A porous-TiO₂ layer was formed using a non-equilibrium planar plasma under atmospheric pressure. With a planar plasma, which decayed rapidly on the electrode in air, a small amount of plasma was supplied to the titanium–peroxo complex precursor pre-coated on a substrate during film formation. However, by applying a magnetic field to the plasma, the spatial distribution was expanded to reach the bulk of the precursor layer, and the oxidation process was accelerated under a nitrogen and oxygen mixture gas flow. We found that active N–O plasma species induced under a high nitrogen gas concentration played an important role in oxidizing and crystallizing the precursor to the anatase TiO₂ phase. The precursor was employed as a binder to promote the necking process between the TiO₂ particles to form a porous layer. A dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) fabricated with a porous-TiO₂ layer showed a maximum conversion efficiency of 3.9 %. Although the photovoltaic performance was lower than that of a general DSSC, a practical plastic substrate is acceptable in this low-temperature film formation technique, which will be developed into a convenient tool to produce a DSSC for daily use.

The study aimed to prepare Al₂O₃ nanoparticles (NPs) from aluminum wastes (originate from aluminum workshops as waste) and tested its antimicrobial activity against bacteria (Gram-negative): Escherichia coli ATCC25922, Salmonella Typhimurium ATCC14028, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC27853, Alcaligenes aquatilis and bacteria (Gram-positive): Staphylococcus aureus ATCCBAA977 and Streptococcacea pneumonia ATCC49619, types of Fungal Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium sp. The nanomaterial prepared were confirmed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scan electron microscope (SEM) with Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX) techniques. The structural refinement of this material has been achieved by the Rietveld method. The shape, the cell parameters and the atomic positions were deduced for each allotropy form appearing at different calcination temperature (700–1300 °C) with particle size less than 100 nm. Results obtained by XRD denoted that alumina that obtained is crystallite nano-particles, with size ranged from 15 nm at 90 °C to 50 nm at 1300 °C, that confirms that calcination temperature direct influences the crystallite growth. EDX analyses show only the presence of two peaks for aluminum and oxygen. The aluminum NPs had antimicrobial activities. The diameter of the inhibitory zone shows the sensitivity of the microorganism to Al₂O₃ NPs especially at 30 % dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of Al₂O₃ NPs increases with decreasing of the DMSO concentration.

The force applied between two atoms is fitted by a sine curve as a function of bonding distance. The Young’s modulus (E) derived from this model is analyzed for heating temperature (T) of material. The dE/dT value is controlled by the summation of kβ + dk/dT, where k is the force constant of a spring binding two atoms and β is the linear thermal expansion coefficient. The derived dE/dT equation is expressed with four factors of C_p, dC_p/dT, β and dβ/dT, where C_p is the specific heat capacity under atmospheric pressure. The decrease in dE/dT is prevented in the material with a small C_p and a small dβ/dT at a given temperature. The experimentally measured dE/dT for dense mullite material (3Al₂O₃·2SiO₂) is well explained by comparing with the proposed dE/dT curve as a function of ε/β ratio with dimension of temperature (ε: thermal strain). The theoretical equation of dE/dT is compared with the reported empirical equation to reveal the factors included in the empirical parameters treated as experimental constants.

High hydrogen storage in the matrix has always been regarded as the goal for energy applications. However, the exploration of the hydrogen storage material should concentrate on not only the maximum of the hydrogen storage but also the residual apart of the hydrogen under the ambient conditions after the benefit conditions. Herein, the center of this research is the releasing ability of the solid matrix under ambient conditions, aimed at further the utilization in various situations. Nanoporous carbon (NPC) fabricated via alkali-activation from rice husk was chosen as an adsorbent, considered a promising, safer, convenient hydrogen gas delivery technology. Their textural properties, such as porosity and specific surface area, were evaluated to connect with the amount of hydrogen released in water. These carbon materials possess a high specific surface area of up to 3000 m²/g and large pore volumes of up to 3.03 cm³/g, with a typical hysteresis exhibited between the adsorption and desorption isotherms after the activation. Furthermore, NPC holds an excellent hydrogen storage ability of 2.96–3.12 wt % at 0.1 MPa, 77 K. 0.89 % of the residual hydrogen was entrapped in NPC after being loaded at the pressure of 12 MPa, with the maximum amount released of 6500 ppm (1.4 × 10⁻³ wt %). A close relationship between hydrogen releasing ability and these textural properties was exhibited. The development of porosity and specific surface area caused by activation appears to optimize the entrapment of hydrogen not only under the pressurization but also after pressure off-loaded.

Crystalline calcium carbonate was deposited on various substrates (substrate temperature of 80 °C) from a saturated calcium hydrogen carbonate solution (solution temperature of 10 °C). A single aragonite phase deposited on the Al substrate, whereas a mixed phase of aragonite and calcite grew on the soda lime glass, borosilicate glass, silica glass, and polycarbonate substrates. With increasing deposition time, the crystal size and the proportion of calcite on the soda lime silicate glass substrate increased. Furthermore, calcite crystals were preferentially deposited on an Al substrate with a thin film of Au as a buffer layer (Au/Al substrate).

An Y-doped Σ7{4510}[0001] Al₂O₃ grain boundary was fabricated by the bicrystal method. The grain boundary segregation structure was studied using atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. It was found that the atomic structure of the Y-doped grain boundary differs from that of the non-doped grain boundary, indicating that Y doping induced the structural transformation from asymmetrical shape to symmetrical shape in the grain boundary core. Apart from Y, impurities of Ca were also segregated at the grain boundary. Both Y³⁺ and Ca²⁺ are segregated at the same atomic columns in the grain boundary, mainly due to their larger ionic size compared with Al³⁺. In addition, valence electron energy loss spectroscopy measurements indicate that the bandgap energy of the doped grain boundary is about 0.5 eV smaller than that of the pristine grain boundary.

To reveal the origin of coloration in Kasama celadon glazes, the valencies and local coordination structures of Fe in the celadon glaze specimens were evaluated by X-ray absorption fine structure measurements. Specimens were fabricated by a heating-cooling process [oxidation-oxidation (OFOF), reduction–oxidation (RFOF), or reduction-reduction (RFRF)], and exhibited two colors (yellow: OFOF specimens, light blue: RFOF and RFRF specimens). Pre-edge features of their X-ray absorption near edge structure spectra were measured to investigate the valency and local coordination structures of Fe in each specimen. The yellow and light-blue colors originated from FeO₄ tetrahedra with Fe in the +3 and +2 oxidation states, respectively.

Micron-sized flower-like particles with plate-like titania petals were prepared by acid and posthydrothermal treatment of flower-like lithium titanate hydrate (LTH). Hydrolysis of titanium alkoxide and ethanol washing were used to create porous hydrous titania particles with spherical shapes. Hydrothermal treatment in LiOH aqueous solution resulted in the formation of plate-like crystals of LTH on hydrous titania particles. Li ions were removed with maintaining the appearance of the original flower-like particles by stirring in 0.1 M hydrochloric acid. In addition, the crystallinity of the particles as anatase was improved by hydrothermal treatment in pure water. Although having a micron-order size, the obtained particles showed almost the same photodegradation ability of Evans blue under ultraviolet irradiation as AEROXIDE^® TiO₂ P25.