• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.359-368
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• 2014

The aim of our research was to apply experimental design methodology in the optimization of N, N-Dimethyl-4-nitrosoaniline (RNO, which is indictor of OH radical formation) degradation using gas mixing-circulation plasma process. The reaction was mathematically described as a function of four independent variables [voltage ($X_1$), gas flow rate ($X_2$), liquid flow rate ($X_3$) and time ($X_4$)] being modeled by the use of the central composite design (CCD). RNO removal efficiency was evaluated using a second-order polynomial multiple regression model. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed a high coefficient of determination ($R^2$) value of 0.9111, thus ensuring a satisfactory adjustment of the second-order polynomial multiple regression model with the experimental data. The application of response surface methodology (RSM) yielded the following regression equation, which is an empirical relationship between the RNO removal efficiency and independent variables in a coded unit: RNO removal efficiency (%) = $77.71+10.04X_1+10.72X_2+1.78X_3+17.66X_4+5.91X_1X_2+3.64X_2X_3-8.72X_2X_4-7.80X{_1}^2-6.49X{_2}^2-5.67X{_4}^2$. Maximum RNO removal efficiency was predicted and experimentally validated. The optimum voltage, air flow rate, liquid flow rate and time were obtained for the highest desirability at 117.99 V, 4.88 L/min, 6.27 L/min and 24.65 min, respectively. Under optimal value of process parameters, high removal(> 97 %) was obtained for RNO.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1393-1404
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• 2015

Ten empirical disinfection models for the plasma process were used to find an optimum model. The variation of model parameters in each model according to the operating conditions (first voltage, second voltage, air flow rate, pH, incubation water concentration) were investigated in order to explain the disinfection model. In this experiment, the DBD (dielectric barrier discharge) plasma reactor was used to inactivate Phytophthora capsici which cause wilt in tomato plantation. Optimum disinfection models were chosen among ten models by the application of statistical SSE (sum of squared error), RMSE (root mean sum of squared error), $r^2$ values on the experimental data using the GInaFiT software in Microsoft Excel. The optimum models were shown as Log-linear+Tail model, Double Weibull model and Biphasic model. Three models were applied to the experimental data according to the variation of the operating conditions. In Log-linear+Tail model, $Log_{10}(N_o)$, $Log_{10}(N_{res})$ and $k_{max}$ values were examined. In Double Weibull model, $Log_{10}(N_o)$, $Log_{10}(N_{res})$, ${\alpha}$, ${\delta}_1$, ${\delta}_2$, p values were calculated and examined. In Biphasic model, $Log_{10}(N_o)$, f, $k_{max1}$ and $k_{max2}$ values were used. The appropriate model parameters for the calculation of optimum operating conditions were $k_{max}$, ${\alpha}$, $k_{max1}$ at each model, respectively.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.61-79
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• 2018

Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine the effect of non-thermal dielectric barrier discharge(DBD) plasma on decontamination of Staphylococcus aureus(S. aureus) and Escherichia coli(E. coli) as common pathogens. Methods: This experiment was carried out in a chamber($0.64m^3$)designed by the authors. The plasma was continuously generated by a non-thermal DBD plasma generator(Model TB-300, Shinyoung Air tech, Korea). Suspensions of S. aureus and E. coli of 0.5 McFarland standard($1.5{\times}10^8CFU/mL$) were prepared using a Densi-Check photometer(bio $M{\acute{e}}rieux$, France). The suspensions were diluted1:1000 in sterile PBS solutions(approximately$10^{4-5}CFU/mL$) and inoculated on tryptic soy agar(TSA) in Petri dishes. The Petri dishes(80mm internal diameter)were exposed to the non -thermal DBD plasma in the chamber. Results: The results showed that 95% of S. aureus colonies were killed after a six-hour exposure to the DBD plasma. In the case of E. coli, it took two hours to kill 100% of the colonies. The gram-negative E. coli had a greater reduction than the gram-positive S. aureus. This difference may be due to the structure of their cell membranes. The thickness of gram-positive bacteria is greater than that of gram-negative bacteria. The S. aureus is more resistant to DBD plasma exposures than is E. coli. It should be noted that average concentrations of ozone, a byproduct of the DBD plasma generator, were monitored throughout the experiment and the results were well below the criteria, 50 ppb, recommended by the Korean Ministry of the Environment. Thus, non-thermal DBD plasma is deemed safe for use in hospital and public facilities. Conclusions: There was evidence that non-thermal DBD plasma can effectively kill S. aureus and E. coli. The results indicate that DBD plasma technology can greatly contribute to the control of infections in hospitals and other public and private facilities.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.553-553
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• 2013

상압 플라즈마 기술은 표면처리, 온존 발생장치, VOC (Volatile Organic compound) 제거등 다양한 산업분야에서 응용되고 있다. 상압플라즈마 기술 또한 DBD (Dielectric barrier discharge), Griding Arc, SDIP (Surface Discharge Induced Plasma) 등 다양한 기술들이 개발되어져 왔다. VOC를 제거하기 위한 다양한 플라즈마 기술중 특히 BDB 방법과 SDIP 기술들은 플라즈마에 의한 VOC 분해 뿐만 아니라 오존 발생을 통하여 VOC성분을 분해하는 것으로 알려져 있으며 효율이 매우 뛰어난 것으로 보고 되고 있다. 그러나 BDB 방전의 경우 방전이 발생하는 간격이 매우 작아 공기를 정화시키기 위해 좁은 유로를 통하여 일정넓이를 이동하여하 하기 때문에 압력감소가 심하며 이를 개선하기위해 다단으로 설계할 경우 구조가 복잡하고 가격이 고가인 단점이 있다. 본 연구에서는 두 개의 면 전극이 마주보는 형태로 된 DBD 구조의 단점을 보완하기 위하여 빗살무늬 모양의 다층구조의 선형전극으로 구조를 변화시켜 전극에 의한 압력감소를 방지하고 효율적으로 플라즈마 및 오존을 발생시킬 수 있는 VOC제거용 상압 플라즈마 발생장치를 개발하였다. 또한 플라즈마 발생 및 오존발생량이 우수한 것으로 알려져 있는 SDIP 장치 또한 제작하여 비교 평가를 하였다. 제작된 플라즈마 발생장치는 60 Hz와 20kHz의 교류 고압파워 서플라이를 이용하여 플라즈마 발생실험을 진행하였다. 선행 연구에서는 60 Hz의 고압 파워 서플라이를 이용하여도 플라즈마 방전이 잘 된다고 보고되었는데 본 실험에서 60 Hz 파워 서플라이를 사용할 경우 15 kV 이상이 인가될 때 아주 약하게 오존이 발생하는 현상이 관찰되었으나 육안으로 구분이 될 만큼의 플라즈마 방전은 발생하지 않았다. 20kHz의 고압파워 서플라이를 사용한 경우에는 비교적 낮은 전압인 7 kV에서 방전이 관찰되었으며 분당 22 mg의 오존이 발생하였다. SDIP를 이용한 경우 플라즈마가 발생하는 조건은 SDIP의 기하학적 형상에 많이 의존하게 된다. 본 실험에 SDIP 장치는 매우 낮은 전압에서 방전을 시작하였다. 기존의 DBD와는 다르게 1.7 kV에서 플라즈마 발생하였으며 1.8 kV에서 정상적인 플라즈마 방전이 발생하였다. 이때 분당 3.1 mg의 오존이 발생하였다. 오존 발생양은 앞에 빗살형 플라즈마 방전장치에 비하여 낮은데 인가되는 전력을 고려하면 입력된 전기 에너지당 오존발생양은 비슷한 수준이였다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.02a
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• pp.447-447
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• 2010

일찍이 $SiO_2$ (Silicon dioxide) 박막은 다양한 분야에서 유전층, 부식 방지층, passivation층 등의 역할을 해왔다. 그리고 이러한 박막 공정은 대부분 진공의 환경에서 그 공정이 이루어지고 있다. 하지만 이러한 진공 system은 chamber, loadlock 그리고 펌프 등의 다양한 진공장비로 인한 생산 비용 증가, 공정의 복잡성뿐만 아니라 공정의 대면적화에 어려움을 지니고 있다. 그리고 최근 flexible display의 제조 공정에서 polymer 혹은 plastic 기판을 제조 공정에 적용시키기 위해 저온 공정이 필수적으로 요구 되고 있다. 이러한 기술적 한계를 뛰어 넘기 위해 최근 많은 연구가들은 atmospheric pressure plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (AP-PECVD)에 대해 지속적으로 다양한 연구를 하고 있다. 본 연구에서는 remote-type의 modified pin-to-plate dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) 시스템을 이용한 $SiO_2$ 무기 박막 증착에 관해 연구하였다. $O_2$/He/Ar의 gas와 5 kV AC power (30 kHz)의 전원장치를 통해 고밀도 대기압 플라즈마를 발생시켰고, silicon precursor로는 hexamethyldisilazane (HMSD)를 사용하였다. 먼저 HMDS와 $O_2$ gas의 flow rate 변화에 따른 증착률을 조사하였고 그 다음으로 박막의 조성 및 표면 특성을 조사하였다. HMDS의 유량이 100 ~ 300 sccm으로 증가함에 따라 증착속도는 증가했다. 하지만 FT-IR을 통해 HMDS의 유량이 증가하면 반응에 참여할 산소 분자의 부족으로 인해 $-(CH_3)_X$의 peak intensity가 증가하고, -OH의 peak intensity가 점차 감소함을 관찰 할 수 있었다. 또한 증착된 박막의 표면에 particle과 불균일한 surface morphology 등을 SEM image를 통해 관찰 하였다. 산소 유량이 탄소와 관련된 많은 불순물들의 제거에 도움이 됨에도 불구하고 14 slm 이상의 산소가 반응기 내로 주입되게 되면 대기압 플라즈마의 discharge가 불안정하게 되어 공정효율을 저하시키는 요소가 되었다. 결과적으로 HMDS (150 sccm)/$O_2$ (14 slm)/He (5 slm)/Ar (3 slm)의 조건에서 약 42.7 nm/min 증착률을 가지며, 불순물이 적고 surface morphology가 깨끗한 $SiO_2$ 박막을 증착할 수 있었다.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2009.07a
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• pp.1425_1426
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• 2009

In this study, commercially available polyethylene terephthalate(PET), which is widely used as a substrate of flexible electronic devices, was modified by dielectric barrier discharge(DBD) method in an air condition at atmospheric pressure, and aluminium - doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Al) transparent conducting film was deposited on PET substrate by r. f. magnetron sputtering method. Surface analysis and characterization of the plasma-treated PET substrate was carried out using contact angle measurements, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy(XPS) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Especially the effect of surface state of PET substrate on some important properties of ZnO:Al transparent conducting film such as electrical and morphological properties and deposition rate of the film, was studied experimentally. The results showed that the contact angle of water on PET film was reduced significantly from $62^{\circ}$ to $43^{\circ}$ by DBD surface treatment at 20 min. of treatment time. The plasma treatment also improved the deposition rate and electrical properties. The deposition rate was increased almost linearly with surface treatment time. The lowest electrical resistivity as low as $4.97{\times}10^{-3}[\Omega-cm]$ and the highest deposition rate of 234[${\AA}m$/min] were obtained in ZnO:Al film with surface treatment time of 5min. and 20min., respectively.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.518-524
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• 2013

This study investigated the degradation of taste-and-odor compounds and toxins using dielectric barrier discharge plasma. The degradation of taste-and-odor compounds was conducted on geosmin and 2-methyl isoborneol (2-MIB), and the toxins investigated were microcystin-LR (MC-LR), microcystin-RR (MC-RR), microcystin-YR (MC-YR) and anatoxin-a. Largely depending on the type of gas fed to the plasma reactor, the degradation efficiencies of the taste-and-odor compounds decreased in order of oxygen (100%) > dry air (96%) > nitrogen (5%) for geosmin and in order of oxygen (100%) > dry air (94%) > nitrogen (2%) for 2-MIB on the basis of 150 s reaction time. This result suggests that the oxidative reactive species generated during plasma treatment, especially long-lived ozone, are mainly responsible for the degradation of these compounds. When using oxygen as the feed gas, geosmin and 2-MIB were totally degraded within 150 s, microcystins within 10 s, and anatoxin-a within 30 s. It was found that the taste-and-odor compounds and toxins were degraded more rapidly in real lake water than in distilled water.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.165-171
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• 2018

Atmospheric-pressure plasma (APP) was applied to determine quality characteristics of brown rice (BR) and white rice (WR) of Samkwang and Palbangmi. APP (250 W, 15 kHz, ambient air) was generated and dielectric barrier discharge was applied for 0, 10, and 20 min for 2 weeks at 4 and $25^{\circ}C$. The growth of total aerobic bacteria and mold increased depending on the storage. Water content of BR and WR decreased by storage temperature and periods. No viable counts were detected for molds by APP-treated 20 min at $4^{\circ}C$. Changes in protein and damaged starch contents in plasma were not observed. Amylose contents were not changed, but WR (Palbangmi) showed a tendency to increase. The results show that APP improved the microbial quality of BR and WR of Samkwang and Palbangmi, although further studies should be conducted to determine change in quality by APP.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.560-563
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• 2020

Cold plasma has been applied to improve quality of food product; however, studies on its effects on microbial and physicochemical qualities of rice noodles are rarely conducted. In this study, changes in the quality characteristics of rice noodles treated by cold plasma were determined. Cold plasma was generated in a square-shaped plastic container (250 W, 15 kHz, ambient air), and dielectric barrier discharge plasma treatments were applied to rice noodle samples for 0, 10, or 20 min. Rice noodles inoculated with either Bacillus cereus or Escherichia coli O157:H7 were subjected to plasma treatment for 20 min, and the approximate bacterial count reduction were 4.10 and 2.75 log CFU/g, respectively. The Hunter color values of the sample were increased after cold plasma treatment. Peroxide values and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) were increased with an increase in cold plasma treatment time. Futhermore, lipid oxidation was enhanced. Although further studies are warranted to evaluate changes in chemical qualities, such as lipid oxidation of rice noodles, induced by cold plasma, the results suggest that cold plasma can improve the microbial and physical qualities of rice noodles.

• Clean Technology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.81-90
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• 2019

A dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma reactor packed with $Ni-CeO_2/{\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ catalyst was used for the dry ($CO_2$) reforming of propane (DRP) to improve the production of syngas (a mixture of $H_2$ and CO) and the catalyst stability. The plasma-catalytic DRP was carried out with either thermally or plasma-reduced $Ni-CeO_2/{\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ catalyst at a $C_3H_8/CO_2$ ratio of 1/3 and a total feed gas flow rate of $300mL\;min^{-1}$. The catalytic activities associated with the DRP were evaluated in the range of $500{\sim}600^{\circ}C$. Following the calcination in ambient air, the ${\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ impregnated with the precursor solution ($Ni(NO_3)_2$ and $Ce(NO_3)_2$) was subjected to reduction in an $H_2/Ar$ atmosphere to prepare $Ni-CeO_2/{\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ catalyst. The characteristics of the catalysts were examined using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), temperature programmed reduction ($H_2-TPR$), temperature programmed desorption ($H_2-TPD$, $CO_2-TPD$), temperature programmed oxidation (TPO), and Raman spectroscopy. The investigation revealed that the plasma-reduced $Ni-CeO_2/{\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ catalyst exhibited superior catalytic activity for the production of syngas, compared to the thermally reduced catalyst. Besides, the plasma-reduced $Ni-CeO_2/{\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ catalyst was found to show long-term catalytic stability with respect to coke resistance that is main concern regarding the DRP process.