Papers by Author: S.H. Woo

Abstract: In this study, the colloidal stability and sedimentation behavior of crystalline TiO2 particles (∼300nm) in various organic solvents have been investigated by means of a backscattered light flux profile (Turbiscan) and a zeta potential measurement. The backscattered light flux profiles revealed that the TiO2 nanoparticles were readily sedimented in water, methyl alcohol, and ethyl alcohol due to a flocculation-induced particle growth, while a particle coalescence and a sedimentation of the TiO2 nanoparticles were hardly observed in isopropyl alcohol. The measured ζ potentials verified the differences of the colloidal stabilities of the TiO2 particles in the organic solvents, showing a good correlation with the migration velocity.

Abstract: Fe-doped TiO2 nanocrystalline powders were prepared by mechanical alloying (MA) by varying Fe contents up to 8.0 wt.%. The TEM analyses were carried out to clarify morphologies and position of Fe within the mechanically alloyed powders. The Fe-doped powder consisted of spherical particles, and the average grain size was less than 10 nm. For the Fe-doped TiO2, the color of the powders changed from white to bright yellow with increasing concentration of Fe. The UVvis absorption showed that the UV absorption for the Fe-doped powder shifted to a longer wavelength (red shift) and the photo-efficiency was enhanced. The absorption threshold depends on the concentration of nano-sized Fe dopant. Mössbauer spectrum for 4 wt.% Fe showed the ferromagnetic phase (sextet) and paramagnetic phase (doublet). However, the only paramagnetic phase (doublet) was seen for 8 wt.% Fe. As the Fe concentration increased up to 4 wt.%, the UV-vis absorption and the magnetization were increased. The beneficial effect of Fe doping for photocatalysis and ferromagnetism was observed at the critical dopant concentration of 4 wt.%. Based on the UV absorption and magnetization, the dopant level was localized to the valence band of TiO2.

Abstract: Aluminum hydroxides were synthesized by a simple electrolytic reaction of aluminum plates. The aluminum monohydroxide, boehmite(AlO(OH)), was predominantly formed by the application of an electrical potential above 30V, while the mixture of the bayerite(Al(OH)3) and boehmite(AlO(OH)) phases were formed below 20V. The boehmite has a clear fibrous structure which is controlled on a nanometer scale. On the contrary, the bayerite consists of the typical hourglass or semi-hourglass shaped coarse crystals as a result of an aggregation of the various crystals stacked together. The specific surface area of the boehmite nanofiber was remarkably high, reaching about 300m2/g.

Abstract: Crystalline TiO2 particles with a diameter of 300nm were obtained from aqueous TiOCl2 solution with 0.67M Ti4+ concentration, diluted by TiCl4 solution using the homogeneous spontaneous precipitation process. Dispersion stability of rutile TiO2 powder with acicular typed primary particles has been investigated in both aqueous and organic media. In this paper, we focus on the TiO2 suspension stability in aqueous and organic media using a recently developed optical analyzer(Turbiscan) and Zeta potential analyzer. The surface potentials of TiO2 particles were greatly modified by dispersion medium and valance of the ionic species, which governs the colloidal behavior of TiO2 particles virtually.