Nanoparticles are commonly used to avoid the opaque white color of TiO2 based sunscreen. However, a dispersing agent is typically required because of the tendency of the nanoparticles (NPs) to agglomerate. Stearic acid is one kind of dispersing agent often used for sunscreen products. However, according to the MSDS data sheet on stearic acid, stearic acid is highly hazardous to aquatic life and causes irritation on human skin. To avoid this problem, in this study a safer organic dispersing agent extracted from Korean seaweed has been studied to disperse TiO2 nanoparticles, and further use as an active agent in sunscreen products. The presence of phytochemicals in seaweed extract, especially alginate, can disperse TiO2 nanoparticles and improve TiO2 dispersion properties. Results show that seaweed extract can improve the dispersion properties of TiO2 nanoparticles and sunscreen products. Reducing the agglomeration of TiO2 nanoparticles improves sunscreen properties, by making it less opaque white in color, and increasing UV protection value. It was also confirmed that adding seaweed extract into sunscreen products had no irritating effects on the human skin, making it more desirable for cosmetics application.

The microstructure, phase, and mechanical properties of three aged porcelain insulators which were manufactured in different years (1973, 1995 and 2008) and which were used in the field for different amounts of time, were investigated. With X-ray 3D computed tomography (CT), defects with ~mm size can be detected without destroying the aged insulators. Defects of small specimens, which are cut from the aged insulators and polished, are analyzed with optical and scanning electron microscopy (OM and SEM), and defects of um size are detected by OM and SEM. The number and size of defects in all the aged insulators are similar. Porcelain insulators manufactured in 1973 contain more SiO2 (quartz and cristobalite) than those manufactured in 2008. Those manufactured in 2008 contain more Al2O3 than those manufactured earlier. The Vickers hardness of the insulator manufactured in 1973 has the lowest value. The formation of the cristobalite (SiO2) in the insulator manufactured in 1973 which can come from the phase transformation of quartz can cause stress in the insulator by formation of microcracks, which can lead to the low hardness of the insulator.

Stable slurries of YSZ in aqueous suspension with added polymer dispersants, namely, poly-methacrylic acid ammonium salt (PMMA), poly-acrylic acid (PAA) and poly-acrylic-co-maleic acid (PAMA), were mixed with the monomolecular dispersants citric acid and oxalic acid. The dispersion properties of the suspension were investigated using PSA, viscosity, sedimentation, and FT-IR. The polymer dispersants and monomolecular dispersants were attached to the YSZ surface by the carboxylic group, as shown by the FTIR results. A stabilized aqueous suspension was obtained when the polymer dispersant and citric acid were mixed and compared to the use of citric acid alone as a dispersant agent. When the polymer dispersant and citric acid were mixed and milled through attrition milling, there was a smaller particle size compared to when the polymer dispersant alone was used as a dispersant agent. This study determined that the particle size of the mixed dispersant was affected by the properties of the monomolecular dispersant and that the stability of the suspension was affected by the polymer dispersant. However, when slurries of YSZ were mixed with oxalic acid, the particle bridging behavior was the result of the high degree of viscosity and the small sedimentation height.

YSZ (Yttria-stabilized zirconia) is a ceramic material that is used for electronic and structural materials due to its excellent mechanical properties and specific electrical characteristics according to the Yttrium addition. Hydrothermal synthesis has several advantages such as fine particle size, uniform crystalline phase, fast reaction time, low process temperature and good dispersion condition. In order to synthesize YSZ nanoparticles with high crystallinity, hydrothermal synthesis was performed at various concentrations of NaOH. The hydrothermal process was held at a low temperature (100 °C), with a short process time (2,4,8 hours); the acidity or alkalinity of solution was controlled in a range of pH 2~12 by addition of NaOH. The optimum condition was found to be pH 12, at which high solubility levels of Y(OH) and Zr(OH) were reported. The synthesized nano powder showed high crystallinity and homogenous composition, and uniform particle size of about 10 nm.