• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.7-11
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• 2024

Soft-pressure sensors have numerous applications in soft robotics, biomedical devices, and wearable smart devices. Herein, we present a highly sensitive electronic skin device with an isotropic wrinkled pressure sensor. A conductive ink for soft pressure sensors is produced by a solution process using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), poly 3-hexylthiophene (P3HT), carbon black, and chloroform as the solvents. P3HT provides high reproducibility and conductivity by improving the ink dispersibility. The conductivity of the ink is optimized by adjusting the composition of the carbon black and PDMS. Soft lithography is used to fabricate a conductive elastic structure with an isotropic wrinkled structure. Two conductive elastic structures with an isotropic wrinkle structure is stacked to develop a pressure sensor, and it is confirmed that the isotropic wrinkle structure is more sensitive to pressure than when two elastic structures with an anisotropic wrinkle structure are overlapped. Specifically, the pressure sensor fabricated with an isotropic wrinkled structure can detect extremely low pressures (1.25 Pa). Additionally, the sensor has a high sensitivity of 15.547 kpa^-1 from 1.25 to 2500 Pa and a linear sensitivity of 5.15 kPa^-1 from 2500 Pa to 25 kPa.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Visualization
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.79-84
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• 2024

As microchips' degree of integration is getting higher, its cooling problem becomes important more than ever. One of the promising methods is using fractal microchannel heat sink by mimicking nature's Murray networks. However, most of the related works have been progressed only by numerical analysis. Perhaps such lack of direct experimental studies is due to the technical difficulty of the temperature and heat flux measurement in complex geometric channels. Here, we demonstrate the direct visualization of in situ temperature profile in a fractal microchannel heat sink. By using the temperature-sensitive fluorescent dye and a transparent Polydimethylsiloxane window, we can map temperature profiles in silicon-based fractal heat sinks with various fractal scale factors (a=1.5-3.5). Then, heat transfer rates and pressure drops under a fixed flow rate were estimated to optimize hydrodynamic and thermal characteristics. Through this experiment, we found out that the optimal factor is a=1.75, given that the differences in heat transfer among the devices are marginal when compared to the variances in pumping power. This work is expected to contribute to the development of high-performance, high-efficiency thermal management systems required in various industrial fields.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.165-172
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• 2024

In this study, we investigated the detection properties of piezoresistive carbon nanotubes/polydimethylsiloxane (CNT/PDMS) devices with porous structures under applied pressure. The device, having dimensions of 10 mm × 10 mm × 5 mm, was fabricated with a porosity of 74.5%. To fabricate piezoresistive CNT/PDMS devices, CNTs were added using two different methods. In the first method, the CNTs were mixed with PDMS before the fabrication of the porous structure, while in the second, the CNTs were coated after the fabrication of the porous structure. Various detection properties of the fabricated devices were examined at different applied pressures. The CNT-coated device exhibited stable outputs with lesser variation than the CNT-mixed device. Moreover, the CNT-coated device exhibited improved reaction properties. The response time of the CNT-coated device was 1 min, which was approximately about 20 times faster than that of the CNT-mixed device. Considering these properties, CNT-coated devices are more suitable for sensing devices. To verify the CNT-coated device as a real sensor, it was applied to the gripping sensor system. A multichannel sensor system was used to measure the pressure distribution of the gripping sensor system. Under various gripping conditions, this system successfully measured the distributed pressures and exhibited stable dynamic responses.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.132-136
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• 2004

The LAL (Limulus amebocyte lysate) test for the detection and quantification of endotoxin is based on the gelation reaction between endotoxin and LAL from a blood extract of Limulus polyphemus. The test is labor intensive, requiring dedicated personnel, a relatively long reaction time (approximately 1 h), relatively large volumes of samples and reagents and the detection of the end-point is rather subjective. To solve these problems, a miniaturized LOC (lab-on-a-chip) prototype, 62mm (L) ${\times}$ 18 mm (W), was fabricated using PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) bonded to glass. Using this prototype, in which 2mm (W) ${\times}$ 44.3mm (L) ${\times}$ 100 $\mu\textrm{m}$ (D) microfluidic channel was constructed, turbidometric and chromogenic assay detection methods were compared, and the chromogenic method was found the most suitable for a small volume assay. In this assay, the kinetic-point method was more accurate than the end-point method. The PDMS chip thickness was found to be minimized to around 2 mm to allow sufficient light transmittance, which necessitated the use of a glass slide bonding for chip rigidity. Due to this miniaturization, the test time was reduced from 1 h to less than 10 min, and the sample volume could be reduced from 100 to ca. 4.4 ${\mu}$L. In summation, this study suggested that the LOC using the LAL test principle could be an alternative as a semi-automated and reliable method for the detection of endotoxin.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 2000

The artificial lung is a device used to replace the function of the lungs. The major function of the lung is to remove carbon dioxide from the venous blood and replace it with oxygen, or arterialize the blood. And the function of the artificial lung is to provide an adequate amount of oxygenated blood to all the tissues of body during the open heart surgery. Extracorporeal life support(ECLS or ECMO) is standard treatment for severe respiratory failure but poses many contributions to future lung transplantation. Artificial Lung or membrane oxygenators available today, based on microporous polypropylene fibers, are associated with two major problems. They require systemic anticoagulation of the patient and they allow serum leakage across the membrane from the blood side to the gas side during long-term use. We obtained newly fabricated polypropylene(PP)/polydimethylsiloxane(PDMS) membranes which combined PP membrane, a microporous support layer with PDMS, and we had investiaged a technique for minimizing serum lekage of polypropylene(PP) membrane. The gas permeability of each PP/PDMS membrane was almost constant before and after the whole blood test by Lee-White method, while that of PP membrane was significantly reduced. Therefore the PP/PDMS membrane could be prevented serum leakage of PP membrane. In addition, the gas permeability of $CO_2$ in PP/PDMS membrane was 11.5 times higher as compared with that of $O_2$.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.08a
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• pp.411-411
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• 2012

Over the recent years, surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has dramatically grown as a label-free detecting technique with the high level of selectivity and sensitivity. Conventional SERS-active nanostructured layers have been deposited or patterned on rigid substrates such as silicon wafers and glass slides. Such devices fabricated on a flexible platform may offer additional functionalities and potential applications. For example, flexible SERS-active substrates can be integrated into microfluidic diagnostic devices with round-shaped micro-channel, which has large surface area compared to the area of flat SERS-active substrates so that we may anticipate high sensitivity in a conformable device form. We demonstrate fabrication of flexible SERS-active nanostructured substrates based on soft-lithography for simple, low-cost processing. The SERS-active nanostructured substrates are fabricated using conventional Si fabrication process and inkjet printing methods. A Si mold is patterned by photolithography with an average height of 700 nm and an average pitch of 200 nm. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), a mixture of Sylgard 184 elastomer and curing agnet (wt/wt = 10:1), is poured onto the mold that is coated with trichlorosilane for separating the PDMS easily from the mold. Then, the nano-pattern is transferred to the thin PDMS substrates. The soft lithographic methods enable the SERS-active nanostructured substrates to be repeatedly replicated. Silver layer is physically deposited on the PDMS. Then, gold nanoparticle (AuNP) inks are applied on the nanostructured PDMS using inkjet printer (Dimatix DMP 2831) to deposit AuNPs on the substrates. The characteristics of SERS-active substrates are measured; topology is provided by atomic force microscope (AFM, Park Systems XE-100) and Raman spectra are collected by Raman spectroscopy (Horiba LabRAM ARAMIS Spectrometer). We anticipate that the results may open up various possibilities of applying flexible platform to highly sensitive Raman detection.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.151-156
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• 2015

Herein, novel porous structures were fabricated from monomer solutions of dimethylsiloxane and benzene by directional crystallization in twice. First, a honeycomb-like structure was fabricated by $1^{st}$ directional crystallization of solvent. By infiltration of the solution and subsequent $2^{nd}$ directional crystallization, novel structures of different pores in the honeycomb-like structure were fabricated. The porous materials prepared by the repeated directional crystallization have higher indentation modulus and hardness than those of the samples prepared by single directional crystallization. When a higher solution concentration was used in $2^{nd}$ directional crystallization, the maximum increase (indentation modulus: 2140% increase, indentation hardness: 2330% increase) was obtained. On the other hand, porosity and contact angle were lower in the samples from $2^{nd}$ directional crystallization than those from $1^{st}$ directional crystallization. A large decreases was observed, when a relatively high concentration was used in $2^{nd}$ directional crystallization (porosity: 21% decrease, contact angle: 36% decrease).

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.19-26
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• 2017

Stretchable deformation-resistance characteristics of Au, Pt, and Cu films were measured for the stretchable packaging structure where a parylene F was used as an intermediate layer between a PDMS substrate and a metal thin film. The 150 nm-thick Au and Pt films, sputtered on the parylene F-coated PDMS substrate, exhibited the initial resistances of $1.56{\Omega}$ and $5.53{\Omega}$, respectively. The resistance increase ratios at 30% tensile strain were measured as 7 and 18 for Au film and Pt film, respectively. The 150 nm-thick Cu film, sputtered on the parylene F-coated PDMS substrate, exhibited a very poor stretchability compared to Au and Pt films. Its resistance was initially $18.71{\Omega}$, rapidly increased with applying tensile deformation, and finally became open at 5% tensile strain.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.381.1-381.1
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• 2016

분석 방법의 간편함과 용이함의 장점은 물론, 시료 전처리 과정이 적어 시료물질의 임의 파괴나 훼손을 방지한다는 이유에서 최근 10년 간 많은 연구가 이루어지고 있는 대기압 질량분석 기술은 기압차이가 없는 대기압 분위기에서 질량분석이 이루어지기 때문에 시료를 질량분석기 입구 바로 앞에 스테이지를 설치하고서 시료를 이온화하는 경우가 대부분이다. 이 때문에 균질하지 않은 시료의 관심 영역을 모니터링하면서 질량분석을 하기에는 어려움이 있으며, 공간 정보를 추가한 질량분석 이미징에 한계가 있었다. 이에 본 연구팀은 질량분석기 입구에 챔버와 보조 펌프를 장착하여 강제로 기체 흐름 일으켜 시료로부터 발생한 이온을 질량분석기 입구로 유도하여, 원거리에서 시료를 이온화해도 질량분석기 입구까지 이온을 성공적으로 전달시키는 방법을 제안한다. 이를 이용하면 분석하고자 하는 시료를 현미경 스테이지 위에 위치시켜 분석하고자하는 부분을 현미경으로 확인하면서 질량분석을 할 수 있으며, 나아가 대기압 질량 분석 이미징 기술을 구현할 수 있다. 대기압 탈착/이온화원은시료에 열적 손상이 없는 조건으로 시편의 이온화 및 탈착 과정이 이루어지게 하기 위해 저온 대기압 헬륨 플라즈마 젯과 펨토초 레이저를 결합하여 대기압 이온화원을 제작하였다. 이온 전달관은 1/4" (6.35 mm) 외경의 60 cm 길이의 스테인리스 스틸관을 사용하여 질량분석기에서 약 60 cm 떨어진 현미경 위의 시료의 질량분석이 가능하게 했다. 보조 펌프의 계기압과 저온 대기압 헬륨 플라즈마 젯의 헬륨 기체의 유속을 변화시키면서 시료인 PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) 의 질량 스펙트럼 (m/z 270.314) 세기를 관찰하여 최적의 이온 전달 조건을 찾았다. 추가로 현미경 스테이지에 정밀 2-D 자동 스캐닝 스테이지를 장착하여 질량분석 정보에 공간 정보를 더할 수 있는 질량분석 이미징 기술 방법을 개발하여 생체 시편의 질량분석 이미징을 얻었다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.369-369
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• 2016

A nanostructure composite is a highly suitable substance for photoacoustic ultrasound generation. This allows an input laser beam (typically, nanosecond pulse duration) to be efficiently converted to an ultrasonic output with tens-of-MHz frequency. This type of energy converter has been demonstrated by using a carbon nanotube (CNT)-polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composite film that exhibit high optical absorption, rapid heat transition, and mechanical durability, all of which are necessary properties for high-amplitude ultrasound generation. In order to develop the CNT-PDMS composite film, a high-temperature chemical vapor deposition (HTCVD) method has been commonly used so far to grow CNT and then produce a CNT-PDMS composite structure. Here, instead of the complex HTCVD, we use a mixed solution of hydrophobic multi-walled CNT and dimethylformamid (DMF) and fabricate a solution-processed CNT-PDMS composite film over a spherically concave substrate, i.e. a focal energy converter. As the solution process can be applied over a large area, we could easily fabricate the focal transmitter that focuses the photoacoustic output at the moment of generation from the CNT-PDMS composite layer. With this method, we developed photoacoustic energy converters with a large diameter (>25 mm) and a long focal length (several cm). The lens performance was characterized in terms of output pressure amplitude for an incident pulsed laser energy and focal spot dimension in both lateral and axial. Due to the long focal length, we expect that the new lens can be applied for long-range ultrasonic treatment, e.g. biomedical therapy.