• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.358-361
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• 2012

Co and Ni as catalysts in $SnO_2$ sensors to improve the sensitivity for $CH_4$ gas and $CH_3CH_2CH_3$ gas were coated by a solution reduction method. $SnO_2$ thick films were prepared by a screen-printing method onto $Al_2O_3$ substrates with an electrode. The sensing characteristics were investigated by measuring the electrical resistance of each sensor in a chamber. The structural properties of $SnO_2$ with a rutile structure investigated by XRD showed a (110) dominant $SnO_2$ peak. The particle size of the $SnO_2$:Ni powders with Ni at 6 wt% was about 0.1 ${\mu}m$. The $SnO_2$ particles were found to contain many pores according to a SEM analysis. The sensitivity of $SnO_2$-based sensors was measured for 5 ppm of $CH_4$ gas and $CH_3CH_2CH_3$ gas at room temperature by comparing the resistance in air to that in the target gases. The results showed that the best sensitivity of $SnO_2$:Ni and $SnO_2$:Co sensors for $CH_4$ gas and $CH_3CH_2CH_3$ gas at room temperature was observed in $SnO_2$:Ni sensors coated with 6 wt% Ni. The $SnO_2$:Ni gas sensors showed good selectivity to $CH_4$ gas. The response time and recovery time of the $SnO_2$:Ni gas sensors for the $CH_4$ and $CH_3CH_2CH_3$ gases were 20 seconds and 9 seconds, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.207-211
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• 2011

Ni 8 wt.%-doped tin oxide ($SnO_2$) thick films were fabricated into gas sensors by the method of screen printing onto alumina substrates. The particle size of $SnO_2$ was controlled by changing the ball-mill time between 0~120 h. The structural and morphological properties of these thick films were investigated using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The structural properties of $SnO_2$ powders showed a tetragonal phase with (110) dominant orientation. The particle size of the $SnO_2$:Ni powders after ball-mill of 120 h was about 0.05 ${\mu}m$. The gas sensitivity (S = Rg/Ra) to 5 ppm $CH_4$ gas and $CH_3CH_2CH_3$ gas was measured at room temperature by comparing the resistance in air (Ra) with that of the target gases (Rg). The sensitivity of the $SnO_2$ gas sensors was enhanced by increasing the ball-mill time. There was an association between the sensitivity of both the $CH_4$ gas and the $CH_3CH_2CH_3$ gas and the particle size of the $SnO_2$. $SnO_2$ gas sensors prepared by 72 h ball-mill showed a sensitivity of about 13 to 5 ppm $CH_4$ gas and $CH_3CH_2CH_3$ gas. The response time of the $SnO_2$:Ni gas sensors to the $CH_4$ gas was about 20 seconds.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.211-214
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• 2013

The effects of a Ni coating on the sensing properties of nano ZnO:Ni based gas sensors were studied for $CH_4$ and $CH_3CH_2CH_3$ gases. Nano ZnO sensing materials were prepared by the hydrothermal reaction method. The Ni coatings on the nano ZnO surface were deposited by the hydrolysis of zinc chloride with $NH_4OH$. The weight % of Ni coating on the ZnO surface ranged from 0 to 10 %. The nano ZnO:Ni gas sensors were fabricated by a screen printing method on alumina substrates. The structural and morphological properties of the nano ZnO : Ni sensing materials were investigated by XRD, EDS, and SEM. The XRD patterns showed that nano ZnO : Ni powders with a wurtzite structure were grown with (1 0 0), (0 0 2), and (1 0 1) dominant peaks. The particle size of nano ZnO powders was about 250 nm. The sensitivity of nano ZnO:Ni based sensors for 5 ppm $CH_4$ gas and $CH_3CH_2CH_3$ gas was measured at room temperature by comparing the resistance in air with that in target gases. The highest sensitivity of the ZnO:Ni sensor to $CH_4$ gas and $CH_3CH_2CH_3$ gas was observed at Ni 4 wt%. The response and recovery times of 4 wt% Ni coated ZnO:Ni gas sensors were 14 s and 15 s, respectively.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.35 no.8
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• pp.586-591
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• 2013

This experiment was performed to enhance $CH_4$ purity of landfill gas by applying gas separator membrane for purified nitrogen gas production. 1:6 area ratios of $1^{st}$ to $2^{nd}$ membrane module was suitable for $CH_4$ recovery. After separation membrane system was installed, 249 tries were performed. Average permeability for $CH_4$ was 28.4% and for $CO_2$ was 94.3%. This can explain nitrogen gas separator membrane can be applied to collect $CH_4$ from LFG. However, nitrogen permeability only reached up to 16.5%. Therefore, the final purified landfill gas concentration was rounded up to 69.7% for $CH_4$, 4.3% for $CO_2$ and 26.0% for $N_2$. For the high degree of $CH_4$ purity, $N_2$ should be kept at least under 2.0% by controlling air inflow to landfill.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.300-304
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• 2015

Nanorod ZnO and spherical nano ZnO for gas sensors were prepared by hydrothermal reaction method and hydrazine method, respectively. The nano-ZnO gas sensors were fabricated by a screen printing method on alumina substrates. The gas sensing properties were investigated for hydrocarbon gas. The effects of Co concentration on the structural and morphological properties of the nano ZnO:Co were investigated by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope (SEM), respectively. XRD patterns revealed that nanorod and spherical ZnO:Co with a wurtzite structure were grown with (100), (002), (101) peaks. The sensitivity of nanorod and spherical ZnO:Co sensors was measured for 5 ppm $CH_4$ and $CH_3CH_2CH_3$ gas at room temperature by comparing the resistance in air with that in target gases. The highest sensitivity to the $CH_4$ and $CH_3CH_2CH_3$ gas of spherical nano ZnO:Co sensors was observed at Co 6 wt%. The spherical nano ZnO:Co sensor exhibited a higher sensitivity to hydrocarbon gas than nanorod ZnO.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.546-549
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• 2011

Nano-sized $SnO_2$ thick films were prepared by a screen-printing method onto $Al_2O_3$ substrates. The sensing characteristics were investigated by measuring the electrical resistance of each sensor in a test box as a function of the detection gas. The nano-sized $SnO_2$ thick film sensors were treated in a $N_2$ atmosphere. The structural properties of the nano $SnO_2$with a rutile structure according to XRD showed a (110) dominant $SnO_2$ peak. The particle size of $SnO_2$:Ni nano powders at Ni 8 wt% was about 45 nm, and the $SnO_2$ particles were found to contain many pores according to the SEM analysis. The sensitivity of the nano $SnO_2$-based sensors was measured for 5 ppm $CH_4$ gas and $CH_3CH_2CH_3$ gas at room temperature by comparing the resistance in air with that in the target gases. The results showed that the best sensitivity of $SnO_2$:Ni and $SnO_2$:Co sensors for $CH_4$ gas and $CH_3CH_2CH_3$ gas at room temperature was observed in $SnO_2$:Ni sensors doped with 8 wt% Ni. The response time of the $SnO_2$:Ni gas sensors was 10 seconds and recovery time was 15 seconds for the $CH_4$ and $CH_3CH_2CH_3$ gases.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.589-593
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• 2011

[ $SnO_2$ ]nano powders were prepared by solution reduction method using tin chloride($SnCl_2{\cdot}2H_2O$), hydrazine($N_2H_4$) and NaOH. The $SnO_2$ thick films for gas sensors were fabricated by screen printing method on alumina substrates and annealed at $300^{\circ}C$ in air, respectively. XRD patterns of the $SnO_2$ nano powders showed the tetragonal structure with (110) dominant orientation. The particle size of $SnO_2$ nano powders at the ratio of $SnCl_2:N_2H_4$+NaOH= 1:6 was about 60 nm. The sensing characteristics were investigated by measuring the electrical resistance of each sensor in a test box. Sensitivity of $SnO_2$ gas sensor to 5 ppm $CH_4$gas and 5 ppm $CH_3CH_2CH_3$ gas was investigated for various $SnCl_2:N_2H_4$+NaOH proportion. The highest sensitivity to $CH_4$ gas and $CH_3CH_2CH_3$ gas of $SnO_2$ sensors was observed at the $SnCl_2:N_2H_4$+NaOH= 1:8 and $SnCl_2:N_2H_4$+NaOH= 1:6, respectively. Response and recovery times of $SnO_2$ gas sensors prepared by $SnCl_2:N_2H_4$+NaOH= 1:6 was about 40 s and 30 s, respectively.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.20 no.8
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• pp.1011-1019
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• 2011

The objective of this research is to evaluate optimal conditions of permeability and selectivity on the polysulfone membrane for efficiency of separation of $CH_4$ by checking four factors which are temperature, pressure, gas compositions and gas flow rates. When higher pressure was applied at the input, lower efficiency of recovery of $CH_4$ and higher efficiency of separation of $CH_4$ were shown. It has the tendency to show lower efficiency of recovery of $CH_4$ and higher efficiency of separation of $CH_4$ at the output as higher temperature at input. The lower flow rates make higher efficiency of recovery of $CH_4$ and lower efficiency of separation of $CH_4$. Finally, over 90% efficiency for $CH_4$ separation and recovery conditions are temperature ($-5^{\circ}C$), pressure (8 bar), gas composition rate (6:4) ($CH_4:CO_2$) and gas flow rate ($5\ell$/min). These conditions make higher separation and recovery efficiency such as 90.1% and 92.1%, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.25 no.12
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• pp.974-978
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• 2012

The effect of Cu coating on the sensing properties of nano $SnO_2:Cu$ based sensors for the $CH_4$, $CH_3CH_2CH_3$ gas was studied. This work was focussed on investigating the change of sensitivity of nano $SnO_2:Cu$ based sensors for $CH_4$, $CH_3CH_2CH_3$ gas by Cu coating. Nano sized $SnO_2$ powders were prepared by solution reduction method using stannous chloride($SnCl_2{\cdot}2H_2O$), hydrazine($N_2H_2$) and NaOH and subsequent heat treatment. XRD patterns showed that nano $SnO_2$ powders with rutile structure were grown with (110), (101), (211) dominant peak. The particle size of nano $SnO_2:Cu$ powders at 8 wt% Cu was about 50 nm. $SnO_2$ particles were found to contain many pores, according to SEM analysis. The sensitivity of nano $SnO_2:Cu$ based sensors was measured for 5 ppm $CH_4$ gas and $CH_3CH_2CH_3$ gas at room temperature by comparing the resistance in air with that in target gases. The sensitivity for both $CH_4$ and $CH_3CH_2CH_3$ gases was improved by Cu coating on the nano $SnO_2$ surface. The response time and recovery time of the $SnO_2:Cu$ gas sensors for the $CH_4$ and $CH_3CH_2CH_3$ gases were 18~20 seconds, and 13~15 seconds, respectively.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.1233-1241
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• 2011

The main objective of this experimental investigation was $CH_4$ recovery from biogas generated in municipal and wastewater treatment plant. The polysulfone hollow fiber membrane was prepared in order to investigate the permeation properties of $CH_4$ and $CO_2$. Permeability of $CO_2$ in Polysulfone membrane was 11-fold higher than of $CH_4$ gas. A membrane pilot plant for upgrading biogas was constructed and operated at a municipal wastewater treatment plant. The raw biogas contained 66 ~ 68 Vol % $CH_4$, the balance being mainly $CO_2$. The effect of the operating pressure of feed and permeate side and feed flowrate on $CH_4$ recovery concentration and efficiency were investigated with double stage membrane pilot plant. The $CH_4$ concentration in the retentate stream was raised in these tests to 93 Vol % $CH_4$.