• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.88-95
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• 2020

An investigation of rare metals recovery from LiNi_xCo_yMn_zO₂ cathode material of the end-of-life lithium-ion batteries is presented. To determine the influence of reductant on the leach process, the cathode material (containing Li 7.6%, Co 20.4%, Mn 19.4%, and Ni 19.3%) was leached in H₂SO₄ solutions either with or without H₂O₂. The optimal process parameters with respect to acid concentration, addition dosage of H₂O₂, temperature, and the leaching time were found to be 2.0 M H₂SO₄, 4 vol.% H₂O₂, 70℃, and 150 min, respectively. The yield of metal values in the leach liquor was > 99%. The leach liquor was subsequently treated by precipitation techniques to recover nickel as Ni(C₄H₇N₂O₂)₂ and lithium as Li₂CO₃ with stoichiometric ratios of 2:1 and 1.2:1 of dimethylglyoxime:Ni and Na₂CO₃:Li, respectively. Cobalt was recovered by solvent extraction following a 3-stage process using Na-Cyanex 272 at pH_eq ~5.0 with an organic-to-aqueous phase ratio (O/A) of 2/3. The loaded organic phase was stripped with 2.0 M H₂SO₄ at an O/A ratio of 8/1 to yield a solution of 114 g/L CoSO₄; finally recovered CoSO₄.xH₂O by crystallization. The process economics were analyzed and found to be viable with a margin of $476 per ton of the cathode material.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.3-3
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• 2009

In order to investigate the possibility of using mixed rare earth $(Nd_{1/3}Eu_{1/3}Gd_{1/3})Ba_2Cu_3O_{7-x}$ (NEG123) as the superconducting layer of the HTS coated conductor, the NEG123 thin film was deposited epitaxialy on LAO(100) single crystal and IBAD_YSZ metal templates by pulsed laser deposition. Systematic studies were carried out to investigate the influences of deposition parameters of PLD on the micro structure, texture and superconducting properties of NEG-123 coated conductor. Deposition at oxygen partial pressure of 600 mTorr was needed to routinely obtain high quality NEG123 films with $J_c$'s (77K) over 2 MA/$cm^2$ and Tc's over 90K (${\Delta}T{\sim}2\;K$). We verified from magnetization study that the NEG123 has an improved in-field Jc as the field increases at temperatures between 10 K and 77 K compared with Gd123. The $J_c$ (77K, self field) and the value of onset $T_c$ of NEG123 thin film on LAO substrate was $4.0MA/cm^2$ and 92K, respectively. This is the first report, to the best of our knowledge, of coated conductors with NEG123 film as the superconducting layer which have Ic and Jc over 40 A/cm-width and 1.6 MA/$cm^2$ at 77K, self field. This study shows the possibility of using NEG123 film as the superconducting layer of the HTS coated conductor which can be used in high magnetic field power electric devices.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.12 no.9
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• pp.706-711
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• 2002

High-pure tantalum powder was fabricated through Na reduction process and has been produced by using $K_2$TaF$_{7}$, and KCI, KF for raw material and diluent, respectively. A raw material and diluent were charged at the hestalloy bomb by the weight rate of 1:2, 1:1, 1:0.5 and 1:0.25 each other, investigated properties of morphology, chemical composition and yield and particle size after reduced. Ta metal has been achieved by reduction of $K_2$$TaF_{7}$ 500g with 1% sodium in excess of stoichiometric amount in the charge at a reduction temperature of $850^{\circ}C$ for 3hours. According to amount of the diluent, a formation of the powder doesn't have an effect. The diluent prevented the temperature rising caused from the heat of reaction and it maintained the speed of reducing reaction. But in the mixture ratio of raw material and diluent in the 1 : 2 and 1 : 0.25, an oxide and partially not reacted K were detected. As the amount of diluent increased, the size of tantalum powder decreased. According as raw material and the mixture ratio of diluent change from 1:0.25 to 1:2, the size is decreased from 5$\mu\textrm{m}$ to 1$\mu\textrm{m}$, and a particle size distribution which is below 325 mesh in fined powder increases from 71% to 83%. In the case of average size of Tantalum powder which is the mixture ratio (1:0.5), we would get the Ta powder with grain size about 3$\mu\textrm{m}$, which come close to the average size (2~4$\mu\textrm{m}$) of tantalum powder which is used commonly in the present is Ta powder about 3$\mu\textrm{m}$.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.282-290
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• 1997

The sorption and desorption properties of U(VI), Th(IV), Zr(IV), Cu(II), Pb(II), Ni(II), Zn(II), Cd(II) and Mn(II) ions on XAD-16-[4-(2-thiazolylazo)orcinol] (TAO) chelating resin were studied by elution method. The effect was examined with respect to overall capacity of each metal ion, separation of mixed metal ions, flow rate and concentration of buffer solution for optimum condition of sorption. The overall capacities of some metal ions on this chelating resin were 0.35nmol U(VI)/g resin, 0.49nmol Th(IV)/g resin, 0.41nmol Cu(II)/g resin, and 0.31nmol Zr(IV)/g resin, respectively. The elution order of metal ions obtained from breakthrough capacity and overall capacity at pH 5.0 was Th(IV)>Cu(II)>U(VI)>Zr(IV)>Pb(II)>Ni(II)>Zn(II)>Mn(II)>Cd(II). The group separation of mixed metal ions was possible by increasing pH in pH range 2~5 at a flow rate of 0.28mL/min. Characteristics of desorption were investigated with desorption agents such as $HNO_3$, HCl, $HClO_4$, $H_2SO_4$, and $Na_2CO_3$. It was found that 2M $HNO_3$ showed high desorption efficiency to most of metal ions except Zr(IV) ion. Also, desorption and recovery of Zr(IV) ion were successfully performed with 1M $H_2SO_4$. Recovery of trace amount of U(VI) ion from artificial sea water was over 94%. The chelating resin, XAD-16-TAO was successfully applied to group separation of rare earth metal ions from U(VI) by using 2M $HNO_3$ as an eluent.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.171-177
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• 2007

This study suggested a new method to stabilize molten salt wastes generated from the pyre-process for the spent fuel treatment. Using conventional sol-gel process, $SiO_2-Al_2O_3-P_2O_5$ (SAP) inorganic material that is reactive to metal chlorides were prepared. In this paper, the reactivity of SAP with the metal chlorides at $650{\sim}850$, the thermal stability of reaction products and their leach-resistance under the PCT-A test method were investigated. Alkali metal chlorides were converted into metal aluminosilicate($LixAlxSi1-_xO_{2-x}$) and metal phosphate($Li_3PO_4\;and\;Cs_2AlP_3O_{10}$) While alkali earth and rare earth chlorides were changed into only metal phosphates ($Sr_5(PO_4)_3Cl\;and\;CePO_4$). The conversion rate was about $96{\sim}99%$ at a salt waste/SAP weight ratio of 0.5 and a weight loss up to $1100^{\circ}C$ measured by thermogravimetric analysis were below 1wt%. The leach rates of Cs and Sr under the PCT-A test condition were about $10^{-2}g/m^2\;day\;and\;10^{-4}g/m^2\;day$. From these results, it could be concluded that SAP can be considered as an effective stabilizer for metal chlorides and the method using SAP will give a chance to reduce the volume of salt wasteform for the final disposal through further researches.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.155-162
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• 2002

The cyclic amidohydrolase family enzymes, which include allantoinase, dihydroorotase, dihydropyrimidinase and (phenyl)hydantoinase, are metal-dependent hydrolases and play a crucial role in the metabolism of purine and pyrimidine in vivo. Each enzyme has been independently characterized, and thus well documented, but studies on the higher structural traits shared by members of this enzyme family are rare due to the lack of comparative study. Here, we report upon the expression in E. coli cells of maltose-binding protein (MBP)- and glutathione S-transferase (GST)-fused cyclic amidohydrolase family enzymes, facilitating also for both simple purification and high-level expression. Interestingly, the native quaternary structure of each enzyme was maintained even when fused with MBP and GST. We also found that in fusion proteins the favorable biochemical properties of family enzymes such as, their optimal pHs, specific activities and kinetic properties were conserved compared to the native enzymes. In addition, MBP-fused enzymes showed remarkable folding ability in-vitro. Our findings, therefore, suggest that a previously unrecognized trait of this family, namely the ability to functional fusion with some other protein but yet to retain innate properties, is conserved. We described here the structural and evolutionary implications of the properties in this family enzyme.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.1849-1860
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• 1994

Domain wall dynamics in thin film of amorphous Rare Earth-Transistion Metal alloys were investigated using numerical integration of the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation. The thin film was divided into a two-dimensional square lattice ($30\times30$) of dipoles. Nearest-neighbor exchange interaction magnetic anisotropy, applied magnetic field, and demagnetiing field of interacting anisotropy, applied magnetic field, and demagnetizing field of interacting dipoles were considered. It was assumed that the film had perfect uniaxial anisotropy in the perpendicular direction and the magnetization reversal existed in the film. The time of domain wall creation and the thickness of the wall were investigated. Also the motion of domain walls under an applied field was considered. Simulation results showed that the time of domain wall creation was decreased significantly and the average velocity of domain wall was increased somewhat when the demagnetizing field was considered.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.114-119
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• 2015

This paper reports the effect of a refractory crucible type on the microstructure of duplex stainless steel (DSS) cast with the addition of gadolinium using air-induction melting. Grade 4A DSSs with 1 wt% of gadolinium (Gd) were fabricated in various crucibles including alumina ($Al_2O_3$), magnesia (MgO), calcia (CaO) coated with yttria ($Y_2O_3$) and graphite. The standard free energies of the formation of calcium and yttrium oxide were lower than those of gadolinium oxide and other crucible elements based oxide. The yield of Gd in DSS using $Al_2O_3$, MgO, CaO-coated $Y_2O_3$ and graphite was 5, 19, 83 and 96%, respectively. As Gd yield increased, the amount of Gd-based inclusions increased, the size of the inclusions were reduced, and the inclusions became evenly distributed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2015.08a
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• pp.171.2-171.2
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• 2015

Nowadays, trivalent rare-earth ($RE^{3+}$) ions activated metal oxides have been proved to be excellent host materials due to their various applications. Facile wet-chemical technique have been considered as the best synthetic route due its intensive interest in the preparation of nanostructures. Europium ion doped lanthanum hydroxide ($La(OH)_3:Eu^{3+}$) phosphors were synthesized by the facile wet chemical method using the hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) as a mediated surfactant. The thermal behavior for the $La(OH)_3:Eu^{3+}$ phosphors was investigated by thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis method. The morphological studies were measured by scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope measurements, indicating three-dimensional (3D) flower-like $La(OH)_3:Eu^{3+}$ nanorod bundles. After subsequent annealing process, the lanthanum oxide ($La_2O_3:Eu^{3+}$) phosphor exhibited similar kind of morphology. The synthesized $La(OH)_3:Eu^{3+}$ and $La_2O_3:Eu^{3+}$ samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Furthermore, photoluminescence and cathodoluminescence properties were studied in details.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.111-114
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• 2009

For the fabrication of core-shell structure bimetallic lead-free solder balls, both the critical temperature ($T_{cr}$) for the phase separation of two immiscible liquid phases and the temperature coefficient of the interfacial tension between the two separated liquid phases are required. In order to obtain this information, the temperature dependence of the surface tension of 60%Bi-24%Cu-16%Sn(-REM) alloys was measured using the constrained drop method. The slope of the temperature dependence of the surface tension changed clearly at a critical temperature for the separation of two immiscible liquid phases. The critical temperature of the 60%Bi-24%Cu-16%Sn alloy was estimated to be 1097K. An addition of 0.05% Ce decreased the critical temperature to 1085K, whereas that of 0.05% La increased it to 1117K. It was found that the surface tension and its temperature coefficient of the 60%Bi-24%Cu-16%Sn alloy were slightly increased by the addition of 0.05% Ce and 0.05% La. In addition, additions of Ce and La increased the temperature coefficient of the interfacial tension.