• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2023.05a
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• pp.311-312
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• 2023

In this study, porous concrete with improved functionality was developed by using superabsorbent polymer (SAP) to provide rooting space for plants. The depth of settlement and mass change according to the substitution and addition rate of SAP were determined by investigating the functional performance of SAP and the volume change upon saturation. Test results indicated the depth of penetration settlement increased as the substitution rate of SAP increased, but the mass change could not be confirmed as the addition rate of SAP increased. The instability of the specimens due to the excessive volume change of SAP, as well as the osmotic pressure phenomenon according to the pH concentration, were identified as the cause. Therefore, future studies are needed to investigate the appropriate substitution and addition rate of SAP, as well as to reduce the osmotic pressure phenomenon according to the pH concentration, which would contribute to the improvement of the functional performance of vegetation concrete.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.283-288
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• 2008

Plant leaf surface is an important niche for diverse epiphytic microbes, including bacteria and fungi. Plant leaf surface plays a critical frontline defense against pathogen infections. The objective of our study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a starch-based super-absorbent polymer(SAP) combination, which enhances water potential and nutrient availability to plant leaves. We evaluated the effect of SAP on the maintenance of bacterial populations. In order to monitor bacterial populations in situ, a SAP mixture containing Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci that expressed recombinant green fluorescent protein(GFPuv) was spray-challenged onto whole leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana. The SAP combination treatment enhanced bacterial robustness, as indicated by disease severity and incidence. Unexpectedly, bacterial numbers were not significantly different between leaves treated with the SAP combination and those treated with water alone. Furthermore, young leaves treated with the SAP combination had more severe symptoms and a greater number of bacterial spots caused by primary and secondary infections compared to young leaves treated with the water control. In contrast, bacterial cell numbers did not statistically differ between the two groups, which indicated that measurement of viable GFP-based bacterial spots may provide a more sensitive methodology for assessing virulence of bacterial pathogens than methods that require dilution plating following maceration of bacterial-inoculated leaf tissue. Our study suggests that the SAP combination successfully increased bacterial aggressiveness, which could either be used to promote the ability of biological agents to control weedy plants or increase the robustness of saprophytic epiphytes against competition from potentially harmful microbes.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.155-161
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• 2018

For the efficient recovering of collapsed sloped soil, using a soil binder that can support the soil strongly and help the growth of plants is very important. The soil binder should also have functions of recovering the soil ecologically as well as be environmental friendly materials. In this research, optimum values of the water content and permeability and direct shear strength were searched by adding the water absorbent and coagulant into the soil binder. The polyacrylamide (PAM) with various anionic strength, super absorbent polymer (SAP) and cellulose ether (CE) were used as a soil binder, water absorbent and coagulant, respectively. Effects of the soil binder on the characteristics of soil were observed by changing the mixing ratio of PAM, SAP and CE. Experimental results showed that the soil binder increased the direct shear strength tens of times and the water content around two times, whereas decreased the water permeability. Also, the addition of CE to increase the coagulation of SAP increased more of the direct shear strength and water content.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.317-328
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• 2016

This research intends to understand the impact of super-absorbent polymer (SAP) as an internal curing agent in Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC). Two different types of SAPs of acrylic acid (SAP_AA) and acrylic acid-co-acrylamide (SAP_AM) were examined with UHPC formulation. Isothermal calorimetry and x-ray diffraction experiments revealed the impact of polymers with the different chemical bonds on cement hydration. To test its feasibility as a shrinkage reducing admixture for UHPC, a series of experiments including flowability, compressive strength, rapid chloride permeability and autogenous shrinkage profile was performed. While both SAPs showed a reduction in autogenous shrinkage, it has been concluded that the SAP size and chemical form significantly affect the performance as an internal curing agent in UHPC by controlling cement hydration and porosity modification. Between the tested SAPs, SAP_AM which absorbs more water in UHPC than SAP_AA, shows better mechanical and durability performance.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2023

Super absorbent polymers (SAPs) are hydrophilic molecules that can absorb large amounts of water. This study was conducted to investigate the enhancement of the physicochemical properties of sand soil blended with three SAPs imbibed with 100, 150, and 200-fold water. Three treatments were applied, namely, 100SAP, 150SAP, and 200SAP. The three SAPs were blended at concentrations of 0% (control), 3%, 5%, 7%, and 10% with sand. The pH, electrical conductivity, and cation exchangeable capacity (CEC) of soil blended with the three SAPs were pH 6.35-6.46, 0.09-0.65 dS/m, and 1.42-1.92 cmol_c/kg, respectively, and their capillary porosity, total porosity, and saturated hydraulic conductivity were 21.0-29.3%, 39.2-48.7%, and 272-470 mm/hr. CEC, capillary porosity, total porosity, and saturated hydraulic conductivity of soil were positively correlated with the ratio of the SAPs (p<0.01). These results indicate that blending sand soil with SAPs increased CEC, capillary porosity, and saturated hydraulic conductivity, thus improving the nutrient-retention capacity, water-retention capacity, and permeability of the soil.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.37-45
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• 2021

This study was conducted to evaluate the growth characteristics, phenolic concentration and antioxidant capacity of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) and amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) sprout and investigate the possibility of using super absorbent polymer (SAP) as a medium in hydroponic cultivation in a plant factory. The control was used a commercial sprout cultivation tool (19 × 14 × 9 cm, W × D × L), and a treatment (SAP) was added on the cultivation tool to compare the effect of SAP. Safflower sprouts were immersed in a distilled water at 30 ℃ for 5 hours, and then grown in a plant growth chamber. The temperature and relative humidity were maintained at 25 ± 1℃ and 70 ± 4%, respectively. The light condition was maintained at 35 ± 6 μmol·m-2·s-1 (12h). Amaranth sprouts were grown in a plant growth chamber maintained with temperature of 25 ± 2℃, relative humidity of 70 ± 5% and light condition of 188 ± 10 μmol·m-2·s-1 (16h). A physical and chemical characteristic of SAP, and a germination rate, growth characteristics and secondary metabolites were analyzed in both safflower and amaranth. There was no significant effect on SAP in a germination rate, growth and secondary metabolites of safflower compared to the control, whereas amaranth grown under SAP was higher in germination rate, dry weight, phenolic concentration, and antioxidant capacity compared to the control. As a result, this study was suggested that cultivation of sprouts using SAP would be possible in a plant factory, and further studies on SAP on plant physiological response are required.

• Journal of Korea Technical Association of The Pulp and Paper Industry
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.66-75
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• 2015

Disposable diaper waste is consisted of plastic, fiber, and SAP (Super Absorbent Polymer). They are valuable to be used as raw materials of other products including plastic blocks and pulp mold. Nevertheless, disposable diaper waste have been disposed by landfill and incineration without recycling. Due to strict environmental regulations it is necessary to develop fractionation technique to recycle the disposable diaper waste. In this study the fractionation technique using pilot-scale stock preparation units was investigated. Process for separation of plastic and fibers from disposable diaper waste was composed by the combination of pilot-scale pulper, drum screen, screen and cleaner. Recovery rate of plastics and fiber was checked according to the various operating conditions. In drum screen, recovery rate of plastic was high when the cut size of disposable diaper waste was $5cm{\times}5cm$. The highest recovery rate of fiber was achieved with 0.3 mm slot screen. It is important to control the neutral state of SAP for improvement of recovery rate of fiber since SAP can be swelled easily in water. Therefore SAP can be controlled efficiently by the addition of calcium chloride into the pulper. Consequently recovery rates of plastics and fibers were over 90 and 80% under the optimum pilot operating conditions.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.20-29
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• 2016

This study investigates the effect of the absorbent materials on the material properties(compressive strength and drying shrinkage) of natural hwangtoh mortar which is one of the traditional building material in Korea. The absorbent materials used are seaweed paste and Super-Absorbent Polymer(SAP). In addition to the absorbent materials, the initial sealed curing recommended by the standard specification of properties for Korean traditional building materials is also a main interest of this study. Based on the test results of 28 days compressive strength and converged drying shrinkage, it is confirmed that the initial sealed curing for 7 days is effective to reduce the drying shrinkage and to enhance the compressive strength. Thus, it is verified that the recommendation is reasonable and has positive effects on the properties of the mortar. Next, the test results show that the addition of absorbent materials into the mortar is also effective to the two properties depending on their absorption capacity. Thus, it is more effective to use SAP than the seaweed paste because of higher absorption capacity. However, both the initial sealed curing and keeping total water contents of the mortar are required to show this effectiveness. Lastly, the compressive strength is inversely proportional to the drying shrinkage. By using this relation, the reason of the increase of compressive strength due to the initial sealed curing or the addition of absorbent materials is quantitatively explained.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.136-144
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• 1996

Polyacrylic super absorbent polymer(SAP) containing sorbitol was synthesized by inverse-suspension polymerization method. Sodium acrylate and acrylic acid were used as a monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate(EGDMA) and glycerol polyglycidyl ether(GPGE) were used as a crosslinking agent, potassium persulfate(PPS) was used as an initiator, and cyclohexane was used as a solvent. Content of sorbitol was from 10mol% to 50mol% according to the mol ratio of acrylic acid monomer. The size distribution of the round shaped polymeric particle was $177{\sim}707{\mu}m$. Absorption amount of the polymer containing sorbitol was 785 to 1086 times of the polymer weight in distilled water, was 50 to 83 times in 0.9 % NaCl solution. Absorption and retention amount of the polymer were decreased with increasing the amount of sorbitol, but the polymer has an endothermic property which is +5 cal/g SAP.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.14 no.4 s.66
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• pp.22-33
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• 2005

Four sheet-shaped and one soft-shaped self-sealing waterproof materials were prepared to recycle some GRT(Ground Rubber Tires). Their physical properties were tested to consider characteristics of them. The self-sealing waterproof materials were consisted of GRT/super absorbent polymer(SAP)/binder and mold by a hot press after mixing with a batch-typed internal mixer. The average size of GRT particles was -40 mesh, SAPs were commercial GE-500F and poly(AM-SAS-AA) prepared in this work. Binders were PU. EVA, LDPE, SBR, and poly(2-EHA). And PU film was attached to improve the properties of waterproof materials. Characteristics of self-sealing waterproof materials consisted of by GRT/GE-500F/EV-600/PU film and GRT/GE-500F/SBR(vulcanization)/PU film among the developed self-sealing waterproof materials were similar to the commercial products. And properties of the soft-shaped self-sealing waterproof materials consisted of by GRT/GE-500F/Po1y(2-EHA) and CRT/Poly(AM-SAS-AA)/poly(2-EHA) were improved within from four times to twenty times compared to the one oi the commercial products.