In this study, we report significant improvements in lithium-ion battery anodes cost and performance, by fabricating nano porous silicon (Si) particles from Si wafer sludge using the metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) process. To solve the problem of volume expansion of Si during alloying/de-alloying with lithium ions, a layer was formed through nitric acid treatment, and Ag particles were removed at the same time. This layer acts as a core-shell structure that suppresses Si volume expansion. Additionally, the specific surface area of Si increased by controlling the etching time, which corresponds to the volume expansion of Si, showing a synergistic effect with the core-shell. This development not only contributes to the development of high-capacity anode materials, but also highlights the possibility of reducing manufacturing costs by utilizing waste Si wafer sludge. In addition, this method enhances the capacity retention rate of lithium-ion batteries by up to 38 %, marking a significant step forward in performance improvements.

In this study, we undertook detailed experiments to increase hydrogen production efficiency by optimizing the thickness of titanium dioxide (TiO2) thin films. TiO2 films were deposited on p-type silicon (Si) wafers using atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology. The main goal was to identify the optimal thickness of TiO2 film that would maximize hydrogen production efficiency while maintaining stable operating conditions. The photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties of the TiO2 films of different thicknesses were evaluated using open circuit potential (OCP) and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) analysis. These techniques play a pivotal role in evaluating the electrochemical behavior and photoactivity of semiconductor materials in PEC systems. Our results showed photovoltage tended to improve with increasing thickness of TiO2 deposition. However, this improvement was observed to plateau and eventually decline when the thickness exceeded 1.5 nm, showing a correlation between charge transfer efficiency and tunneling. On the other hand, LSV analysis showed bare Si had the greatest efficiency, and that the deposition of TiO2 caused a positive change in the formation of photovoltage, but was not optimal. We show that oxide tunneling-capable TiO2 film thicknesses of 1~2 nm have the potential to improve the efficiency of PEC hydrogen production systems. This study not only reveals the complex relationship between film thickness and PEC performance, but also enabled greater efficiency and set a benchmark for future research aimed at developing sustainable hydrogen production technologies.

In this study, we designed and manufactured a large angular contact ball bearing (LACBB) with low deformation using JIS-SUJ2 steel and analyzed changes in its structural characteristics and chemical composition upon heat treatment. The bearing was produced by hot forging and heat treatment including a quenching and tempering (Q/T) process, and its properties were analyzed using 4 mm thick specimens. A difference in the size distribution of the carbide in the outer and inner parts of the bearing was observed and it was confirmed that large and non-uniform carbide was distributed in the inner part of the bearing. After heat treatment, the hardness value of the outer part increased from 13.4 HRC to 61 HRC and the inner part increased from 8.0 HRC to 59.7 HRC. As a result of X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements, the volume fraction of the retained austenite contained in the outer part was calculated to be 3.5~4.8 % and the inner part was calculated to be 3.6~5.0 %. The surface chemical composition and the content of chemical bonds were quantified through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and a decrease in C=C bonds and an increase in Fe-C bonds were confirmed.

In this study, surface roughness and interfacial defect characteristics were analyzed after forming a high-k oxide film on the surface of a prime wafer and a test wafer, to study the possibility of improving the quality of the test wafer. As a result of checking the roughness, the deviation in the test after raising the oxide film was 0.1 nm, which was twice as large as that of the Prime. As a result of current-voltage analysis, Prime after PMA was 1.07 × 10 A/cm2 and Test was 5.61 × 10 A/cm2, which was about 5 times lower than Prime. As a result of analyzing the defects inside the oxide film using the capacitancevoltage characteristic, before PMA Prime showed a higher electrical defect of 0.85 × 1012 cm2 in slow state density and 0.41 × 1013 cm2 in fixed oxide charge. However, after PMA, it was confirmed that Prime had a lower defect of 4.79 × 1011 cm2 in slow state density and 1.33 × 1012 cm2 in fixed oxide charge. The above results confirm the difference in surface roughness and defects between the Test and Prime wafer.

A spin coating process for RRAM, which is a TiN/TiO2/FTO structure based on a PTC sol solution, was developed in this laboratory, a method which enables low-temperature and eco-friendly manufacturing. The RRAM corresponds to an OxRAM that operates through the formation and extinction of conductive filaments. Heat treatment was selected as a method of controlling oxygen vacancy (VO), a major factor of the conductive filament. It was carried out at 100 oC under moisture removal conditions and at 300 oC and 500 oC for excellent phase stability. XRD analysis confirmed the anatase phase in the thin film increased as the heat treatment increased, and the Ti3+ and OH- groups were observed to decrease in the XPS analysis. In the I-V analysis, the device at 100 oC showed a low primary SET voltage of 5.1 V and a high ON/OFF ratio of 104. The double-logarithmic plot of the I-V curve confirmed the device at 100 oC required a low operating voltage. As a result, the 100 oC heat treatment conditions were suitable for the low voltage driving and high ON/OFF ratio of TiN/TiO2/FTO RRAM devices and these results suggest that the operating voltage and ON/OFF ratio required for OxRAM devices used in various fields under specific heat treatment conditions can be compromised.

Here, we report the development of a new and low-cost core-shell structure for lithium-ion battery anodes using silicon waste sludge and the Ti-ion complex. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the raw waste silicon sludge powder to be pure silicon without other metal impurities and the particle size distribution is measured to be from 200 nm to 3 μm by dynamic light scattering (DLS). As a result of pulverization by a planetary mill, the size of the single crystal according to the Scherrer formula is calculated to be 12.1 nm, but the average particle size of the agglomerate is measured to be 123.6 nm. A Si/TiO2 core-shell structure is formed using simple Ti complex ions, and the ratio of TiO2 peaks increased with an increase in the amount of Ti ions. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations revealed that TiO2 coating on Si nanoparticles results in a Si-TiO2 core-shell structure. This result is expected to improve the stability and cycle of lithium-ion batteries as anodes.

In this study, quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSC) using CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QD) of various sizes with green, yellow, and red colors are developed. Quantum dots, depending their different sizes, have advantages of absorbing light of various wavelengths. This absorption of light of various wavelengths increases the photocurrent production of solar cells. The absorption and emission peaks and excellent photochemical properties of the synthesized quantum dots are confirmed through UV-visible and photoluminescence (PL) analysis. In TEM analysis, the average sizes of individual green, yellow, and red quantum dots are shown to be 5 nm, 6 nm, and 8 nm. The J-V curves of QDSSC for one type of QD show a current density of 1.7 mA/cm2 and an open-circuit voltage of 0.49 V, while QDSSC using three type of QDs shows improved electrical characteristics of 5.52 mA/cm2 and 0.52 V. As a result, the photoelectric conversion efficiency of QDSSC using one type of QD is as low as 0.53 %, but QDSSC using three type of QDs has a measured efficiency of 1.4 %.

Flexible dye-sensitized solar cells using binder free TiO2 paste for low temperature sintering are developed. In this paste a small amount of titanium gel is added to a paste of TiO2 nanoparticle. Analysis of titanium gel paste prepared at 150 ℃ shows that it has a pure anatase phase in XRD and mesoporous structure in SEM. The formation of the titanium gel 1- 2 nm coated layer is confirmed by comparing the TEM image analysis of the titanium gel paste and the pristine paste. This coating layer improves the excited electron transfer and electrical contact between particles. The J-V curves of the organic binder DSSCs fabricated at 150℃ shows a current density of 0.12 mA/cm2 and an open-circuit voltage of 0.47 V, while the titanium gel DSSCs improves electrical characteristics to 5.04 mA/cm2 and 0.74 V. As a result, the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the organic binder DSSC prepared at low temperature is as low as 0.02 %, but the titanium gel paste DSSCs has a measured effciency of 2.76%.

The improvement of dispersion stability for the primary polishing slurry in a CMP process is achieved to prevent defects produced by agglomeration of the slurry. The dispersion properties are analyzed according to the physical characteristics of each silica sol sample. Further, the difference in the dispersion stability is confirmed as the surfactant content. The dispersibility results measured by Zeta potential suggest that the dispersion properties depend on the content and size of the abrasive in the primary polishing slurry. Moreover, the optimum ratio for high dispersion stability is confirmed as the addition content of the surfactant. Based on the aforementioned results, the long-term stability of each slurry is analyzed. Turbiscan analysis demonstrates that the agglomeration occurs depending on the increasing amount of surfactant. As a result, we demonstrate that the increased particle size and the decreased content of silica improve the dispersion stability and long-term stability.

5 nm-thick SiO2 layers formed by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) are densified to improve the electrical and interface properties by using nitric acid oxidation of Si (NAOS) method at a low temperature of 121 oC. The physical and electrical properties are clearly investigated according to NAOS times and post-metallization annealing (PMA) at 250 oC for 10 min in 5 vol% hydrogen atmosphere. The leakage current density is significantly decreased about three orders of magnitude from 3.110 × 10−5 A/cm2 after NAOS 5 hours with PMA treatment, although the SiO2 layers are not changed. These dramatically decreases of leakage current density are resulted from improvement of the interface properties. Concentration of suboxide species (Si1+, Si2+ and Si3+) in SiOx transition layers as well as the interface state density (Dit) in SiO2/Si interface region are critically decreased about 1/3 and one order of magnitude, respectively. The decrease in leakage current density is attributed to improvement of interface properties though chemical method of NAOS with PMA treatment which can perform the oxidation and remove the OH species and dangling bond.

In this study, the surface passivation process for InP-based quantum dots (QDs) is investigated. Surface coating is performed with poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) and thioglycolic acid. The quantum yield (QY) of a PMMA-coated sample slightly increases by approximately 1.3% relative to that of the as-synthesized InP/ZnS QDs. The QYs of the uncoated and PMMA-coated samples drastically decrease after 16 days because of the high defect state density of the InP-based QDs. PMMA does not have a significant effect on the defect passivation. Thioglycolic acid is investigated in this study for the effective surface passivation of InP-based QDs. Surface passivation with thioglycolic acid is more effective than that with the PMMA coating, and the QY increases from 1.7% to 11.3%. ZnS formed on the surface of the InP QDs and S in thioglycolic acid show strong bonding property. Additionally, the QY is further increased up to 21.0% by the photochemical reaction. Electron–hole pairs are formed by light irradiation and lead to strong bonding between the inorganic and thioglycolic acid sulfur. The surface of the InP core QDs, which does not emit light, is passivated by the irradiated light and emits green light after the photochemical reaction.

We have investigated the washing method of as-synthesized CdSe/ZnS core/shell structure quantum dots (QDs) and the effective surface passivation method of the washed QDs using PMMA. The quantum yield (QY%) of assynthesized QDs decreases with time, from 79.3% to 21.1%, owing to surface reaction with residual organics. The decreased QY% is restored to the QY% of as-synthesized QDs by washing. However, the QY% of washed QDs also decreases with time, owing to the absence of surface passivation layer. On the other hand, the PMMA-treated QDs maintained a relatively higher QY% after washing than that of the washed QDs that were kept in toluene solution for 30 days. Formation of the PMMA coating layer on CdSe/ZnS QD surface is confirmed by HR-TEM and FT-IR. It is found that the PMMA surface coating, when combined with washing, is useful to be applied in the storage of QDs, owing to its long-term stability.

The organic binder-free paste for dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) has been investigated using peroxo titanium complex. The crystal structure of TiO2 nanoparticles, morphology of TiO2 film and electrical properties are analyzed by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Electrochemical Impedance Spectra (EIS), and solar simulator. The synthesized TiO2 nanopowders by the peroxo titanium complex at 150, 300, 400˚C, and 450˚C have anatase phase and average crystal sizes are calculated to be 4.2, 13.7, 16.9, and 20.9 nm, respectively. The DSSC prepared by the peroxo titanium complex binder have higher Voc and lower Jsc values than that of the organic binder. It can be attributed to improvement of sintering properties of TCO/TiO2 and TiO2/TiO2 interface and to formation of agglomerate by the nanoparticles. As a result, we have investigated the organic binder-free paste and 3.178% conversion efficiency of the DSSC at 450˚C.