• Clean Technology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.147-154
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• 2022

Titanate nanotubes (TNTs) were synthesized via alkaline hydrothermal treatment using commercial TiO₂ nanoparticles (P25). The TNTs were prepared at various TiO₂/NaOH ratios, hydrothermal temperatures, and hydrothermal times. The synthesized catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, N₂ adsorption-desorption isotherms, field-emission transmission electron microscopy, and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. TNTs were generated upon a decrease in the TiO₂/NaOH ratio due to the dissolution of TiO₂ in the alkaline solution and the generation of new Ti-O-Ti bonds to form titanate nanoplates and nanotubes. The hydrothermal treatment temperature and time were important factors for promoting the nucleation and growth of TNTs. The TNT catalyst with the largest surface area (389.32 m² g^-1) was obtained with a TiO₂/NaOH ratio of 0.25, a hydrothermal treatment temperature of 130 ℃, and a hydrothermal treatment time of 36 h. Additionally, we investigated the photocatalytic activity of methyl violet 2B (MV) over the TNT catalysts under UV irradiation and found that the degradation efficiencies of the TNTs were higher than that of P25. Among the TNT catalysts, the TNT catalyst that was hydrothermally synthesized for 36 h (TNT 36 h) exhibited a 96.9% degradation efficiency and a degradation rate constant that was 4.8 times higher than P25 due to its large surface area, which allowed for more contact between the MV molecules and TNT surfaces and facilitated rapid electron transfer. Finally, these results were correlated with the specific surface area.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.35-48
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• 2023

Nanoparticles are known for their outstanding properties such as particle size, surface area, optical and electrical properties. These properties have significantly boasted their applications in various surface phenomena. In this work, calcium oxide nanoparticles were synthesized from periwinkle shells as an approach towards waste management through resource recovery. The sol gel method was used for the synthesis. The nanoparticles were characterized using X-Ray diffractometer (XRD), Fourier Transformed Infra-Red Spectrophotometer (FTIR), Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and ultra violet visible spectrophotometer (UV-visible). While DLS and SEM underestimate the particle diameter, the BET analysis reveals surface area of 138.998 m²/g, pore volume = 0.167 m³/g and pore diameter of 2.47 nm. The nanoparticles were also employed as an adsorbent for the purification of dye (methyl orange) contaminated water. The adsorbent showed excellent removal efficiency (up to 97 %) for the dye through the mechanism of physical adsorption. The adsorption of the dye fitted the Langmuir and Temkin models. Analysis of FTIR spectrum after adsorption complemented with computational chemistry modelling to reveal the imine nitrogen group as the site for the adsorption of the dye unto the nanomaterials. The synthesized nanomaterials have an average particle size of 24 nm, showed a unique XRD peak and is thermally and mechanically stable within the investigated temperature range (30 to 70 ℃).

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.12
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• pp.4642-4646
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• 2023

The Tb³⁺ or Eu³⁺-doped Lu₂Gd₁Ga₂Al₃O₁₂ phosphor were fabricated by funace at 1500 ℃ for 12 h using a solid state reaction. The XRD (X-ray diffraction_Panalytical X'Pert Pro) and FE-SEM (field emission scanning electron microscope) are measured to confirm the crystalline structure and surface morphology of the phosphor. The Tb³⁺-doped Lu₂Gd₁Ga₂Al₃O₁₂ phosphor emits the lights in 470~650 nm wavelength range due to transitions from ⁵D₄ to ⁷F_j. Therefore, it shows the green region in the CIE chromaticity diagram under both UV and X-rays excitations. The Eu³⁺-doped Lu₂Gd₁Ga₂Al₃O₁₂ phosphor emits the lights in 550~750 nm wavelength range because of ⁵D_i to ⁷F_j. The emission is confirmed to be in the red region using the CIE chromaticity diagram. The Tb³⁺ or Eu³⁺-doped Lu₂Gd₁Ga₂Al₃O₁₂ phosphor shows the characteristic f-f transition with a long decay time, which is about several milliseconds. They have the high efficiency of light emission for X-ray because of their high effective Z number (Z_eff = 58.5) and density. Therefore, they are very much promising phosphors for X-ray imaging application in medical fields.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.36 no.11
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• pp.771-780
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• 2014

In this study, the various organic supports (i.e., silicone, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, epoxy, and, butadiene rubber) with great sorption capacity of organic contaminants were chosen to develop nano-ZnO/organic composites (NZOCs) and to prevent the detachment of nano-ZnO particles. The water resistance of the developed NZOCs were evaluated, and the feasibility of the developed NZOCs were investigated by evaluating the removal efficiency of 1,1,2-trichloroethylene (TCE) in the aqueous phase. Based on the results from water-resistance experiments, long-term water treatment usage of all NZOCs was found to be feasible. According to the FE-SEM, EDX, and imaging analysis, nano-ZnO/butadiene rubber composite (NZBC) with various sizes and types of porosity and crack was measured to be coated with relatively homogeneously-distributed nano-ZnO particles whereas nano-ZnO/silicone composite (NZSC), nano-ZnO/ABS composite (NZAC), and nano-ZnO/epoxy composite (NZEC) with poorly-developed porosity and crack were measured to be coated with relatively heterogeneously-distributed nano-ZnO particles. The sorption capacity of NZBC was close to 60% relative to the initial concentration, and this result was mainly attributed to the amorphous structure of NZBC, hence the hydrophobic partitioning of TCE to the amorphous structure of NZBC intensively occurred. The removal efficiency of TCE in aqueous phase using NZBC was close to 99% relative to the initial concentration, and the removal efficiency of TCE was improved as the amount of NZBC increased. These results stemmed from the synergistic mechanisms with great sorption capability of butadiene rubber and superior photocatalytic activities of nano-ZnO. Finally, the removal efficiency of TCE in aqueous phase using NZBC was well represented by linear model ($R^2{\geq}0.936$), and the $K_{app}$ values of NZBC were from 2.64 to 3.85 times greater than those of $K_{photolysis}$, indicating that butadiene rubber was found to be the suitable organic supporting materials with enhanced sorption capacity and without inhibition of photocatalytic activities of nano-ZnO.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.237-245
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• 2017

This study was aimed at investigating effluent water quality and proposing reuse possibilities for 12 sewage treatment plants discharged more than $5,000m^3/day$ in order to recycle the sewage treatment plant effluent of Jeollabuk-do effectively. Additionally, a laboratory scale test for reprocessing water discharge was performed. Categories of reclaimed sewage water reuse were divided into 7 topics and analyzed a total of 28 items including 16 heavy metals based on water quality standard. As a results, color, BOD, TN, chloride and Electrical Conductivity (EC) exceeded reused water quality standard. In particular, color and TN exceeded in 8 and 5 sewage treatment plants, respectively. The value of chloride and EC were high in sewage treatment plants including the food and industrial wastewater. At 4 sewage treatment plants were possible to reuse without re-treatment. The laboratory scale test was conducted to SandFilter (SF)-Granular Activated Carbon (GAC)-MicroFiltraion (MF)-Reverse Osmosis (RO). Both the removal efficiencies and economic feasibility of total E. coli., color and Suspended Solid (SS) suited in case using the SF-GAC treatment method. The removal of chloride and EC had little effect in the case of SF-GAC-MF system, but RO showed over 90% of removal efficiency. After using SF-GAC process only, the concentration of $UV_{254}$ decreased sharply from 0.3651 /cm to 0.0306 /cm and it showed over 92% of removal efficiency rate. In conclusion, for the effective reuse of sewage discharged water, water quality and the surrounding terrain of treatment plants should be all taken into account. If it needed for the reprocessing, both the selection for treatment and economic combination treatment methods will have to be considered.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.91-104
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• 1997

Scutellariae radix has been used on the control of body fever as oriental medicine for thousand years. Analytical aspect for the main components of Scutellariae radix was set up improving sensitivity and resolution. The analysis of 3 different flavonoids present in Scutellariae radix-baicalin, baicalein, wogonin-was conducted by means of high performance liquid chromatography with ODS reverse phase column in conjunction with a Photo Diode Array UV detector(280nm) at $40^{\circ}C$. Mobile phase was carried out at 1mL/min, composed of acetonitrile and 0.1M phosphoric acid in the form of a gradient method. Under these circumstances the retention time for baicalin, baicalein, wogonin was 7.65, 11.65 and 14.12 minutes respectively. As a result for the efficiency on extraction of active ingredients with proposed analytical process according to it's growing districts, Sunchang in Junbuk for baicalin and Bulkyo in, Junnam for bicalein and wogonin have shown the best results. Even the extraction at room temperature was satisfactory. Among acids, 0.1M acetic acid revealed the best achievements. The mixture of acetonitrile and 0.2M phosphoric acid(75:25) has been shown the best efficiency as well as stability for the extraction of active ingredients.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.104.1-104.1
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• 2011

가볍고, 유연성(flexibility)을 갖는 박막(thin film)형 플랙서블 태양전지(flexible solar cell)는 상황에 따른 형태의 변형이 가능하여, 휴대가 간편하고, 기존 혹은 신규 구조물의 지붕(rooftop)등에 설치가 용이하여, 차세대 성장 동력 분야에서 각광받고 있다. 그러나 아직까지 플랙서블 태양전지는 제작시 열에 의한 기판의 변형, 기판 이송시 너울 현상, 대면적 패터닝(patterning) 기술 등 많은 어려움 등으로 웨이퍼나 글라스 기판에 제조된 태양전지 대비 낮은 광전환 효율을 갖는다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 플랙서플 태양전지 성능개선을 위해 3.5세대급 ($450{\times}450cm^2$) 스퍼터(sputter), 금속유기 화학기상장치 (MOCVD), 플라즈마 화학기상장치 (PECVD), 레이저 가공장치 (Laser scriber)를 이용하여 a-Si:H/a-SiGe:H 이중접합(tandem)을 갖는 태양전지를 제작하였고, 광 변환효율 특성을 평가하였다. 전도도(conductivity), 라만(Raman)분광 및 UV/Visible 분광 분석을 통하여 박막의 전기적, 구조적, 광학적 물성을 평가하여 단위박막의 물성을 최적화 했다. 또한 제작된 태양전지는 쏠라 시뮬레이터 (Solar Simulator)를 이용하여 성능 평가를 수행하였고, 상/하부층의 전류 정합 (current matching)을 위해 외부양자효율 (external quantum efficiency) 분석을 수행하였다. 제작된 이중접합 접이식 태양전지로 소면적($0.25cm^2$)에서 8.7%, 대면적($360cm^2$ 이상) 8.0% 이상의 효율을 확보하였으며, 성능 개선을 위해 대면적 패턴 기술 향상 및 공정 기술 개선을 수행 중이다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.9
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• pp.1433-1441
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• 2015

Pollution resulting from the discharge of textile dyes into water systems has become a major global concern. Because peroxidases are known for their ability to decolorize and detoxify textile dyes, the peroxidase activity of Vitreoscilla hemoglobin (VHb) has recently been studied. It is found that VHb and variants of this enzyme show great promise for enzymatic decolorization of dyes and may play a role in achieving their successful removal from industrial wastewater. The level of VHb peroxidase activity correlates with two amino acid residues present within the conserved distal pocket, at positions 53 and 54. In this work, sitedirected mutagenesis of these residues was performed and resulted in improved VHb peroxidase activity. The double mutant, Q53H/P54C, shows the highest dye decolorization and removal efficiency, with 70% removal efficiency within 5 min. UV spectral studies of Q53H/P54C reveals a more compact structure and an altered porphyrin environment (λ_Soret = 413 nm) relative to that of wild-type VHb (λ_Soret = 406), and differential scanning calorimetry data indicate that the VHb variant protein structure is more stable. In addition, circular dichroism spectroscopic studies indicate that this variant's increased protein structural stability is due to an increase in helical structure, as deduced from the melting temperature, which is higher than 90℃. Therefore, the VHb variant Q53H/P54C shows promise as an excellent peroxidase, with excellent dye decolorization activity and a more stable structure than wild-type VHb under high-temperature conditions.

• Clean Technology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.294-301
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• 2017

Air pollution associated with the $NO_x$ emission from the ship engines is becoming one of the major environmental concerns these days. As the regulations on ship pollutants are strengthened, the wet absorption method, for controlling complex pollutants in a confined space, has the advantage of simultaneously removing various pollutants, but the low solubility of nitrogen monoxide is drawback. In this study, for improving existing denitrification scrubber system, NO oxidation process by hydroxyl radical produced from irradiating UV light on $H_2O_2$ is suggested and the $H_2O_2$ decomposition rates and hydroxyl radical quantum yields were measured to find the optimum condition of $H_2O_2$ photolysis reaction. As a result, the optimum quantum yield and photolysis rate of $H_2O_2$ were 0.8798, $0.6mol\;h^{-1}$ at 8 W, 2 M condition, and oxidation efficiency of 1000 ppm NO gas was 40%. In batch system, NO removal efficiency has a range of 65.0 ~ 67.3% according to input gas concentration of 100 ~ 1500 ppm. This results indicate that the scrubber system using hydrogen peroxide photolysis can be applied as air pollution prevention facility of ship engines.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.454-454
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• 2014

Silicon microwire array is one of the promising platforms as a means for developing highly efficient solar cells thanks to the enhanced light trapping efficiency. Among the various fabrication methods of microstructures, deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) process has been extensively used in fabrication of high aspect ratio microwire arrays. In this presentation, we show precisely controlled Si microwire arrays by tuning the DRIE process conditions. A periodic microdisk arrays were patterned on 4-inch Si wafer (p-type, $1{\sim}10{\Omega}cm$) using photolithography. After developing the pattern, 150-nm-thick Al was deposited and lifted-off to leave Al microdisk arrays on the starting Si wafer. Periodic Al microdisk arrays (diameter of $2{\mu}m$ and periodic distance of $2{\mu}m$) were used as an etch mask. A DRIE process (Tegal 200) is used for anisotropic deep silicon etching at room temperature. During the process, $SF_6$ and $C_4F_8$ gases were used for the etching and surface passivation, respectively. The length and shape of microwire arrays were controlled by etching time and $SF_6/C_4F_8$ ratio. By adjusting $SF_6/C_4F_8$ gas ratio, the shape of Si microwire can be controlled, resulting in the formation of tapered or vertical microwires. After DRIE process, the residual polymer and etching damage on the surface of the microwires were removed using piranha solution ($H_2SO_4:H_2O_2=4:1$) followed by thermal oxidation ($900^{\circ}C$, 40 min). The oxide layer formed through the thermal oxidation was etched by diluted hydrofluoric acid (1 wt% HF). The surface morphology of a Si microwire arrays was characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM, Hitachi S-4800). Optical reflection measurements were performed over 300~1100 nm wavelengths using a UV-Vis/NIR spectrophotometer (Cary 5000, Agilent) in which a 60 mm integrating sphere (Labsphere) is equipped to account for total light (diffuse and specular) reflected from the samples. The total reflection by the microwire arrays sample was reduced from 20 % to 10 % of the incident light over the visible region when the length of the microwire was increased from $10{\mu}m$ to $30{\mu}m$.