• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.901-908
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• 2018

Graphite is used as a sample anode active material. However, since the maximum theoretical capacity is limited to $372mA\;h\;g^{-1}$, a new anode active material is required for the development of a high capacity lithium ion battery. The maximum theoretical capacity of Si is $4200mA\;h\;g^{-1}$, which is higher than that of graphite. However, it is not suitable for direct application to the anode active material because it has a volume expansion of 400%. In order to minimize the decrease of the discharge capacity due to the volume expansion, the Si was pulverized by the dry method to reduce the mechanical stress and the volume change of the reaction phase, and the change of the volume was suppressed by coating the carbon layers to the particle size controlled Si particles. And carbon fiber is grown like a thread on the particle surface to control secondary volume expansion and improve electrical conductivity. The physical and chemical properties of the materials were measured by XRD, SEM and TEM, and their electrochemical properties were evaluated. In this study, we have investigated the synthesis method that can be used as anode active material by improving cycle characteristics of Si.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.468-474
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• 2015

Electrically conductive polymer nanocomposites were prepared by the inclusion of graphene-based nanofillers. Graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide wrapped by poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS-RGO) were used as nanofillers to make good dispersion with the aqueous dispersion of polystyrene (PS) particles. GO sheets were synthesized by the modified Hummers' method from graphite, and PSS-RGO sheets were prepared by the reduction of GO-dispersed PSS solution with hydrazine monohydrate. Morphology and properties of PS/GO and PS/PSS-RGO nanocomposites via latex technology were investigated. Both nanofillers showed well dispersed morphology in PS matrix. Rheological and electrical percolation thresholds were 0.28 and 0.51 wt% for GO, and 0.50 and 1.01 wt% for PSS-RGO respectively. It is speculated that PS/GO nanocomposites showed better conductivity than PS/PSS-RGO counterparts due to the partial recovery of GO by thermal reduction during molding.

• Composites Research
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.1-11
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• 2001

The particulates reinforced metal matrix composites(PMMC) have a number of interesting mechanical properties. including high strength and good resistance to wear at high temperature and low thermal expansion. The equipment structure to obtain the homogeneous distribution in composites are proposed for the continuous pouring of reinforcement at the desired temperature. The particulates reinforced metal matrix composites(A357/SiCp) were fabricated by the process of the combined stirring method with the various fabrication process. The combined stirring method to niform distribution of particle is consisted of two stirring force both electro-magnetic stirring generated from induction heating and mechanical stirring with graphite stirrer. PMMC billets were fabricated with the volume fractions ranged from 0% to 20% and particle sizes ranged from 14${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ to 25${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$. It is important to cont the size of primary $\alpha$-Al solid particles because it could become the cause of the particle pushing or capture phenomena from the fact that secondary dendrite arm spacing size depends on the cooling rate during the solidification in hypoeutectic Al-Si alloy. Therefore, the effect of primary $\alpha$-Al on the reinforcement distribution in matrix alloys has been investigated. The microstructure of PMMC fabracated with various volume fractions(0%, 10%, and 20%) and particle size were observed.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.187-192
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• 2014

In this article, we report the fabrication and characterization of $CNT/Co_3O_4$ nanocomposite for lithium ion batteries. We expected that the composition with CNT is effective method to compensate for the low electronic conductivity of $Co_3O_4$ and suppress the stress from phase transition of $Co_3O_4$ during cycling. $CNT/Co_3O_4$ nanocomposites were composed of nano-sized $Co_3O_4$ particles, which were homogeneously distributed on the surface of CNTs. The $CNT/Co_3O_4$ electrode presented higher capacity than commercial graphite, good rate capability and stable cyclic performance. This implies that the $CNT/Co_3O_4$ could be a promising anode material for lithium ion batteries.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.401-406
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• 2012

When viewed using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, invasive materials inside the human body, in many cases, severely distort the MR image of human tissues. The degree of the MR image distortion increases in proportion not only to the difference in the susceptibility between the invasive material and the human tissue, but also to the intensity of the magnetic field induced by the MRI system. In this study, by blending paramagnetic Ti particles with diamagnetic graphite, we synthesized $Ti_{100-x}C_x$ composites that can reduce the artifact in the MR image under the high-strength magnetic field. Of the developed composites, $Ti_{70}C_{30}$ showed the magnetic susceptibility of ${\chi}=67.6{\times}10^{-6}$, which corresponds to 30% of those of commercially available Ti alloys, the lowest reported in the literature. The level of the MR image distortion in the vicinity of the $Ti_{70}C_{30}$ composite insert was nearly negligible even under the high magnetic field of 4.7 T. In this paper, we reported on a methodology of designing new structural materials for bio-applications, their synthesis, experimental confirmation and measurement of MR images.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.8
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• pp.2792-2800
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• 2022

In the core of the WWR-K reactor, a long-term irradiation of tristructural isotopic (TRISO)-coated fuel particles (CFPs) with a UO₂ kernel was carried out under high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR)-like operating conditions. The temperature of this TRISO fuel during irradiation varied in the range of 950-1100 ℃. A fission per initial metal atom (FIMA) of uranium burnup of 9.9% was reached. The release of gaseous fission products was measured in-pile. The release-to-birth ratio (R/B) for the fission product isotopes was calculated. Aspects of fuel safety while achieving deep fuel burnup are important and relevant, including maintaining the integrity of the fuel coatings. The main mechanisms of fuel failure are kernel migration, silicon carbide corrosion by palladium, and gas pressure increase inside the CFP. The formation of gaseous fission products and carbon monoxide leads to an increase in the internal pressure in the CFP, which is a dominant failure mechanism of the coatings under this level of burnup. Irradiated fuel compacts were subjected to electric dissociation to isolate the CFPs from the fuel compacts. In addition, nondestructive methods, such as X-ray radiography and gamma spectrometry, were used. The predicted R/B ratio was evaluated using the fission gas release model developed in the high-temperature test reactor (HTTR) project. In the model, both the through-coatings of failed CFPs and as-fabricated uranium contamination were assumed to be sources of the fission gas. The obtained R/B ratio for gaseous fission products allows the finalization and validation of the model for the release of fission products from the CFPs and fuel compacts. The success of the integrity of TRISO fuel irradiated at approximately 9.9% FIMA was demonstrated. A low fuel failure fraction and R/B ratios indicated good performance and reliability of the studied TRISO fuel.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.9
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• pp.3450-3463
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• 2023

In the two-step analysis of Pebble-Bed type High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (PB-HTGR), the lattice physics calculation for the generation of homogenized cross-sections is based on the fuel pebble. However, the randomly-dispersed fuel particles in the fuel pebble introduce double heterogeneity and randomness. Compared to the deterministic method, the Monte Carlo method which is flexible in geometry modeling provides a high-fidelity treatment. Therefore, the Monte Carlo code NECP-MCX is extended in this study to perform the lattice physics calculation of the PB-HTGR. Firstly, the capability for the simulation of randomly-dispersed media, using the explicit modeling approach, is developed in NECP-MCX. Secondly, the capability for the generation of the homogenized cross-section is also developed in NECP-MCX. Finally, simplified PB-HTGR problems are calculated by a two-step neutronics analysis tool based on Monte Carlo homogenization. For the pebble beds mixed by fuel pebble and graphite pebble, the bias is less than 100 pcm when compared to the high-fidelity model, and the bias is increased to 269 pcm for pebble bed mixed by depleted fuel pebble. Numerical results show that the Monte Carlo lattice physics calculation for the two-step analysis of PB-HTGR is feasible.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.88-98
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• 2015

4-Amino-N-hexadecylbenzamide-graphene sheets (AHB-GSs), used in the preparation of the polyimide (PI) nanocomposite films, were synthesized by mixing a dispersion of graphite oxide with a solution of the ammonium salt of AHB. The atomic force microscope image of functionalized-GS on mica and a profile plot revealed the average thickness of AHB-GS to be ~3.21 nm. PI films were synthesized by reacting 4,4'-biphthalic anhydride and bis(4-aminophenyl) sulfide. PI nanocomposite films containing various contents of AHB-GS over the range of 0-10 wt% were synthesized using the solution intercalation method. The PI nanocomposite films under different thermal imidization temperatures, 250 and $350^{\circ}C$, were examined. The graphenes, for the most part, were well dispersed in the polymer matrix despite some agglomeration. However, micrometer-scale particles were not detected. The average thickness of the particles was <10 nm, as revealed from the transmission electron microscope images. Only a small amount of AHB-GS was required to improve the gas barrier, and electrical conductivity. In contrast, the glass transition and initial decomposition temperatures of the PI hybrid films continued to decrease with increasing content of AHB-GS up to 10 wt%. In general, the properties of the PI hybrid films heat treated at $350^{\circ}C$ were better than those of films heat treated at $250^{\circ}C$.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.37-42
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• 2009

Proton therapy facility, which is recently installed at National Cancer Center in Korea, generally produces a large amount of radiation near cyclotron due to the secondary particles and radioisotopes caused by collision between proton and nearby materials during the acceleration. Although the level of radiation by radioisotope decreases in length of time, radiation exposure problem still exists since workers are easily exposed by a low level of radiation for a long time due to their job assignment for maintenance or repair of the proton facility. In this paper, the working environment near cyclotron, where the highest radiation exposure is expected, was studied by measuring the degree of radiation and its duration for an appropriate level of protective action guide. To do this, we measured the radiation change in the graphite based energy degrader, the efficiency of transmitted beam and relative activation degree of the transmission beam line. The results showed that while the level of radiation exposure around cyclotron and beam line during the operation is much higher than the other radiation therapy facilities, the radiation exposure rate per year is under the limit recommended by the law showing 1~3 mSv/year.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.114-120
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• 2020

In this study, we analyzed the structural characteristics of soot, which is one of the anticipated regulatory substances of the IMO, and used a novel classification method to distinguish between exhaust soot and engine soot in marine engines. As an extension of a recent study on exhaust soot recycling, annealing was performed at 2,000 ℃ on engine soot to determine whether it could be recycled. Soot samples before and after annealing were analyzed using HR-TEM and Raman spectroscopy. The HR-TEM results showed that exhaust soot and engine soot had similar nanostructures; the exhaust soot has a spherical primary particle with a chain-like structure, whereas engine soot particles have amorphous structures. The Raman spectroscopy showed a D-peak and a G-peak for both exhaust soot and engine soot. However, the G/D ratio indicated that the value of exhaust soot was relatively higher than that of engine soot, which implies that the exhaust soot has a more graphitized structure. The analysis of annealed engine soot confirmed that graphitization proceeded without any problems, similar to the exhaust soot. This confirmed that both exhaust soot and engine soot generated by marine diesel engines could be recycled as graphite materials.