• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.08a
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• pp.270.1-270.1
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• 2013

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is one of the most powerful materials for purifying organic pollutants using photocatalytic activity. In this study, we have introduced a novel method to design highly photoreactive flexible 3 dimensional (3D) ZnO nanocomposite [F-ZnO-m (m: reaction time, min)] by electrospinning and simple-step ZnO growth processing (one-step ZnO seed coating/growth processing). Significantly, the F-ZnO-m could be a new platform (or candidate) as a photocatalytic technology for both morphology control and largearea production. The highest photocatalytic degradation rate ([k]) was observed for F-ZnO-m at 2.552 h-1, which was 8.1 times higher than that of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs; [k] = 0.316 h-1). The enhanced photocatalytic activity of F-ZnO-m may be attributed to factors such as large surface area. The F-ZnO-m is highly recyclable and retained 98.6% of the initial decolorization rate after fifteen cycles. Interestingly, the F-ZnO-m samples show very strong antibacterial properties against both Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) after exposure to UV-light for 30 min. The antibacterial properties of F-ZnO-m samples are more effective than those of ZnO NPs. More than 96.6% of the E. coli is sterilized after ten cycles. These results indicate that F-ZnO-m samples might have utility in several promising applications such as highly efficient water/air treatment and inactivation of pathogenic microorganisms.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.179-184
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• 2017

In this paper, a $ZnO/SiO_2$ nano-composite was prepared by a simple chemical method at room temperature. For the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs), a sonochemical method was used, and $SiO_2$ NPs were prepared by precipitation method. The formation of $ZnO/SiO_2$ NCs was characterized by X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and confirmed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy(FT-IR). The photocatalytic properties of $ZnO/SiO_2$ NCs formed at different concentrations of $SiO_2$ were evaluated by rhodamine-B dye. It was confirmed that increasing $SiO_2$ concentration resulted in an increase in the photocatalytic property. In addition, the antibacterial activity of $ZnO/SiO_2$ NCs was conducted against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). As a result, the antibacterial activities of E.coli and S. aureus were increased in the presence of thick SiO NPs layer.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.13-18
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• 2012

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine whether Hominis Placental pharmacopuncture solution (HPPS) combined with zinc-oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NP) activates RAW 264.7 cells. Methods: We soaked ZnO nanoparticles in the Hominis Placenta pharmacopuncture solution, thereby making a combined form (ZnO NP HPPS). The effect of ZnO NP HPPS on the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was measured by 2', 7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFH-DA) assay. The effect of ZnO NP HPPS on NF-${\kappa}B$ was measured by using a luciferase assay. The effect of ZnO NP HPPS on the cytokine expression was assessed by semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The cellular uptake of ZnO NP HPPS was measured by using a flow cytometric analysis, and cellular structural alterations were analyzed by using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results: Neither the HPPS nor the ZnO NPs induced intracellular ROS production in RAW 264.7 cells. Neither of the materials activated NF-${\kappa}B$ or it's dependent genes, such as TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-1, and MCP-1. However, ZnO NP HPPS, the combined form of ZnO NPs and HPPS, did induce the intracellular ROS production, as well as prominently activating NF-${\kappa}B$ and it's dependent genes. Also, compared to ZnO NPs, it effectively increa-sed the uptake by RAW 264.7 cells. In addition, cellular structural alterations were observed in groups treated with ZnO NP HPPS. Conclusions: Neither ZnO NP nor HPPS activated RAW 264.7 cells, which is likely due to a low cellular uptake. The ZnO NP HPPS, however, significantly activated NF-${\kappa}B$ and up-regulated its dependent genes such as TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-1, and MCP-1. ZnO NP HPPS was also more easily taken into the RAW 264.7 cells than either ZnO NP or HPPS.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.191-210
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• 2021

To compare the antifungal effect of two nanomaterials (NMs), nanoparticles of zinc oxide were synthesized by a chemical route and zinc oxide-based nanobiohybrids were obtained using green synthesis in an extract of garlic (Allium sativum). The techniques of X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Infrared (IR) and Ultraviolet Visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectroscopies and Scanning (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopies (TEM) were used to determine the characteristics of the nanomaterials synthesized. The results showed that the samples obtained were of nanometric size (< 100 nm). To compare their antifungal capacity, their effect on Cercospora sp. was evaluated. Test results showed that both nanomaterials had an antifungal capacity. The nanobiohybrids (green route) gave an inhibition of fungal growth of ~72.4% while with the ZnO-NPs (chemical route), inhibition was ~87.1%. Microstructural studies using High Resolution Optical Microscopy (HROM) and ultra-structural analysis using TEM carried out on the treated strains demonstrated the effect of the nanofungicides on the vegetative and reproductive structures, as well as on their cell wall. To account for the antifungal effect presented by ZnO-NPs and ZnO nanobiohybrids on the fungi tested, effects reported in the literature related to the action of nanomaterials on biological entities were considered. Specifically, we discuss the electrical interaction of the ZnO-NPs with the cell membrane and the biomolecules (proteins) present in the fungi, taking into account the n-type nature of the ZnO semiconductor and the electrical behavior of the fungal cell membrane and that of the proteins that make up the protein crown.

• Clean Technology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2017

In this study, toxicities of seven metals (Cu, Cd, Cr, As(III), As(V), Zn, Ni) and five metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs: CuO, ZnO, NiO, $TiO_2$, $Fe_2O_3$) were evaluated based on the growth of Chlorella vulgaris. Effect on algae growth was evaluated by integrating the results of absorption, chlorophyll content, and cell count. The toxicity rankings of metals was observed as Cr ($0.7mgL^{-1}$) > Cu ($1.7mgL^{-1}$) > Cd ($3.2mgL^{-1}$) > Zn ($3.9mgL^{-1}$) > Ni ($13.2mgL^{-1}$) > As(III) ($17.8mgL^{-1}$) ${\gg}$ As(V) (> $1000mgL^{-1}$). Slightly different orders and sensitivities of metal toxicity were examined depending on endpoints of algal growth. In case of NPs, regardless of endpoints, similar toxicity rankings of NPs ($TEC_{50}$) were observed, showing ZnO ($2.4mgL^{-1}$) > NiO ($21.1mgL^{-1}$) > CuO ($36.6mgL^{-1}$) > $TiO_2$ ($62.5mgL^{-1}$) > $Fe_2O_3$ ($82.7mgL^{-1}$). These results indicate that an integrating results of endpoints might be an effective strategy for the assessment of contaminants.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.71-74
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• 2019

In this study, we fabricated two standard and inverted quantum dot light emitting diodes (QLEDs) using $TiO_2$ nanoparticles (NPs) with lower electron mobility than ZnO NPs as inorganic electron transport layer to suppress electron injection into the emitting layer. Current density was much higher for the inverted QLEDs than the standard ones. The inverted QLEDs were brighter, but showed low current efficiency due to the high current density. In addition, as the current density was higher, the driving voltage was higher, and the red shift was confirmed in the emission wavelength spectrum. The low current density in the standard structured devices showed that the possibility that $TiO_2$ NPs could suppress the electron injection in the QLEDs.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2015.08a
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• pp.148-148
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• 2015

Over the past several years, Colloidal core/shell type quantum dots lighting-emitting diodes (QDLEDs) have been developed for the future of optoelectronic applications. An inverted-type quantum-dot light-emitting-diode (QDLED), employing low work function organic material polyethylenimine ethoxylated(PEIE) (<10 nm)[1] modified ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) as electron injection and transport layer, was fabricated by all solution processing method, instead of electrode in the device. The PEIE surface modifier incorporated on the top of the ZnO NPs film, facilitates the enhancement of both electorn injection into the CdSe-ZnS QD emissive layer by lowering the workfunction of ZnO from 3.58eV to 2.87eV and charge balance on the QD emitter. In this inverted QDLEDs, blend of poly (9,9-di-n-octyl-fluorene-alt-benzothiadiazolo) and poly(N,N'-bis(4-butylphenyl)-N,N'-bis(phenyl)benzidine] are used as hole transporting layer (HTL) to improve hole transporting property. At the operating voltage of 7.5 V, the QDLED device emitted spectrally orange color lights with high luminance up to 11110 cd/m2, and showed current efficiency of 2.27 cd/A.[2]

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.178-185
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• 2020

The aim of this study is to investigate the degradation of ciprofloxacin (CIP) from its aqueous solutions via different advanced oxidation processes (AOP). The effects of persulfate (PS) concentration, pH, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) dose, initial CIP concentration, and reaction time on the degradation of CIP were studied. It was found that the sonochemical (US) degradation is a less efficient process (with removal efficiency of 36%) compared to the sono-nano-chemical (US/ZnO) process which resulted in removal efficiency of 70%. Maximum removal of 99% was obtained using the sono-nano-chemical/PS (US/ZnO/PS) process at a frequency of 60 kHz, time of 10 min, pH of 7, initial CIP concentration of 25 mg/L, and PS concentration of 476.06 mg/L. The addition of PS and ZnO-NPs to the process enhanced the rate of US degradation of CIP. In addition, the kinetic parameters for the US/ZnO/PS process were obtained by fitting the kinetic data into the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic models. The kinetic data was found to fit into the pseudo-first-order kinetic model than the pseudo-second-order model. The results showed that the AOP using US/ZnO/PS is a promising technique for the treatment of ciprofloxacin containing solutions.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.1129-1134
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• 2009

Increasing application of nanotechnology highlights the need to clarify nanotoxity and nanoparticles characterization. However, few researches have focused on phytotoxicity of nanoparticles. This study was to examine phytotoxicity on Cumumis sativus seedling and the dissolution of Zn, ZnO nanoparticles in hydroponic culture system. Results of this study; characteristics of Zn, ZnO nanoparticles are more aggregated in nutrient solution than deionized water. C. sativus biomass significantly reduced in the nutrient solution were higher than 100 mg/L, and Zn toxicity showed $Zn^{2+}$> Zn> ZnO NPs. Results of transmission electron microscopy images, Zn and ZnO nanoparticles greatly adhered onto the root cell wall and nanoparticles were observed in the root cell.

• Clean Technology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.285-292
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• 2022

Adsorption tower systems based on activated carbon adsorption towers have mainly been employed to reduce the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), a major cause of air pollution. However, the activated carbon currently used in these systems has a short lifespan and thus requires frequent replacement. An approach to overcome this shortcoming could be to develop metal oxide photocatalysis-activated carbon composites capable of degrading VOCs by simultaneously utilizing photocatalytic activation and powerful adsorption by activated carbon. TiO₂ has primarily been used as a metal oxide photocatalyst, but it has low economic efficiency due to its high cost. In this study, ZnO particles were synthesized as a photocatalyst due to their relatively low cost. Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were deposited on the ZnO surface to compensate for the photocatalytic deactivation that arises from the wide band gap of ZnO. A microfluidic process was used to synthesize ZnO particles and Ag NPs in separate reactors and the solutions were continuously supplied with a pack bed reactor loaded with activated carbon powder. This microfluidic-assisted pack bed reactor efficiently prepared a Ag-ZnO-activated carbon composite for VOC removal. Analysis confirmed that Ag-ZnO photocatalytic particles were successfully deposited on the surface of the activated carbon. Conducting a toluene gasbag test and adsorption breakpoint test demonstrated that the composite had a more efficient removal performance than pure activated carbon. The process proposed in this study efficiently produces photocatalysis-activated carbon composites and may offer the potential for scalable production of VOC removal composites.