Papers by Author: Daisuke Tokozakura

Abstract: The formation of hollow zinc oxide has been studied by oxidation and subsequent thermal treatment of nanometer-sized zinc particles using in-situ TEM. The zinc particles produced under UHV condition were exposed to air at room temperature for 0.6 ks, which resulted in the formation of oxide layer with thickness of 3 nm. Subsequent heating inside UHV chamber of TEM induced the evaporation of the inner zinc, which resulted in the formation of hollow zinc oxide. The produced hollow zinc oxide had the wurtzite structure. Based upon the vapor pressure of the inner zinc, it seems reasonable to consider that the internal zinc vapor leaks away through the interface between the oxide layer and the amorphous carbon film used as a supporting substrate.

Abstract: Oxidation behavior of Cu nanoparticles in the formation process of hollow Cu2O spheres was investigated by TEM. The thickness of Cu2O layers on Cu nanoparticles oxidized at 323 K in air was measured as a function of oxidation time. At the initial stage of oxidation until the oxide film with 2.5 nm in thickness is formed, the thickness of oxide films on Cu nanoparticles with the diameter of 10, 20 and 35 nm shows a nearly equal value regardless of diameter of Cu. After the formation of 2.5 nm layer, however, the growth rate of the oxide films on smaller nanoparticles becomes slower than that on larger nanoparticles. This result suggests that the voids formed at the Cu/Cu2O interface prevent Cu atoms from diffusing outward across the interface because the volume ratio of voids to inner Cu in smaller nanoparticles is much larger than that in larger nanoparticles.

Abstract: Formation of hollow structure through oxidation of Al nanoparticles was studied by applying transmission electron microscopy. Al nanoparticles 6~8 nm in diameter were observed to become hollow particles after having been exposed to air at 295 K for a few minutes. An analysis of the Debye-Sherrer rings in the selected area diffraction patterns before and after oxidation showed that hollow oxide nanoparticles are amorphous. The formation mechanisms of hollow oxide are discussed based on the low-temperature oxidation mechanism of Al and on the comparison with our previous results of hollow ZnO formation via oxidation of Zn nanoparticles.