• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.61 no.3
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• pp.356-361
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• 2023

In order to improve the durability of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), it is important to accurately evaluate the durability of the polymer membrane in a short time. The test conditions for chemically accelerated durability evaluation of membranes are high voltage, high temperature, low humidity, and high gas pressure. It can be said that the protocol is developed by changing these conditions. However, the relative influence of each test condition on the degradation of the membrane has not been studied. In chemical accelerated degradation experiment of the membrane, the influence of 4 factors (conditions) was examined through the factor experiment method. The degree of degradation of the membrane after accelerated degradation was determined by measuring the hydrogen permeability and effluent fluoride ion concentration, and it was possible to determine the degradation order of the polymer membrane under 8 conditions by the difference in fluoride ion concentration. It was shown that the influence of the membrane degradation factor was in the order of voltage > temperature > oxygen pressure > humidity. It was confirmed that the degradation of the electrode catalyst had an effect on the chemical degradation of the membrane.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.151-157
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• 2014

The degradation mechanisms of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) were investigated in different thermal fatigue condition in terms of microstructural analyses. The isothermal and cyclic oxidation tests were conducted to atmospheric plasma sprayed-TBCs on NIMONIC 263 substrates. The delamination occurred by the oxide layer formation at the interface, the Ni/Cr-based oxide was formed after Al-based oxide layer grew up to ${\sim}10{\mu}m$ in the isothermal condition. In the cyclic oxidation with dwell time, the failure occurred earlier (500 hr) than in the isothermal oxidation (900 hr) at same temperature. The thickness of Al-based oxide layer of the delaminated specimen in the cyclic condition was ${\sim}4{\mu}m$ and the interfacial cracks were observed. The acoustic emission method revealed that the cracks generated during the cooling step. It was considered that the specimens were prevented from the formation of the Al-based oxide by cooling treatment, and the degradation mode in the cyclic test was dominantly interfacial cracking by the difference of thermal expansion coefficients of the coating layers.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.108-113
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• 2007

In this report, stress corrosion cracking generation due to pipe material degradation in the primary stage of the nuclear power plant was investigated. Firstly, after artificially degrading the CF8A steel during 2, 4, and 6 months in actual temperature, $400^{\circ}C,$ assessed corrosion susceptibility of the degraded material following ASTM G5 standard. And next, the S.C.C. tests for the degraded material were conducted under the condition of $60^{\circ}C,$ 2wt.% H2BO3+Li70H solution, 0.8 oy. From the results, Corrosion rates linearly increased with degradation period and solution temperature increase. And both the raw material and the degraded materials were not failed in the S.C.C. test condition. In spite of long time test (about 3,900 hrs) under S.C.C. condition, surface pits or surface corrosion by the electro chemical reaction were not observed. And also, even though the nondestructive DCPD and ACPD methods were applied to on-line monitor the S.C.C. failure processes it was impossible because the surface pits and cracks were not generated.

• Proceedings of the Korean Reliability Society Conference
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• 2004.07a
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• pp.239-246
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• 2004

Accelerated degradation test (ADT) can be a useful tool for assessing the reliability when few or even no failure are expected in an accelerated life test. In this paper, MLCC (Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors), a sort of passive components which have large capacitance(X7R -55$^{\circ}C$~1$25^{\circ}C$) have been tested, and least-square analyses are used to illustrate our approach in which amount of degradation of a DUT following log-normal distribution. We assumed a simple and useful linear model to describe the amount of degradation over time subjected to different voltage levels applied. Tests for linearity of the performance-time relationship, and provide tests for how well the assumptions hold. Also, by using Eyring Model, MLCC's mean life time is assessed.

• Journal of Applied Reliability
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.275-290
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• 2009

This paper considers accelerated thermal degradation tests which are performed for rubber seal materials used for undersea tunnels constructed by immersion method. Three types of rubber seals are tested; rubber expansion seal, omega seal, and shock absorber hose. Main ingredient of rubber expansion seal is EPDM(Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) and that of both omega seal and shock absorber hose is SBR(Styrene Butadiene Rubber). The accelerated stress is temperature and an Arrhenius model is introduced to describe the relationship between the lifetime and the stress. From the accelerated degradation tests, dominant failure mode of the rubber seals is found to be the loss of elongation. The lifetime distribution and the service life of the rubber seals at use condition are estimated from the test results. The acceleration factor for three types of rubber seals are also investigated.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.96-99
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• 2005

As the demand of internet networks using backbone communication systems recently increased, the researches on the high-speed wideband optical communication systems are required. For high-speed optical communication systems, asymmetric sampled grating distributed feedback laser diodes (DFB-LDs) are developed and the reliability of DFB-LDs is examined. The reliability of DFB-LDs is performed by monitoring I-V and L-I characteristics and two degradation phenomena related to the electrical characteristics of LDs are observed during the life tests. The first degradation phenomenon by increasing the reverse current is considered as a formation of leakage current path enough to prevent lasing operation in lateral blocking layer near active region of lasers. The second degradation phenomenon by decreasing the forward current is considered as activation of non-radiative Auger recombination process by thermal energy and the second degradation phenomenon is recovered after the off-test period at room temperature Eventually, evaluating the reliability of DFB LDs can allow us to improved the manufacturability in high-volume manufacturing.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.51-67
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• 2023

In this research, the degradation rate of physical properties of the Angouran pit bedrock (calc-schist) is first investigated under the specific numbers of freeze-thaw (F-T) cycles. Then, the durability of calc-schist specimens against the F-T cycle number (N) is examined considering the mechanical parameters, and using the decay function and half-time techniques. For this purpose, point load strength (I_S(50)), second durability index (I_d2), Brazilian tensile strength (BTS), and compressive (V_P) and shear (V_S) wave velocities of calc-schist specimens are measured after 0, 7, 15, 40, and 75 N. For comparing the degradation rate of mechanical properties of available rock types on the Angouran mine walls, these tests are also carried out on the limestone and amphibolite schist specimens beside the calc-schist. According to test results, the exponential regression models are developed between the mechanical parameters of rock specimen's and N variable. Also, the long-term durability of each rock type versus N is studied using the decay function and half-time techniques. Results indicated that the degradation rate differs for the above rock types in which amphibolite schist and calc-schist specimens have the highest and least resistance against the N, respectively. The obtained results from this study can play a key role in the optimal design of the mine's final walls.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.526-535
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• 2024

This paper proposes a safety-critical standby component unavailability model that contains aging effects caused by the elapsed time from installation, component degradation due to surveillance tests, and imperfect maintenance actions. An application of the model to a Motor-Operated Valve and a Motor-Driven Pump involved in the HPIS of a VVER/1000-V446 nuclear power plant is demonstrated and compared with other existing models at component and system levels. In addition, the effects of different unavailability models are reflected in the NPP's risk criterion, i.e., core damage frequency, over five maintenance periods. The results show that, compared with other models that do not simultaneously consider the full effects of degradation and maintenance impacts, the proposed model realistically evaluates the unavailabilities of the safety-related components and the involved systems as a plant age function. Therefore, it can effectively reflect the age-dependent CDF impact of a given testing and maintenance policy in a specified time horizon.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.54-60
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• 2009

Exposed to various environments, concrete confronts degradation by a lot of physical and chemical reaction. Though so many experiments and theorizations on the single condition of concrete degradation have been carried out by constant studies, the truth for now is that there are few studies on the compound phenomenon of degradation related with marine environments. Accordingly, this study measured the degree of degradation in the change of external shape, the change of unit weight and compressive strength, ultrasonic velocity test, and the change of length, etc. after exposing the specimen of cement mortar to the environment between 0 cycle and the maximum of 300 cycles under the condition of aquatic curing, freezing and thawing, and compound degradation, using mineral admixture effective for concrete degradation as a binder. The result indicated that the case of adding mineral admixture showed greater resistance than that of using OPC only, and specifically, the specimen with the additive of slag powder and three component system showed very excellent resistance to freezing and thawing, and compound degradation.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.2995-3002
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• 2000

The remaining life estimation for the aged components in power plants as well as chemical plants are very important beacuse mechanical properties of the components are degraded with time of service exposure in high temperature. Since it is difficult to take specimens from the operating components to evaluate mechanical properties of components nondestructive techniques are needed to estimate the degradation. In this study, test materials with 4 different degradation levels were prepared by isothermal aging heat treatment at 630$\^{C}$. And the DC potential drop method and destructive methods such as tensile, K(sub)IC and hardness tests were used in order to evaluate the degradation of 1-Cr-1Mo-0.25V steels. The objective of this study is to investigate the possibility of the application of DCPD method to estimated the material degradation, and to analyse the relationship between the electrical relationship between the electrical resistivity and the degree material degradation.