• Clean Technology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 2023

To investigate the effects of Mg addition at different aging times and temperatures, Cu/MgO/Al₂O₃ catalysts were synthesized for the low-temperature water gas shift (LT-WGS) reaction. The co-precipitation method was employed to prepare the catalysts with a fixed Cu amount of 30 mol% and varied amounts of Mg/Al. Synthesized catalysts were characterized using XRD, BET, and H₂-TPR analysis. Among the prepared catalysts, the highest CO conversion was achieved by the Cu/MgO/Al₂O₃ catalyst (30/40/30 mol%) with a 60 ℃ aging temperature and a 24 h aging time under a CO₂-rich feed gas. Due to it having the lowest reduction temperature and a good dispersion of CuO, the catalyst exhibited around 65% CO conversion with a gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) of 14,089 h-1 at 300 ℃. However, it has been noted that aging temperatures greater or less than 60 ℃ and aging times longer than 24 h had an adverse impact, resulting in a lower surface area and a higher reduction temperature bulk-CuO phase, leading to lower catalytic activity. The main findings of this study confirmed that one of the main factors determining catalytic activity is the ease of reducibility in the absence of bulk-like CuO species. Finally, the long-term test revealed that the catalytic activity and stability remained constant under a high concentration of CO₂ in the feed gas for 19 h with an average CO conversion of 61.83%.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.507-519
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• 2023

Postsurgical infections are caused by implant-related pathogenic microorganisms that lead to graft rejection. Hence, an intrinsically antibacterial material is required to produce a biocompatible biomaterial with osteogenic properties that could address this major issue. Hence, this current research aims to make strontium-doped hydroxyapatite nanorods (SrHANRs) via an ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA)-enable microwave mediated method using Anodontia alba seashells for biomedical applications. This investigation also perceives that EDTA acts as a soft template to accomplish Sr-doping and mesoporous structures in pure hydroxyapatite nanorods (HANRs). The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis reveals the crystalline and mesoporous structures, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) indicates the surface area of all the samples, including pure HANRs and doped HANRs. In addition, the biocidal ability was tested using various implant-related infectious bacteria pathogens, and it was discovered that Sr-doped HANRs have excellent biocidal properties. Furthermore, toxicity evaluation using zebrafish reports the non-toxic nature of the produced HANRs. Incorporating Sr²⁺ ions into the HAp lattice would enhance biocompatibility, biocidal activity, and osteoconductive properties. As a result, the biocompatible HANRs materials synthesized with Sr-dopants may be effective in bone regeneration and antibacterial in-built implant applications.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.631-640
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• 2023

This study selected Eco-AZ91 MgH₂, which shows high enthalpy as a material for this purpose, as the basic material, and analyzed the change in characteristics by synthesizing TiNi as a catalyst to control the thermodynamic behavior of MgH₂. In addition, the catalyst dispersion technology using graphene oxide (GO) was studied to improve the high-temperature aggregation phenomenon of Ni catalyst and to secure a source technology that can properly disperse the catalyst. XRD, SEM, and BET analysis were conducted to analyze the metallurgical properties of the material, and TGA and DSC analysis were conducted to analyze the dehydrogenation temperature and calorific value, and the correlation between MgH₂, TiNi catalyst, and GO reforming catalyst was analyzed. As a result, the MgH₂-5 wt% TiNi at GO composite could lower the dehydrogenation temperature to 478-492 K due to the reduction of the catalyst aggregation phenomenon and the increase in the reaction specific surface area, and an experimental result for the catalyst dispersion technology by GO could be ensured.

• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.135-144
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• 2024

The present study investigated waste medium from a domestic shiitake mushroom farm, which was pyrolyzed to produce biochar. The yield rate of the biochar was compared after exposure to various pyrolysis temperature conditions, and the characteristics of the produced biochar were analyzed. The present study focused on the carbon dioxide (CO₂) adsorption capacity of the resulting biochar. The CO₂ adsorption capacity exhibited a correlation with the pyrolysis temperature of the biochar, with increasing temperatures resulting in higher CO₂ adsorption capacities. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis showed that the CO₂ adsorption capacity was related to the surface area and pore volume of the biochar. Calcium is added to the process of producing mushroom medium. Experiments were performed to investigate the CO₂ adsorption capacity of the biochar from the waste medium with the addition of calcium. In addition, CO₂ adsorption experiments were conducted after the pyrolysis of kenaf biochar with the addition of calcium. The results of these experiments show that calcium affected the CO₂ adsorption capacity.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.17-28
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• 2018

In this study, catalytic activation using sulfuric acid lignin (SAL), the condensed solid by-product from saccharification process, with potassium hydroxide at $750^{\circ}C$ for 1 h in order to investigate its potential to nanoporous carbon In this study, catalytic activation using sulfuric acid lignin (SAL), the condensed solid by-product from saccharification process, with potassium hydroxide at $750^{\circ}C$ for 1 h in order to investigate its potential to nanoporous carbon material. Comparison study was also conducted by production of activated carbon from coconut shell (CCNS), Pinus, and Avicel, and each activated carbon was characterized by chemical composition, Raman spectroscopy, SEM analysis, and BET analysis. The amount of solid residue after thermogravimetric analysis of biomass samples at the final temperature of $750^{\circ}C$ was SAL > CCNS > Pinus > Avicel, which was the same as the order of activated carbon yields after catalytic activation. Specifically, SAL-derived activated carbon showed the highest value of carbon content (91.0%) and $I_d/I_g$ peak ratio (4.2), indicating that amorphous large aromatic structure layer was formed with high carbon fixation. In addition, the largest changes was observed in SAL with the maximum BET specific surface area and pore volume of $2341m^2/g$ and $1.270cm^3/g$, respectively. Furthermore, the adsorption test for three kinds of organic pollutants (phenol, 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, and carbofuran) were conducted, and an excellent adsorption capacity more than 90 mg/g for all activated carbon was determined using 100 ppm of the standard solution. Therefore, SAL, a condensed structure, can be used not only as a nanoporous carbon material with high specific surface area but also as a biosorbent applied to a carbon filter for remediation of organic pollutants in future.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.47-55
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• 2018

Talc, hydrous magnesium phyllosilicate, is one of the most popular industrial minerals due to their chemical stability and adsorptivity. While micro-sized talc has long been used as a filler and coating, nano-sized talc recently is attracting attention as additives for improving the stability of nanocomposites. In this study, we produced the nano-sized talc powder by mechanical method using high energy ball mill and investigated the changes in particle size and crystallinity with increasing milling time up to 720 minutes. X-ray diffraction results show that the peak width of talc gradually as the milling proceeded, and after 720 minutes of pulverization, the talc showed an amorphous-like X-ray diffraction pattern. Lase diffraction particle size analysis presents that particle size of talc which was ${\sim}12{\mu}m$ decreased to ${\sim}0.45{\mu}m$ as the milling progressed, but no significant reduction of particle size was observed even after grinding for 120 minutes or more. BET specific surface area, however, steadily increases up to the milling time of 720 minutes, indicating that the particle size and morphology change steadily as the milling progressed. Scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope images shows that layered particles of about 100 to 300 nm was aggregated as micro-sized particles after pulverization for 720 minutes. As the grinding time increases, the particle size and morphology of talc continuously change, but the nano-sized talc particles form micro sized agglomerates. These results suggest that there is a critical size along the a, b axes in which the size of plates is reduced even though the grinding proceeds, and the reduction of plate thickness along the c axis leads the increase in specific surface area with further grinding. This study could enhance the understanding of the mechanism of the formation of nano-sized talc by mechanical grinding.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.60 no.4
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• pp.606-612
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• 2022

Relatively high indoor CO₂ concentration (>1,000 ppm) has a negative impact on human health. In this work, indoor CO₂ adsorbent was developed by impregnating KOH or K₂CO₃ on commercial activated carbon, named as KOH/AC and K₂CO₃/AC. Commercial activated carbon (AC) showed relatively high BET surface area (929 m²/g) whereas KOH/AC and K₂CO₃/AC presented lower BET surface area of 13.6 m²/g and 289 m²/g. Two experimental methods of TGA (2,000 ppmCO₂, weight basis) and chamber test (initial concentration: 2,000 ppmCO₂, CO₂ IR analyzer) were used to investigate the adsorption capacity. KOH/AC and K₂CO₃/AC exhibited similar adsorption capacities (145~150 mg_CO2/g), higher than K₂CO₃/Al+Si supports adsorbent (84.1 mg_CO2/g_sample). Similarly, chamber test also showed similar trend. Both KOH/AC and K₂CO₃/AC represented higher adsorption capacities (KOH/AC: 93.5 mg_CO2/g K₂CO₃/AC: 94.5 mg_CO2/g_sample) K₂CO₃/Al+Si supports. This is due to the KOH or K₂CO₃ impregnation increased alkaline active sites (chemical adsorption), which is beneficial for CO₂ adsorption. In addition, the regeneration test results showed both K-based adsorbents pose a good regeneration and reusability. Finally, the current study suggested that both KOH/AC and K₂CO₃/AC have a great potential to be used as CO₂ adsorbent for indoor CO₂ adsorption.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.263-270
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• 2009

Carbon felt surface was modified by heat or acid treatment in order to use for the electrode of a redox-flow battery. Polymers on the surface of carbon felt was removed and oxygen-containing functional group was attached after the thermal treatment of carbon felt. Thermal treatment was better for the stability of the carbon structure than the acid treatment. Oxygen-containing functional group on the thermally treated carbon felt at 500$^{\circ}C$ was confirmed by XPS and elementary analysis. BET surface area was increased from nearly zero to 96 $m^2/g$. Thermally treated carbon felt at 500$^{\circ}C$ showed lower activation polarization than the thermally treated carbon felt at 400$^{\circ}C$ and the acid-treated carbon felt in the cyclicvoltammetry and polarization experiments. The thermally treated carbon felts at 400$^{\circ}C$ and 500$^{\circ}C$ and the acid-treated carbon felt was applied for the electrode to prepare vanadium redox flow battery. Voltage efficiencies of charge/discharge were 86.6%, 89.6%, and 96.9% for the thermally treated carbon felts at 400$^{\circ}C$ and 500$^{\circ}C$ and the acid-treated carbon felt, respectively.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.70-76
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• 2008

The PES-g-BTCA membrane was synthesized by UV irradiation method and then used to be modified into the PES anion exchange membrane by the amination reaction. Their chemical structures and adsorption properties were investigated. The degree of grafting and amination were increased with increasing the reaction time and had the maximum values of 138% and 1.20 mmol/g at 80 min, respectively. The initial thermal degradation temperature of PES membrane was $400^{\circ}C$. Which was reduced as the surface modification reaction had proceeded. The values of contact angle for PES membrane were decreased from 68.1 to $40.2^{\circ}$ with increasing the extent of amination, the water up-take and ion exchange capacity were also increased with increasing UV irradiation time until 80 min. The average pore size and BET surface area were decreased in order of PES, PES-g-BTCA, and aminated PES ion exchange membrane. Their average pore sizes were 624.8, 359.7, and 138.5 ${\AA}$, and their surface areas were 10.1,9.7 and 1.7 $m^2/g$, respectively.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.221-234
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• 2013

Laboratory experiments for the reaction with supercritical $CO_2$ under the $CO_2$ sequestration condition were performed to investigate the mineralogical and geochemical weathering process of the sandstones and mudstones in the Pohang basin. To simulate the supercritical $CO_2$-rock-groundwater reaction, rock samples used in the experiment were pulverized and the high pressurized cell (200 ml of capacity) was filled with 100 ml of groundwater and 30 g of powdered rock samples. The void space of the high pressurized cell was saturated with the supercritical $CO_2$ and maintained at 100 bar and $50^{\circ}C$ for 60 days. The changes of mineralogical and geochemical properties of rocks were measured by using XRD (X-Ray Diffractometer) and BET (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller). Concentrations of dissolved cations in groundwater were also measured for 60 days of the supercritical $CO_2$-rock-groundwater reaction. Results of XRD analyses indicated that the proportion of plagioclase and K-feldspar in the sandstone decreased and the proportion of illite, pyrite and smectite increased during the reaction. In the case of mudstone, the proportion of illite and kaolinite and cabonate-fluorapatite increased during the reaction. Concentration of $Ca^{2+}$ and $Na^+$ dissolved in groundwater increased during the reaction, suggesting that calcite and feldspars of the sandstone and mudstone would be significantly dissolved when it contacts with supercritical $CO_2$ and groundwater at $CO_2$ sequestration sites in Pohang basin. The average specific surface area of sandstone and mudstone using BET analysis increased from $27.3m^2/g$ and $19.6m^2/g$ to $28.6m^2/g$ and $26.6m^2/g$, respectively, and the average size of micro scale void spaces for the sandstone and mudstone decreased over 60 days reaction, resulting in the increase of micro pore spaces of rocks by the dissolution. Results suggested that the injection of supercritical $CO_2$ in Pohang basin would affect the physical property change of rocks and also $CO_2$ storage capacity in Pohang basin.