• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.70-78
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• 2023

Blast furnace slag, a by-product of the steel industry, is mostly recycled as concrete admixture, but electric arc furnace slag has not been recycled to date. In particular, since electric arc furnace slag partially contains free lime (free-CaO) in the discharge, it is necessary to review this in order to recycle f or construction materials. Recently an atomizing process which is a method of rapidly cooling electric arc furnace slag has been developed and applied. Therefore, in order to use the fine aggregate of oxidized slag from electric furnace restored by this method as an aggregate for concrete, physical damage and chemical reviewing are required. In this study, a physical and chemical review was conducted on the fine aggregate of Electric Arc Furnace Oxidizing Slag (EFOS) as a by-product of the steel manufacturing process with atomizing process. In this experimental study, EFOS was experimentally examined about whether it can be used as concrete fine aggregate. Also, we intend to provide basic data for the future use of the EFOS fine aggregate. As a result of the experimental study, it was found that the fine aggregate of the EFOS satisfied the quality standards of the fine aggregate for concrete in most items specified by Korean Standard.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.167-173
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• 2023

Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃ and Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃/C composite with single phase monoclinic structure for the cathode materials are successfully synthesized by direct co-precipitation method using N₂H₄·H₂O as the reducing agent and alginic acid as the carbon source, and their electrochemical properties were compared. The particles with approximately 1~2 ㎛ size and the uniform spherical-like morphology of the narrow particle size distribution were obtained. In addition, the residual carbon can also improve the electrical conductivity. The Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃/C composite has improved initial specific discharge capacity and excellent cycle characteristics to maintain capacity stably than Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃. The results indicate that the reducing agent and carbon composite can affect the good crystallinity and electrochemical performance of the cathode materials.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.41-51
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• 2024

The Sincheon wetland shows a remarkable diversity of fluvial landforms, such as river islands, anastomosing channels, braided channels, and sand-gravel bars, which contribute to its rich ecological habitat. The wetland area is characterized by a ecological diversity of herbaceous and woody plants. Significant changes in land cover within the wetlands were observed from 2008 to 2020. Notably, there was a rapid decrease in agricultural area from 18% to 0.04%, while the vegetation area expanded from 45% to 54%. Concurrently, the water area also experienced a notable increase from 34% to 41%. The surface sediment composition in the studied area displays sandy loam characteristics and exhibits acidic soil properties. Sediment acidity tends to increase downstream and in the central part of channels. Variations in acidity are also observed at nearby collection sites due to the tributaries and local discharge. The presence of dense vegetation in river islands and bars has led to a significant transformation of sediments into soil, with this change being more pronounced downstream, particularly near the weirs. The installation of a weir in Sincheon wetland is believed to have a significant impact on altering flow velocities between upstream and downstream sections, as well as influencing erosion and sediment deposition patterns. However, given the formation of landforms in response to weirs, effective administration and management are essential to address potential risks of catastrophic environmental disruptions, such as the removal of weirs and/or the maintenance of river channels.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.370-385
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• 2023

Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (Cyano-HABs) are an international environmental problem that negatively affects the ecosystem as well as the safety of water resources by discharging cyanotoxins. In particular, the discharge of microcystins (MCs), a highly toxic substance, has been studied most actively, and various water treatment methods have been proposed for this purpose. In this paper, we reviewed adsorption technology, which is recognized as the most feasible, economical, and efficient method among suggested treatment methods for removing MCs. Activated carbons (AC) are widely used adsorbents for MCs removal, and excellent MCs adsorption performance has been reported. Research on alternative adsorption materials for AC such as biochar and biosorbents has been conducted, however, their performance was lower compared to activated carbon. The impacts of adsorbent properties(characteristics of pore surface chemistry) and environmental factors (solution pH, temperature, natural organic matter, and ionic strength) on the MCs adsorption performance were also discussed. In addition, toward effective control of MCs, the possibility of the direct removal of harmful cyanobacteria as well as the removal of dissolved MCs using adsorption strategy was examined. However, to fully utilize the adsorption for the removal of MCs, the application and optimization under actual environmental conditions are still required, thereby meeting the environmental and economic standards. From this study, crucial insights could be provided for the development and selection of effective adsorbent and subsequent adsorption processes for the removal of MCs from water resources.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.309-315
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• 2024

Silicon and carbon composite (SiC) is considered one of the most promising anode materials for the commercialization of Si-based anodes, as it could simultaneously satisfy the high theoretical capacity of Si and the high electronic conductivity of carbon. However, SiC active material undergoes repeated volumetric changes during charge/discharge processes, leading to continuous electrolyte decomposition and capacity fading, which is still considered an issue that needs to be addressed. To solve this issue, we suggest a 4,4'-Methylenebis(cyclohexyl isocyanate) (H₁₂MDI)-based waterborne polyurethane binder (HPUD), which forms a 3D network structure through thermal cross-linking reaction. The cross-linked HPUD (denoted as CHPU) was prepared using an epoxy ring-opening reaction of the cross-linker, triglycidyl isocyanurate (TGIC), via simple thermal treatment during the SiC anode drying process. The SiC anode with the CHPU binder, which exhibited superior mechanical and adhesion properties, not only demonstrated excellent rate and cycling performance but also alleviated the volume expansion of the SiC anode. This work implies that eco-friendly binders with cross-linked structures could be utilized for various Si-based anodes.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.62 no.3
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• pp.238-245
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• 2024

The lactate electrode can be utilized either as an electrode for lactate sensor to monitor the patient's health status, stress level, and athlete's fatigue in real time or lactate fuel cell. In this study, we fabricated a high-performance electrode composed of lactate oxidase, catalase, and mitochondria, and investigated the surface analysis and electrochemical properties of this electrode. Carbon paper modified with single-walled carbon nanotubes (CP-SWCNT) had significantly improved electrical conductivity compared to before modification. The electrode to which lactate oxidase, catalase, and mitochondria were attached (CP-SWCNT-LOx-Cat-Mito) produced a higher current than the electrode to which lactate oxidase and catalase were attached. The amount of reduction current produced by the bilirubin oxidase (BOD)-attached electrode (CP-SWCNT-BOD) was greatly affected by the presence or absence of oxygen in the electrolyte. The fuel cell composed of CP-SWCNT-LOx-Cat-Mito (anode) and CP-SWCNT-BOD (cathode) produced maximum power (29 ㎼/cm²) at a discharge current density of 133 ㎂/cm². From this study, we had proved that mitochondria is essential for improving lactate sensor and fuel cell performance.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.62 no.3
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• pp.262-268
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• 2024

In this study, the MXene/Si composite was prepared by electrostacic assembly with 2-dimensional structured titanium carbide (MXene) and nano silicon for anode material of high-performance lithium-ion battery. Ti₃C₂T_x MXene was synthesized by etching the Ti₃AlC₂ MAX with LiF/HCl, and the surface of nano silicon was charged to positively using CTAB (Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide). The MXene/Si anode composite was successfully manufactured by simple mixing process of synthesized MXene and charged silicon. The physical and electrochemical properties of prepared composite were investigated with MXene-silicon composition ratio, and the surface of electrode after cycles was analyzed to evaluate stability of the electrode. The MXene/Si composites demonstrated high initial discharge capacities of 1962.9, 2395.2 and 2504.3 mAh/g as the silicon composition ratio increased to 2, 3 and 4 compared to MXene, respectively. MXene/Si-4, which is MXene and silicon ratio with 1 : 4, exhibited 1387.5 mAh/g of reversible capacity, 74.5% of capacity retention at 100 cycles and high capacity of 700.5 mAh/g at high rate of 4.0 C. As the results, the MXene/Si composite prepared by electrostatic-assenbly could be applied to anode materials for high-performance LIBs.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.321-328
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• 2024

The performance of carbon fluoride-based lithium primary batteries (Li/CF_X) is limited due to poor rate capability resulting from the low conductivity of carbon fluoride, which is used as the active material. Therefore, in this study, we applied a carbon coating using pyrolysis fuel oil on carbon fluoride to overcome this limitation and considered its electrochemical performance. An amorphous carbon layer was formed on the surface of the carbon fluoride through carbon coating, and the surface physicochemical properties of the carbon fluoride were meticulously considered based on the heat treatment temperature. The advanced research chemical 1000 heat treated at 450 ℃ (ARC@C450) sample, which was commercial carbon fluoride heat-treated at 450 ℃, showed the largest increase in the concentration of sp² carbon bonds (62%) and the highest formation of semi-ionic C-F bonds. Also, the primary battery using the ARC@C450 sample as a cathode active material exhibited stable discharge capability at the highest rate of 5 C (392 mAh/g), and the R_ct value was reduced by 53% compared to the untreated sample. Therefore, we proposed pyrolysis fuel oil-based carbon coating as a method to overcome the low conductivity of carbon fluoride, and the carbon-coated carbon fluoride showed excellent rate performance, suggesting its potential application in high-power primary batteries.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.147-152
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• 2016

This study was conducted to investigate the physicochemical quality properties and provide basic data for the activation of traditional Kamju of juice type product prepared by mixing malt and extruded rice collet powder. Malt extracts were prepared by extracting the mixture of malt and water at a weight ratio of 25:75 after soaking for 2 h at $45^{\circ}C$. Rice collet powder was prepared by adjusting the barrel temperature to $95^{\circ}C$, screw speed to $3.07{\times}g$, discharge port diameter to 7 mm and a raw material input to 50 kg/h, the powder was then ground to a particle size of 80 mesh. The physicochemical characteristics (pH, color, viscosity, reducing sugars, number of viable cells, free amino acids) and sensory evaluations were conducted at various time points during the saccharification and at different mixing ratios of the extruded rice collet powder to malt extract (5:95, 15:85, 25:75, 35:65, each at $55^{\circ}C$ for 9 h). As a result, with an increase in the proportion of the extruded rice collet powder and saccharification time, the physicochemical properties of traditional Kamju significantly improved (p<0.05). A mixing ratio of 35:65 rice collet powder to malt extract and a saccharification time of 9 h were found to be the most desirable conditions. However, based on the sensory evaluation, a mixing ratio of rice collet powder and malt extract of 25:75 and a saccharification time of 5 h resulted in the most preferable palatability of traditional Kamju (p<0.05). Therefore, the mixing ratio and saccharification time should be determined to provide a better choice with respect to the taste and economic aspects of traditional Kamju.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.7-12
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• 2017

Using a precursor of $LiNi_{0.6}Co_{0.2}Mn_{0.2}O_2$ as a starting material, a surface-modified cathode material was obtained by coating with KCl, where the added KCl reduces residual Li compounds such as $Li_2CO_3$ and LiOH, on the surface. The resulting electrochemical properties were investigated. The amounts of $Li_2CO_3$ and LiOH decreased from 8,464 ppm to 1,639 ppm and from 8,088 ppm to 6,287 ppm, respectively, with 1 wt% KCl added $LiNi_{0.6}Co_{0.2}Mn_{0.2}O_2$ that had been calcined at $800^{\circ}C$. X-ray diffraction results revealed that 1 wt% of KCl added $LiNi_{0.6}Co_{0.2}Mn_{0.2}O_2$ did not affect the parent structure but enhanced the development of hexagonal crystallites. Additionally, the charge transfer resistance ($R_{ct}$) decreased dramatically from $225{\Omega}$ to $99{\Omega}$, and the discharge capacity increased to 182.73mAh/g. Using atomic force microscopy, we observed that the surface area decreased by half because of the exothermic heat released by the Li residues. The reduced surface area protects the cathode material from reacting with the electrolyte and hinders the development of a solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) film on the surface of the oxide particles. Finally, we found that the introduction of KCl into $LiNi_{0.6}Co_{0.2}Mn_{0.2}O_2$ is a very effective method of enhancing the electrochemical properties of this active material by reducing the residual Li. To the best of our knowledge, this report is the first to demonstrate this phenomenon.