• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.83-89
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• 2022

Since the pandemic of COVID-19, active investigation to develop immunity to infectious disease by delivering nucleic acids has been proceeded. Particularly, many studies have been conducted on non-viral vector as several vital side-effects which were found on nucleic acid delivery system using viral vectors. In this study, we have developed plasmid DNA (pDNA) loaded-hyaluronic acid derivative (HA) coated-polyethyleneimine (PEI) based polyplex for enhanced nucleic acid delivery efficiency. We have optimized the ratio of pDNA : PEI : HA by measuring size and protein transcription efficiency. The final product, polyplex-HA, was characterized through measuring size, zeta-potential and TEM image. Intracellular uptake and protein transcription efficiency were compared to commercially available transfection reagent, lipofectamine, through fluorescence image and flow cytometry. In conclusion, polyplex-HA presents a novel gene delivery system for efficient and stable protein transcription since it is available for delivering various genetic materials and has less immunoreactivity.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.276-281
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• 2021

In order to manufacture a semiconductor circuit, etching, cleaning, and deposition processes are repeated. During these processes, the inside of the processing chamber is exposed to corrosive plasma. Therefore, the coating of the inner wall of the semiconductor equipment with a plasma-resistant material has been attempted to minimize the etching of the coating and particle contaminant generation. In this study, we synthesized yttrium oxyfluoride (YOF) powder by a solid-state reaction using Y₂O₃ and YF₃ as raw materials. Mixing ratio of the Y₂O₃ and YF₃ was varied from 1.0:1.0 to 1.0:1.6. Effects of the mixing ratio on crystal structure and microstructure of the synthesized YOF powder were investigated using XRD and FE-SEM. The synthesized YOF powder was successfully applied to plasma spray coating process on Al substrate.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.265-275
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• 2021

Findings of microplastics and nanoplastics from diverse natural environments have increased demand for research of the fate and transport of the potentially toxic plastic particles in soils and groundwater. Weathering of microplastics would generate a significant amount of nanoplastics, but nanoplastics research is scarce because of technical difficulties in detecting nanoplastics in environments and analyzing nanoplastics adsorption to mineral surfaces. In the current study, we tested a possibility using quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) for application to nanoplastics adsorption analysis on mineral surfaces. In silica (SiO₂)-packed column experiments, a measurable adsorption capacity for polystyrene nanoparticles often requires injection of unrealistically high ionic strengths or concentrated nanoplastic particles. The current test shows that QCM can measure polystyrene nanoplastics adsorbed onto SiO₂ surface under the low ionic strengths and nanoplastics concentrations, where typical column experiments cannot. QCM is a promising tool for understanding the interaction between nanoplastics and mineral surfaces and thus transport of nanoplastics in soils and groundwater.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.60 no.4
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• pp.564-573
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• 2022

Calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) exhibits three polymorphs: calcite with arhombohedral, vaterite with a spherical, and aragonite with a needle-like structure. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the morphology of CaCO₃ are very important to investigate the synthesis of single-crystal vaterite and aragonite. In this work, the polymorphs of calcium carbonate were quantitatively analyzed using XRD. Pure vaterite and pure aragonite were synthesized and the peak distribution of a single phase was analyzed. The vaterite fraction of a mixture of calcite and vaterite was calculated based on the intensity of a specific diffraction peak, and compared to the results based on the peak area. The mean value of f_sV (the correction factor for the peak area of vaterite) was 0.654. The phase analysis of calcite-aragonite mixtures was performed, and the mean value of f_sA (the correction factor for the peak area of aragonite) was obtained as 0.6713. Using these factors, Eq. (24)~Eq. (32) for the quantitative analysis based on the total peak area of XRD were derived to calculate the phase contents of ternary phase CaCO₃. And three-component XRD section was defined considering overlapping sections.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.126-132
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• 2022

Alkaline fuel cells using liquid fuels such as hydrazine and ammonia are gaining great attention as a clean and renewable energy solution possibly owing to advantages such as excellent energy density, simple structure, compact size in fuel container, and ease of storage and transportation. However, common shortcomings including cathode flooding, fuel crossover, side yield reactions, and fuel security and toxicity are still challenging issues. Real time monitoring of fuel concentrations integrated into a fuel cell device can help improving fuel cell performance via predicting any loss of fuels used at a cathode for efficient energy production. There have been extensive research efforts made on developing real-time sensing platforms for hydrazine and ammonia. Among these, recent advancements in electrochemical sensors offering high sensitivity and selectivity, easy fabrication, and fast monitoring capability for analysis of hydrazine and ammonia concentrations will be introduced. In particular, research trend on the integration of metallic and metal oxide nanoparticles and also their hybrids with carbon-based nanomaterials into electrochemical sensing platforms for improvement in sensitivity and selectivity will be highlighted.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.140-148
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• 2022

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of silver diamine fluoride (SDF) and potassium iodide (KI) on the formation of cariogenic biofilm and surface roughness in vitro. A total of 48 bovine dentin specimens with artificially induced caries were prepared and divided into 3 groups of 16: untreated control, SDF-treated, and SDF-treated followed by KI (SDFKI). Ten specimens from each group were used to observe microbial adhesion. Multispecies cariogenic biofilms including Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus casei, and Candida albicans were cultured on the specimens. Microbes were cultured for 24 hours, and the colony-forming unit was calculated. The remaining specimens were observed by atomic force microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The number of bacteria was significantly lower in the SDF and SDFKI groups. KI did not inhibit the antibacterial activity of SDF significantly. SEM images showed particles generated after SDF and SDFKI application were deposited on the dentin, but there was no significant difference in surface roughness between the 3 groups. This study confirmed that SDF and SDFKI application did not have a significant effect on the surface roughness of dentin, but effectively inhibited the formation of the early cariogenic bacterial film after 24 hours compared to the control.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.153-157
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• 2023

In order to manufacture a semiconductor circuit, etching, cleaning, and deposition processes are repeated. During these processes, the inside of the processing chamber is exposed to corrosive plasma. Therefore, the coating of the inner wall of the semiconductor equipment with a plasma-resistant material has been attempted to minimize the etching of the coating and particle contaminant generation. In this study, we mixed AlF₃ powder with the solid-state reacted yttrium oxyfluoride (YOF) in order to increase plasma-etching resistance of the plasma spray coated YOF layer. Effects of the mixing ratio of AlF₃ with YOF powder on crystal structure, microstructure and chemical composition were investigated using XRD and FE-SEM. The plasma-etching ratios of the plasma-spray coated layers were calculated and correlation with AlF₃ mixing ratio was analyzed.

• Clean Technology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2009

Catalytic hydrodechlorination of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) included in the transformer oil was carried out to detoxify PCBs and to recycle the treated oil. Catalysts such as 0.98 wt% Pt and 0.79 wt% Pd on ${\gamma}$-alumina (${\gamma}-Al_2O_3$) support, 12.8 wt% Ni on ${\gamma}-Al_2O_3$, and 57.6 wt% Ni on silica-alumina ($SiO_2-Al_2O_3$) support were used for the catalytic hydrodechlorination. Various supercritical fluids such as carbon dioxide, propane and isobutane were used as reaction media. The effects of reaction temperature, reaction time, catalysts, and supercritical fluids on the catalytic hydrodechlorination were examined in detail. The detoxification degree increased in the order of Ni > Pd > Pt. This is possibly due to higher metal loading and larger metal size of the Ni catalyst. Below $175^{\circ}C,\;scCO_2$ was found as the most effective reaction media for the catalytic hydrodechlorination of PCBs included in the transformer oil.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.48-56
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• 2024

In this study, physical property evaluation and physical separation of the target product were performed to investigate the possibility of using sewage sludge gasification solid residue (GSRs) as a circulating resource. Firstly, the GSRs used in this study was supplied by Sudokwon Landfill Management Corporation, and generally the GSRs was in the form of porous pellets with a particle size of several millimetres. In addition, the partially black areas were confirmed to be unburned and ungasified carbon, and the average carbon content was 5%. In addition, the content of silica, alumina and phosphorus oxide was more than 70% of the total content. It was confirmed that the metallic components of the wet grinding product were separated into individual elements. As a physical separation of metallic and non-metallic components was required, it was finally found that flotation screening was suitable. Accordingly, cationic and anionic surfactants were selected to separate metallic components in which a relatively large amount of non-metallic components were concentrated, and the separation characteristics were confirmed. As a result, it is expected that the concentration of non-metallic components such as silica, alumina and phosphorus will be easier than the separation of metallic components. Therefore, since it is possible to physically treat the gasified sludge residue, it is judged to have potential as a circular resource according to the proposed recycling method for the separated product.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.8
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• pp.594-607
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• 2024

Plastic products have long been widely used in both industrial and household applications. However, tiny plastic particles derived from plastic products, such as microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs), can infiltrate the human body through inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact. Once inside cells via endocytosis, MPs and NPs (MNPs) can trigger autophagy, but lysosomal dysfunction can block autophagic flux. Accumulating in the cytoplasm, these particles induce cellular stress, including oxidative stress from free radicals, mitochondrial dysfunction, and increased inflammatory response. Meanwhile, cellular senescence is a hallmark of aging and is defined as the stable termination of the cell cycle in response to cell damage and stress. In particular, the accumulation of oxidative stress, a key factor in inducing cellular senescence, induces the expression of major senescence markers. Senescent cells increase the secretion of senescence-associated secretory phenotype, including inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Despite growing interest in how MNPs induce cellular senescence, there remains a gap regarding their onset and therapeutic targets. Therefore, this review focuses on identifying recent research trends on how MNPs induce cellular aging in key human cell types and proposes future research directions to overcome these challenges.