• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.42-50
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• 2013

This paper describes the electrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of small biomolecules on the surface of Pt-Ru nanoparticles supported by $TiO_2$-hollow sphere prepared for use in sensor applications or fuel cells. The $TiO_2$-hollow sphere supports were first prepared by sol-gel reaction of titanium tetraisopropoxide with poly(styrene-co-vinylphenylboronic acid), PSB used as a template. Pt-Ru nanoparticles were then deposited by chemical reduction of the $Pt^{4+}$ and $Ru^{3+}$ ions onto $TiO_2$-hollow sphere ($Pt-Ru@TiO_2-H$). The prepared $Pt-Ru@TiO_2-H$ nanocomposites were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and elemental analysis. The electrocatalytic efficiency of Pt-Ru nanoparticles was evaluated via ethanol, methanol, dopamine, ascorbic acid, formalin, and glucose oxidation. The cyclic voltammograms (CV) obtained during the oxidation studies revealed that the $Pt-Ru@TiO_2-H$ nanocomposites showed high electrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of biomolecules. As a result, the prepared Pt-Ru catalysts doped onto $TiO_2$-H sphere nanocomposites supports can be used for non-enzymatic biosensor or fuel cell anode electrode.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.8.1-8.1
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• 2011

Nanocrystalline titanium dioxide ($TiO_2$) materials have been widely used as an electron collector in DSSC. This is required to have an extremely high porosity and surface area such that the dye can be sufficiently adsorbed and be electronically interconnected, resulting in the generation of a high photocurrent within cells. In particular, their geometrical structures and crystalline phase have been extensively investigated as important issues in improving its photovoltaic efficiency. In this study, we present a new strategy to fabricate a photoelectrode having a periodic structured $TiO_2$ film templated from 1D or 3D polystyrene (PS) microspheres array. Monodisperse PS spheres of various radiuses were used for colloidal array on FTO glasses and two types of photoelectrode structures with different $TiO_2$ materials were investigated respectively. One is the igloo-shaped electrode prepared by $TiO_2$ deposition by RF-sputtering onto 2D microsphere-templated substrates. At the interface between the film and substrate, there are voids formed by the decomposition of PS microspheres during the calcination step. These holes might be expected to play the predominant roles as scattering spherical voids to promote a light harvesting effect, a spacious structure for electrolytes with higher viscosity and effective paths for electron transfer. Additionally the nanocrystalline $TiO_2$ phase prepared by the RF-sputtering method was previously reported to improve the electron drift mobility within $TiO_2$ electrodes. This yields solar cells with a cell efficiency of 2.45% or more at AM 1.5 illumination, which is a very remarkable result, considering its $TiO_2$ electrode thickness (<2 ${\mu}m$). This study can be expanded to obtain higher cell efficiency by higher dye loading through the increase of surface area or multi-layered stacking. The other is the inverse opal photonic crystal electrode prepared by titania particles infusion within 3D colloidal arrays. To obtain the enlargement of ordered area and high quality of crystallinity, the synthesis of titania particles coated with a organic thin layer were applied instead of sol-gel process using the $TiO_2$ precursors. They were dispersed so well in most solvents without aggregates and infused successfully within colloidal array structures. This ordered mesoporous structure provides the large surface area leading to the enough adsorption of dye molecules and have an light harvesting effect due to the photonic band gap properties (back-and-forth reflection effects within structures). A major advantage of this colloidal array template method is that the pore size and its distribution within $TiO_2$ photoelectrodes are determined by those of latex beads, which can be controlled easily. These materials may have promising potentials for future applications of membrane, sensor and so on as well as solar cells.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2006

Lithium titanium oxide $(Li_4Ti_5O_{12})$ with spinel-framework structures as anode material for lithium-ion battery was prepared by sol-gel and high energy ball milling (HEBH) method. According to the X-ray diffraction (XRD), Particle Size Analyses(PSA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis, uniformly distributed $Li_4Ti_5O_{12}$ particles with grain sizes of 100 nm were observed. Half cells, consisting of $Li_4Ti_5O_{12}$ as working electrode and lithium foil as both counter and reference electrodes showed the high performance of high rate discharge capacity and 173 mAh/g at 0.2C in the range of $1.0\sim2.5 V$. Furthermore, the crystalline structure of $Li_4Ti_5O_{12}$ didn't transform during the lithium intercalation and deintercalation process.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.319-328
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• 1994

Aluminium and titanium precursors containing $\beta$-diketonate ligands were used for the synthesis of polymeric sols of alumina and titania by sol-gel methods. To prepare polymeric sols by solgel processing, we synthesized modified precursors having chelating organic ligands. With these precursors it was found to be possible to control both hydrolysis and polycondensation reaction rates which resulted in ultrafine particles few nms of average size. The optimum molar ratio of acid to alkoxide for alumina sol was 0.3-0.4 and that of water to alkoxide &as 1. On the other hand, the corresponding ratios for titania sol were found be 0.25-0.20 and 1 respectively. Dynamic light scattering measurements indicated that the average particle size in both sols was in the order of few nms. SEM photographs were taken to observe crack-free and smooth surfaces of coated membranes after sintering at $450^{\circ}C$. Alumina coated membrane on a slide glass had about 4-4.5$\mu \textrm{m}$, thickness and titania coated one had 2-2.5$\mu \textrm{m}$, thickness. And according to TEM photographs, the grain size of titania was smaller than 30nm and that of alumina was in the range of few $\AA$s to 2nms. An X-ray diffraction study revealed that alumina was $\gamma$ phase and titania was anatase crystal.