• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.449-454
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• 2016

In this study, highly monodispersed porous carbon microcapsules with a hollow core were synthesized using polystyrene (PS) beads as a hard template. The surface of PS was first modified with polyvinylpyrollidone (PVP) for the easy attachment of inorganic silica sol. After coating the surface of PVP modified PS microspheres with SBA-16 sol, the carbon microcapsules with a hollow macroporous core were fabricated through reverse replication method by filling carbon sources in the mesopores of silica mold. The hollow carbons having a mesoporous shell structure and narrow particle size distribution could be obtained after the carbonization of carbon source and the dissolution of silica mold by HF solution. The mesoporous characteristics and electrochemical properties of hollow carbon microcapsules were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, $N_2$ adsorption/desorption analysis and cyclic voltammetry. They showed the high electric conductivity and capability for use as efficient electro-materials such as a supercapacitor.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.387-393
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• 2019

Activated carbons (ACs) are considered important electrode materials for supercapacitors because their large specific surface areas lead to high charging capacities. In the conventional synthesis of ACs, a substantial amount of carbon is lost during carbonization of a precursor. The development of a method to synthesize ACs in high yield would lower their manufacturing cost. Here, we demonstrate the synthesis of high-specific-surface-area NaOH-AC from carbon prepared via a hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) route, with a higher yield than that achieved through conventional pyrolysis carbonization. The amorphous carbon was derived from HTC of sugar and subsequently activated at 800℃ with various NaOH etchant/C ratios under a N₂ atmosphere. The AC prepared at 4:1 NaOH/C exhibited the highest surface area (as high as 2,918 ㎡ g^-1) and the highest specific capacitance (157 F g^-1 in 1 M aqueous Na₂SO₄ electrolyte solution) among the NaOH-AC samples prepared in this work. On the basis of their high specific capacitance, the NaOH-ACs prepared from HTC sugar are suitable for use as electrode materials for supercapacitors.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.339-346
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• 1999

We studied th physicochemical properties and the antibacterial effects of the Ag-treated activated carbon. The adsorption isotherms for the series of Ag-impregnated activated carbons represented typical Type-I. The surface area of the impregnated carbon was in the range of $740~1110\;m^{2}/g$, while the surface area of starting materials was $1440\;m^{2}/g$. Using t-plot, ${\alpha}_{s}$}-plot as well as DR-plot, and the volume of micropore was obtained. From the SEM study, the highly developed porous structure and the homogeneous distribution of Ag on the surface of activated carbon were confirmed. Finally, antibacterial effects of Ag-treated carbon aginst E. coli was discussed.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.41-49
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• 2022

To abate the environmental burdens arising from CO₂ emissions, biochar offers a strategic means to sequester carbons due to its recalcitrant nature. Also, biochar has a great potential for the use as carbon-based adsorbent because it is a porous material. As such, developing the surface properties of biochar increases a chance to produce biochar with great adsorption performance. Given that biochar is a byproduct in biomass pyrolysis, characteristics of biochar are contingent on pyrolysis operating parameters. In this respect, this work focused on the investigation of surface properties of biochar by controlling temperature and reaction medium in pyrolysis of pine sawdust as case study. In particular, CO₂ was used as reaction medium in pyrolysis process. According to pyrolytic temperature, the surface properties of biochar were indeed developed by CO₂. The biochar engineered by CO₂ showed the improved capability on CO₂ sorption. In addition, CO₂ has an effect on energy recovery by enhancing syngas production. Thus, this study offers the functionality of CO₂ for converting biomass into engineered biochar as carbon-based adsorbent for CO₂ sorption while recovering energy as syngas.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2020.06a
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• pp.138-139
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• 2020

With the rapid progress of industrialization, indoor air quality is a very important factor for modern people who spend most of their day indoors. The recent issue of fine dust and radon on the portal site's popularity search shows that interest in indoor air quality has increased. Fine dust causes respiratory diseases, and radon causes severe lung cancer. The new material was tested using plant activated carbon, palm activated carbon and bamboo activated carbon. Both palm activated carbon and bamboo activated carbon are porous materials and generate smooth physical adsorption. As a result of the experiment, both the activated carbon tends to gradually decrease in strength and fluidity as the replacement ratio increases. The reason for this is that both activated carbons have the property of absorbing moisture, so it is judged that the strength is lowered by absorbing moisture necessary for curing. In the case of fluidity, it is judged that the fluidity is reduced by absorbing the moisture required for the flow. In the future, if the problem of the color of the finished cured body is compensated, it will be possible to manufacture a functional finishing board to replace the existing interior finishing material.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.370-374
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• 2013

The effects of zinc chloride addition on pore development of porous carbon nanofibers prepared by polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/ N,N'-dimethylformamide (DMF) (10 wt%) electrospinning were investigated. The change of morphological and structural modification by zinc chloride activation was investigated by a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. $N_2$ adsorption isotherm characteristics at 77 K were confirmed by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and Horvath-Kawazoe (H-K) equations, and the curves showed the Type I mode in the International Union of Pore and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) classification, indicating that lots of micropores exist in the sample. In addition, specific surface areas and total pore volumes of porous carbons prepared by the zinc chloride activation were determined as 600~980 $m^2/g$ and 0.24~0.40 $cm^3/g$, respectively. As experimental results, many holes or demolished structures were found on the fiber surfaces after the zinc chloride activation as confirmed by a SEM analysis. It was also observed that various pore sizes were found to be depended on the adding content of zinc chloride in PAN/DMF solution in this system.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.1423-1428
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• 2006

In this study, we have prepared pitch binded AC (activated carbon)/$AC/TiO_2$ composites photocatalysts through carbon tetrachloride solvent method. The developed samples were characterized with surface properties, structural crystallinity between AC and $AC/TiO_2$, elemental identification and photocatalytic activity. The results of the textural surface properties demonstrate that there are slight increases in the BET surface area and adsorbed volume from adsorption isotherm of composite samples with increasing of the amount of AC. The SEM results present to the characterization of porous texture on the pitch/AC/$AC/TiO_2$ composites and homogenous compositions in the particle for all the materials used. From XRD data, a weak and broad carbon peak of graphene remained rutile peaks kept with anatase structure were observed in the X-ray diffraction patterns for the pitch/AC/$AC/TiO_2$ composites. The EDX spectra show the presence of C, O and S with strong Ti peaks. Most of these samples are richer in carbon and major Ti metal than any other elements. Finally, the excellent photocatalytic activity of the pitch/AC/$AC/TiO_2$ composites between relative concentration ($c/c_o$) of MB and UV irradiation time could be attributed to the both effects between photocatalysis of the supported $AC/TiO_2$ and adsorptivity of the two kinds of carbons.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.337-346
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• 2011

24-hr integrated measurements of water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) in PM2.5 were made between May 5 and September 25, 2010, on a six-day interval basis, at the Metropolitan Area Air Pollution Monitoring Supersite. A macro-porous XAD7HP resin was used to separate hydrophilic and hydrophobic WSOC. Compounds that penetrate the XAD7HP column are referred to hydrophilic WSOC, while those retained by the column are defined as hydrophobic WSOC. Laboratory calibrations using organic standards suggest that hydrophilic WSOC includes lowmolecular aliphatic dicarboxylic acids and carbonyls with less than 4 or 5 carbons, amines, and saccharides. While the hydrophobic WSOC is composed of compounds of aliphatic dicarboxylic acids with carbon numbers larger than 4~5, phenols, aromatic acids, cyclic acid, and humic-like Suwannee River fulvic acid. Over the entire study period, total WSOC accounted for on average 48% of OC, ranging from 32 to 65%, and hydrophilic WSOC accounted for on average 30.5% (9.3~66.7%) of the total WSOC. Based on the previous results, our measurement result suggests that significant amounts of hydrophobic WSOC during the study period were probably from primary combustion sources. However, on June 9 when 1-hr highest ozone concentration of 130 ppb was observed, WSOC to OC was 0.61, driven by increases in the hydrophilic WSOC. This result also suggests that processes, such as secondary organic aerosol formation, produce significant levels of hydrophilic WSOC compounds that add substantially to the fine particle fraction of the organic aerosol.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.39-44
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• 2016

The reuse of spent coffee powder has been researched for environmental engineering applications such as adsorbents of organic/inorganic pollutants. In this study adsorption equilibrium tests and adsorption kinetics tests for the removal of aqueous organic pollutant (methylene blue) were conducted using spent coffee powder, granular activated carbon, and powdered activated carbon. It was found that the maximum adsorption capacity of three adsorbents followed the order of powdered activated carbon (178.6 mg/g) > spent coffee powder (60.6 mg/g) > granular activated carbon (15.6 mg/g). The results of adsorption kinetics tests also indicated that spent coffee powder had higher kinetic parameters than granular activated carbon for pseudo 1st and 2nd order kinetics. The high performance of spent coffee powder might be due to its porous surface like those of granular and powdered activated carbons and smaller particle size comparing with granular activated carbon.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.408-415
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• 2014

In order to prepare high-quality activated carbons (ACs), coal tar pitch (CTP), and mixtures of CTP and petroleum pitch (PP) were activated with KOH. The ACs prepared by activation of CTP in the range of $700{\sim}1000^{\circ}C$ for 1~5 h had very porous textures with large specific surface areas of $2470{\sim}3081m^2/g$. The optimal activation conditions of CTP were determined as CTP/KOH ratio of 1:4, activation temperature of $900^{\circ}C$, and activation time of 3 h. The obtained AC showed the highest micro-pore volume, and pretty high specific surface area and meso-pore volume. The micro-pore volumes and specific areas of activated mixtures of CTP and PP were similar to each other but the meso-pore volume could be increased. In order to change the degree of crystallinity of precursors before KOH activation process, the CTPs were carbonized in the range of $500{\sim}900^{\circ}C$. As the carbonization temperature increased, the specific surface area and pore volume of the activated ACs with the same activation conditions for CTP decreased dramatically. It was demonstrated that the increased pore size distribution of AC electrodes in the range of 1 to 2 nm plays an important role in the performance of electric double-layer capacitor.