• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.933-941
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• 2017

In this paper an improved low frequency selective harmonic elimination-PWM (SHE-PWM) technique for Cascaded H-bridge (CHB) converters is proposed. The proposed method is able to eliminate low order harmonics from the output voltage of the converter for a wide range of modulation indices. To solve SHE-PWM equations, especially for low modulation indices, a modified method is used which employs either the positive or negative voltage polarities of H-bridge cells to increase the freedom degrees of each cell. Freedom degrees of the switching angles are also used to increase the range of available solutions for non-linear SHE equations. The proposed SHE methods can successfully eliminate up to $25^{th}$ harmonic from a 7-level output voltage by using just nine switching transitions or a 150 Hz switching frequency. To confirm the validity of the proposed method, simulation and experimental results have been presented.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.392-400
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• 2010

The electrospinning process was established as a promising method to fabricate nano and micro-textured scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. A BCP-loaded PCL micro-textured scaffold thus can be a viable option. The biocompatibility as well as the mechanical properties of such scaffold materials should be optimized for this purpose. In this study, a composite scaffold of poly ($\varepsilon$-caprolactone) (PCL)-biphase calcium phosphate (BCP) was successfully fabricated by electrospinning. EDS and XRD data show successful loading of BCP nano particles in the PCL fibers. Morphological characterization of fibers shows that with a higher loaded BCP content the fiber surface was rougher and the diameter was approximately 1 to 7 ${\mu}m$. Tensile modulus and ultimate tensile stress reached their highest values in the PCL- 10 wt% BCP composite. When content of nano ceramic particles was low, they were dispersed in the fibers as reinforcements for the polymer matrix. However, at a high content of ceramic particles, the particles tend to agglomerate and lead to decreasing tensile modulus and ultimate stress of the PCL-BCP composite mats. Therefore, the use of nano BCP content for distribution in fiber polymer using BCP for reinforcement is limited. Tensile strain decreased with increasing content of BCP loading. From in vitro study using MG-63 osteoblast cells and L-929 fibroblast like cells, it was confirmed that electrospun PCL-BCP composite mats were biocompatible and that spreading behavior was good. As BCP content increased, the area of cell spreading on the surface of the mats also increased. Cells showed the best adherence on the surface of composite mats at 50 wt% BCP for both L-929 fibroblast-like cells and MG-63 osteoblast cell. PCL- BCP composites are a promising material for application in bone scaffolds.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers P
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• v.67 no.3
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• pp.143-148
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• 2018

In this paper, the optimal fuzzy logic controller(FLC) for a hybrid renewable energy system(HRES) is proposed. Generally, hybrid renewable energy systems can consist of wind power, solar power, fuel cells and storage devices. The proposed FLC can effectively control the entire HRES by determining the output power of the fuel cell or the absorption power of the electrolyzer. In general, fuzzy logic controllers can be optimized by classical optimization algorithms such as genetic algorithms(GA) or particle swarm optimization(PSO). However, these FLC have a disadvantage in that their performance varies greatly depending on the control parameters of the optimization algorithms. Therefore, we propose a method to optimize the fuzzy logic controller using the teaching-learning based optimization(TLBO) algorithm which does not have the control parameters of the algorithm. The TLBO algorithm is an optimization algorithm that mimics the knowledge transfer mechanism in a class. To verify the performance of the proposed algorithm, we modeled the hybrid system using Matlab Tool and compare and analyze the performance with other classical optimization algorithms. The simulation results show that the proposed method shows better performance than the other methods.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.702-715
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• 1990

This paper describes behaviors of two-phase open channel flow inside the flash chamber of a horizontal Multi-Stage-Flash evaporator numerically along with the experimental observations. Bubble trajectories and the velocity and temperature distributions of the liquid phase were predicted by using the particle-source-in-cell(PSI-Cell) method with the appropriate bubble motion/growth equations. Size and number of bubble nuclei embedded in the incoming liquid(brine) were taken into account as important parameters in addition to the conventional ones such as the velocity, degree of inlet superheat, inlet opening height, and the liquid level. Bubble motions, which are unsteady, appeared to be mostly determined by the buoyancy and the drag forces. The calculations, though a number of simplifying assumptions were made, reasonably simulated the hydrodynamic behaviors of the two-phase horizontal stream observed in the experiments. The simulated temperature distributions also agreed fairly well with the other's measurements. Non-equilibrium allownaces, evaluated from the simulated temperature distributions, were within the range of those obtained from the existing correlations, and reduced with the increases of the number and size of incoming bubble nuclei due to vigorous flashing.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.228-235
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• 2021

Backgroud: Ginsenoside compound K (GK) is a major metabolite of protopanaxadiol-type ginsenosides and has remarkable anticancer activities in vitro and in vivo. This work used an ionic cross-linking method to entrap GK within O-carboxymethyl chitosan (OCMC) nanoparticles (Nps) to form GK-loaded OCMC Nps (GK-OCMC Nps), which enhance the aqueous solubility and stability of GK. Methods: The GK-OCMC Nps were characterized using several physicochemical techniques, including x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, zeta potential analysis, and particle size analysis via dynamic light scattering. GK was released from GK-OCMC Nps and was conducted using the dialysis bag diffusion method. The effects of GK and GK-OCMC Nps on PC3 cell viability were measured by using the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide assay. Fluorescent technology based on Cy5.5-labeled probes was used to explore the cellular uptake of GK-OCMC Nps. Results: The GK-OCMC NPs had a suitable particle size and zeta potential; they were spherical with good dispersion. In vitro drug release from GK-OCMC NPs was pH dependent. Moreover, the in vitro cytotoxicity study and cellular uptake assays indicated that the GK-OCMC Nps significantly enhanced the cytotoxicity and cellular uptake of GK toward the PC3 cells. GK-OCMC Nps also significantly promoted the activities of both caspase-3 and caspase-9. Conclusion: GK-OCMC Nps are potential nanocarriers for delivering hydrophobic drugs, thereby enhancing water solubility and permeability and improving the antiproliferative effects of GK.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.109-114
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• 2008

Though ethanol can theoretically generate 12 electrons during oxidation to carbon dioxide, the complete oxidation of ethanol is hard to achieve due to the strong bond between the two carbons in its molecular structure. Therefore, development of high activity catalyst for ethanol oxidation is necessary for the commercialization of direct ethanol fuel cell. In this study, some binary and ternary electrocatalysts of PtSn/C and PtSnAu/C have been synthesized and characterized. The catalysts were fabricated with modified polyol method with the amounts of 20 wt%, where the Pt : Sn ratios in the PtSn/C were 1 : 0, 4 : 1, 3 : 1, 2 : 1, 1.5 : 1, 1 : 1, 1 : 1.5 and Pt:Sn:Au ratios in the PtSnAu/C were 5 : 5 : 0, 5 : 4 : 1, 5 : 3 : 2, 5 : 2 : 3. From the XRD and TEM analysis results, the catalysts were found to have face centered cubic structure with particle size of around $1.9{\sim}2.4\;nm$. The activity in the ethanol oxidation was examined with cyclic voltammetry and the results indicated that PtSn(1.5 : 1)/C and PtSnAu(5 : 2 : 3)/C had the highest activity in each catalyst system. Further tests with single cell were performed with those catalysts. It was found that PtSn/C(1.5 : 1) exhibited the best performance while the long term stability of PtSnAu/C(5 : 2 : 3) is better than PtSn/C(1.5 : 1).

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.423-429
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• 2008

This work was carried out to improve the performance of anodic electrocatalysts in direct ethanol fuel cell(DEFC). PtRu and $Pt_5Ru_4M$(M= Ni, Sn, Mo and W) electrocatalysts were prepared by using a $NaBH_4$ reduction method. Alloy crystal structure and particle size of electrocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction(XRD) and transmission electron microscopy(TEM). The XRD analysis of the electrocatalysts revealed that the face-centered cubic(fcc) peaks shifted to slightly higher diffraction angles when third metals were added. Average size of the uniform particles was observed to be approximately $3{\sim}3.5\;nm$ from the TEM image. The electrochemical measurements were carried out in the solution 1M $H_2SO_4$ and 1M $C_2H_5OH$ at room temperature. Cyclic-voltammogram results showed that $Pt_5Ru_4W$ electrocatalyst exhibited much higher current density for ethanol oxidation of $2.73\;mA/cm^2$ than PtRu electrocatalyst of $0.73\;mA/cm^2$.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.67-73
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• 2011

In this study, for recovery of renewable noble metal from used stack of fuel cell, synthesis of platinum nano particle is established through effect of platinum solution concentration, pH value, reducing agent and dispersing agent at a volume ratio of 1 mM $H_2PtCl_6$:10 mM $NaBH_4$:8 mM Cl4TABr = 1:0.4:0.4(vol.%), pH4, $50^{\circ}C$, 160 rpm and 10min. Less than 5 nm platinum particles were synthesized using Pt leaching solution from used MEA of stack under same condition of method using simulated Pt solution. The characteristics of synthesized nano particles was illustrated by XPS analysis as the reduction of platinum ions into platinum metals(zero-valent).

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.40 no.10
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• pp.865-871
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• 2016

In recent years, traditional scaffold fabrication techniques such as gas foaming, salt leaching, sponge replica, and freeze casting in tissue engineering have significantly limited sufficient mechanical property and cell interaction effect due to only random pores. Fused deposition modeling is the most apposite technology for fabricating the 3D scaffolds using the polymeric materials in tissue engineering application. In this study, 3D slurry mould was fabricated with a blended biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP)/Silica/Alginic acid sodium salt slurry in PCL mould and heated for two hours at $100^{\circ}C$ to harden the blended slurry. 3D dual-pore BCP/Silica scaffold, composed of macro pores interconnected with micro pores, was successfully fabricated by sintering at furnace of $1100^{\circ}C$. Surface morphology and 3D shape of dual-pore BCP/Silica scaffold from scanning electron microscopy were observed. Also, the mechanical properties of 3D BCP/Silica scaffold, according to blending ratio of alginic acid sodium salt, were evaluated through compression test.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.137-145
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• 2021

Among the non-precious metal catalysts, iron-nitrogen doped carbon (Fe-N/C) catalysts have been recognized as the most promising candidates for an alternative to Pt-based catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) under alkaline and acidic conditions. In this study, the nano replication method using mesoporous silica, which features tunable primary particle sizes and shape, is employed to prepare the mesoporous Fe-N/C catalysts with different shapes. Platelet SBA-15, irregular KIT-6, and spherical silica particle (SSP) were selected as a template to generate three different kinds of shapes of the mesoporous Fe-N/C catalyst. Physicochemical properties of mesoporous Fe-N/C catalysts are characterized by using small-angle X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms, and scanning electron microscopy images. According to the electrochemical evaluation, there is no morphological preference of mesoporous Fe-N/C catalysts toward the ORR activity with half-cell configuration under alkaline electrolyte. By implementing X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of Fe and N atoms in the mesoporous Fe-N/C catalysts, it is possible to verify that the activity towards ORR highly depends on the portions of "Fe-N" species in the catalysts regardless of the shape of catalysts. It was suggested that active site distribution in the Fe-N/C is one important factor towards ORR activity.