In this study, (GaN)1-x(ZnO)x solid solution nanoparticles with a high zinc content are prepared by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis and subsequent nitridation. The structure and morphology of the samples are investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The characterization results show a phase transition from the Zn and Ga-based oxides (ZnO or ZnGa2O4) to a (GaN)1-x (ZnO)x solid solution under an NH3 atmosphere. The effect of the precursor solution concentration and nitridation temperature on the final products are systematically investigated to obtain (GaN)1-x(ZnO)x nanoparticles with a high Zn concentration. It is confirmed that the powder synthesized from the solution in which the ratio of Zn and Ga was set to 0.8:0.2, as the initial precursor composition was composed of about 0.8-mole fraction of Zn, similar to the initially set one, through nitriding treatment at 700oC. Besides, the synthesized nanoparticles exhibited the typical XRD pattern of (GaN)1-x(ZnO)x, and a strong absorption of visible light with a bandgap energy of approximately 2.78 eV, confirming their potential use as a hydrogen production photocatalyst.

We prepare ZnO nanoparticles by environmentally friendly synthesis using Cyathea nilgiriensis leaf extract. Various phytochemical constituents are identified through the assessment of ethanolic extract of plant Cyathea nilgiriensis holttum by GC-MS analysis. The formation of ZnO nanoparticles is confirmed by FT-IR, XRD, SEM-EDX, TEM, SAED and PSA analysis. TEM observation reveals that the biosynthesized ZnO nanopowder has a hexagonal structure. The calculated average crystallite size from the high intense plane of (1 0 1) is 29.11 nm. The particle size, determined by TEM analysis, is in good agreement with that obtained by XRD analysis. We confirm the formation of biomolecules in plant extract by FT-IR analysis and propose a possible formation mechanism of ZnO nanoparticles. Disc diffusion method is used for the analyses of antimicrobial activity of ZnO nanoparticles. The synthesized ZnO nanoparticles exhibit antimicrobial effect in disc diffusion experiments. The biosynthesized ZnO nanoparticles display good antibacterial performance against B. subtilis (Gram-positive bacteria) and K. pneumonia (Gram-negative bacteria). Bio-synthesized nanoparticles using green method are found to possess good antimicrobial performance.

Urchin-structured zinc oxide(ZnO) nanorod(NR) gas sensors were successfully demonstrated on a polyimide(PI) substrate, using single wall carbon nanotubes(SWCNTs) as the electrode. The ZnO NRs were grown with ZnO shells arranged at regular intervals to form a network structure with maximized surface area. The high surface area and numerous junctions of the NR network structure was the key to excellent gas sensing performance. Moreover, the SWCNTs formed a junction barrier with the ZnO which further improved sensor characteristics. The fabricated urchin-structured ZnO NR gas sensors exhibited superior performance upon NO2 exposure with a stable response of 110, fast rise and decay times of 38 and 24 sec, respectively. Comparative analyses revealed that the high performance of the sensors was due to a combination of high surface area, numerous active junction points, and the use of the SWCNTs electrode. Furthermore, the urchin-structured ZnO NR gas sensors showed sustainable mechanical stability. Although degradation of the devices progressed during repeated flexibility tests, the sensors were still operational even after 10000 cycles of a bending test with a radius of curvature of 5 mm.

Polyethersulfone (PES) 고분자 상변환막의 성능을 향상시키기 위해 PES 고분자에 나노 크기의 ZnO 무기입자를 함침시킨 혼합기질막(mixed matrix membrane)을 제조하고 특성을 평가하였다. PES-ZnO 혼합기질막은 ZnO 나노입자를 PES 대비 최대 0.375 wt%의 낮은 비율로 첨가시킨 PES-ZnO-NMP(N-methyl-1-pyrrolidone)로 이루어진 캐스팅 용액을 사용하여 상변환법을 통해 제조하였다. 제조된 혼합기질 막의 물성과 특성은 막의 단면구조 관찰, 접촉각 측정, 인장강도 측정, 순수 투과량 측정 및 BSA 단백질 용액의 한외여과 실험을 통해 평가하였다. 이 결과 혼합기질 막은 PES 고분자 matrix에 함유된 ZnO 나노입자로 인해 막의 친수성이 증가하여 막오염 발생이 억제되어 투과량이 증가하였다. ZnO 나노입자는 혼합기질막의 제조에 있어 막오염의 발생 억제와 투과량 증가에 유용하게 사용될 수 있는 무기물 첨가제임을 알 수 있다.

Nitrogen-doped ZnO nanoparticle-carbon nanofiber composites were prepared using electrospinning. As the relative amounts of N-doped ZnO nanoparticles in the composites were controlled to levels of 3.4, 9.6, and 13.8 wt%, the morphological, structural, and chemical properties of the composites were characterized by means of field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In particular, the carbon nanofiber composites containing 13.8 wt% N-doped ZnO nanoparticles exhibited superior catalytic properties, making them suitable for use as counter electrodes in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). This result can be attributed to the enhanced surface roughness of the composites, which offers sites for I3- ion reductions and the formation of Zn3N2 phases that facilitate electron transfer. Therefore, DSSCs fabricated with 13.8 wt% N-doped ZnO nanoparticle-carbon nanofiber composites showed high current density (16.3mA/cm2), high fill factor (57.8%), and excellent power-conversion efficiency (6.69%); at the same time, these DSSCs displayed power-conversion efficiency almost identical to that of DSSCs fabricated with a pure Pt counter electrode (6.57%).

본 연구에서는 정제되지 않은 ZnO 및 TiO₂나노입자를 M4배지에 노출시켜 두 나노입자가 어느 정도 크기의 응집체로 변화되는지를 살펴보고 또한 두 나노입자가 수생태계 생물종인 Daphnia magna에 어떠한 영향을 초래하는지 유영저해 및 폐사율을 통해 살펴보았다. ZnO 및 TiO₂나노입자의 분말상태 크기는 각각 20 nm와 40 nm였지만, M4배지에서는 1333 nm와 1628 nm로 약 40~70배의 크기로 응집되었다. 유영저해의 경우 ZnO와 TiO₂나노입자 모두 시간 및 농도가 높아질수록 D.magna가 유영하는데 영향을 미친 것으로 나타났으며, 특히 ZnO나노입자가 TiO₂나노입자에 비해 더 큰 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 폐사율의 경우 ZnO나노입자에서는 시간 및 농도가 높아질수록 폐사되는 비율이 높았으며, TiO₂나노입자에서는 72시간이 경과된 시점의 10 ppm 이상의 농도에서 폐사하는 것으로 관찰되었다. 이는 나노입자가 해양에 유입됨으로 인해 원래의 크기에 비해 응집되어 증가되어진다는 것을 알 수 있으며, 또한 그 응집체로 인해 수생태계 생물에 영향을 주는 것으로 나타났다.

목적: 본 연구는 기본적인 하이드로젤 콘택트렌즈 재료에 zinc oxide nanoparticles와 SiNc[silicon 2,3-naphthalocyanine bis(trihexylsilyloxide)]을 첨가제로 사용하여 친수성 콘택트렌즈 고분자를 중합하고 물리적 및 광학적 특성을 평가하였으며, 특히 자외선 투과율을 측정하여 ZnO nanoparticles와 SiNc의 자외선 차단 안의료용 렌즈 소재로의 활용도를 알아보았다. 방법: ZnO nanoparticles와 SiNc을 첨가제로 사용하였으며, HEMA, NVP, MMA, FMA와 교차결합제인 EGDMA 그리고 AIBN을 개시제로 사용하여 공중합 하였다. 또한 제조된 렌즈의 물리적 특성을 평가하기 위해 함수율, 굴절률, 인장강도 및 분광투과율을 측정하였다. 결과: ZnO nanoparticles와 SiNc을 첨가한 각각의 조합에서는 함수율과 굴절률에서 큰 차이를 나타내지 않아 ZnO nanoparticles와 SiNc이 함수율과 굴절률을 변화시키지 않는 것으로 나타났다. 또한 자외선 영역의 투과도가 현저히 감소하여 ZnO nanoparticles와 SiNc이 자외선을 차단하는 것으로 나타났다. 결론: ZnO nanoparticles와 SiNc의 경우, 함수율 및 굴절률 등의 물성을 변화시키지 않으면서 자외선을 차단할 수 있는 렌즈 재료로 유용하게 활용될 것으로 기대된다.

To fabricate TiO2 nanoparticle-based dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) at a low-temperature, DSSCs were fabricated using hydropolymer and ZnO nanoparticles composites for the electron transport layer around a low-temperature (200˚C). ZnO nanoparticle with 20 nm and 60 nm diameter were used and Pt was deposited as a counter electrode on ITO/glass using an RF magnetron sputtering. We investigate the effect of ZnO nanoparticle concentration in hydropolymer and ZnO nanoparticle solution on the photoconversion performance of the low temperature fabricated (200˚C) DSSCs. Using cis-bis(isothiocyanato)bis(2,20 bipyridy1-4,40 dicarboxylato) ruthenium (II) bis-tetrabutylammonium (N719) dye as a sensitizer, the corresponding device performance and photo-physical characteristics are investigated through conventional physical characterization techniques. The effect of thickness of the ZnO photoelectrode and the morphology of the ZnO nanoparticles with the variations of hydropolymer to ZnO ratio on the photoconversion performance are also investigated. The morphology of the ZnO layer after sintering was examined using a field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). 60 nm ZnO nanoparticle DSSCs showed an incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) value of about 7% higher than that of 20 nm ZnO nanoparticle DSSCs. The maximum parameters of the short circuit current density (Jsc), the open circuit potential (Voc), fill factor (ff), and efficiency (η) in the 60 nm ZnO nanoparticle-based DSSC devices were 4.93 mA/cm2, 0.56V, 0.40, and 1.12%, respectively.