Fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) has been used as a representative transparent conductive oxide (TCO) in various optoelectronic applications, including light emitting diodes, solar cells, photo-detectors, and electrochromic devices. The FTO plays an important role in providing electron transfer between active layers and external circuits while maintaining high transmittance in the devices. Herein, we report the effects of substrate rotation speed on the electrical and optical properties of FTO films during ultrasonic spray pyrolysis deposition (USPD). The substrate rotation speeds were adjusted to 2, 6, 10, and 14 rpm. As the substrate rotation speed increased from 2 to 14 rpm, the FTO films exhibited different film morphologies, including crystallite size, surface roughness, crystal texture, and film thickness. This FTO film engineering can be attributed to the variable nucleation and growth behaviors of FTO crystallites according to substrate rotation speeds during USPD. Among the FTO films with different substrate rotation speeds, the FTO film fabricated at 6 rpm showed the best optimized TCO characteristics when considering both electrical (sheet resistance of 13.73 Ω/□) and optical (average transmittance of 86.76 % at 400~700 nm) properties with a figure of merit (0.018 Ω-1).
Lithium lanthanum titanium oxide (LLTO) is a promising ceramic electrolyte because of its high ionic conductivity at room temperature, low electrical conductivity, and outstanding physical properties. Several routes for the synthesis of bulk LLTO are known, in particular, solid-state synthesis and sol-gel method. However, the extremely low ionic conductivity of LLTO at grain boundaries is one of the major problems for practical applications. To diminish the grain boundary effect, the structure of LLTO is tuned to nanoscale morphology with structures of different dimensionalities (0D spheres, and 1D tubes and wires); this strategy has great potential to enhance the ion conduction by intensifying Li diffusion and minimizing the grain boundary resistance. Therefore, in this work, 0D spherical LLTO is synthesized using ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (USP). The USP method primarily yields spherical particles from the droplets generated by ultrasonic waves passed through several heating zones. LLTO is synthesized using USP, and the effects of each precursor and their mechanisms as well as synthesis parameters are analyzed and discussed to optimize the synthesis. The phase structure of the obtained materials is analyzed using X-ray diffraction, and their morphology and particle size are analyzed using field-emission scanning electron microscopy.
This study demonstrates the effect of the compaction pressure on the microstructure and properties of pressureless-sintered W bodies. W powders are synthesized by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis and hydrogen reduction using ammonium metatungstate hydrate as a precursor. Microstructural investigation reveals that a spherical powder in the form of agglomerated nanosized W particles is successfully synthesized. The W powder synthesized by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis exhibits a relative density of approximately 94% regardless of the compaction pressure, whereas the commercial powder exhibits a relative density of 64% under the same sintering conditions. This change in the relative density of the sintered compact can be explained by the difference in the sizes of the raw powder and the densities of the compacted green body. The grain size increases as the compaction pressure increases, and the sintered compact uniaxially pressed to 50 MPa and then isostatically pressed to 300 MPa exhibits a size of 0.71 m. The Vickers hardness of the sintered W exhibits a high value of 4.7 GPa, mainly due to grain refinement.
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.
In this study, ultrasonic spray pyrolysis combined with salt-assisted decomposition, a process that adds sodium nitrate (NaNO3) into a titanium precursor solution, is used to synthesize nanosized titanium dioxide (TiO2) particles. The added NaNO3 prevents the agglomeration of the primary nanoparticles in the pyrolysis process. The nanoparticles are obtained after a washing process, removing NaNO3 and NaF from the secondary particles, which consist of the salts and TiO2 nanoparticles. The effects of pyrolysis temperature on the size, crystallographic characteristics, and bandgap energy of the synthesized nanoparticles are systematically investigated. The synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles have a size of approximately 2–10 nm a bandgap energy of 3.1–3.25 eV, depending on the synthetic temperature. These differences in properties affect the photocatalytic activities of the synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles.
Current synthesis processes for titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles require expensive precursors or templates as well as complex steps and long reaction times. In addition, these processes produce highly agglomerated nanoparticles. In this study, we demonstrate a simple and continuous approach to synthesize TiO2 nanoparticles by a salt-assisted ultrasonic spray pyrolysis method. We also investigate the effect of salt content in a precursor solution on the morphology and size of synthesized products. The synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles are systematically characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron micrograph, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. These nanoparticles appear to have a single anatase phase and a uniform particle-size distribution with an average particle size of approximately 10 nm. By extrapolating the plots of the transformed Kubelka-Munk function versus the absorbed light energy, we determine that the energy band gap of the synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles is 3.25 eV
Despite numerous advances in the preparation and use of GaN, and many leading-edge applications in lighting technologies, the preparation of high-quality GaN powder remains a challenge. Ammonolytic preparations of polycrystalline GaN have been studied using various precursors, but all were time-consuming and required high temperatures. In this study, an efficient and low-temperature method to synthesize high-purity hexagonal GaN powder is developed using sub-micron Ga2O3 powder as a starting material. The sub-micron Ga2O3 powder was prepared by an ultrasonic spray pyrolysis process. The GaN powder is synthesized from the sub-micron Ga2O3 powder through a nitridation treatment in an NH3 flow at 800℃. The characteristics of the synthesized powder are systematically examined by X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and UV-vis spectrophotometer.
Copper oxide thin films are deposited using an ultrasonic-assisted spray pyrolysis deposition (SPD) system. To investigate the effect of substrate temperature and incorporation of a chelating agent on the growth of copper oxide thin films, the structural and optical properites of the copper oxide thin films are analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emssion scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and UV-Vis spectrophotometry. At a temperature of less than 350 ℃, threedimensional structures consisting of cube-shaped Cu2O are formed, while spherical small particles of the CuO phase are formed at a temperature higher than 400 ℃ due to a Volmer-Weber growth mode on the silicon substrate. As a chelating agent was added to the source solutions, two-dimensional Cu2O thin films are preferentially deposited at a temperature less than 300 ℃, and the CuO thin film is formed even at a temperature less than 350 ℃. Therefore the structure and crystalline phase of the copper oxide is shown to be controllable.
Li-incorporated ZnO thin films were deposited by using ultrasonic-assisted spray pyrolysis deposition (SPD) system. To investigate the effect of Li-incorporation on the performance of ZnO thin films, the structural, electrical, and optical properites of the ZnO thin films were analyzed by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emssion scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Hall effect measurement, and UV-Vis spectrophotometry with variation of the Li concentraion in the ZnO sources. Without incorporation of Li element, the ZnO surface showed large spiral domains. As the Li content increases, the size of spiral domains decreased gradually, and finally formed mixed small grain and one-dimensional nanorod-like structures on the surface. This morphological evolution was explained based on an anti-surfactant effect of Li atoms on the ZnO growth surface. In addition, the Li-incorporation changed the optical and electrical properties of the ZnO thin films by modifying the crystalline defect structures by doping effects.
We investigated a Leidenfrost effect in the growth of ZnO nanostructures on silicon substrates by ultrasonic-assisted spray pyrolysis deposition(SPD). Structural and optical properties of the ZnO nanostructures grown by varying the growth parameters, such as substrate temperature, source concentration, and suction rate of the mist in the chambers, were investigated using field-emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and photoluminescence spectrum analysis. Structural investigations of the ZnO nanostructures showed abnormal evolution of the morphologies with variation of the substrate temperatures. The shape of the ZnO nanostructures transformed from nanoplate, nanorod, nanopencil, and nanoprism shapes with increasing of the substrate temperature from 250 to 450 °C; these shapes were significantly different from those seen for the conventional growth mechanisms in SPD. The observed growth behavior showed that a Leidenfrost effect dominantly affected the growth mechanism of the ZnO nanostructures.
The structural formation of inorganic nanoparticles dispersed in polymer matrices is a key technology for producing advanced nanocomposites with a unique combination of optical, electrical, and mechanical properties. Barium titanate (BaTiO3) nanoparticles are attractive for increasing the refractive index and dielectric constant of polymer nanocomposites. Current synthesis processes for BaTiO3 nanoparticles require expensive precursors or organic solvents, complicated steps, and long reaction times. In this study, we demonstrate a simple and continuous approach for synthesizing BaTiO3 nanoparticles based on a salt-assisted ultrasonic spray pyrolysis method. This process allows the synthesis of BaTiO3 nanoparticles with diameters of 20-50 nm and a highly crystalline tetragonal structure. The optical properties and photocatalytic activities of the nanoparticles show that they are suitable for use as fillers in various nanocomposites.
Fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) coated NiCrAl alloy foam is fabricated using ultrasonic spray pyrolysis deposition (USPD). To confirm the influence of the FTO layer on the NiCrAl alloy foam, we investigated the structural, chemical, and morphological properties and chemical resistance by using USPD to adjust the FTO coating time (12, 18, and 24 min). As a result, when an FTO layer was coated for 24 min on NiCrAl alloy foam, it was found to have an enhanced chemical resistance compared to those of the other samples. This improvement in the chemical resistance of using USPD NiAlCr alloy foam can be the result of the existence of an FTO layer, which can act as a protection layer between the NiAlCr alloy foam and the electrolyte and also the result of the increased thickness of the FTO layer, which enhances the diffusion length of the metal ion.
Photoelectron-hole separation efficiency plays an important role in the enhancement of the photocatalytic activity of photocatalysts towards the degradation of organic molecules. In this study, TiO2/TiOF2 heterostructured composite powders with suitable band structures, which structures are able to separate photoelectron-hole pairs, have been synthesized using a simple and versatile ultrasonic spray pyrolysis process. In addition, their phase volume fractions have been controlled by varying the pyrolysis temperature from 400 oC to 800 oC. The structural and optical properties of the synthesized powders have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electronic microscopy and UV-vis spectroscopy. The powder with a phase volume ratio close to 1, compared with single TiOF2 and other composite powders with different phase volume fractions, was found to have superior photocatalytic activity for the degradation of rhodamine B. This result shows that the TiO2/TiOF2 heterostructure promotes the separation of the photoinduced electrons and holes and that this powder can be applicable to environmental cleaning applications.
Inorganic phosphors based on ZrO2:Eu3+ nanoparticles were synthesized by a salt-assisted ultrasonic spray pyrolysis process that is suitable for industrially-scalable production because of its continuous nature and because it does not require expensive precursors, long reaction time, physical templates or surfactant. This facile process results in the formation of tiny, highly crystalline spherical nanoparticles without hard agglomeration. The powder X-ray diffraction patterns of the ZrO2:Eu3+ (1-20 mol%) confirmed the body centered tetragonal phase. The average particle size, estimated from the Scherrer equation and from TEM images, was found to be approximately 11 nm. Photoluminescence (PL) emission was recorded under 266 nm excitation and shows an intense emission peak at 607 nm, along with other emission peaks at 580, 592 and 632 nm which are indicated in red.
Using the ultrasonic pyrolysis method, spherical SiO2 powders were synthesized from aqueous SiO2 sol as a starting material. The effects of pyrolysis conditions such as reaction temperature, SiO2 sol concentration, and physical properties of precursor were investigated for the morphologies of the resulting SiO2 powders. The particle size, shape, and crystallite size of the synthesized SiO2 powders were demonstrated according to the pyrolysis conditions. Generally, the synthesized SiO2 particles were amorphous phase and showed spherical morphology with a smooth surface. It was revealed that increased crystallite size and decreased spherical SiO2 particle size were obtained with increases of the pyrolysis reaction temperature. Also, quantity of spherical SiO2 particles decreased with the decrease in the concentration and surface tension of the precursor.
TiOF2, which has remarkable electrochemical and optical properties, is used in various applications such as Li-ion batteries, electrochemical displays, and photocatalysts. In addition, it is possible to utilize the template which is allowed to synthesize fluorine doped TiO2 powders with hollow or faceted structures. However, common synthesis methods of TiOF2 powders have some disadvantages such as the use of expensive and harmful precursors and batchtype processes with a limited production scale. In this study, we report a synthetic route for preparing TiOF2 powders by using an inexpensive and harmless precursor and a continuous ultrasonic spray pyrolysis process under a controlled atmosphere to address the aforementioned problems. The synthesized powder has an average size of 1 μm, a spherical shape, a pure TiOF2 phase, and exhibits a band-gap energy of 3.2 eV.
Fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized using ultrasonic spray pyrolysis. The morphologies, crystal structures, chemical bonding states, and electrochemical properties of the nanoparticles are investigated. The FTO nanoparticles show uniform morphology and size distribution in the range of 6-10 nm. The FTO nanoparticles exhibit excellent electrochemical performance with high discharge specific capacity and good cycling stability (620mA h g−1 capacity retention up to 50 cycles), as well as excellent high-rate performance (250 mA h g−1 at 700mAg−1) compared to that of commercial SnO2. The improved electrochemical performance can be explained by two main effects. First, the excellent cycling stability with high discharge capacity is attributed to the nano-sized FTO particles, which are related to the increased electrochemical active area between the electrode and electrolyte. Second, the superb high-rate performance and the excellent cycling stability are ascribed to the increased electrical conductivity, which results from the introduction of fluorine doping in SnO2. This noble electrode structure can provide powerful potential anode materials for high-performance lithiumion batteries.
투명 전도성 산화물로서 알루미늄과 붕소가 함께 도핑된 아연산화물(AZOB)이 900℃에서 분무 열분해법에 의해 제조되었다. 얻어진 마이크론 크기의 AZOB 분말은 알루미늄, 붕소 및 아연의 수용액으로부터 얻어진다. 분무 열분해로 얻어진 마이크론 크기의 AZOB 분말은 700℃에서 두 시간동안의 후 소성 과정과 24 시간 동안의 볼 밀링을 통해 나노 크기의 AZOB으로 변환된다. AZOB을 구성하는 일차 입자의 크기를 Debye-Scherrer 식에 의해 계산하였고 압축된 AZOB 펠렛의 표면 저항을 측정하였다.
마이크론 크기를 가지는 ITO(indium tin oxide) 입자들은 인듐과 틴의 수용성 전구체들과 유기 첨가제를 분무 열분해하여 얻었다. 유기 첨가제로서는 에틸렌글리콜과 시트르산을 이용하였다. 분무 열분해 시 에틸렌글리콜과 시트르산과 같은 유기첨가제를 첨가하지 않고 얻어진 ITO 입자들은 구형이며 속이 꽉찬 형태를 가지는데 비해 유기 첨가제를 첨가하여 분무 열분해를 하면 얻어지는 ITO 입자들은 유기 첨가제의 양이 증가 할수록 껍질이 얇고 다공성이 증대된 중공 입자가 얻어진다. 유기첨가제를 첨가하지 않고 분무 열분해를 통해 얻어지는 마이크론 크기를 가지는 ITO는 700℃에서 두 시간 동안의 후소성과 24 시간동안의 습식 볼밀링에 의해 나노 크기의 ITO로 전환되지 않으나, 유기첨가제를 첨가하고 분무 열분해를 통해 얻어지는 마이크론 크기를 가지는 ITO는 700℃에서 두 시간 동안의 후소성과 24 시간 동안의 습식 볼밀링에 의해 나노 크기의 ITO로 쉽게 전환되었다. 응집된 나노 크기의 ITO의 일차 입자의 크기를 Debye-Scherrer 식에 의해 계산하였고 ITO 입자를 압축하여 만든 펠렛의 표면저항을 측정하였다.
Much research into fuel cells operating at a temperature below 800℃. is being performed. There are sig-nificant efforts to replace the yttria-stabilized zirconia electrolyte with a doped ceria electrolyte that has high ionic con-ductivity even at a lower temperature. Even if the doped ceria electrolyte has high ionic conductivity, it also shows highelectronic conductivity in a reducing environment, therefore, when used as a solid electrolyte of a fuel cell, the power-generation efficiency and mechanical properties of the fuel cell may be degraded. In this study, gadolinium-doped ceriananopowder with Al2O3 and Mn2O3 as a reinforcing and electron trapping agents were synthesized by ultrasonic pyrol-ysis process. After firing, their microstructure and mechanical and electrical properties were investigated and comparedwith those of pure gadolinium-doped ceria specimen.