• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.08a
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• pp.75-75
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• 2011

Recently, dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) attracts great attention as a promising alternative to conventional silicon solar cells. One of the key components for the DSSC would be the nanocrystalline TiO2 electrode, and the control of interface between TiO2 and TCO is a highly important issue in improving the photovoltaic conversion efficiency. In this work, we applied various interfacial layers, and analyzed their effect in enhancing photovoltaic properties. In overall, introduction of interfacial layers increased both the Voc and Jsc, since the back-reaction of electrons from TCO to electrolyte could be blocked. First, several metal oxides with different band gaps and positions were employed as interfacial layer. SnO2, TiO2, and ZrO2 nanoparticles in the size of 3-5 nm have been synthesized. Among them, the interfacial layer of SnO2, which has lower flat-band potential than that of TiO2, exhibited the best performance in increasing the photovoltaic efficiency of DSSC. Second, long-range ordered cubic mesoporous TiO2 films, prepared by using triblock copolymer-templated sol-gel method via evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) process, were utilized as an interfacial layer. Mesoporous TiO2 films seem to be one of the best interfacial layers, due to their additional effect, improving the adhesion to TCO and showing an anti-reflective effect. Third, we handled the issues related to the optimum thickness of interfacial layers. It was also found that in fabricating DSSC at low temperature, the role of interfacial layer turned out to be a lot more important. The self-assembled interfacial layer fabricated at room temperature leads to the efficient transport of photo-injected electrons from TiO2 to TCO, as well as blocking the back-reaction from TCO to I3-. As a result, fill factor (FF) was remarkably increased, as well as increase in Voc and Jsc.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.47-55
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• 2000

In this article, the characterization of the interface of hybrid composites was discussed. Interfacial interaction in organic/inorganic hybrid composites, especially silica-containing hybrids can be characterized by fluorescence spectroscopy, small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and $^{29}Si$ NMR spectroscopy measurements.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.1-11
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• 2006

Interfacial evaluation of the untreated and treated Jute and Hemp fibers reinforced different matrix polypropylene-maleic anhydride polypropylene copolymer (PP-MAPP) composites were investigated by micromechanical technique and dynamic contact angle measurement. For the statistical tensile strength of Jute and Hemp fibers, bimodal Weibull distribution was fitted better than the unimodal distribution. The acid-base parameter on the interfacial shear strength (IFSS) of the natural fiber composites was characterized by calculating the work adhesion, $W_a$. The effect of alkaline, silane coupling agent on natural fibers were obtained with changing MAPP content in PP-MAPP matrices. Alkaline treated fibers made the surface energy to be higher due to removing the weak boundary layers and thus increasing surface area, whereas surface energy of silane treated Jute and Hemp fibers decreased due to blocked high energy sites. MAPP in the PP-MAPP matrix caused the surface energy to increase due to introduced acid-base sites. Microfailure modes of two natural fiber composites were observed clearly differently due to different tensile strength of natural fibers.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.162-168
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• 2009

As a preliminary study of optimum composite properties under cryogenic temperature, the comparison of interfacial properties of carbon or glass fibers reinforced epoxy composites was evaluated at ambient and intermediate low temperature, i.e., 25 and $-10^{\circ}C$ by using micromechanical techniques. Under tensile and compressive loading conditions, their mechanical modulus at low temperature was higher than that atambient temperature. Interfacial shear strength (IFSS) at ambient and low temperatures was compared to each other, depending on epoxy matrix toughness and apparent modulus at the interface. The IFSS was much higher at low temperature than that at room temperature because of the increased epoxy matrix modulus. Statistical distributions of tensile strengths of glass and carbon fibers were evaluated for different temperature ranges, which is dependent upon fiber's inherent flaws and rigidity.

• Composites Research
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.76-81
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• 2012

Atmospheric pressure plasma treatment on carbon nanotube (CNT) surfaces was performed to modify reinforcement effect and interfacial adhesion of carbon fiber reinforced CNT-phenolic composites. The surface changes occurring on CNT treated with plasma were analyzed by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscope (FT-IR). The significant improvement of wettability on CNT was confirmed by static contact angle test after plasma treatment. Such plasma treatment resulted in a decrease in the advancing contact angle from $118^{\circ}$ to $60^{\circ}$. The interfacial adhesion between carbon fiber and CNT-phenolic composites increased by plasma treatment based on apparent modulus test results during quasi-static tensile strength. Furthermore, the proposed database offers valuable knowledge for evaluating interfacial shear strength (IFSS).

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.144-152
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• 2021

Understanding charge transfer across the interface between organic semiconductor and gate insulator gives insight into the development of high-performance organic memory as well as highly stable organic field-effect transistors (OFETs). In this work, we firstly unveil a novel interfacial charge transfer mechanism, in which hole transfer from organic semiconductor to polymer insulator was nonlinearly boosted by localized states coupling. For this, OFETs based on rubrene single crystal semiconductor and Mylar gate insulator were fabricated via vacuum lamination, which allows stable repetition of lamination and delamination between semiconductor and gate insulator. The surfaces of rubrene single crystal and Mylar film were selectively degraded by photo-induced oxygen diffusion and UV-ozone treatment, respectively. Consequently, we found that the interfacial charge transfer and resultant bias-stress effect were nonlinearly boosted by coupling between localized states in rubrene and Mylar. In particular, the small number of localized states in rubrene single crystal provided fluent pathway for interfacial charge transport.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.267-275
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• 1995

Electron beam can provide convenient way to heat the substrate during Hollow Cathode Discharge (HCD) ion plating of Ti(C, N)films. Densification of columnar structrue is enhanced by longer duration of electron beam heating(EBH). While strong(111) texture is identified always to be formed, the amount of (200) oriented grains which coherently interfaced with carbide particles of the substrate increased with heating(EBH). In turns, these crystallogaphical change lead to the increase of micro hardness and adhesion of coating. Adhesion of Ti(C, N) films increased more dramatically in case of ASP30 substrate of which carbide particles dispersed more finely than M42. Therefore, it could be concluded that both the density of film and interfacial structure can affect the adhesion property. Overheating of substrate could be resulted in low adhesion resistance due to high residual stress developed in the film.

• Carbon letters
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• v.19
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• pp.47-56
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• 2016

In this study, the fracture behavior of a thermoplastic-modified epoxy resin reinforced with continuous carbon fibers for two levels of fiber-matrix adhesion was performed. A carbon fiber with commercial sizing was used and also treated with a known silane, (3-glycidoxy propyl trimethoxysilane) coupling agent. Toughness was determined using the double cantilever test, together with surface analysis after failure using scanning electron microscope. The presence of polysulfone particles improved the fracture behavior of the composite, but fiber-matrix adhesion seemed to play a very important role in the performance of the composite material. There appeared to be a synergy between the matrix modifier and the fiber-matrix adhesion coupling agent.

• Textile Coloration and Finishing
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.195-200
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• 2011

Silicone-coated fabric were treated by oxygen low temperature plasma to improve the adhesion. The surface of silicone-coated fabric was modified with gaseous plasma of several discharge power in the presence of oxygen gas at 1Torr pressure. Oxygen plasma treatment introduces oxygen-containing functional groups and micro-pittings on the silicone-coated fabric surface. The treated fabrics with oxygen low temperature plasma were measured by contact angle analyzer and XPS(X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy), and interfacial adhesion was measured by T-peel test. The surface of fabric was investigated by SEM photographs. The chemical and physical modification of the surface wettabillity by plasma treatment can increase the adhesion.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.219-224
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• 1995

The peel adhesion and plastic deformation in Cu-Cr alloy films, sputter-deposited onto polyimide films, have been studied as a function of Cr content in the film. The adhesion strength has been measured by T-peel test and the amount of plastic deformation in the peeled metal strip was determined qualitatively by XRD technique. Peel adhesion strength has a maximum in the film containing 22-33wt.% Cr and the peel strength of pure Cr film is lower than the maximum. The film having the highest peel strength is deformed most heavily. The effect of Cr content on the peel strength is discussed in terms of the interfacial bond strength and mechanical properties of Cu-Cr alloy film.