• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.655-660
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• 2013

Photoelectrochemical cells have been used in photolysis of water to generate hydrogen as a clean energy source. A high efficiency electrode for photoelectrochemical cell systems was realized using a ZnO hierarchical nanostructure. A ZnO nanofiber mat structure was fabricated by electrospinning of Zn solution on the substrate, followed by oxidation; on this substrate, hydrothermal synthesis of ZnO nanorods on the ZnO nanofibers was carried out to form a ZnO hierarchical structure. The thickness of the nanofiber mat and the thermal annealing temperature were determined as the parameters for optimization. The morphology of the structures was examined by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The performance of the ZnO nanofiber mat and the potential of the ZnO hierarchical structures as photoelectrochemical cell electrodes were evaluated by measurement of the photoelectron conversion efficiencies under UV light. The highest photoconversion efficiency observed was 63 % with a ZnO hierarchical structure annealed at $400^{\circ}C$ in air. The morphology and the crystalline quality of the electrode materials greatly influenced the electrode performance. Therefore, the combination of the two fabrication methods, electrospinning and hydrothermal synthesis, was successfully applied to fabricate a high performance photoelectrochemical cell electrode.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.153-153
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• 2012

자연계에는 다양한 생물체들의 표면 구조가 특수한 기능을 갖는 형태로 되어 있다. 이와 같이 특수한 기능을 갖는 생물체들의 표면 구조는 일반적으로 화학적 조성과 표면의 더불어 나노와 마이크로 구조가 혼합되어 있는, 이른바 hierarchical 구조를 보인다. 그 중에서도 표면 초소수성 특성을 보이는 연잎의 표면과 같은 hierarchical 구조는 self-cleaning effect 등의 기능성 표면 제작에 활용이 가능하여 이를 모사하기 위한 연구가 활발히 진행중에 있다. 이에 본 연구에서는 연잎과 같은 초소수성을 띄는 ZnO nano-in-micro hierarchical 구조를 저온 공정을 통하여 다양한 기판에 제작하였다. 이를 위하여 ZnO 나노 입자 분산 레진을 제작하였고 UV imprinting 과 수열합성법을 통하여 마이크로 패턴 상부에 ZnO 나노 입자가 형성된 ZnO nano-in-micro hierarchical 구조를 형성하였다. 제작된 ZnO hierarchical 구조의 젖음 특성은 표면 접촉각이 $160^{\circ}C$이상인 초소수성을 보였으며, 제작 공정에는 고온의 열처리가 수반되지 않아 PET film 등 다양한 기판에 ZnO hierarchical 구조를 제작할 수 있었다.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.397-401
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• 2014

This paper describes the fabrication and characteristics of $C_2H_2$ gas sensor based on Ag-doped hierarchical ZnO nanostructures. In this work, a pure hierarchical ZnO structure was prepared using a simple hydrothermal method, and Ag nanoparticles doped the hierarchical ZnO structure were uniformly synthesized through photochemical route. The synthesized samples were characterized by SEM, TEM, EDS, XRD and PL spectra. Average size of prepared ZnO structures was around $2{\sim}3{\mu}m$ and showed highly uniform. The average size of Ag nanoparticles was 70 nm. The gas sensing properties of as-prepared products were investigated using resistivity-type gas sensors. 5 at% Ag-doped ZnO based sensors exhibited good performances for $C_2H_2$ gas in comparison with the un-doped one. The sensor based on Ag-doped hierarchical ZnO structures had linear response property from 5~1000 ppm of $C_2H_2$ concentration at working temperature of $200^{\circ}C$. The response values with 100 ppm $C_2H_2$ at $200^{\circ}C$ were 10% and 75% for pure and 5 at% Ag-doped hierarchical ZnO nanostructures, respectively. Moreover, the device showed excellent selectivity towards to $C_2H_2$ gas at optimal working temperature of $200^{\circ}C$.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.559-564
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• 2019

Hierarchical $ZnCo_2O_4$ hollow nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning and subsequent heat-treatment process. The spinning solution containing polystyrene (PS) nanobeads was electrospun to nanofibers. During heat-treatment process, PS nanobeads in the composite were decomposed and therefore generated numerous pores uniformly in the structure, which facilitated the heat transfer and gas penetration into the structure. The resulting hierarchical $ZnCo_2O_4$ hollow nanofibers were applied as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries. The discharge capacity of the nanofibers was $815mA\;h\;g^{-1}$ ($646mA\;h\;cm^{-3}$) after the 300th cycle at a high current density of $1.0A\;g^{-1}$. However, $ZnCo_2O_4$ nanopowders showed the discharge capacity of $487mA\;h\;g^{-1}$ ($450mA\;h\;cm^{-3}$) after 300th cycle. The excellent lithium ion storage property of the hierarchical $ZnCo_2O_4$ hollow nanofibers was attributed to the synergetic effects of the hollow nanofiber structure and the $ZnCo_2O_4$ nanocrystals composing the shell. The hierarchical hollow nanofiber structure introduced in this study can be extended to various metal oxides for various applications, including energy storage.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.41-46
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• 2015

In this work, pure hierarchical ZnO structure was prepared using a simple hydrothermal method, and Ag nanoparticles doped hierarchical ZnO structure was synthesized uniformly through photochemical route. The reduced graphene oxide (rGO) has been synthesized by typical Hummer's method and reduced by hydrazine. Prepared Ag/ZnO nanostructures are uniformly dispersed on the surface of rGO sheets using ultrasonication process. The synthesized samples were characterized by SEM, TEM, EDS, XRD and PL spectra. The average size of prepared ZnO microspheres was around $2{\sim}3{\mu}m$ and showed highly uniform. The average size of doped-Ag nanoparticles was 50 nm and decorated into ZnO/rGO network. The $C_2H_2$ gas sensing properties of as-prepared products were investigated using resistivity-type gas sensor. Ag/ZnO-rGO based sensors exhibited good performances for $C_2H_2$ gas in comparison with the Ag/ZnO. The $C_2H_2$ sensor based on Ag/ZnO-rGO had linear response property from 3~1000 ppm of $C_2H_2$ concentration at working temperature of $200^{\circ}C$. The response values with 100 ppm $C_2H_2$ at $200^{\circ}C$ were 22% and 78% for Ag/ZnO and Ag/ZnO-rGO, respectively. In additions, the sensor still shows high sensitivity and quick response/recovery to $C_2H_2$ under high relative humidity conditions. Moreover, the device shows excellent selectivity towards to $C_2H_2$ gas at optimal working temperature of $200^{\circ}C$.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2012.11a
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• pp.63-64
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• 2012

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.08a
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• pp.313-313
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• 2011

최근, 산화물 반도체를 통한 나노선 연구가 활발히 진행되고 있다. 1차원 나노선은 넓은 표면적을 가지며 다양한 특성을 지녀 미래 nanodevice로의 중요한 building block 소자로의 활용이 가능하다. 본 연구에서는 이종의 나노선을 합성하여 hierarchical nanojunction structure를 제작, 특성을 확인하였다. 이러한 구조는 나노선이 가지는 넓은 표면적의 특성과 동시에, multi-component fuctional nanodevice를 구현하는데에 적합한 구조이다. 본 연구는 텅스텐 기판 위에 고온의 열증착 방식을 이용하여 텅스텐 산화물 나노선을 제작시켜 그 위에 저온의 수열합성을 통한 산화아연 나노선을 제작한 후 향상된 field emission emitter로서의 특성을 살펴보았다. 합성된 텅스텐 산화물 나노선은 quasi-allign된 구조를 가지며, 이러한 구조 위에 ZnO를 스퍼터링하여 seed layer를 형성시키고, 암모니아수와 아연염을 이용한 수열합성법을 통하여 합성된 나노선 위에 nanobranch의 산화아연 나노선을 형성하였다. 이러한 성장특성은 SEM, TEM을 통하여 확인하였고 각각의 특성과 계면을 살펴보았다. 또한 이러한 구조를 이용하여 전계방출특성을 확인하였는데, 약 5.7 eV의 일함수를 갖는 텅스텐 산화물 나노선 위에 더 작은 값의 일함수를 갖는 산화아연 나노선을 합성하여 전계방출특성을 보았으며, 더 향상된 결과를 얻을 수 있었다. 또한 산화아연의 합성방법에 따른 전계방출 특성의 차이도 비교하였다.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.24.1-24.1
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• 2010

In practical operation, the exposed surfaces may get dirty thus degrade the performance of devices. So the combination of self cleaning and antireflection is very desirable for use in outdoor photovoltaic and displaying devices, self cleaning windows and car windshields. For the purpose of self cleaning, the surface needs to be either superhydrophobic or superhydrophilic. However, in practice AR in the visible region and self cleaning are a pair of competitive properties. To satisfy the requirements for superhydrophobic or superhydrophilic surfaces, high surface roughness is required. But it usually cause severely light scattering. Photo-responsive coatings (TiO2, ZnO etc.) can lead to superhydrophilic. However, the refractive indices are high. Thus for porous structure, controlling pore size in the underwavelength scale to reduce the light scattering is very crucial for highly transparent and self cleaning antireflection coating. Herein, we demonstrate a simple method to make high performance broadband antireflection layer on the glass surface, by "carving" the surface by hot alkali solution. Etched glass has superhydrophilic surface. By chemical modification, it turns to superhydrophobic. Enhanced transparency (up to 97%) in a broad wavelength range was obtained by short time etching. Also antifogging effect has been demonstrated, which may offer advantage for devices working at high humidity environment or underwater. Compositional dependence of the properties was observed by comparing three different commercially available glasses.