• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.08a
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• pp.224-224
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• 2012

For decades, carbon fiber has expanded their application fields from reinforced composites to energy storage and transfer technologies such as electrodes for super-capacitors and lithium ion batteries and gas diffusion layers for proton exchange membrane fuel cell. Especially in fuel cell, water repellency of gas diffusion layer has become very important property for preventing flooding which is induced by condensed water could damage the fuel cell performance. In this work, we fabricated superhydrophobic network of carbon fiber with high aspect ratio hair-like nanostructure by preferential oxygen plasma etching. Superhydrophobic carbon fiber surfaces were achieved by hydrophobic material coating with a siloxane-based hydrocarbon film, which increased the water contact angle from $147^{\circ}$ to $163^{\circ}$ and decreased the contact angle hysteresis from $71^{\circ}$ to below $5^{\circ}$, sufficient to cause droplet roll-off from the surface in millimeter scale water droplet deposition test. Also, we have explored that the condensation behavior (nucleation and growth) of water droplet on the superhydrophobic carbon fiber were significantly retarded due to the high-aspect-ratio nanostructures under super-saturated vapor conditions. It is implied that superhydrophobic carbon fiber can provide a passage for vapor or gas flow in wet environments such as a gas diffusion layer requiring the effective water removal in the operation of proton exchange membrane fuel cell. Moreover, such nanostructuring of carbon-based materials can be extended to carbon fiber, carbon black or carbon films for applications as a cathode in lithium batteries or carbon fiber composites.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.282-289
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• 2011

Objectives: We sought to establish a novel method to generate nano-sized carbon black particles (nano-CBPs) with an average size smaller than 100 nm for examining the inhalation exposure risks of experimental rats. We also tested the effect of nano-CBPs on the pulmonary and circulatory systems. Methods: We used chemical vapor deposition (CVD) without the addition of any additives to generate nano-CBPs with a particle size (electrical mobility diameter) of less than 100nm to examine the effects of inhalation exposure. Nano-CBPs were applied to a nose-only inhalation chamber system for studying the inhalation toxicity in rats. The effect on the lungs and circulatory system was determined according to the degree of inflammation as quantified by bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). The functional alteration of the hemostatic and vasomotor activities was measured by plasma coagulation, platelet activity, contraction and relaxation of blood vessels. Results: Nano-CBPs were generated in the range of 83.3-87.9 nm. Rats were exposed for 4 hour/day, 5 days/week for 4 weeks to $4.2{\times}10^6$, $6.2{\times}10^5$, and $1.3{\times}10^5$ particles/$cm^3$. Exposure of nano-CBPs by inhalation resulted in minimal pulmonary inflammation and did not appear to damage the lung tissue. In addition, there was no significant effect on blood functions, such as plasma coagulation and platelet aggregation, or on vasomotor function. Conclusion: We successfully generated nano-CBPs in the range of 83.3-87.9 nm at a maximum concentration of $4.2{\times}10^6$ particles/$cm^3$ in a nose-only inhalation chamber system. This reliable method can be useful to investigate the biological and toxicological effects of inhalation exposure to nano-CBPs on experimental rats.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 2014

In this study, we investigated the hepatoprotective effects of aged black garlic (ABG) in rodent models of liver injury. ABG inhibited carbon tetrachloride-induced elevation of aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT), which are markers of hepatocellular damage, in SD rats. D-galactosamine-induced hepatocellular damage was also suppressed by ABG treatment. However, ABG does not affect the elevation of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), a marker of hepatobilliary damage, in rats treated with carbon tetrachloride or D-galactosamine. We also examined the effect of ABG on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced fatty liver and subsequent liver damage. ABG had no significant effect on body weight increase and plasma lipid profile in HFD-fed mice. However, HFD-induced increase in AST and ALT, but not ALP, was significantly suppressed by ABG treatment. These results demonstrate that ABG has hepatoprotective effects and suggest that ABG supplementation might be a good adjuvant therapy for the management of liver injury.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.51-67
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• 2008

In this study, we devoted to kinetic measurement of the catalytic oxidation of iron-containing flame soot particles and better understanding the role of catalytic particles on carbon oxidation in particular at low temperature, targeting on autothermal regeneration of diesel particulate filter by diesel exhaust gas. Carbon-based Fe-containing particles generated by spraying ferrocene-doped diesel fuel in an oxy-hydrogen flame are tested and compared with a commercial carbon black powder for thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Induced coupled plasma-Atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), and High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). As a result, we found that a small amount of the ferrocene addition led to significant reductions in a on-set temperature and an activation energy of the carbon oxidation as well. An oxygenated surface complex forming at the particle surface could be thought as active species that would be readily consumed in particular at low temperature.

• Journal of Ceramic Processing Research
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.589-596
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• 2019

Pigments with minute particle sizes, such as carbon black (CB) and pigment red 48:2 (P.R.48:2), are the most important types of pigment and have been widely used in many industrial applications. However, minute particles have large surface areas, high oil absorption and low surface energy. They therefore tend to be repellent to the vehicle and lose stability, resulting in significant increases in viscosity or reaggregation in the vehicle. Therefore, finding the best way to improve the dispersion properties of minute particle size pigments presents a major technical challenge. In this study, minute particle types of CB and P.R.48:2 were treated with nitrogen gas plasma generated via radio frequency-plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (RF-PECVD) to increase the dispersion properties of minute particles in deionized (DI) water. The morphologies and particle sizes of untreated and plasma treated particles were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The average distributions of particle size were measured using a laser particle sizer. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was carried out on the samples to identify changes in molecular interactions during plasma processing. The results of our analysis indicate that N2 plasma treatment is an effective method for improving the dispersibility of minute particles of pigment in DI water.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.473-481
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• 1987

This experiment was performed in order to establish a proper method to determine the half life of indocyanine green(ICG T$\frac{1}{2}$) and its fractional clearance rate(KICG) and investigate the applicability of indocyanine green ( ICG ) excretion test in hepatotoxicity experiment in Korean black goats. The results were as follows : 1. Maximum absorbance of ICG in plasma was at 810 nm in this experiment. 2. The coefficient of correlation between the results obtained by standard method and potassium cyanide method was 0.99 and the regression equation between two methods was y=0.9996 x＋0.0065. 3. As the disappearance curve of ICG plotted in semi-log graph revealed linear pattern at least for 6 minutes after injection, the postinjection blood samples were decided to collect at 2 and 6 minutes after ICG injection. 4. ICG T$\frac{1}{2}$ and KICG values were not affected by dose level of ICG. 5. When 0.25 mg of ICG per kg body weight was administered the normal data of ICG T$\frac{1}{2}$ and KICG in Korean black goa were 1.468${\pm}$0.197 minutes(mean${\pm}$SD) and 0.482${\pm}$0.076/minutes respectively. 6. After administration of carbon tetracholride. the ICG T$\frac{1}{2}$ started to increase acutely from day 1, revealed the peak at day 3, and then returned almostly but not completely to preinjection level at day 14. The ICG T$\frac{1}{2}$ value was suggested to be a sensitive indicator of hepatic injury in Korean black goats.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.323-328
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• 2006

The purpose of this paper was to investigate the reforming characteristics and optimum operating condition of the GlidArc-assisted $C_3H_8$ reforming reaction for the synthesis gas(SynGas) production without formation of carbon black from propane using GildArc plasma reforming. Also, in order to increase the hydrogen production and the propane conversion rate, 13 wt % nickel catalyst was filled into the catalytic reactor and parametric screening studies were conducted, in which there were the variations of vapor mole ratio$(H_2O/C_3H_8),\;CO_2$ mole ratio($CO_2/C_3H_8$), input power and injection flow rate. When the variations of vapor mole ratio, $CO_2$ mole ratio, input power and injection flow rate were 1.86, 0.48, 1.37 kW and 14 L/min, respectively, the conversion rate of the propane reached its most optimal condition, or 62.6%. Under the condition mentioned above, the dry basic concentrations of the SynGas were $H_2\;44.4%,\;CO\;18.2%,\;CH_4\;11.2%,\;C_2H_2\;2.0%,\;C_3H_6\;1.6%,\;C_2H_4\;0.6%\;and\;C_3H_4$ 0.4%. The conversion rate of carbon dioxide was 29.2% and the concentration ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide($H_2/CO$) in the SynGas was 2.4.