Chongmu Lee

Size-dependent light-scattering effects of nanoporous TiO2 spheres in dye-sensitized solar cells

Submicron-sized monodispersed TiO2 spheres (SPs) with high porosity were synthesized by a controlled hydrolysis of titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) and subsequent hydrothermal treatment at 230 °C. By adjusting the ratio of TTIP to water (the r-factor) in the hydrolysis reaction, the diameters of SPs were selectively controlled to 260, 350, 450, 560, 800, and 980 nm. The prepared SPs in the pure anatase phase were highly porous structures with crystallite sizes of ∼15 nm and surface areas of 101–121 m2g−1. The synthesized nanoporous SPs in different sizes were then applied as the light-scattering layer (LSL) of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) for efficient utilization of solar spectrum, and the size-dependent light-scattering effects of those SPs were systematically investigated. The 450 nm sized SP (SP450) provided the highest light-scattering efficiency among those in the 260–800 nm range. Relatively higher efficiency is caused by the characteristic light-scattering effect based on its unique diameter and also by the photonic reflection effect originating from its size-uniformity and long-range ordering. As a result the photovoltaic conversion efficiency (η) of DSC was improved from 6.92 to 9.04% with introducing the nanoporous SP450 as LSL.

UV-enhanced NO2 gas sensing properties of SnO2-core/ZnO-shell nanowires at room temperature.

SnO2-core/ZnO-shell nanowires were synthesized using a two-step process: the synthesis of SnO2 nanowires by the thermal evaporation of Sn powders followed by the atomic layer deposition of ZnO. The room temperature NO2 gas sensing properties of the nanowires under ultraviolet (UV) illumination were examined. The cores and shells of the nanowires were primitive tetragonal-structured single crystal SnO2 and wurtzite-structured single crystal ZnO, respectively. The responses of multiple networked SnO2 nanowire sensors were increased 2-3-fold at NO2 concentrations ranging from 1 to 5 ppm by encapsulating the nanowires with ZnO. The SnO2-core/ZnO-shell nanowire sensors showed a remarkably enhanced response under UV illumination. The sensing mechanism of the core/shell nanowires under UV illumination is also discussed.

Synthesis of Nanograined ZnO Nanowires and Their Enhanced Gas Sensing Properties

Polycrystalline ZnO nanowires with grain sizes ranging from 20 to 100 nm were synthesized using a newly designed two-step process: (first step) synthesis of ZnSe nanowires by vapor transportation of a mixture of ZnSe powders; and (second step) thermal oxidation of the ZnSe nanowires at 650 °C. Compared to the single-crystal ZnO nanowire gas sensors and other nanomaterial gas sensors reported previously, the multiple networked nanowire gas sensors fabricated from the nanograined ZnO nanowires showed substantially enhanced electrical responses to NO2 gas at 300 °C. The NO2 gas sensing properties of the nanograined ZnO nanowires increased dramatically with increasing NO2 concentration. The multiple-networked nanograined ZnO nanowire sensor showed a response value of 237,263% at 10 ppm NO2 and 300 °C, whereas the single-crystal ZnO nanowire sensors showed a response of only 6.5% under the same conditions. The recovery time of the nanograined ZnO nanowire sensor was much shorter than that of the normal ZnO nanowire sensor over the NO2 concentration range of 1-10 ppm, even though the response time of the former was somewhat longer than that of the latter. The origin of the enhanced NO2 gas sensing properties of the nanograined ZnO nanowire sensor is discussed.

Formation of efficient dye-sensitized solar cells by introducing an interfacial layer of long-range ordered mesoporous TiO2 thin film.

Long-range ordered cubic mesoporous TiO 2 films with 300 nm thickness were fabricated on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate by evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) process using F127 as a structure-directing agent. The prepared mesoporous TiO 2 film (Meso-TiO 2) was applied as an interfacial layer between the nanocrystalline TiO 2 film (NC-TiO 2) and the FTO electrode in the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). The introduction of Meso-TiO 2 increased J sc from 12.3 to 14.5 mA/cm (2), and V oc by 55 mV, whereas there was no appreciable change in the fill factor (FF). As a result, the photovoltaic conversion efficiency ( eta) was improved by 30.0% from 5.77% to 7.48%. Notably, introduction of Meso-TiO 2 increased the transmittance of visible light through the FTO glass by 23% as a result of its excellent antireflective role. Thus the increased transmittance was a key factor in enhancing the photovoltaic conversion efficiency. In addition, the presence of interfacial Meso-TiO 2 provided excellent adhesion between the FTO and main TiO 2 layer, and suppressed the back-transport reaction by blocking direct contact between the electrolyte and FTO electrode.

Synthesis, Structure, and Ethanol Gas Sensing Properties of In2O3 Nanorods Decorated with Bi2O3 Nanoparticles

Bi2O3-decorated In2O3 nanorods were synthesized using a one-step process, and their structure, as well as the effects of decoration of In2O3 nanorods with Bi2O3 on the ethanol gas-sensing properties were examined. The multiple networked Bi2O3-decorated In2O3 nanorod sensor showed responses of 171-1774% at ethanol concentrations of 10-200 ppm at 200 °C. The responses of the Bi2O3-decorated In2O3 nanorod sensor were stronger than those of the pristine-In2O3 nanorod sensors by 1.5-4.9 times at the corresponding concentrations. The two sensors exhibited short response times and long recovery times. The optimal Bi concentration in the Bi2O3-decorated In2O3 nanorod sensor and the optimal operation temperature of the sensor were 20% and 200 °C, respectively. The Bi2O3-decorated In2O3 nanorod sensor showed selectivity for ethanol gas over other gases. The origin of the enhanced response, sensing speed, and selectivity for ethanol gas of the Bi2O3-decorated In2O3 nanorod sensor to ethanol gas is discussed.

Role of the Interfaces in Multiple Networked One-Dimensional Core–Shell Nanostructured Gas Sensors

This study examined the gas sensing mechanism of multiple networked core-shell nanowire sensors. The ethanol gas sensing properties of In2O3/ZnO core-shell nanowires synthesized by the thermal evaporation of indium powder in an oxidizing atmosphere followed by the atomic layer deposition of ZnO were examined as an example. The pristine In2O3 nanowires and In2O3-core/ZnO-shell nanowires exhibited responses of ∼30% and ∼196%, respectively, to 1000 ppm ethanol at 300 °C. The response of the core-shell nanostructures to ethanol also showed a strong dependence on the shell layer width. The strongest response to ethanol was obtained with a shell layer thickness of ∼44 nm corresponding to 2λD, where λD is the Debye length of ZnO. The enhanced sensing properties of the core-shell nanowires toward ethanol can be explained based on the potential barrier-controlled carrier transport model combined with the surface depletion model; the former is predominant over the latter.

Diffusion barrier and electrical characteristics of a self-aligned MgO layer obtained from a Cu(Mg) alloy film

Diffusion barrier characteristics and electrical properties of self-aligned MgO layers obtained from a Cu(Mg) alloy film have been investigated. Self-aligned surface and interfacial MgO layers were formed upon annealing a Cu(Mg) film in an oxygen ambient and prevented interdiffusion of Cu in SiO2 up to 700 °C. The thermal stability of a pure Cu/TiN/Si multilayer system has been significantly enhanced up to 800 °C by the MgO layers by forming a MgO/Cu/MgO/TiN/Si multilayer system. A combined structure of Si3N4(500 A)/MgO(100 A) increased the breakdown voltage up to 20 V from 15 V and reduced the leakage current density down to 3×10−9 A/cm2 from 1×10−8 A/cm2 compared to a pure copper system. Consequently, the deposition of Cu(Mg) alloy followed by annealing in an oxygen ambient gives rise to the formation of a self-aligned MgO layer with excellent diffusion barrier and electrical characteristics and the film can be applied as a gate electrode in thin-film transistor/liquid-crystal displays, resulting in a r...

Porous silicon nanoparticles for cancer photothermotherapy

The in vitro cell tests and in vivo animal tests were performed to investigate the feasibility of the photothermal therapy based on porous silicon (PSi) in combination with near-infrared (NIR) laser. According to the Annexin V- fluorescein isothiocyanate Apoptosis assay test results, the untreated cells and the cells exposed to NIR laser without PSi treatment had a cell viability of 95.6 and 91.3%, respectively. Likewise, the cells treated with PSi but not with NIR irradiation also had a cell viability of 74.4%. Combination of these two techniques, however, showed a cell viability of 6.7%. Also, the cell deaths were mostly due to necrosis but partly due to late apoptosis. The in vivo animal test results showed that the Murine colon carcinoma (CT-26) tumors were completely resorbed without nearly giving damage to surrounding healthy tissue within 5 days of PSi and NIR laser treatment. Tumors have not recurred at all in the PSi/NIR treatment groups thereafter. Both the in vitro cell test and in vivo animal test results suggest that thermotherapy based on PSi in combination with NIR laser irradiation is an efficient technique to selectively destroy cancer cells without damaging the surrounding healthy cells.

Porous silicon as an agent for cancer thermotherapy based on near-infrared light irradiation†

In recent years, new thermotherapies based on nanoshells and more recently single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in combination with near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation have received significant attention as efficient techniques to destroy cancer cells selectively. Very recently we have reported that porous silicon (PSi) can also be utilized as a therapeutic agent that generates heat sufficient to kill cancer cells without toxicity upon exposure to NIR light. In this paper, we report the heat generation abilities of a PSi suspension, a PSi/NaCl suspension and a PSi/phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) suspension during continuous irradiation with NIR light and the in vitrocell test results obtained by using thermotherapy based on PSi and NIR light irradiation. The PSi/NaCl suspension showed heat generation ability superior to those of the PSi suspension and PSi/PBS suspension. The temperature of the PSi/NaCl suspension was elevated to 55 and 76 °C after 3 and 20 min NIR irradiation at 300 mW cm−2, respectively, while that of the control was elevated to 31 and 39 °C after 3 and 20 min, respectively. In vitrocell test results suggest that thermotherapy based on PSi in combination with NIR light irradiation is an efficient technique to destroy cancer cells selectively without damaging the surrounding healthy cells and that heterochromatic NIR radiation can also be utilized successfully for this purpose.

Factors Affecting Passivation of Cu(Mg) Alloy Films

Variables affecting the passivation capability of Cu(Mg) alloy films, which were sputter deposited from a Cu (4.5 atom %) target, have been investigated. As-deposited Cu(Mg)/SiO 2 /Si multilayer samples were annealed for 30 min in various oxygen ambients at pressures ranging from 10 mTorr to 30 Torr and at various temperatures in the 200-800°C range. The results show that the passivation capability of a Cu(Mg) alloy film is a function of annealing temperature, O 2 pressure, and Mg content in the film. Increasing the annealing temperature favors formation of a dense MgO layer on the surface. Decreasing the O 2 pressure enhances the preferential oxidation of Mg over Cu. Furthermore, increasing the Mg content in the Cu(Mg) film promotes formation of a dense MgO layer. Vacuum preannealing before taking the as-deposited samples to O 2 annealings was found to be very effective in segregating Mg to the surface, facilitating the passivation capability of the Cu(Mg) alloy film even when the Mg content is low. In the current study, self-aligned MgO layers with low resistivity and an effective passivation capability over the Cu surface have been obtained by manipulating these factors when Cu(Mg) thin films are annealed.