• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.34-41
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• 2022

As the use of chemical products increases in daily life, the removal of dye waste has also emerged as an important environmental issue. This dye waste can be decomposed using a photocatalyst, and the photocatalyst can be synthesized very cost-effectively by using the sol-gel technology. The sol-gel technology is not only very useful for nanoscale film formation, but also can simply form multilayer structures. Using a multiple spin coating method, in this study, a ZnO film with a multilayered structure (3 layers, 5 layers) was formed by using zinc oxide (ZnO), which is effective in decomposing various dyes. For performance comparison, a ZnO film having a single layer structure by a single spin coating method was prepared as a control. Structural and elemental analysis of ZnO film was performed using an X-ray diffraction analyzer and an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer. A nanowire-like surface morphology could be observed through a scanning electron microscope. Additionally, UV-Vis spectrophotometer was used to measure the absorbance of UV light. The ZnO film with a five-layer structure degraded the simulated methylene blue by 49% more than the ZnO film with a single-layer structure. In conclusion, it was found that ZnO having a multilayered structure is useful as a photocatalyst that decomposes methylene blue dye more effectively.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.192-197
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• 2010

The spinel compound was obtained by the thermal decomposition of Zn-Co and Zn-Ni gel prepared by sol-gel method using oxalic acid as a chelating agent. The formation of spinel compound has been comfirmed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), x-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and infrared spectroscopy (IR). The particle size of 13 nm~16 nm was calculated by Scherrer's equation. The sol-gel method provides a practicable and effective route for the synthesis of the spinel compound at low temperature ($350^{\circ}C$). The kinetic parameters such as activation energy (Ea) and pre-exponential factor (A) for each compound were found by means of the Kissinger method and Arrhenius equation. The decomposition of spinel compound has an activation energy about 155 kJ/mol. Finally, the thermodynamic parameters (${\Delta}G^{\varphi}$, ${\Delta}H^{\varphi}$, ${\Delta}S^{\varphi}$) for decomposition of spinel compound was determined.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.50 no.11
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• pp.847-854
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• 2012

Al-doped ZnO (AZO) thin films were grown on quartz substrates by the sol-gel method. The effects of the Al mole fraction on the structural and optical properties of the AZO thin films were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and UV-VIS spectroscopy. The particle size of the AZO thin films decreased with an increase in Al concentrations. The optical parameters, the optical band gap, absorption coefficient, refractive index, dispersion parameter, and optical conductivity, were studied in order to investigate the effects of Al concentration on the optical properties of AZO thin films. The dispersion energy, single-oscillator energy, average oscillator wavelength, average oscillator strength, and refractive index at an infinite wavelength of the AZO thin films were affected by the Al incorporation. The optical conductivity of the AZO thin films also increased with increasing photon energy.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.63 no.6
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• pp.453-458
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• 2019

Synthesis of ZnCo₂O₃ oxide is performed by sol-gel method via nitrate-citrate route. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) study shows monoclinic unit cell having lattice parameters: a = 5.721(1) Å, b = 8.073(2) Å, c = 5.670(1) Å, β = 93.221(8)°, space group P_2/m and Z = 4. Average crystallite sizes determined by Scherrer equation are the range ~14-32 nm, whereas SEM micrographs show nano-micro meter size particles formed in ZnCo₂O₃. Endothermic peak at ~798 K in the Differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) trace without weight loss could be due to structural transformation and the endothermic peak ~1143 K with weight loss is due to reversible loss of O₂ in air atmosphere. Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis profile shows the presence of elements Zn, Co and O which indicates the purity of the sample. Magnetic measurements in the range of +12 kOe to -12 kOe at 10 K, 77 K, 120 K and at 300 K by PPMS-II Physical Property Measurement System (PPMS) shows hysteresis loops having very low values of the coercivity and retentivity which indicates the weakly ferromagnetic nature of the oxide. Observed X-band EPR isotropic lineshapes at 300 K and 77 K show positive g-shift at g_iso ~2.230 and g_iso ~2.217, respectively which is in agreement with the presence of paramagnetic site Co²⁺(3d⁷) in the oxide. DC conductivity value of 2.875 ×10^-8 S/cm indicates very weakly semiconducting nature of ZnCo₂O₃ at 300 K. DRS absorption bands ~357 nm, ~572 nm, ~619 nm and ~654 nm are due to the d-d transitions ⁴T_1g(⁴F)→²E_g(²G), ⁴T_1g(⁴F)→⁴T_1g(⁴P), ⁴T_1g(⁴F)→⁴A_2g(⁴F), ⁴T_1g(⁴F)→⁴T_2g(⁴F), respectively in octahedral ligand field around Co²⁺ ions. Direct band gap energy, E_g~ 1.5 eV in the oxide is obtained by extrapolating the linear part of the Tauc plot to the energy axis indicates fairly strong semiconducting nature of ZnCo₂O₃.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.236-241
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• 2010

ZnO nanorods were grown on ZnO seed layer by hydrothermal method. The ZnO seed layer was coated by sol-gel method, and then the ZnO nanorods on ZnO seed layer were grown with different precursor concentrations ranging from 0.01 M to 0.3 M. FE-SEM (field-emission scanning electron microscopy), XRD (X-ray diffraction), and PL (photoluminescence) were employed to investigate the structural and optical properties of the ZnO nanorods. The diameter and length of ZnO nanorods are increased and also the optical properties are enhanced as the precursor concentrations are increased.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.242-248
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• 2008

The structural, optical and electrical properties of ZnO films doped with 1.5 at% of 3A materials(B, Al, Ga, In) were studied by sol-gel process. The films were found to be c-axis (002) oriented hexagonal structure on glass substrate, when post heated at 500 $^{\circ}C$. The surface of the films showed a uniform and nano size microstructure and the crystalline size of doped films decreased. The lattice constants of ZnO:B/Al/Ga increased than that of ZnO, while ZnO:In decreased. All the films were highly transparent(above 90 %) in the visible region. The energy gaps of ZnO:B/Al/Ga were increased a little, but that of ZnO:In was not changed. The resistivities of ZnO:Al/Ga/In were less than 0.1 $\Omega$cm. All the films showed a semiconductor properties in the light or temperature, however ZnO:In was less sensitive to it. A figure of merit of ZnO:In had the highest value of 0.025 $\Omega^{-1}$ in all samples.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2013.05a
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• pp.162-163
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• 2013

Single-crystal InGaZnO (IGZO) thin films were spontaneously formed as periodic layered structure along the c-axis by thermal treatment at high temperature. when the IGZO superlattice were synthesized by sol-gel method, the effects of preferred growth orientations and the flatness of ZnO buffer layer were investigated. $InGaO_3(ZnO)_2$ superlattice were favorably formed on ZnO buffer layer with single preferred orientation. Futhermore, it showed relatively high Seebeck coefficient and power factor.

• Proceedings of the Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute Conference
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• 2006.09a
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• pp.676-677
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• 2006

Synthesis of zinc oxide nanorods, sheets and flower like structure were done by the sol-gel method using zinc acetate dihydrate and sodium hydroxide at $80^{\circ}C$ with 12 hours refluxing time nanorods, in case of as synthesized powder, with diameter of 20-60nm. Annealing at higher temperature (300 and $500^{\circ}C$,) in air ambient changes the morphology to sheet and flower like structure. The standard peak of zinc oxide was observed in IR at $523cm^{-1}$. The UV-VIS spectroscopy of zinc oxide shows a characteristic peak at 375nm.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2000.07a
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• pp.357-360
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• 2000

Ferroelectric 0.05PZN-xPZT(90/10)-(0.95-x)PZT(10/90) (x=0.65, 0.85) specimens were fabricated by the mixed-oxide method and cold-pressing method using sol-gel derived PZT(90/10) and PZT(10/90) powders. All specimens show a uniform ferroelectric grain without the presence of the pyrocholre phase. Average grain size increased with an increase in sintering temperature, the value for the x=0.65 specimen sintered at 125$0^{\circ}C$ was 14.4${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss of the x=0.65 specimen sintered at 125$0^{\circ}C$ were 1247, 2.05%, respectively. All specimens showed fairly good temperature and frequency stability of dielectric constant with the range from -2$0^{\circ}C$ to 6$0^{\circ}C$ and 100Hz to 10MHz. The coercive electric field and the remanent polarization of x = 0.65 specimen sintered at 125$0^{\circ}C$ were 8.5 kV/cm and 13 $\mu$C/cm$^2$, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.588-588
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• 2012

Zn-doped $TiO_2$ mesoporous microspheres with high photocatalytic activity were synthesized via combined sol-gel and solvothermal methods for photocatalytic water splitting. It is found that the photocatalytic water splitting and photocatalytic degradation activity can be enhanced by doping an appropriate amount of Zn. Our results reveal that Zn doping inhibits the recombination of photo-generated charge carriers of $TiO_2$ and improves the probability of photo-generated charge carrier separation and hence the photocatalytic activity of $TiO_2$.