heterojunction diode fabricated in this study represents current rectifying characteristics with the turn on voltage of 1.1 V. The diode can be applied to the fabrication of optoelectrical devices such as photodetectors, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), or solar cells based on the high conductivity of the NW and the high surface to volume ratio of the NP thin film.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.136-138
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• 2014

In this study, cholesterol sensors consisting of a mixture of cholesterol oxidase (ChOx) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) are constructed on plastic substrates and their sensing characteristics are examined in air. The current of the ChOx-ZnO NP film decreases in magnitude as cholesterol molecules are adsorbed on the film, due to the resulting increase in the number of electrons generated by the reaction between the cholesterol and the ChOx. The cholesterol sensor shows a high sensitivity of $1.08{\mu}A/mM$ and a wide detection range from 10 nM to 1 mM.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.362-365
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• 2015

Silica encapsulated ZnSe quantum dots (QDs) were prepared by employing two microemulsion systems: AOT/water/cyclohexane microemulsions containing ZnSe quantum dots with NP5/water/cyclohexane microemulsions containing tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS). Using this method, cubic zinc blende nanoparticles (3 nm in diameter) were synthesized and encapsulated by silica nanoparticles (20 nm in diameter). The temperature dependence of photoluminescence (PL) for silica-encapsulated ZnSe QDs was investigated to evaluate this material as a temperature sensor media. The fluorescence emission intensity of silica-encapsulated ZnSe nanoparticles (NPs) was decreased with an increase of ambient temperature over the range from $30^{\circ}C$ to $60^{\circ}C$ and a linear relationship between the temperature and the emission intensity was observed. In addition, the temperature dependence of PL intensity for silica-encapsulated ZnSe NPs showed a reversible pattern on ambient temperature. A reversible temperature dependence of the luminescence combined with its insensitivity toward quenching by oxygen due to silica coating established this material as an attractive media for temperature sensor applications.

• CELLMED
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.23.1-23.6
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• 2016

With the rapid developments in nanotechnology, an increasing number of nanomaterials have been applied in various aspects of our lives. Recently, pharmaceutical nanotechnology with numerous advantages has growingly attracted the attention of many researchers. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) are nanomaterials that are widely used in many fields including diagnostics, therapeutics, drug-delivery systems, electronics, cosmetics, sunscreens, coatings, ceramic products, paints, and food additives, due to their magnetic, catalytic, semiconducting, anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, ultraviolet-protective, and binding properties. The present review focused on the recent research works concerning role of ZnO-NP on inflammation. Several studies have reported that ZnO-NP induces inflammatory reaction through the generation of reactive oxygen species by oxidative stress and production of inflammatory cytokines by activation of nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ ($NF-{\kappa}B$). Meanwhile, other researchers reported that ZnO-NP exhibits an anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting the up-regulation of inflammatory cytokines and the activation of $NF-{\kappa}B$, caspase-1, $I{\kappa}B$ $kinase{\beta}$, receptor interacting protein2, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase. Previous studies reported that size and shape of nanoparticles, surfactants used for nanoparticles protection, medium, and experimental conditions can also affect cellular signal pathway. This review indicated that the anti-inflammatory effectiveness of ZnO-NP was determined by the nanoparticle size as well as various experimental conditions. Therefore, the author suggests that pharmaceutical therapy with the ZnO-NP is one of the possible strategies to overcome the inflammatory reactions. However, further studies should be performed to maximize the anti-inflammatory effect of ZnO-NP to apply as a potential agent in biomedical applications.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.177-183
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• 2016

Sewage treatment using microorganisms is affected by multiple factors such as microbial properties, characteristics of sewage and operating conditions, and nanoparticles inflow may cause negative effects on sewage treatment system especially on the system stability and efficiency. It was studied to assess the toxic effects of nanoparticles on microorganism growth. The activated sludge in the sewage treatment plant of university was cultured in the optimized medium for each strain. Bacillus (gram-positive), Pseudomonas and E.coli (gram-negative) in the activated sludge were selected as target microorganisms, and ZnO and $TiO_2$ were chosen as nanoparticles. For same concentration of nanoparticles, average growth inhibition rate of Bacillus was 60% or more, while that of Pseudomonas was less than 10%. The toxicity of nanoparticles was shown to be higher for gram-positive bacteria than gram-negative bacteria because of their differences on structure of cell wall, components of cell wall protein, physiology of cells and metabolism. ZnO affected 3 times more negative on the growth of microorganisms as compared to $TiO_2$. It was assumed that, therefore, toxicity of ZnO was found to be greater than $TiO_2$.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.99-112
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• 2018

Certain agrochemicals may be tuned for increased effectiveness when downsized to nanoparticles (NPs), where one dimension is less than 100 nm. The NPs may function as fertilizers, pesticides and products to improve plant health through seed priming, growth promotion, and induction of systemic tolerance to stress. Formulations will allow targeted applications with timed release, reducing waste and pollution when compared to treatments with bulk-size products. The NPs may be a single component, such as nano-ZnO as a fertilizer, or be composites of compatible materials, for example where N, P, and K plus micronutrients are available. The active materials could be loaded into porous carriers or tethered to base nanostructures. Coatings could include such natural products alginate, chitosan, zein, or silica. Certain NPs are taken up and transported in the plant's phloem and xylem so systemic effects are feasible. Timed and targeted release of the active product could be achieved in response to changes in pH or availability of ligands within the plant or the rhizosphere. Global research has revealed the many potentials offered by NP formulations to aid sustainability in agriculture. Current work will provide information needed by regulatory agencies to assess their safety in the agricultural setting.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.550-558
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• 2021

In a radiotracer study, the bioaccumulation and efflux of metals in earthworms (Eisenia fetida) exposed to soil spiked with ZnO and Ag nanoparticles (AgNP) were compared to those exposed to soil spiked with ionic Zn and Ag. Additionally, the bioavailability and chemical mobility of nano- and ionic metals in the soil were estimated using the sequential extraction method and compared to the bioaccumulation factor(BAF). The BAF for ZnO (0.06) was 31 times lower than that for Zn ions (1.86), suggesting that ZnO was less bioavailable than the ionic form in contaminated soil. In contrast, the BAFs for two types of AgNPs coated with polyvinylpyrrolidone (0.12) or citrate (0.11) were comparable to those of ionic Ag (0.17). The sequential extraction of metals from the soil suggests that the chemically mobile fractions in the Zn ion treatment were higher(35%) than those (<20%) in the Ag ion treatment, which was consistent with the greater BAFs in the former than the latter. However, the chemical mobility in the ZnO treatments did not predict bioavailability. The efflux rates of Ag (3.2-3.8% d^-1) in the worms were 2-3×those(1.2-1.7% d^-1) for Zn.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.710-715
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• 2018

In this study, $ZnFe_2O_4@SnO_2@TiO_2$ core-shell nanoparticles (NPs), a photocatalytic material with magnetic properties, were synthesized through a three-step process. Structural properties were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. It was confirmed that $ZnFe_2O_4$ of the spinel, $SnO_2$ of the tetragonal and $TiO_2$ of the anatase structure were synthesized. The magnetic properties of synthesized materials were studied by a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The saturation magnetization value of $ZnFe_2O_4$, a core material, was confirmed at 33.084 emu/g. As a result of the formation of $SnO_2$ and $TiO_2$ layers, the magnetism due to the increase in thickness was reduced by 33% and 40%, respectively, but sufficient magnetic properties were reserved. The photocatalytic efficiency of synthesized materials was measured using methylene blue (MB). The efficiency of the core material was about 4.2%, and as a result of the formation of $SnO_2$ and $TiO_2$ shell, it increased to 73% and 96%, respectively while maintaining a high photocatalytic efficiency. In addition, the antibacterial activity was validated via the inhibition zone by using E. Coli and S. Aureus. The formation of shells resulted in a wider inhibition zone, which is in good agreement with photocatalytic efficiency measurements.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.261-271
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• 2015

Toxicity results of metals, nanoparticles (NPs), and soils contaminated with metals were introduced on this review. Following methods were used: seed germination, bioluminescence, enzyme activity, and mutation. In general, different sensitivities were observed, depending on types of bioassays and pollutants. Among tested seeds, sensitivities of Lactucus and Raphanus were greater than others. Of single metal exposure, effect by As(III) was greater than others, and high revertant mutation ratio (5.1) was observed at 1 mg/L arsenite, indicating high mutagenicity. No general pattern was observed on the effect of metal mixture, but synergistic effect was observed with seeds. In case of soils, no correlation was observed between total metal contents and toxicity. Toxicity of NPs was observed as follows: CuO > ZnO > NiO > $TiO_2$, $Fe_2O_3$, $Co_3O_4$. Especially, no considerable effects were observed by $TiO_2$, $Fe_2O_3$, and $Co_3O_4$ under tested concentration (max. 1,000 mg/L). The evaluation results of interactive toxic effects using various bioassays may comprise a useful tool for the bioassessment of various environmental pollutants.

• Composites Research
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.132-137
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• 2016

Based on mussel-inspired polydopamine (PDA), a novel technique to fabricate carbon nanowire (CNW) arrays is presented for a possible use of porous carbon electrode in electrochemical energy storage applications. PDA can give more porosity and nitrogen-doping effect to carbon electrodes, since it has high graphitic carbon yield characteristic and rich amine functionalities. Using such outstanding properties, the applicability of PDA for electrochemical energy storage devices was investigated. To achieve this, the decoration of the CNW arrays on carbon fiber surface was performed to increase the surface area for storage of electrical charge and the chemical active sites. Here, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowire (NW) arrays were hydrothermally grown on the carbon fiber surface and then, PDA was coated on ZnO NWs. Finally, high temperature annealing was performed to carbonize PDA coating layers. For higher energy density, manganese oxide ($MnO_x$) nanoparticles (NPs), were deposited on the carbonized PDA NW arrays. The enlarged surface area induced by carbon nanowire arrays led to a 4.7-fold enhancement in areal capacitance compared to that of bare carbon fibers. The capacitance of nanowire-decorated electrodes reached up to $105.7mF/cm^2$, which is 59 times higher than that of pristine carbon fibers.