• Macromolecular Research
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.757-762
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• 2009

The micro domain structures and crystallization behavior of the binary blends of poly(methyl methacrylate)-b-poly(pentafluorostyrene)-b-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA-PPFS-PMMA) triblock copolymer with a low molecular weight poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) were investigated by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), small-angle light scattering (SALS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), optical microscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). A symmetric, PMMA-PPFS-PMMA triblock copolymer with a PPFS weight fraction of 33% was blended with PVDF in N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc). In the wide range of PVDF concentration between 10.0 and 30.0 wt%, PVDF was completely incorporated within the PMMA micro domains of PMMA-PPFS-PMMA without further phase separation on a micrometer scale. The addition of PVDF altered the phase morphology of PMMA-PPFS-PMMA from well-defined lamellar to disordered. The crystallization of PVDF significantly disturbed the domain structure of PMMA-PPFS-PMMA in the blends, resulting in a poorly-ordered morphology. PVDF displayed unique crystallization behavior as a result of the space constraints imposed by the domain structure of PMMA-PPFS-PMMA. The pre-existing microdomain structures restricted the lamellar orientation and favored a random arrangement of lamellar crystallites.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.362.1-362.1
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• 2016

InAs nanowires were synthesized by a vapor-liquid-solid method with InAs powder. The composition and crystalline structure of nanowires were confirmed by energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), respectively. The thermal conduction of nanowires was investigated by the optical method using Raman spectroscopy: i.e., the local temperature on nanowire was determined by laser heating. As temperature increased, the Raman peaks are shifted to low frequency and broadened. The temperature dependent Raman scattering experiments was realized on InAs nanowires with different percentages of zinc-blende and wurtzite structure. The temperature dependence on the nanowire structure has been successfully obtained: the phonon scattering was more increased in InAs heretostructure nanowires, compared to the InAs nanowires with homostructure. The result strongly suggests that the thermal conduction can be effectively controlled by ordered interface without any decrease in electrical conduction.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.642-648
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• 2006

Mushroom tyrosinase (MT) structural changes in the presence of $Cu ^{2+}$ and $Ni ^{2+}$ were studied separately. Far-UV CD spectra of the incubated MT with the either of the metal ions indicated reduction of the well-ordered secondary structure of the enzyme. Increasing in the maximum fluorescence emission of anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonic acid (ANS) was also revealing partial unfolding caused by the conformational changes in the tertiary structure of MT. Thermodynamic studies on the chemical denaturation of MT by dodecyl trimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) showed decrease in the stability of MT in the presence of $Cu ^{2+}$ or $Ni ^{2+}$ using their activation concentrations. Both activities of MT were also assessed in the presence of different concentrations of these ions, separately, with various monophenols and their corresponding diphenols. Kinetic studies revealed that cresolase activity on p-coumaric acid was boosted in the presence of either of the metal ions, but inhibited when phenol, L-tyrosine, or 4-[(4-methylphenyl)azo]-phenol was substrate. Similarly, catecholase activity on caffeic acid was enhanced in the presence of $Cu ^{2+}$ or $Ni ^{2+}$, but inhibited when catechol, L-DOPA, or 4-[(4-methylbenzo)azo]-1,2-benzenediol was substrate. Results of this study suggest that both cations make MT more fragile and less active. However, the effect of the substrate structure on the MT allosteric behavior can not be ignored.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.23 no.9
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• pp.741-746
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• 2010

Three-dimensionally ordered macro-porous Sn-C composites were prepared by using polystyrene microsphere as a template. The Sn-C composites were composed of well-interconnected pore with circular shape and wall structure with wall thickness of a few tens of nano-meters. This porous three-dimensional structure is readily and uniformly accessible to the electrolyte, which facilitates lithium ion diffusion during charge-discharge reactions. The wall thickness of the composites was increased as the increase of Sn content of the composite. From EDS analysis, it is confirmed that the Sn was dispersed uniformly in Sn-C composites. The capacity was increased as the Sn content increased, which is due to Sn anode with high capacity. The Sn-C composites with high Sn content showed superior cyclic performances. Such enhancement is ascribed to the thick wall thickness and small pore size of the sample with high Sn content. The Sn-C composite with Sn 30 wt% showed relatively high capacity and stable cycle life, however, the stability of the 3-dimensional structure should be enhanced by further work.

• Korean Journal of Crystallography
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.57-62
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• 2002

Time-of-flight impact-collision ion scattering spectroscopy (TOF-ICISS) was applied to study the geometrical structure of epitaxially grown TiO layers on a MgO(001) surface. The hetero-epitaxial TiO layer was deposited by thermal evaporation of titanium onto the MgO(001) surface and subsequent exposure to oxygen at 400℃. The well-ordered TiO structure was confirmed with the 1×1 RHEED pattern. TOF-ICISS results revealed that the TiO layer was formed at the on-top sites of the MgO(001) substrate and that the lateral lattice constant of TiO layer was the same as that of the MgO substrate. The surface of the deposited epitaxial TiO layer was smooth without the three dimensional islands.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.1383-1387
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• 2013

The surface structure and electrochemical behavior of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) prepared from benzenethiol (BT), cyclohexanethiol (CHT), and cyclopentanethiol (CPT) on Au(111) surface were examined by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) to understand the influence of thiol molecular backbone structure on the formation and reductive desorption behavior of SAMs. STM imaging showed that BT and CPT SAMs on Au(111) surface formed at room temperature were mainly composed of disordered domains, whereas CHT SAMs were composed of well-ordered domains with three orientations. From these STM results, we suggest that molecule-substrate interaction is a key parameter for determining the structural order and disorder of simple aromatic and alicyclic thiol SAMs on Au(111). In addition, the reductive desorption peak potential for BT SAMs with aromatic rings was observed at a less negative potential of -566 mV compared to CHT SAMs (-779 mV) or CPT SAMs (-775 mV) with aliphatic cyclic rings. This reductive desorption behavior for BT SAMs is due to the presence of p-orbitals on the aromatic rings, which promote facile electron transfer from the Au electrode to BT as compared to CHT and CPT. We also confirmed that the reductive desorption behavior for simple alicyclic thiol SAMs such as CHT and CPT SAMs on Au electrodes was not significantly influenced by the degree of structural order.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.1755-1759
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• 2009

Surface structure and molecular orientation of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) formed by the spontaneous adsorption of tetrahydrothiophene (THT) and thiophene (TP) on Au(111) were investigated by means of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and carbon K-edge near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy. STM imaging revealed that THT SAMs have a commensurate (3 ${\times}\;2\sqrt[]{3}$) structure containing structural defects in ordered domains, whereas TP SAMs are composed of randomly adsorbed domains and paired molecular row domains that can be described as an incommensurate packing structure. The NEXAFS spectroscopy study showed that the average tilt angle of the aliphatic THT ring and $\pi$-conjugated TP ring in the SAMs were calculated to be about $30^o\;and\;40^o$, respectively, from the surface normal. It was also observed that the $\pi$* transition peak in the NEXAFS spectrum of the TP SAMs is very weak, suggesting that a strong interaction between $\pi$-electrons and the Au surface arises during the self-assembly of TP molecules. In this study, we have clearly demonstrated that the surface structure and adsorption orientation of organic SAMs on Au(111) are strongly influenced by whether the cyclic ring is saturated or unsaturated.

• Metals and materials international
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.1315-1326
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• 2018

In this work, ultrasonic vibration (UV) and rheo-squeeze casting was first applied on the Mg alloy reinforced with long period stacking ordered (LPSO) structure. The semisolid slurry of Mg-Zn-Y alloy was prepared by UV and processed by rheosqueeze casting in succession. The effects of UV, Zr addition and squeeze pressure on microstructure of semisolid Mg-Zn-Y alloy were studied. The results revealed that the synergic effect of UV and Zr addition generated a finer microstructure than either one alone when preparing the slurries. Rheo-squeeze casting could significantly refine the LPSO structure and ${\alpha}-Mg$ matrix in $Mg_{96.9}Zn_1Y_2Zr_{0.1}$ alloy without changing the phase compositions or the type of LPSO structure. When the squeeze pressure increased from 0 to 400 MPa, the block LPSO structure was completely eliminated and the average thickness of LPSO structure decreased from 9.8 to $4.3{\mu}m$. Under 400 MPa squeeze pressure, the tensile strength and elongation of the rheocast $Mg_{96.9}Zn_1Y_2Zr_{0.1}$ alloy reached the maximum values, which were 234 MPa and 17.6%, respectively, due to its fine ${\alpha}-Mg$ matrix (${\alpha}1-Mg$ and ${\alpha}2-Mg$ grains) and LPSO structure.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.08a
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• pp.71-71
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• 2011

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) have drawn great academic attention due to their potential as low-cost renewable energy sources. DSCs contain a nanostructured TiO2 photoanode, which is a key-component for high conversion efficiency. Particularly, one-dimensional (1-D) nanostructured photoanodes can enhance the electron transport for the efficient collection to the conducting substrate in competition with the recombination processes. This is because photoelectron colletion is determined by trapping/detrapping events along the site of the electron traps (defects, surface states, grain boundaries, and self-trapping). Therefore, 1-D nanostructured photoanodes are advantageous for the fast electron transport due to their desirable features of greatly reduced intercrystalline contacts with specified directionality. In particular, anodic TiO2 nanotube (NT) electrodes recently have been intensively explored owing to their ideal structure for application in DSCs. Besides the enhanced electron transport properties resulted from the 1-D structure, highly ordered and vertically oriented nanostructure of anodic TiO2 NT can contribute additional merits, such as enhanced electrolyte diffusion, better interfacial contact with viscous electrolytes. First, to confirm the advantages of 1-D nanostructured material for the photoelectron collection, we compared the electron transport and charge recombination characteristics between nanoparticle (NP)- and nanorod (NR)-based photoanodes in DSCs by the stepped light-induced transient measurements of photocurrent and voltage (SLIM-PCV). We confirmed that the electron lifetime of the NR-based photoanode was much longer than that of the NP-based photoanode. In addition, highly ordered and vertically oriented TiO2 NT photoanodes were prepared by electrochemical anodization method. We compared the photovoltaic properties of DSCs utilizing TiO2 NT photoanodes prepared by one-step anodization and two-step anodization. And, to reduce the charge recombination rate, energy barrier layer (ZnO, Al2O3)-coated TiO2 NTs also applied in DSC. Furthermore, we applied the TiO2 NT photoanode in DSCs using a viscous electrolyte, i.e., cobalt bipyridyl redox electrolyte, and confirmed that the pore structure of NT array can enhance the performances of this viscous electrolyte.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.415-418
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• 2010

Highly ordered mesoporous silver material was successfully synthesized from a mesoporous silica template (KIT-6) with 3-D channel structure using the nano-replication method. The effects of $H_2$ or $O_2$ pretreatments on the catalytic performance of the mesoporous silver were investigated using a temperature programmed CO oxidation technique in a fixed bed reactor. The mesoporous silver material that was pretreated with $H_2$ exhibited an excellent catalytic activity compared to the as-prepared and $O_2$-pretreated catalysts. Moreover, this present mesoporous silver material showed good catalytic stability. For the CO oxidation, the apparent activation energy of the $H_2$-pretreated mesoporous silver catalyst was $61{\pm}0.5\;kJ\;mol^{-1}$, which was also much lower than the as-prepared ($132{\pm}1.5\;kJ\;mol^{-1}$) and $O_2$-pretreated ($124{\pm}1.4\;kJ\;mol^{-1}$) catalysts.