• Carbon letters
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.167-170
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• 2011

Petroleum pitch-based activated carbons (ACs) were obtained in this work from a combination of pretreatment with different amounts of potassium permanganate ($KMnO_4$) and chemical activation with potassium hydroxide. The surface characteristics of the pitch after the $KMnO_4$ pretreatment were characterized by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The structural characteristics of the pitch after the $KMnO_4$ pretreatment were determined by means of X-ray diffraction. The influence of the $KMnO_4$ treatment on the textural properties of the petroleum pitch-based ACs was investigated by means of $N_2$/77K adsorption isotherms. The investigation also involved the use of the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller equation and the Dubinin-Radushkevich method. The FT-IR results show that the pretreatment promotes the formation of surface oxygen functionalities and leads to an increase of the interplanar distance ($d_{002}$) of the functional groups induced between carbon layers. Moreover, the specific surface area of the pitch-based ACs increases in proportion to the amount of $KMnO_4$ pretreatment and reaches its highest value of 2334 $m^2$/g with 2 g of $KMnO_4$ because the surface oxygen groups of the pitch act as an active site during chemical activation.

• Carbon letters
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.275-282
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• 2008

Chemically activated carbons were prepared from maize cobs, using phosphoric acid of variable concentration. The textural parameters of the activated carbons were determined from the nitrogen adsorption isotherms measured at 77 K. The chemistry of the carbon surface was determined by measuring the surface pH, the pHPZC and the concentration of the carbon - oxygen groups of the acid type on the carbon surface. Kinetics of Cr(VI) sorption/reduction was investigated at 303 K. Two processes were investigated in terms of kinetics and equilibrium namely; Cr(VI) removal and chromium sorption were studied at various initial pH (1-7). Removal of Cr(VI) shows a maximum at pH 2.5. At pH<2.5, sorption decreases because of the proton competition with evolved Cr(III) for ion exchange sites. The decrease of sorption at pH>2.5 is due to proton insufficiency and to the decrease of the extent of Cr(VI) reduction. The chemistry of the surface of activated carbon is an important factor in determining its adsorption capacity from aqueous solutions particularly when the sorption process involves ion exchange.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.403.2-403.2
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• 2016

Porous materials play a significant role in energy storage and conversion applications such as catalyst support for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. In particular, hierarchical porous materials with both micropores (poresize, ${\delta}$ < 2 nm) and regularly arranged mesopores (2 nm < ${\delta}$ < 50 nm) are known to greatly enhance the efficiency of catalytic reactions by providing enormous surface area as well as fast mass transport channels for both reactants and products from/to active sites. Although it is generally agreed that the microscopic structure of the porous materials directly affects the performance of these catalytic reactions, neither detailed mechanisms nor fundamental understanding are available at hand. In this study, we propose an atomistic model of hierarchical nanostructured porous carbons (HNPCs) in molecular dynamics simulations. By performing a systematic study, we found that structural features of the HNPC can be independently altered by tuning specific synthesis parameters, while remaining other structures unchanged. In addition, we show some structure-property relations including mechanical and gas transport properties.

• Carbon letters
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.61-72
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• 2012

Dye removal from waste water via adsorption by activated carbons (ACs) developed from agricultural wastes represents an ideal alternative to other expensive treatment options. Physical and chemical ACs were prepared from rice husks. The textural properties of the ACs were characterized by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller-$N_2$ adsorption and scanning electron microscopy. The chemistry of the carbon surface was investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, base and acid neutralization capacities, pH of the active carbon slurry, and $pH_{pzc}$. The adsorption capacities of the ACs for the basic dye (methylene blue) and acid dye (acid green 25) were determined using parameters such as contact time, pH, and temperature. NaOH-ACs showed the highest surface area and total pore volume, whereas steam-ACs showed the lowest ones.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.237-244
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• 2014

We report novel and simple structure of supercapacitors fabricated by using flexible glass fibre separators as templates. This method does not require separate electrodes, binders and high pressure/temperature to build the supercapacitor unit cells as required by the conventional technology. The supercapacitors were fabricated by drop-casting solution mixtures of carbonaceous active materials/gel electrolytes onto two sides of glass fibre separators. Two carbonaceous materials (nanoscaled activated carbons, multi-walled carbon nanotubes) were investigated as electrode materials. The electrochemical measurements reveal that the separatorbased supercapacitors using ACs successfully demonstrated significant mass specific capacitance ($22.3F\;g^{-1}$) and energy density ($9.7Wh\;kg^{-1}$), indicating this method can be useful in fabricating flexible, wearable and stretchable energy storage devices in more straightforward and cost-effective way than current technology.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.1221-1228
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• 2005

Carbon electrode was applied to a wastewater treatment system as biofilm media. The spatial distribution of heterotrophic bacteria in aerobic wastewater biofilm grown on carbon electrode was investigated by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and biomass measurement. Five volts of electric oxidation and reduction potential were charged to the carbon anode and cathode of the bioelectrochemical system, respectively, but were not charged to electrodes of a conventional system. To correlate the biofilm architecture of bacterial populations with their activity, the bacterial treatment efficiency of organic carbons was measured in the bioelectrochemical system and compared with that in the conventional system. In the SEM image, the biofilm on the anodic medium of the bioelectrochemical system looked intact and active; however, that on the carbon medium of the conventional system appeared to be shrinking or damaging. In the AFM image, the thickness of biofilm formed on the carbon medium was about two times of those on the anodic medium. The bacterial treatment efficiency of organic carbons in the bioelectrochemical system was about 1.5 times higher than that in the conventional system. Some denitrifying bacteria can metabolically oxidize $H_{2}$, coupled to reduction of $NO_{3}^{-}\;to\;N_{2}$. $H_{2}$ was produced from the cathode in the bioelectrochemical system by electrolysis of water but was not so in the conventional system. The denitrification efficiency was less than $22\%$ in the conventional system and more than $77\%$ in the bioelectrochemical system. From these results, we found that the electrochemical coupling reactions between aerobic and anaerobic reactors may be a useful tool for improvement of wastewater treatment and denitrification efficiency, without special manipulations such as bacterial growth condition control, C/N ratio (the ratio of carbon to nitrogen) control, MLSS returning, or biofilm refreshing.

• Carbon letters
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.280-284
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• 2007

Samples of active carbon of $1150\;m^2/g$ surface area were impregnated with ammoniacal salts of copper, chromium and silver, with and without triethylenediamine. The samples of impregnated carbon were aged at $50^{\circ}C$, with and without 90% RH (relative humidity), for a little more than one year and chemically evaluated periodically. Initially copper (II) and chromium (VI) reduced very fast in the samples in humid atmosphere to the extent of 30% and 60% respectively in four months. These values were found to be unaffected by the presence of triethylenediamine (TEDA) indicating that the chemical did not retard the reduction process of chromium (VI) and copper (II). However, in the absence of humidity the reduction of the impregnants was significantly less (10-12%, w/w) in four months. It was quite evident; therefore, that the moisture was mainly responsible for the reduction of chromium (VI) and copper (II) species in impregnated carbons. The prolonged ageing of the samples with and without triethylenediamme after four months with and without humid atmosphere showed that the extent of reduction of chromium (VI) was very low, i.e. 5-10% and of copper (II) was 2-25%. Silver is not reduced due to carbon, as it remained unchanged in concentration on storage. The impregnated carbon samples (100 g) without triethylenediamine, which were aged at room temperature for 5 years in absence of humidity and unaged when evaluated against cyanogen chloride (CNCl) at a concentration of 4 mg/L and airflow rate of 30 lpm showed a high degree of protection (80- 110 minutes).

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.14-17
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• 1998

Mesophase pitch-based carbon fibers(MPCF) have been investigated as an anode active material for lithium ion secondary battery. Graphitized MPCF gives high discharge capacity and good Ah efficiency. MPCF/Li cell shows an initial discharge capacity of 300 mAh/g and Ah efficiency above $90\%$ at a current density of 25 mA/g at $0\~1$ V. Cylindrical lithium ion secondary battery was fabricated using mixed carbon anode and $LiCoO_2$, cathode. In order to improve the cyclability of lithiun ion secondary battery, other carbons were added to the MPCF up to $10wt\%$. The cycle performance of lithium ion secondary battery using mixed carbons was superior to those using graphitized MPCF.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.34-38
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• 1994

In order to investigate the structure-activity relationships of the stereoisomers of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, captopril and its derivatives were selected as model compounds. In vitro enzymatic activities of them depend on the symmetry at the asymmetric carbons. Especially, the alanyl carbon should have the S configuration to be biologically active. But the demethylated captopril having the achiral carbon also shows the activity although it is less active than captopril. Seven stereoisomers of captopril and its derivatives were chosen and their acidic and ionic forms were used for molecular dynamics simulations. Four computer simulations were practiced for each model compound in order to obtain the good condition for simulation to explain the experimental structure-activity relationships. From the computer simulation results, relativistic movements of three well-known pharmacophoric sites, carboxylate carbon, carbonyl oxygen, and sulfur atoms, were analyzed. Good results were obtained from the aqueous solution molecular dynamics simulation with ionic forms of model compounds. Active model compounds have the pharmacophoric areas of 6.08 to 6.38 $\AA$$^2$and the similarity in the geometrical data. But inactive ones have the largely deviated values of 4.51 to 4.87 $\AA$$^2$from those of active ones.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.218-224
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• 2008

Coal-, coconut- and wood-based activated carbons and anthracite were tested to evaluate adsorption and biodegradation performances of chloral hydrate. In the early stage of the operation, the adsorption was the main mechanism for the removal of chloral hydrate, however as increasing populations of attached bacteria, the bacteria played a major role in removing chloral hydrate in the activated carbon and anthracite biofilter. It was also investigated that chloral hydrate was readily subjected to biodegrade. The coal- and coconut-based activated carbons were found to be most effective adsorbents in adsorption of chloral hydrate. Highest populations and activity of attached bacteria were shown in the coal-based activated carbon. The populations and activity of attached bacteria decreased in the order: coconut-based activated carbon > wood-based activated carbon > anthracite. The attached bacteria was inhibited in the removal of chloral hydrate at temperatures below 10$^{\circ}C$. It was more active at higher water temperatures(20$^{\circ}C$ <) but less active at lower water temperature(10$^{\circ}C$>). The removal efficiencies of chloral hydrate obtained by using four different adsorbents were directly related to the water temperatures. Water temperature was the most important factor for removal of chloral hydrate in the anthracite biofilter because the removal of chloral hydrate depended mainly on biodegradation. Therefore, the main removal mechanism of chloral hydrate by applying activated carbon was both adsorption and biodegradation by the attached bacteria. The observation suggests that the application of coalbased activated carbon to the water treatment should be the best for the removal of chloral hydrate.