Ceramic ink-jet printing has become a widespread technology in ceramic tile and ceramicware industries, due to its capability of manufacturing products on demand with various designs. Generally, thermally stable ceramic inks of digital primary colors(cyan, magenta, yellow, black) are required for ink-jet printing of full color image on ceramic tile. Here, we synthesized an aqueous glass-ceramic ink, which is free of Volatile organic compound(VOC) evolution, and investigated its inkjet printability. CoAl2O4 inorganic pigment and glass frit were dispersed in aqueous solution, and rheological behavior was optimized. The formulated glass-ceramic ink was suitably jetted as single sphere-shaped droplets without satellite drops. After ink-jet printing and firing processes, the printed glass-ceramic ink pattern on glazed ceramic tile was stably maintained without ink spreading phenomena and showed an improved scratch resistance.

Ni-GDC (gadolinia-doped ceria) composite powders, the anode material for the application of solid oxide fuel cells, were prepared by a solution reduction method using hydrazine. The distribution of Ni particles in the composite powders was homogeneous. The Ni-GDC powders were sintered at 1400˚C for 2 h and then reduced at 800˚C for 24 h in 3% H2. The percolation limit of Ni of the sintered composite was 20 vol%, which was significantly lower than these values in the literature (30-35 vol%). The marked decrease of percolation limit is attributed to the small size of the Ni particles and the high degree of dispersion. The hydrazine method suggests a facile chemical route to prepare well-dispersed Ni-GDC composite powders.

ZnO nanopowders were synthesized by the sol-gel method using hydrazine reduction, and their gas responses to 6 gases (200 ppm of C2H5OH, CH3COCH3, H2, C3H8, 100 ppm of CO, and 5 ppm of NO2) were measured at 300 ~ 400˚C. The prepared ZnO nanopowders showed high gas responses to C2H5OH and CH3COCH3 at 400˚C. The sensing materials prepared at the compositions of [ZnCl2]:[N2H4]:[NaOH] = 1:1:1 and 1:2:2 showed particularly high gas responses (S = Ra/Rg, Ra : resistance in air, Rg : resistance in gas) to 200 ppm of C2H5OH(S = 102.8~160.7) and 200 ppm of CH3COCH3(S = 72.6~166.2), while they showed low gas responses to H2, C3H8, CO, and NO2. The reason for high sensitivity to these 2 gases was discussed in relation to the reaction mechanism, oxidation state, surface area, and particle morphology of the sensing materials.

SnO nanosheets were prepared at room temperature through a reaction between an aqueous solution of SnCl2, N2F4, and NaOH and were converted into SnO2 nanosheets without a morphological change. The SnO nanosheets were formed through a dissolution-recrystallization mechanism. Uniform and well-dispersed SnO nanosheets with the round-shape morphology were attained when the solution was treated by ultrasonic sound immediately after the addition of NaOH. The SnO2 nanosheets prepared by means of solution reduction under the ultrasonic treatment, and subsequent oxidation at 600˚C showed a high level of gas sensitivity to C2H5OH and CH3COCH3.

WO3-doped SnO2 thin films were prepared in a solution-deposition method and their gas-sensing characteristics were investigated. The doping of WO3 to SnO2 increased the response (Ra/Rg, Ra: resistance in air, Rg: resistance in gas) to H2 substantially. Moreover, the Ra/Rg value of 10 ppm CO increased to 5.65, whereas that of NO2 did not change by a significant amount. The enhanced response to H2 and the selective detection of CO in the presence of NO2 were explained in relation to the change in the surface reaction by the addition of WO3. The WO3-doped SnO2 sensor can be used with the application of a H2 sensor for vehicles that utilize fuel cells and as an air quality sensor to detect CO-containing exhaust gases emitted from gasoline engines.

A sensor element array for combinatorial solution deposition research was fabricated using LTCC (Low-temperature Co-fired Ceramics). The designed LTCC was co-fired at 800˚C for 1 hour after lamination at 70˚C under 3000 psi for 30 minutes. SnO2 sol was prepared by a hydrothermal method at 200˚C for 3 hours. Tin chloride and ammonium carbonate were used as raw materials and the ammonia solution was added to a Teflon jar. 20 droplets of SnO2 sol were deposited onto a LTCC sensor element and this was heat treated at 600˚C for 5 hours. The gas sensitivity (S = Ra/Rg) values of the SnO2 sensor and 0.04 wt% Pd-added SnO2 sensor were measured. The 0.04 wt% Pd-added SnO2 sensor showed higher sensitivity (S = 8.1) compared to the SnO2 sensor (S = 5.95) to 200 ppm CH3COCH3 at 400˚C.

초음파 분무 열분해법에 의해 합성된 Pb(Zr, Ti)O3미분말의 원료염의 종류에 따른 상과 모양의 변화에 대해 조사했다. 질산염, 초산염, 알콕사이드등의 조합으로 만들어진 원료용액으로부터 합성된 미분말은 약간의 PbTiO3를 포함하거나 포함하지 않는 Pb(Zr, Ti)O3, 상을 나타내었다. 구형 이차입자의 표면에서 발견되는 표면 기공은 질산염의 함량증가에 따라 증가되며, 그 생성은 질산염의 열분해 특성에 기인되는 것으로 해석된다. 본 연구에서 초음파 분무 열분해법으로 합성된 미분말의상, 모양등의 분말특성을 고려할 때, Pb의 원료로서는 acetate, Zr의 원료로서는 oxyacetate, Ti의 원료로서는 oxynitrate 혹은 (iso-propoxide +acetylacetonate)가 적합한 것으로 판단된다.