Nanotechnology is greatly attractive subject for many researchers due to the unique physical and chemical properties of the materials at the nanometer scale which can improve their performance in a variety of applications. Many researchers suggested that performance can be enhanced using various types of nanotechnologies such as nano-dot, nano-wire and nano-film. Unfortunately, most of them are difficult to use in real life because of their limitations of size. In this regard, studies using 3D nanostructures have attracted attention in that nanotechnology not only can improves performance in applications but also can be extended to practical use. However, the conventional method for fabricating 3D nanostructure such as layer-by-layer stacking of 2D nanostructures, forming irregular 3D porous nanostructures by utilizing gas and others has a problem in that it takes a lot of time and resources. In recent year, 3D nanopatterning techniques have been developed to fabricate 3D nanostructures in a fast, simple and reliable. Among them, the Proximity field nanoPatterning (PnP) technique use a phenomenon of optical interferences when light is transmitted through a 2D periodic nanostructures on phase mask to form a 3D nanopattern. In this dissertation, 3D nanostructures were applied to thermoelectric, piezoelectric and electrocatalytic applications. Firstly, the materials that can improve the performance through the 3D nanostructure were selected. After that, the selected materials were coated or deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) or electrodeposition on the 3D nanostructured polymer which is generated by PnP process as a template. And then, removing process were conducted. Finally, using 3D functional nanomaterials, the improvement of performance that can be expressed in nano-dots, nano-wires and nano-films ha been secured in a 3D nanostructure. These studies are meaningful in that they have established a bridgehead for bringing nanotechnology to practical use.
현재까지 나노점, 나노선, 나노박막등의 형태를 갖는 나노구조 소재들이 제시되어 여러 응용처에서 그 성능의 향상을 보고하였으나, 그 크기의 한계로 실제 일상생활에서 활용하기 힘든 기술들이 대부분이다. 3차원 나노구조를 활용한 연구들은 나노미터 수준에서 발현되는 성능의 향상을 실제 일상에서 사용 가능한 수준으로 확장할 수 있다는 점에서 주목 받아왔다. 본 학위논문에서는 에너지 전환 기술인 열전, 압전, 촉매 기술에 3차원 나노구조를 적용하여, 그 성능을 향상시키고자 하였다. 근접장 나노패터닝 기술을 활용하여 3차원 나노구조를 갖는 고분자 주형을 제작하였고, 원자층 증착법 및 도금법 등을 활용하여 적절한 소재들을 3차원 나노구조에 함침 시킨 후 주형을 제거함으로써 향상된 성능을 갖는 3차원 나노구조 소재를 확보할 수 있다. 따라서 나노점, 나노선, 나노박막 등에서 발현될 수 있는 성능의 향상을 3차원 나노구조에서도 확보하였다고 할 수 있으며, 각각의 응용처에서 실제 활용 가능성을 제시하였다.
