• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.23-31
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• 2004

For the fabrication of high efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst of oxygen electrode for PEM URFC (Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Unitized Regenerative Fuel Cell), which is a promising energy storage and conversion system using hydrogen as the energy medium, several bifunctional electrocatalysts were prepared and tested in a single cell URFC system. The catalysts for oxygen electrode revealed fuel cell performance in the order of Pt black > PtIr > PtRuOx > PtRu ~ PtRuIr > PtIrOx, whereas water electrolysis performance in the order of PtIr ~ PtIrOx > PtRu > PtRuIr > PtRuOx ~ Pt black. Considering both reaction modes PtIr was the most effective elctrocatalyst for oxygen electrode of present PEM URFC system. In addition, the water electrolysis performance was significantly improved when Ir or IrOx was added to Pt black just 1 wt.% without the decrease of fuel cell performance. Based on the catalyst screening and the optimization of catalyst composition and loading, the optimum catalyst electrodes for PEM URFC were $1.0mg/cm^2$ of Pt black as hydrogen electrode and $2.0mg/cm^2$ of PtIr (99:1) as oxygen electrode.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.12-18
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• 2012

The prohibitively high cost of Pt catalyst might be the biggest barrier for the commercialization of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) of which wide application is expected. Worldwide research efforts for the development of alternative to Pt oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst are made recently. One of the important considerations in the catalyst development is durability issue as well as economic aspect. From this point of view, platinum group metals (PGM) except Pt can be a candidate for replacing Pt catalyst because the material properties and the catalytic activity of PGM are expected to be similar to Pt. In contrast to Ir, Rh and Os to which not so much attention has been paid as an ORR catalyst, Pd that is most similar to Pt in terms of material properties and catalytic activity and Ru that is in the form of chalcogenide have been studied intensively. Activity comparison between non-Pt and Pt oxygen reduction catalysts by half cell test using RDE (rotating disk electrode) or PEMFC MEA (membrane electrode assembly) operation indicates that Pd-based catalysts show the most similar activity to Pt. In this paper we analyze the composition of PGM ORR catalyst in literature to promote the development of non-Pt ORR catalyst.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.101-107
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• 2008

Studies on hypoxia-signaling pathways have revealed novel Fe(II) and $\alpha$-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases that hydroxylate prolyl or asparaginyl residues of a transactivator, Hypoxia-Inducible $Factor-\alpha(HIF-\alpha)$ protein. The recognition of these unprecedented dioxygenases has led to open a new paradigm that the hydroxylation mediates an instant post-translational modification of a protein in response to the changes in cellular concentrations of oxygen, reducing agents, or $\alpha$-ketoglutarate. Activity of $HIF-\alpha$ is repressed by two hydroxylases. One is $HIF-\alpha$ specific prolyl-hydroxylases, referred as prolyl-hydroxylase domain(PHD). The other is $HIF-\alpha$ specific asparaginyl-hydroxylase, referred as factor-inhibiting HIF-1(FIH-1). The facts (i) that many dioxygenases commonly use molecular oxygen and reducing agents during detoxification of xenobiotics, (ii) that detoxification reaction produces radicals and reactive oxygen species, and (iii) that activities of both PHD and FIH-1 are regulated by the changes in the balance between oxygen species and reducing agents, imply the possibility that the activity of $HIF-\alpha$ can be increased during detoxification process. The importance of $HIF-\alpha$ in cancer and ischemic diseases has been emphasized since its target genes mediate various hypoxic responses including angiogenesis, erythropoiesis, glycolysis, pH balance, metastasis, invasion and cell survival. Therefore, activators of PHDs and FIH-1 can be potential anticancer drugs which could reduce the activity of HIF, whereas inhibitors, for preventing ischemic diseases. This review highlights these novel dioxygenases, PHDs and FIH-1 as specific target against not only cancers but also ischemic diseases.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.299-306
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• 2014

The possibility of a low-temperature argon plasma treatment as a mean of restoration technology for contaminated invaluable archive materials and artefacts, and evidencing documents was investigated along with an oxygen plasma treatment for comparison. For this purpose, the degree of color changes, ${\Delta}E^*ab$, and surface morphological changes due to plasma treatments as an evaluation of removal performance of artificial contaminants such as brilliant green dye and carbon deposit on cellulose acetate and plain paper as matrices, respectively, were measured and analyzed using a spectrophotometer and a field emission scanning electron microscope. Compared to the argon plasma treatment with sputtering characteristic, that of the oxygen plasma with characteristic of an oxidation reaction has shown superior results in removing the contaminants; the oxygen plasma has proven to damage the matrices significantly due to its oxidative characteristic, and post-plasma reactions has anticipated to be also detrimental to the surfaces, whereas, the problems caused by the counterpart has resulted in being negligible and rather has thought to be an appropriate mean for delicate restoration and/or removal operations of contaminants.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.9
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• pp.235-245
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• 2017

Background: Loading of excess nutrient via bioremediation of polluted sediment to overlying water could trigger anoxia and eutrophication in coastal area. The aim of this research was to understand the changes of overlying water features such as dissolved oxygen (DO); pH; oxidation reduction potential (ORP); $chlorophyll-{\alpha}$ ($Chl-{\alpha}$); and nitrogen nutrients ammonia ($N-NH_4{^+}$), nitrate ($N-NO_3{^-}$), and nitrite ($N-NO_2^-$) when the sediment was not treated (control) and treated by calcium peroxide for 5 weeks. Methods: The water samples were analyzed for measuring physical and chemical properties along with the sediment analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) including denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) for identifying the phylogenetic affiliation of microbial communities. Results: Results showed that due to the addition of calcium peroxide in sediment, the overlying water exposed the rise of dissolve oxygen, pH, and ORP than control. Among the nitrogen nutrients, ammonia inhibition was higher in calcium peroxide treatment than control but in case of nitrate inhibition, it was reversed than control. $Chlorophyll-{\alpha}$ was declined in treatment column water by 30% where it was 20% in control column water. Actibacter and Salegentibacter group were detectable in the calcium-peroxide-treated sediment; in contrary, no detectable community ware found in control sediment. Both phylogenetic groups are closely related to marine microflora. Conclusions: This study emphasizes the importance of calcium peroxide as an oxygen release material. Interaction with peroxide proved to be enhancing the formation of microbial community that are beneficial for biodegradation and spontaneity of nutrient attenuation into overlying water.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.257-268
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• 2017

This paper proposes an efficient two-dimensional simulation model for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) based on the electrochemical effectiveness model. The effectiveness model is known to accurately predict the current generation performance of SOFC electrodes, by considering the complex reaction/transport processes that occur within thin active functional layers near the electrolyte. After validation tests, the two-dimensional simulation model was used to calculate the distribution of current density and oxygen concentration transverse to the flow channel in anode-supported SOFCs, with which the oxygen depletion characteristics were investigated in detail. In addition, simulations were also conducted to determine the minimum number of grids required in the transverse direction to efficiently obtain accurate results.

• Food Engineering Progress
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.202-207
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• 2010

Low-pressure plasmas (LPPs) were generated with different gases such as air, oxygen and nitrogen, and their inactivation effects against Escherichia coli were compared in order to evaluate the potential as a non-thermal microbial disinfection technology. Homogeneous plasmas were generated under low pressure below 1 Torr at gas flow rate of 350 mL/min regardless the types of gases. Temperature increases by LPPs were not detrimental showing less than ${10^{\circ}C}$ and ${25^{\circ}C}$ increases after 5 and 10 min treatments, respectively. The smallest temperature increase was observed with air LPP, and followed by oxygen and nitrogen LPPs. More than 5 log reduction in E. coli was achieved by 5 min LPP treatment but the destruction effect was retarded afterward. The LPP inactivation was represented by a iphasic first order reaction kinetics. The highest inactivation rate constant was achieved in air LPP and followed by oxygen and nitrogen LPPs. The small D-values of the LPP also supported its potentialities as a non-thermal food surface disinfection technology in addition to the substantial microbial reduction of more than 5 logs.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Conference
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• 2000.06a
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• pp.99-105
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• 2000

Greases composed of base oil and thickener are widely used in the purpose of lubrication and anti-corrosion of machinery. However, greases are sometimes oxidized and decomposed by heat of friction, and produced organic acid. And the greases leaked out ordinary spot make the concrete structures weaken. In this study, the chemical effects of the greases with the concrete structures were investigated through oxidation reaction under pressure and oxygen, and evaluated by the analysis of TAN, Ca content, FT-IR and XRD of grease and cement powder after the oxidation reaction. As the results, TAN value decreased with the increase of the content of cement because of neutralization of organic acid produced by the oxidation of grease with calcium contained in the cement. The content of calcium linearly increased with the increase of cement due to calcium salt by neutralization of acid. Also, according to XRD results of the cement powder oxidized at 99 $^{\circ}C$, the diffraction peak due to calcium hydroxide decreased in comparison with that at room temperature because of the reaction of calcium and organic acid.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.306-311
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• 2016

Li-air batteries have received much attention due to their superior theoretical energy density. However, their sluggish kinetics on the cathode side is considered the main barrier to high performance. The rational design of electrode catalysts with high activity is therefore an important challenge. To solve this issue, we performed density functional theory (DFT) calculations to analyze the adsorption behavior of the $LiO_2$ molecule, which is considered to be a key intermediate in both the Li-oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and the evolution reaction (OER). Specifically, to use the activity descriptor approach, the $LiO_2$ adsorption energy, which has previously been demonstrated to be a reliable descriptor of the cathode reaction in Li-air batteries, was calculated on $LaB_{1-x}B^{\prime}_xO_3$(001) (B, B' = Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni, x = 0.0, 0.5). Our fast screening results showed that $LaMnO_3$, $LaMn_{0.5}Fe_{0.5}O_3$, or $LaFeO_3$ would be good candidate catalysts. We believe that our results will provide a way to more efficiently develop new cathode materials for Li-air batteries.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.22-27
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• 2002

The composting practice has been recognized as the most popular way of controlling food waste and many attempt have been made in the field to establish more efficient and economical process. Some of the efforts are mixing cured compost with sawdust as alternative bulking agent, seeding commercially produced microorganism and/or combination of above. However, verification of such efforts is often restricted because of either the lack of engineering consideration on the limitation of composting facility scales. In this study, the effect of mixing materials in food waste composting was investigated by controlling the combination and the mixing ratio of them. When the cured compost was mixed with saw dust. the decomposition of organic material was proven to be more active by observing the compost temperature, the oxygen (O$_2$) consumption, and the cumulative carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) profile. However, the quantity of compost mix-ing seemed not to influence the reaction as long as the minimum required amount was mixed. The feeding of com-mercially produced microorganism had a tendency to prolong the thermophilic stage, which helped to increase the decomposition but it resulted in composting period. Regardless of the composting condition, bacteria and actinomycetes increased in population as the reaction approached to the end. The population of bacteria and actinomycetes were rel-atively higher than those of fungi and yeast throughout the reaction.