• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.250-257
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• 2016

Octahedral $Co_3O_4$/carbon nanofiber (CNF) composites are fabricated using electrospinning and hydrothermal methods. Their morphological characteristics, chemical bonding states, and electrochemical properties are used to demonstrate the improved photovoltaic properties of the samples. Octahedral $Co_3O_4$ grown on CNFs is based on metallic Co nanoparticles acting as seeds in the CNFs, which seeds are directly related to the high performance of DSSCs. The octahedral $Co_3O_4$/CNFs composites exhibit high photocurrent density ($12.73mA/m^2$), superb fill factor (62.1 %), and excellent power conversion efficiency (5.61 %) compared to those characteristics of commercial $Co_3O_4$, conventional CNFs, and metallic Co-seed/CNFs. These results can be described as stemmnig from the synergistic effect of the porous and graphitized matrix formed by catalytic graphitization using the metal cobalt catalyst on CNFs, which leads to an increase in the catalytic activity for the reduction of triiodide ions. Therefore, octahedral $Co_3O_4$/CNFs composites can be used as a counter electrode for Pt-free dye-sensitized solar cells.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.232-246
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• 1994

This study was conducted to develop the long-tenn storage method to minimize the black spot occurred on the surface of persimmons stored in the films at low temperature. The storage experiments were done with different films and persimmon varieties at $0^{\circ}C$ storage condition for 5 months, and then the physical and chemical characteristics of persimmons were tested monthly. The results were as follows : 1. The film 160 made from zeolites showed highest performance in well storings sweet persimmons for 5 months, compared with other films by eyesight. The initial moisture condensation inside the films seemed to cause the black spots on persimmons, and the effect of the film holes was never significant to prevent the black spots. 2. The sugar content was ranged from $14^{\circ}Brix$ to $15^{\circ}Brix$ regardless of film types and persimmom varieties, and it changed little for storage of 5 months. 3. The decrease rate of persimmom weight in the film 160 and 180 was 0.3% for storage of 5 months, while those in other films reached to 2%. The decrease rate of persimmon weight was least in the film 160 and 180. 4. The hardness of Fuyu least decreased in the films 160 and 380. It was changed from 36 kg/cnf to 8-27 $kg/cm^2$, and that of Charyang was from 31 $kg/cm^2$ to 8-10 $kg/cm^2$ for storage of 5 months. The hardness of Charyang rapidly decreased as storage period increased. 5. The average rate of black spot(defect rate) of Fuyu measured by a computer image processing system was least in the film 160 by 0.5%, but those in other films was ranged from about 5% to 20% for storage of 5 months. The rate of black spot of Charyang was less than that of Fuyu among most of films. 6. The intensity, hue, and saturation in persimmon color changed according to storage period. Especially, the intensity of persimmon colors decreased as storage period increased, but it was least in the film 160. 7. An integrated long-term storage method of sweet persimmons was suggested in the basis of the experiments and literature reviews.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.155-161
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• 2017

Carbon felts were prepared under various thermal conditions to improve the electrochemical properties of vanadium redox flow batteries. The number of C-O and/or C-OH functional groups on the surface of the electrodes treated under airless conditions was much larger than that of the untreated and partially oxygen-treated electrodes. The carbon felt treated under airless conditions had the lowest surface area. The overall kinetic properties of the redox reaction were greatly improved for the carbon felt treated under airless conditions; i.e., the reversibility of the anodic and cathodic reactions associated with the $VO_2{^+}/VO^{2+}$ couple became more reversible. Single-cell tests indicated that the carbon felt exhibited an excellent discharge capacity of $3.1Ah{\cdot}g^{-1}$ at $40mA{\cdot}cm^{-2}$, and the corresponding Coulombic, voltage, and energy efficiencies were 89.5%, 91.8%, and 82.2%, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.37-42
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• 2014

Well-distributed ruthenium (Ru) nanoparticles decorated on porous carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were synthesized using an electrospinning method and a reduction method for use in high-performance elctrochemical capacitors. The formation mechanisms including structural, morphological, and chemical bonding properties are demonstrated by means of field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). To investigate the optimum amount of the Ru nanoparticles decorated on the porous CNFs, we controlled three different weight ratios (0 wt%, 20 wt%, and 40 wt%) of the Ru nanoparticles on the porous CNFs. For the case of 20 wt% Ru nanoparticles decorated on the porous CNFs, TEM results indicate that the Ru nanoparticles with ~2-4 nm size are uniformly distributed on the porous CNFs. In addition, 40 wt% Ru nanoparticles decorated on the porous CNFs exhibit agglomerated Ru nanoparticles, which causes low performance of electrodes in electrochemical capacitors. Thus, proper distribution of 20 wt% Ru nanoparticles decorated on the porous CNFs presents superior specific capacitance (~280.5 F/g at 10 mV/s) as compared to the 40 wt% Ru nanoparticles decorated on the porous CNFs and the only porous CNFs. This enhancement can be attributed to the synergistic effects of well-distributed Ru nanoparticles and porous CNF supports having high surface area.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.316-321
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• 2014

The aim of study was to investigate the virulence profile of Escherichia coli O157:H7 bacteriophages isolated from sewage and livestock stools. Among 23 E. coli O157:H7 bacteriophages, 14 strains were isolated from sewage and 9 were from animal stools collected from 10 livestock farms in Korea. For each bacteriophage DNA sample, the presence of stx1, stx2, eae, aafII, ial, elt, estI, estII, astA, afa, and cnf was examined by polymerase chain reaction. The detection rate of eae, stx2, estI, astA, and ial was 100%, 69.6%, 13.0%, 13.0%, 8.7%, respectively. While all E. coli O157:H7 bacteriophages isolated from stools carried eae+stx2, stx2+eae, eae+astA, eae, stx2+eae+estI, eae+estI, stx2+eae+ial, and eae+ial were observed in bacteriophages isolated from sewage. As several plasmid-carrying virulence factors (estI, astA, and ial) were found in E. coli O157:H7 bacteriophages obtained from sewage and stools, the microbial safety of bacteriophages should be investigated in further study.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.48 no.12
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• pp.1130-1135
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• 2010

Cu/carbon nano-particle hybrids were fabricated through the cathodic electrophoretic deposition (EPD) process. CNT and CNF nano-particles were modified to give positive charges by polyethyleneimine (PEI) treatment before depositing them on the substrate. Since a Cu plate was used as an anode in the EPD process, Cu particles were also deposited along with the carbon nano-particles. Experimental observation showed the nano-hybrids constructed a novel formicary-like nano-structure which is strong and highly conductive. Utilizing the hybrids, carbon fiber composites were manufactured, and their electrical conductivity and interlaminar shear strength were measured. In addition, the deposition morphology and failure surface were examined by SEM observations. Results demonstrated that the electrical conductivities in the through-the-thickness direction and the interlaminar shear strength significantly increased by 350~2100% and 14%, respectively.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.633-638
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• 2019

Indoor air quality underground facilities are not equipped for the removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and they are usually treated by diffusion methods such as ventilation. In this study, an adsorption filter was prepared using various coating methods such as carbon nano fiber (CNF) and dip coating. As a result, the adsorption performance was improved by 2 to 20 times or more compared to that of using the metal foam support. This is maybe due to the enhancement of pore distribution which was confirmed by SEM. In addition, the adsorption performance was 13.95 mg/g by adding lignin, and also an average adsorption performance of 13.25 mg/g was maintained after washing indicating that a highly durable adsorption filter material was prepared. It can be suggested that the developed adsorption filter material can be a potential solution that can fundamentally control VOCs, not via the concentration reduction of mechanical ventilation in underground facilities.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.127-136
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• 2022

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is main causative agent of urinary tract infections. They are classified based on various types of O antigen. UPEC strains commonly possess many genes encoding virulece-associated factors. E. coli strains are generally divided into four main phylogenetic groups. The virulence factor (VF) profiles of UPEC are related with their O-serogroups in each strains. A total of 681 strains of UPEC clinical isolates were collected from Korean healthcare facility (1989: 123 strains and 2010-2014: 558 strains). The UPEC clinical isolates were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods. A total of 14 O-serotypes (O1, O2, O4, O6, O7, O8, O15, O16, O18, O21, O22, O25, O75 and O83), 6 virulence factors (papC, fimG/H, sfaD/E, hly1, cnf1 and usp) and phylogenetic groups were identified. The most prevalent O-serogroups were O6 (11.1%) in 1989 UPEC strains and O25 (21.0%) in 2010-2014 UPEC strains. The identified VFs, phylogenetic groups in 1989 UPEC strains and 2010-2014 UPEC strains were fimG/H and B2 group. In this study, O6 serotype was revealed the close relationships with VFs. Also, the distribution of prevalence O-serogroups of UPEC has been changed from O6 to O25 and virulence of UPEC strains was increased during past twenty-one years.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.57-63
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• 2023

In this study, an organic-inorganic hybrid composite of Abaca nanocellulose and titanium dioxide was prepared. Abaca nanocellulose was prepared by oxidizing Abaca cellulose using TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-piperidine-1-oxyl) as a catalyst. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles were prepared by the sol-gel method, and a composite was prepared by hybridizing them with nanocellulose. As a result of comparing the properties of the composite and its physical properties according to the change in manufacturing pH, the effect of pH was very large when combining nanocellulose and titanium dioxide, and the optimal bonding performance was shown at pH 8 in this experimental condition. In addition, the prepared composite showed photocatalytic properties, and the higher the content of titanium dioxide, the higher the hydrophilicity of the composite according to UV light irradiation.

• Composites Research
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.9-14
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• 2008

Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were used as dielectric lossy materials and NiFe particles were used as magnetic lossy materials. Total twelve specimens for the three types such as dielectric, magnetic and mixed radar absorbing materials (RAMs) were fabricated. Their complex permittivities and permeabilities in the range of $2{\sim}18$ GHz were measured using the transmission line technique. The parametric studios for reflection loss characteristics of each specimen to design the single-layered RAMs were performed. The mixed RAMs generally showed the improved absorbing characteristics with thinner matching thickness. One of the mixed RAMs, MD3with the thickness of 2.00 mm had the 10 dB absorbing bandwidth of 4.0 GHz in the X-band ($8.2{\sim}12.4$ GHz). It also showed very broad 10 dB absorbing bandwidth as wide as 6.0 GHz in the Ku-band ($12.0{\sim}18.0$ GHz) with the thickness tuning to 1.49 mm. The experimental results for selected several specimens were in very good agreements with simulation ones in terms of the overall reflection loss characteristics and 10 dB absorbing bandwidth.