• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.196-203
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• 2019

We report on the fabrication and characterization of an oxide photoanode with a zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod array embedded in cuprous oxide ($Cu_2O$) thin film, namely a $ZnO/Cu_2O$ oxide p-n heterostructure photoanode, for enhanced efficiency of visible light driven photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. A vertically oriented n-type ZnO nanorod array is first prepared on an indium-tin-oxide-coated glass substrate via a seed-mediated hydrothermal synthesis method and then a p-type $Cu_2O$ thin film is directly electrodeposited onto the vertically oriented ZnO nanorod array to form an oxide p-n heterostructure. The introduction of $Cu_2O$ layer produces a noticeable enhancement in the visible light absorption. From the observed PEC current density versus voltage (J-V) behavior under visible light illumination, the photoconversion efficiency of this $ZnO/Cu_2O$ p-n heterostructure photoanode is found to reach 0.39 %, which is seven times that of a pristine ZnO nanorod photoanode. In particular, a significant PEC performance is observed even at an applied bias of 0 V vs $Hg/Hg_2Cl_2$, which makes the device self-powered. The observed improvement in the PEC performance is attributed to some synergistic effect of the p-n bilayer heterostructure on the formation of a built-in potential including the light absorption and separation processes of photoinduced charge carriers, which provides a new avenue for preparing efficient photoanodes for PEC water splitting.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.734-739
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• 2018

We successfully coated poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) : poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT : PSS) on CVD graphene by adding poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) to PEDOT : PSS. Extensive studies on the wettability of coating solutions and electrical properties of formed films led us to conclude that PVA with 89% of the degree of saponification and the molecular weight of less than $100,000gmol^{-1}$ produced optimum results. Furthermore, the optimum content of PVA was found to be 5% of PEDOT : PSS by the solid weight. The film coated by PEDOT : PSS with PVA on CVD graphene displayed a conspicuous improvement in the surface roughness, adhesive property, bending durability and stability in resistance at $160^{\circ}C$, compared to those of using CVD graphene films.

• Current Applied Physics
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.1577-1582
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• 2018

While controlling the cation contents in perovskite rare-earth nickelate thin films, a metal-to-insulator phase transition is reported. Systematic control of cation stoichiometry has been achieved by manipulating the irradiation of excimer laser in pulsed laser deposition. Two rare-earth nickelate bilayer thin-film heterostructures with the controlled cation stoichiometry (i.e. stoichiometric and Ni-excessive) have been fabricated. It is found that the Ni-excessive nickelate film is structurally less dense than the stoichiometric film, albeit both of them are epitaxial and coherent with respect to the underlying substrate. More interestingly, as a temperature decreases, a metal-to-insulator transition is only observed in the Ni-excessive nickelate films, which can be associated with the enhanced disproportionation of the Ni charge valence. Based on our theoretical results, possible origins (e.g. anti-site defects) of the low-temperature insulating state are discussed with the need of future work for deeper understanding. Our work can be utilized to realize unusual physical phenomena (e.g. metal-to-insulator phase transitions) in complex oxide films by manipulating the chemical stoichiometry in pulsed laser deposition.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.69-79
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• 2008

A composition consisting of 10 nm-Ni/1 nm-Pd/(30 nm or 70 nm-poly)Si was thermally annealed using rapid thermal for 40 seconds at $300{\sim}1100^{\circ}C$ to improve the thermal stability of conventional nickel monosilicide. The annealed bilayer structure developed into $Ni(Pd)Si_x$, and the resulting changes in sheet resistance, microstructure, phase, chemical composition, and surface roughness were investigated. The silicide, which formed on single crystal silicon, could defer the transformation of $NiSi_2$, and was stable at temperatures up to $1100^{\circ}C$. It remained unchanged on polysilicon substrate compared with the sheet resistance of conventional nickel silicide. The silicides annealed at $700^{\circ}C$, formed on single crystal silicon and 30 nm polysilicon substrates exhibited 30 nm-thick uniform silicide layers. However, silicide annealed at $1,000^{\circ}C$ showed preferred and agglomerated phase. The high resistance was due to the agglomerated and mixed microstructures. Through X-ray diffraction analysis, the silicide formed on single crystal silicon and 30 nm polysilicon substrate, showed NiSi phase on the entire temperature range and mixed phases of NiSi and $NiSi_2$ on 70 nm polysilicon substrate. Through scanning probe microscope (SPM) analysis, we confirmed that the surface roughness increased abruptly until 36 nm on 30 nm polysilicon substrate while not changed on single crystal and 70 nm polysilicon substrates. The Pd-inserted nickel monosilicide could maintain low resistance in a wide temperature range and is considered suitable for nano-thick silicide processing.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.498-504
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• 2011

We examined the microstructure and optical properties of crystallized ~30 nm-ZnO/~10 nm amorphous $TiO_2$ nano bilayered films as nano electrodes were deposited at extremely low substrate temperatures of $150-210^{\circ}C$. The bilayered films were deposited on silicon substrates with 10 cm diameters by ALD (atomic layer deposition) using DEZn (diethyl zinc(Zn(C2H5)2)) and TDMAT (tetrakis dimethyl-amid $titanium(Ti(N(CH_3)_2)_4)$ as the ZnO and $TiO_2$ precursors, respectively, and $H_2O$ as the oxidant. The microstructure, phase, and optical properties of the bilayered films were examined by FE-SEM, TEM, XRD, AES, and UV-VIS-NIR spectroscopy. FE-SEM and TEM showed that all bilayered films were deposited very uniformly and showed crystallized ZnO and amorphous $TiO_2$ layers. AES depth profiling showed that the ZnO and $TiO_2$ films had a stoichiometric composition of 1:1 and 1:2, respectively. These bilayered films have optical absorption properties in a wide range of ultraviolet wavelengths, 250-390 nm, whereas the single ZnO and $TiO_2$ films showed an absorption range of 350-380nm.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.281-290
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• 2011

In order to gain better understanding of the selective surface oxidation and its influence on the galvanizability of a transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) assisted steel containing 1.5 wt.% Si and 1.6 wt.% Mn, a model experiment has been carried out by depositing Si and Mn (each with a nominal thickness of 10 nm) in either monolayers or bilayers on a low-alloy interstitial-free (IF) steel sheet. After intercritical annealing at $800^{\circ}C$ in a $N_2$ ambient with a dew point of $-40^{\circ}C$, the surface scale formed on 590 MPa TRIP steel exhibited a microstructure similar to that of the scale formed on the Mn/Si bilayer-coated IF steel, consisting of $Mn_{2}SiO_{4}$ particles embedded in an amorphous $SiO_{2}$ film. The present study results indicated that, during the intercritical annealing process of 590 MPa TRIP steel, surface segregation of Si occurs first to form an amorphous $SiO_{2}$ film, which in turn accelerates the out-diffusion of Mn to form more stable Mn-Si oxide particles on the steel surface. During hot-dip galvanizing, particulate $Fe_{3}O_{4}$, MnO, and Si-Mn oxides were reduced more readily by Al in a Zn bath than the amorphous $SiO_{2}$ film. Therefore, in order to improve the galvanizability of 590 TRIP steel, it is most desirable to minimize the surface segregation of Si during the intercritical annealing process.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.235-240
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• 2022

Atomically-thin 2D nanomaterials can be easily deformed and have surface corrugations which can influence the frictional characteristics of the 2D nanomaterials. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) graphene can be grown in a wafer scale, which is suitable as a large-area surface coating film. The CVD growth involves cooling process to room temperature, and the thermal expansion coefficients mismatch between graphene and the metallic substrate induces a compressive strain in graphene, resulting in the surface corrugations such as wrinkles and atomic ripples. Such corrugations can induce the friction anisotropy of graphene, and therefore, accurate imaging of the surface corrugation is significant for better understanding about the friction anisotropy of CVD graphene. In this work, the combinatorial analysis using friction force microscopy (FFM) and transverse shear microscopy (TSM) was implemented to unveil the friction anisotropy of CVD bi-layer graphene. The periodic friction anisotropy of the wrinkles was measured following a sinusoidal curve depending on the angles between the wrinkles and the scanning tip, and the two domains were observed to have the different friction signals due to the different directions of the atomic ripples, which was confirmed by the high-resolution FFM and TSM imaging. In addition, we revealed that the atomic ripples can be easily suppressed by ironing the surface during AFM scans with an appropriate normal force. This work demonstrates that the friction anisotropy of CVD bilayer graphene is well-correlated with the corrugated structures and the local friction anisotropy induced by the atomic ripples can be controllably removed by simple AFM scans.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.136-144
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• 2023

PURPOSE. The study objective was to evaluate the influence of the type of resin cement on the flexural strength and load to fracture of two chairside CADCAM materials after aging. MATERIALS AND METHODS. A polymer-infiltrated ceramic network (PICN) and a nanoceramic resin (RNC) were used to produce the specimens. Two types of dual-cure resin cements, a self-adhesive and a universal, were investigated. Bilayer specimens were produced (n = 10) and aged for 6 months in a humid environment before the biaxial flexural strength test (σ_f). Bonded specimens were subjected to a mechanical aging protocol (50 N, 2 Hz, 37℃ water, 500,000 cycles) before the compressive load test (L_f). σ_f and L_f data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA and Tukey tests (α = .05). Chi-square test was used to analyze the relationship between failure mode and experimental group (α = .05). RESULTS. The type of resin cement and the interaction between factors had no effect on the σ_f and L_f of the specimens, while the type of restorative material was significant. RNC had higher σ_f and L_f than PICN. There was a significant association among the type of cracks identified for specimens tested in L_f and the restorative material. CONCLUSION. The type of resin cement had no effect on the flexural strength and load to fracture of the two investigated CAD-CAM chairside materials after aging.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.20-25
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• 2024

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nano-sized lipid bilayer vesicles released by cells. EVs act as messengers for cell-to-cell communication. Inside, it contains various substances that show biological activity, such as proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and metabolites. The study of EVs extracted from terrestrial organisms and stem cells on inflammatory environments and tissue regeneration have been actively conducted. However, marine organisms-derived EVs are limited. Therefore, we have extracted EVs from sea urchins belonging to the Echinoderm group with their excellent regenerative ability. First, we extracted extracellular matrix (ECM) from sea urchin gonads treated with hypotonic buffer, followed by collagenase treatment, and filtration to collect ECM-bounded EVs. The size of sea urchin gonad-derived EVs (UGEVs) is about 20-100 nm and has a round shape. The protein content was higher after EVs burst than before, which is evidence that proteins are contained inside. In addition, proteins of various sizes are distributed inside. PKH-26 was combined with UGEVs, which means that UGEVs have a lipid membrane. PHK-26-labeled UGEVs were successfully uptaken by cells. UGEVs can be confirmed to have the same characteristics as traditional EVs. Finally, it was confirmed that Schwann cells were not toxic by increasing proliferation after treatment.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.457-461
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• 1998

The vesicle system of DPPC(dipalmitoylphosphaticylcholine)/Chol(Cholesterol) has been modified by incorporating various mole fractions of flourinated surfactant($C_8F_{17}(CH_2)_2OCO-CH_2CH(SO_3Na)COO(CH_2)_2C_8F_{17}$. Sodium bis(1H,1H,2H,2H-heptadecaflurododecyl)-2-sulfosuccinate, FS)/fluorinated fatty acid salt ($C_7F_{15}COONH_4$, ammoniumpentadecaflurooctyrate, FFS), and their physicochemical properties have been investigated in an attempt to enhance the stability of phospholipid vesicle system. The ${\zeta}$-potential measurement by use of Zetamaster sub-micron Particle Electrophoresis Analyzer (Malvern Co.) showed that a charged homogeneous DPPC/Chol/FS vesicle has been formed owing to the incorporated FFS effect on the membrane, playing a role as a cosurfactant in the bilayer between DPPC and FS components. With increase in the concentration of FFS, it was found that the particle size and also surface charge of the DPPC/Chol/FS vesicle decreased. The stability of DPPC/Chol/FS/FFS liposome was found to be enhanced significantly compared to that of DPPC/Chol/FS according to the dispersity change as a function of time. The release rate of dye molecule of Methylene Blue from the DPPC/Chol/FS/FFS vesicle was determined to be slower than that of DPPC/Chol/FS system, and it may be attributed to the increase in microviscosity of the hydrophobic region in the bilayer. The affinfinity of DPPC/Chol/FS/FFS vesicles to albumin was found to be slightly lowered compared to that of DPPC/Chol/FS. Based on these findings, it was confirmed that a more stable and homogeneous vesicle system of DPPC/Chol/FS could be prepared by addition of FFS, acting as a cosurfactant in the aggregate formation.