• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.167-183
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• 2023

Gases originated from the final SNF (spent nuclear fuel) disposal site are very mobile in the barrier and they may also affect the migration of radioactive nuclides generated from the SNF. Mechanisms of gas-nuclide migration in the multi-barrier and their influences on the safety of the disposal site should be understood before the construction of the final SNF disposal site. However, researches related to gas-nuclide coupled movement in the multi-barrier medium have been very little both at home and abroad. In this study, properties of gas generation and migration in the SNF disposal environment were reviewed through previous researches and their main mechanisms were summarized on the hydrogeological evolution stage of the SNF disposal site. Gas generation in the SNF disposal site was categorized into five origins such as the continuous nuclear fission of the SNS, the Cu-canister corrosion, the oxidation-reduction reaction, the microbial activity, and the inflow from the natural barriers. Migration scenarios of gas in porous medium of the multi-barrier in the SNF repository site were investigated through reviews for previous studies and several gas migration types including ① the free gas phase flow including visco-capillary two-phase flow, ② the advection and diffusion of dissolved gas in pore water, ③ dilatant two-phase flow, and ④ tensile fracture flow, were presented. Reviewed results in this study can support information to design the further research for the gas-nuclide migration in the repository site and to evaluate the safety of the Korean SNF disposal site in view points of gas migration in the multi-barrier.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.245-251
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• 2014

Pyroprocess for treating spent nuclear fuels has been developed based on electrochemical principles. Process simulation is one of the important methods for process development and experimental data analysis and it is also a necessary approach for pyroprocessing. To date, process simulation of pyroprocessing has been focused on electrorefining and there have been not so many investigations on electrolytic reduction. Electrolytic reduction, unlike electrorefining, includes specific features of gas evolution and porous electrode and, thus, different equations should be considered for developing a model for the process. This study summarized required concepts and equations for electrolytic reduction model development from thermodynamic, mass transport, and reaction kinetics theories which are necessitated for analyzing an electrochemical cell. An electrolytic reduction cell was divided and equations for each section were listed and, then, boundary conditions for connecting the sections were indicated. It is expected that those equations would be used as a basis to develop a simulation model for the future and applied to determine parameters associated with experimental data.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.429-434
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• 2012

With increase in operating temperature of gas turbine for higher efficiency, it is necessary to find new materials of TBC for replacement of YSZ. Among candidate materials for future TBCs, zirconate-based oxides with pyrochlore and fluorite are prevailing ones. In this study, phase structure and thermal conductivities of $(La_{1-x}Gd_x)_2Zr_2O_7$ oxide system are investigated. $(La_{1-x}Gd_x)_2Zr_2O_7$ system are comprised by selecting $La^{3+}/Gd^{3+}$ as A-site ions and $Zr^{4+}$ as B-site ion in $A_2B_2O_7$ pyrochlore structures. With powder mixture from each oxide, $(La_{1-x}Gd_x)_2Zr_2O_7$ oxides are fabricated via solid-state reaction at $1600^{\circ}C$. Either pyrochlore or fluorite or mixture of both appears after heat treatment. For the developed phases along $(La_{1-x}Gd_x)_2Zr_2O_7$ compositions, thermal conductivities are examined, with which the potential of $(La_{1-x}Gd_x)_2Zr_2O_7$ compositions for TBC application is also discussed.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.289-296
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• 2008

Electrochemical studies were performed by a half-cell test for the nickel hydroxide (cathode) and hydrogen storage alloy(anode) electrodes for the sealed Ni-MH batteries applicable to industrial use. The electrodes were fabricated and checked a charge efficiency and an internal pressure of the battery during charge-discharge cycling. In order to reduce the internal pressure of the sealed Ni-MH battery, cyclic voltammetry (CV) were performed on the electrodes of nickel hydroxide(cathode) and hydrogen storage alloy(anode), respectively. The results of the test showed clearly the oxidation/reduction and oxygen evolution reaction in a nickel hydroxide electrode and the hydrogenation behavior of a hydrogen storage electrode. The sealed Ni-MH battery of 130Ah was fabricated by using nickel hydroxide of a high over-voltage for an oxygen gas evolution and hydrogen storage alloy of a good performance for activation The battery showed a good characteristics such as a high charge efficiency of 98% at 1 C charge current, a low level internal pressure of 4 atm on a continuous over-charging and a large preservation capacity of 95% at 400 cycle.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.306-310
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• 2015

In this research, hematite nanoparticles were synthesized by DC thermal plasma process to increase the overall surface area. The effect of binders on hematite electrodes was investigated by changing the type and composition of binders when preparing electrodes. Nitrogen gas was also added to the DC thermal plasma process in order to dope the hematite with N for enhancing photoelectrochemical properties of hematite nanoparticles. The efficiency of water splitting reaction was measured by linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) under solar simulator. In LSV measurements, the onset potential and maximum current density at a fixed voltage were measured. The durability of electrodes was checked by repeating LSV measurements. CMC (carboxymethyl cellulose) binder with 50 : 1 composition exhibits the highest current density of $12mA/cm^2$ and CMC binder with 20 : 1 composition, showing the initial current density of $3mA/cm^2$, endures 20 times of repetitive LSV measurements. Effects of nitrogen doping on hematite nanoparticles were proven to be insignificant.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.77-77
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• 2016

Thin films synthesized by plasma processes have been widely applied in a variety of industrial sectors. The structure control of thin film is one of prime factor in most of these applications. It is well known that the structure of this film is closely associated with plasma parameters and species of plasma which are electrons, ions, radical and neutrals in plasma processes. However the precise control of structure by plasma process is still limited due to inherent complexity, reproducibility and control problems in practical implementation of plasma processing. Therefore the study on the fundamental physical properties that govern the plasmas becomes more crucial for molecular scale control of film structure and corresponding properties for new generation nano scale film materials development and application. The thin films are formed through nucleation and growth stages during thin film depostion. Such stages involve adsorption, surface diffusion, chemical binding and other atomic processes at surfaces. This requires identification, determination and quantification of the surface activity of the species in the plasma. Specifically, the ions and neutrals have kinetic energies ranging from ~ thermal up to tens of eV, which are generated by electron impact of the polyatomic precursor, gas phase reaction, and interactions with the substrate and reactor walls. The present work highlights these aspects for the controlled and low-temperature plasma enhanced chemical vapour disposition (PECVD) of Si-based films like crystalline Si (c-Si), Si-quantum dot, and sputtered crystalline C by the design and control of radicals, plasmas and the deposition energy. Additionally, there is growing demand on the low-temperature deposition process with low hydrogen content by PECVD. The deposition temperature can be reduced significantly by utilizing alternative plasma concepts to lower the reaction activation energy. Evolution in this area continues and has recently produced solutions by increasing the plasma excitation frequency from radio frequency to ultra high frequency (UHF) and in the range of microwave. In this sense, the necessity of dedicated experimental studies, diagnostics and computer modelling of process plasmas to quantify the effect of the unique chemistry and structure of the growing film by radical and plasma control is realized. Different low-temperature PECVD processes using RF, UHF, and RF/UHF hybrid plasmas along with magnetron sputtering plasmas are investigated using numerous diagnostics and film analysis tools. The broad outlook of this work also outlines some of the 'Grand Scientific Challenges' to which significant contributions from plasma nanoscience-related research can be foreseen.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Groundwater Environment
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.171-179
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• 1999

The $CO_2$-rich waters in the Chojeong area are characterized by low pH (5.0~5.8), high $CO_2$pressure (about 1 atm) and high amounts of total dissolved iou (up to 989 mg/L) and chemically belong to Ca-HC $O_3$type. The oxygen. deuterium and tritium isotope data indicate that the mixing process occurred between $CO_2$-rich water and surface water and/or shallow groundwaters and also suggest that the $CO_2$-rich water has been derived from meteoric waters. According to $\delta$$^{13}$ C values (-8.6~-5.3$\textperthousand$). the $CO_2$ in the water is attributed from deep seated $CO_2$gas. The high dissolved carbon (-14.4~-6.8$\textperthousand$. $\delta$$^{13}$ C) in groundwater of the granitic terrain might be affected by $CO_2$-rich water, whereas the dissolved carbon (-17.9~-15.2$\textperthousand$. $\delta$$^{13}$ C) in groundwater of the metamorphic terrain is likely controlled by soil $CO_2$ and from the reaction with calcite in phyllite. Sulfur isotope data (＋3.5~＋11.3$\textperthousand$,$\delta$$^{34}$ $S_{SO4}$) also support the mixing process between $CO_2$-rich water and shallow groundwater. Strontium isotopic ratio ($^{87}$ Sr/$^{86}$ Sr) indicates that the $CO_2$-rich water (0.7138~0.7156) is not related to vein calcite (0.7184) of Buak mine or calcite (0.7281~0.7346) in phyllite. By nitrogen isotope ($\delta$$^{15}$ $N_{NO3}$) the sources of nitrogen (up to 55.0 mg/L, N $O_3$) in the $CO_2$-rich water are identified as fertilizer and animal manure. It also indicates the possibility of denitrification during the circulation of nitrogen in the Chojeong area. The possible evolution model of the $CO_2$-rich water based on the hydrochemical and environmental isotopic data was proposed in this study. The $CO_2$-rich waters from the Chojeong area were primarily derived from the reaction with granite by supply of deep seated $CO_2$. and then the $CO_2$-rich water was mixed and diluted with the local groundwater.ter.