• 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.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.02a
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• pp.97-97
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• 2011

산화아연 (ZnO)은 넓은 에너지 밴드갭 (~3.37 eV), 큰 엑시톤 결합 에너지 (~60 meV) 그리고 높은 전자 이동도 (bulk~300 $cm^2Vs^{-1}$, single nanowire~1000 $cm^2Vs^{-1}$)를 갖고 있어, 광전자 소자 및 반도체소자 응용에 매우 널리 사용되고 있다. 특히, 산화아연 나노로드(ZnO nanorod)는 1차원 나노구조로써 더욱 향상된 전자 이동도와 캐리어의 direct path way를 제공하여 차세대 광전자소자 및 태양광 소자의 응용에 대한 연구가 매우 활발하게 이루어지고 있다. 한편, 이러한 산화아연 나노로드를 성장시키기 위하여 VLS (vapor-liquid-solid), 졸-겔 공정(sol-gel process), 수열합성(hydrothermal synthesis), 전기증착(electrodeposition)등 다양한 방법이 보고되었지만, 이러한 산화아연 나노로드의 성장방법은 실제적인 소자응용을 위한 패터닝 형성에 대하여 제약을 받는 문제점이 있다. 이들 중에서 수열합성법과 전극증착법은 ZnO 또는 AZO (Al doped ZnO) seed 층 표면과 성장용액의 화학반응에 의해서 선택적으로 산화아연 나노로드를 성장시킬 수 있다. 이에 본 연구에서는, 광전자소자의 응용을 위한 간단한 패터닝 공정을 위해, 산화인듐주석(ITO) 박막이 증착된 유리기판(glass substrate)위에 수열합성법과 전극증착법을 이용하여 산화아연 나노로드를 선택적으로 성장시켰다. 실험을 위해, ITO glass 위에 RF magnetron 스퍼터를 사용하여 AZO seed 층을 metal shadow mask를 이용하여 패터닝을 형성한 후, 질산아연과 헥사메틸렌테트라아민으로 혼합된 용액에 $85^{\circ}C$ 온도를 유지하여, 패터닝이 형성된 샘플에 전압을 인가하여 성장시켰다. 나노구조 분석을 위해, 전계주사현미경을 이용하여 수열합성법과 전기증착법에 의한 패터닝된 산화아연 나노로드를 비교하여 관찰하였다.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.794-801
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• 1996

$TiO_2$ fine powders were synthesized via hydrolysis reaction of titanium isopropoxide in isopropanol solvent and the reaction rates were studied by use of UV spectroscopic method. The reactions were controlled to proceed to pseudo-first-order reaction in the presence of excess water in isopropanol solvent. The rate constants which varied with temperature and concentration of water were calculated by Guggenheim method. Reactions using $D_2O$ were also carried out to determine the catalytic character of water. n value of water molecules in transition state and the thermodynamic parameters showed that the reaction proceeded by $S_N2$ mechanism. $TiO_2$ powders synthesized in this reaction were almost spheric forms and had average particle size of $0.3{\mu}m$ diameter.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.182-185
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• 2012

N-doped $TiO_2$nanotubes have been newly prepared by two stage sol-gel and strong-alkali hydrothermal process using $TiCl_4$ and hydrazine/ammonia aqueous solution as raw materials. These nanotubes revealed a well developed anatase crystalline phase and perfect nanotube morphology with the diameter around 10nm and the wall thickness below 3 nm. Also, they showed a superior visible light activity and yellowish color due to the light absorption redshifted by ~35 nm and ~25 nm compared to undoped $TiO_2$ nanotubes and anatase nanoparticles, respectively.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.52-57
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• 2014

The MCMB-$Li_4Ti_5O_{12}$ with core-shell structure was prepared by sol-gel process to improve low cycle capability of MCMB in this study. The electrochemical characteristics were investigated for hybrid capacitor using MCMB-$Li_4Ti_5O_{12}$ as the negative electrode and $LiMn_2O_4$, Active carbon fiber as the positive electrode. The electrochemical behaviors of hybrid capacitor using organic electrolytes ($LiPF_6$, EC/DMC/EMC) were characterized by charge/discharge, cyclic voltammetry, cycle and impedance tests. The hybrid capacitor using MCMB-$Li_4Ti_5O_{12}/LiMn_2O_4$ electrodes had better capacitance than MCMB hybrid systems and was able to deliver a specific energy with 67 Wh/kg at a specific power of 781 W/kg.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.99.1-99.1
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• 2012

The thin-film photovoltaic absorbers (CdTe and $Cu(In,Ga)Se_2$) can achieve solar conversion efficiencies of up to 20% and are now commercially available, but the presence of toxic (Cd,Se) and expensive elemental components (In, Te) is a real issue as the demand for photovoltaics rapidly increases. To overcome these limitations, there has been substantial interest in developing viable alternative materials, such as $Cu_2ZnSnS_4$ (CZTS) is an emerging solar absorber that is structurally similar to CIGS, but contains only earth abundant, non-toxic elements and has a near optimal direct band gap energy of 1.4 - 1.6 eV and a large absorption coefficient of ~104 $cm^{-1}$. The CZTS absorber layers are grown and investigated by various fabrication methods, such as thermal evaporation, e-beam evaporation with a post sulfurization, sputtering, non-vacuum sol-gel, pulsed laser, spray-pyrolysis method and electrodeposition technique. In the present work, we report an alternative aqueous chemical approach based on chemical bath deposition (CBD) method for large area deposition of CZTS thin films. Samples produced by our method were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, absorbance and photoluminescence. The results show that this inexpensive and relatively benign process produces thin films of CZTS exhibiting uniform composition, kesterite crystal structure, and some factors like triethanolamine, ammonia, temperature which strongly affect on the morphology of CZTS film.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.211-214
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• 2002

Properties of 52/48 PZT films with various thicknesses for piezoelectric micro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS) devices fabricated by multi-coating method on $Pt(3500{\AA})/Ti(400{\AA})/SiO_2(3000{\AA})/Si$(525$\mu\textrm{m}$) substrates were investigated. PZT films were deposited by spin-coating process at 3500 rpm for 30 sec, followed by pyrolysis at 45$0^{\circ}C$ for 10 min producing the thickness of about 120nm. These processes were repeated 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 times in order to have various thicknesses, respectively. Finally, they were crystallized at $650^{\circ}C$ for 30 min. All thick PZT films showed dense and homogeneous surface microstructures. Thick PZT films showed crystalline structures of random orientations with increasing thickness. Dielectric constants of thick PZT films were increased with increasing film thickness and reached 800 at 100kHz for 2.3$\mu\textrm{m}$ thick PZT film. $P_r\; and\; E_c$ of 2.3$\mu\textrm{m}$ thick PZT films were about 20$\mu$C/$\textrm{cm}^2$ and 63kV/cm. Depth profile analysis by Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES) of 4800 $\AA$ thick PZT film showed the formation of the perovskite phase on Pt layer by Pb diffusion behavior. It was considered that Pb-Pt intermediate layer promoted PZT (111) columnar structures.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.53-58
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• 2013

Superhydrophobic $SiO_2$ layers with a micro-nano hierarchical surface structure were prepared. $SiO_2$ layers deposited via an electrospray method combined with a sol-gel chemical route were rough on the microscale. Au particles were decorated on the surface of the microscale-rough $SiO_2$ layers by use of the photo-reduction process with different intensities ($0.11-1.9mW/cm^2$) and illumination times (60-240 sec) of ultraviolet light. With the aid of nanoscale Au nanoparticles, this consequently resulted in a micro-nano hierarchical surface structure. Subsequent fluorination treatment with a solution containing trichloro(1H,2H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyl)silane fluorinated the hierarchical $SiO_2$ layers. The change in surface roughness factor was in good agreement with that observed for the water contact angle, where the surface roughness factor developed as a measure needed to evaluate the degree of surface roughness. The resulting $SiO_2$ layers revealed excellent repellency toward various liquid droplets with different surface tensions ranging from 46 to 72.3 mN/m. Especially, the micro-nano hierarchical surface created at an illumination intensity of $0.11mW/cm^2$ and illumination time of 60 sec showed the largest water contact angle of $170^{\circ}$. Based on the Cassie-Baxter and Young-Dupre equations, the surface fraction and work of adhesion for the micronano hierarchical $SiO_2$ layers were evaluated. The work of adhesion was estimated to be less than $3{\times}10^{-3}N/m$ for all the liquid droplets. This exceptionally small work of adhesion is likely to be responsible for the strong repellency of the liquids to the micro-nano hierarchical $SiO_2$ layers.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.24-30
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• 2013

Today, the modification of carbon foam for high performance remains a major issue in the environment and energy industries. One promising way to solve this problem is the optimization of the pore structure for desired properties as well as for efficient performance. In this study, using a sol-gel process followed by carbonization in an inert atmosphere, hollow spherical carbon foam was prepared using resorcinol and formaldehyde precursors catalyzed by 4-aminobenzoic acid; the effect of carbonization temperature and re-immersion treatment on the pore structure and characteristics of the hollow spherical carbon foam was investigated. As the carbonization temperature increased, the porosity and average pore diameter were found to decrease but the compression strength and electrical conductivity dramatically increased in the temperature range of this study ($700^{\circ}C$ to $850^{\circ}C$). The significant differences of X-ray diffraction patterns obtained from the carbon foams carbonized under different temperatures implied that the degree of crystallinity greatly affects the characteristics of the carbon form. Also, the number of re-impregnations of carbon form in the resorcinol-formaldehyde resin was varied from 1 to 10 times, followed by re-carbonization at $800^{\circ}C$ for 2 hours under argon gas flow. As the number of re-immersion treatments increased, the porosity decreased while the compression strength improved by about four times when re-impregnation was repeated 10 times. These results imply the possibility of customizing the characteristics of carbon foam by controlling the carbonization and re-immersion conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.345-351
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• 2004

Highly ordered pure-silica MCM-41 materials possessing well-defined morphology have been successfully prepared with surfactant used as a template. The fabrication of mesoporous silica has received considerable attention due to the need to develop more efficient materials' for catalysis, separations, and chemical sensing. The surface modified MCM-41 was used as anadsorbent for biomolecules. Silica-supported organic groups and DNA adsorption on surface modified MCM-41 were investigated by FT-IR and UV-Vis spectrometer, respectively. The use of MCM-41 as the modification of electrode surfaces were investigated electrochemical properties of metal mediators with biomolecules. The modified ITO electrodes increased peak currents for a redox process of $[Ru(bpy)_3]^{2+}$ relative to the bare electrode. The electrochemical detection of DNA by cyclic voltammetry when the current is saturated in the presence of the mediator appeared more sensitive due to a higher catalytic current on the MCM-41 supported electrodes modified by carboxylic acid functional groups. The carboxyl or amine groups on the surface of MCM-41 interact and react with the $-NH_2$ groups of guanine and backbone, respectively. Highly ordered mesoporous materials with organic groups could find applications as DNA sensors.