• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.45-50
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• 2023

Microfluidic preconcentration technologies, which collect or extract low-abundance analytes in a specific location, have been spotlighted in various applications such as medical and bio-engineering. Here, we conducted extensive studies on the variables to be considered when concentrating target samples based on electrophoresis in an electromembrane system utilizing an ion exchange membrane. Using negatively charged Alexa Fluor 488 and positively charged Rhodamine 6G as fluorescent dyes, we examined the effects of flow velocity of the main channel, channel electrolyte concentration, and applied voltage on sample preconcentration. As a result, it was found that the preconcentration of the target sample occurs much better when the flow velocity is slow and the concentration of the main channel containing the sample is high, given that the channel concentration ratio (main and buffer) is constant. In addition, based on the experimental data acquired in this study, the electrophoretic mobility values of Alexa Fluor 488 and Rhodamine 6G were experimentally calculated and compared.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.3-19
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• 2022

Electro-membrane technology is a process for separating and purifying substances in aqueous solution by electric energy using an ion exchange membrane with selective permeability, such as electrodialysis (ED) and bipolar electrodialysis (BMED). Electro-membrane technology is attracting attention as an environmental friendly technology because it does not generate by-products during the process and the recovered base or acid can be reused during the process. In this paper, we investigate the principles of ED and BMED technologies and various characteristics and problems according to the cell configuration. In particular, by investigating and analyzing research cases related to the treatment of waste sodium sulfate (Na₂SO₄), which is generated in large amounts during the metal recovery process.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2023

The electromembrane process, which has advantages such as scalability, sustainability, and eco-friendliness, is used in renewable energy fields such as fuel cells and reverse electrodialysis power generation. Most of the research to visualize the internal flow in the electromembrane process has mainly been conducted on heterogeneous ion exchange membranes, because of the non-uniform swelling characteristics of the homogeneous membrane. In this study, we successfully visualize the electro-convective vortices near the Nafion homogeneous membrane in PDMS-based microfluidic devices. To reinforce the mechanical rigidity and minimize the non-uniform swelling characteristics of the homogeneous membrane, a newly developed swelling supporter was additionally adapted to the Nafion membrane. Thus, a clear image of electroconvective vortices near the Nafion membrane could be obtained and visualized. As a result, we observed that the heterogeneous membrane has relatively stronger electroconvective vortices compared to the Nafion homogeneous membranes. Regarding electrical response, the Nafion membrane has a higher limiting current and less overlimiting current compared to the heterogeneous membrane. Based on our visualization, it is assumed that the heterogeneous membrane has more activated electroconvective vortices, which lower electrical resistance in the overlimiting current regime. We anticipate that this work can contribute to the fundamental understanding of the ion transport characteristics depending on the homogeneity of ion exchange membranes.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.272-278
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• 2023

In this study, we analyzed the effects of current density and electroosmotic phenomena on the desalination performance of electrodialysis (ED). We conducted ED experiments under constant voltage conditions, changing the concentration of the concentrate solution from 10 to 200 g/L. During the ED operation, we measured the current density and charge supplied to the stack, the concentration of the diluted and concentrated solutions, and the amount of water transported by electroosmosis to analyze desalination performance. As the concentration of the concentrated solution increased, the selectivity of the ion exchange membrane decreased, resulting in a decrease in current efficiency. Moreover, the current efficiency was found to be influenced by the current density supplied. When the current density exceeded 15 mA/cm², back diffusion of ions was suppressed, leading to an increase in current efficiency. We also investigated the specific water transport by electroosmosis during the ED operation. We found that the amount of water transported increased proportionally to the concentration ratio of the concentrated and diluted solutions. When the concentration ratio exceeded 100, the specific water transport rapidly increased due to osmotic pressure, making it challenging to obtain a concentrated solution greater than 200 g/L.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.66-74
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• 2000

In consideration that a high tensile strength and ion exchange capacity are maintained as the swelling of membrane is controlled by the coagulation of PSf with the introduction of ion exchange groups and PPSS without the introduction of ion exchange groups, the block copolymer of PSf and PPSS were synthesized. The cation exchange membrane was prepared by sulfonation with CSA and casted. The synthesized block copolymer and cation exchange membrane were characterized by FT-IR and their thermal stability was confirmed by TGA. The optimum sulfonation could be accomplished at a mole ratio of BPSf to CSA 1:3. The best electrochemical properties obtained by the optimal condition were area resistance of 4.37 $\Omega$ㆍ$\textrm{cm}^2$, ion exchange capacity of 1.71 meq/g dry membrane, water content of 0.2941 g $H_2O$/g dry membrane, and fixed ion concentration of 5.81 meq/g $H_2O$. When GBL was used as an additive, area resistance was increased by 13.7 % and ion exchange capacity was increased by 14.6%. When the membrane was fabricated in a form of composite using non woven cloth as a support. the tensile strength of membrane could be improved, but the electrochemical characteristics were not influenced.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.434-440
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• 2017

Electrical impedance spectroscopy is used to detect membrane fouling in-situ in reverse electrodialysis. The impedance data for the AMX membrane being fouled in the reverse electrodialysis are plotted and analyzed by Nyquist and admittance method. The meaningful graphical analyses for the fouling phenomena could be done by both Nyquist and admittance method. In addition, the unstable initial fouling stage was identified by the admittance data with high standard deviation, and the structural change of the fouling layer formed at the surface of anion-exchange membranes with the operation time of reverse electrodialysis was also detected.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.563-566
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• 2013

We investigated the variation of anion exchange membrane of hydrogen generator of alkaline electrolysis. We detected the variation of elements and change of anion exchange membrane using EDS and FE-SEM. We detected two different sites of membrane because of different structure of membrane. $Sp_1$ shows that the distribution ratio of C, O, Al is 98% very higher than $Sp_2$ of 78%. Especially, the main elements of STS316 which is P, S, Fe, Ni were more detected at $Sp_2$ than $Sp_1$. We think that this result depends on the structure of membrane. This also affect the resistance, lifetime of membrane and decrease the efficiency of hydrogen production. We hope that this article is a foundation of developing of hydrogen production technology.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.151-157
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• 2011

Crosslinked SPEEK/PVDF membrane were prepared by EB radiation method with various contents of PVDF. The prepared membranes were subjected to a comparative study of proton exchange membranes for fuel cell appreciations. The crosslinked SPEEK/PVDF membranes were characterized by using DMA, DSC and SAXS. The DMA data indicate that the ionic modulus values and cluster $T_g$ decrease with increasing PVDF content. Thus, it was suggested that the number of clustering in the crosslinked membranes can be reduced with increasing PVDF content. The DSC results were shown that the degree of crystalline of the membrane increased with increasing PVDF content. The morphology of the crosslinkied membranes was shown that with increasing PVDF content, the number of crystalline domain of the SPEEK/PVDF membranes increased but ionic aggregation of the membranes decreased. The water uptake behavior, ionic exchange capacity (IEC) and proton conductivity were decreased with increasing PVDF content. The overall findings suggest that the crosslinked membranes offer the possibility for improving the performance of PEMFC, provided that the membranes have thermal and hydration stability.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 1995

The effect of operating conditions on separation of soybean proteins in a home-made free-flow electrophoresis apparatus was investigated. Measurement of the pH, conductivity, and UV-absorbance(280 nm) were carried out at each run and the purity of the sample was tested with SDS-PAGE analysis. The soybean extract pretreated with Tris and boric acid was mixed with the amino acids composed of glutamic acid, histidine, arginine, glycine(1 mM each) with glycyl-glycine(2mM) and KCl(1mM). When the cellulose acetate was used as a compartment between the electrode and the buffer solution in the cell, pH distribution in the separation cell varied from 3.0 at the anodic side to 8.0 at the cathodic side and had two inflection point. The applied voltage was from 300V to 1000V and the separation was better at a higher voltage but the voltage was limited by the capability of the cooling system due to Joule heat. The proteins focused near the middle of the channel. From the change of pH and conductivity it was found that the ions in the channel moved out to the electrodes through the membrane. In the case when the concentration of the buffer solution was increased 5 times, proteins were focused at 300V. We could not increase up to the ten times of the concentration since the temperature difference between inlet and outlet was more than $25^{\circ}C$ and denaturation of proteins was expected. When ion-exchange membranes were used U-type pH distribution was set up due to the ionic polarization near the membrane. The commercial ampholytes, instead of the mixed amino acids showed not much improvements in purity of the separated sample.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.463-471
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• 2014

While poly(styrene)-based anion exchange membranes have the advantage like easy and simple manufacturing process, they also possess the disadvantage of poor durability due to their brittleness. Acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber was used here as an additive to make the membranes have improved flexibility and durability. For the preparation of the anion exchange membranes, a PP mesh substrate was immersed into monomer solutions with vinylbenzyl chloride, styrene, divinylbenzene and benzoyl peroxide, then thermally polymerized & crosslinked. The prepared membranes were subsequently post-aminated using trimethylamine to result in $-N+(CH_3)_3$ group-containing composite membranes. Various contents of vinylbenzyl chloride and acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber were investigated to optimize the membrane properties and the prepared membranes were evaluated in terms of water content, ion exchange capacity and electric resistance. It was found that the optimized composite membranes showed higher IEC and lower electric resistance than a commercial anion exchange membrane(AMX) and have excellent flexibility and durability.