• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.45 no.2
• /
• pp.93-98
• /
• 2022

To assess the feasibility of silk sericin for non-textile application, the storage stability and biological safety of sericin were examined. It was extracted at 37℃, 70℃, 100℃, and 121℃ for 1, 3, and 5 h to elucidate the effect of extraction condition on the stability and safety of silk sericin. The solubility was increased till approximately 26% with extraction temperature of 121℃ for 1 h. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) showed that the molecular weight distribution depended on the extraction conditions. Extracted sericin displayed typical UV absorption bands upon spectrometric analysis. To examine the reproducibility of its obtained conformation, sericin was extracted thrice and its circular dichroism (CD) spectra was measured each time. Most CD spectra showed reproducibility regardless of temperature and time except under 100℃ extraction condition. The diversity of CD spectrum showed gradual reduction and was finally coincident with extraction time from 1 to 5 h. Notably, sericin has a negative peak of approximately 200 nm attributed to random coil conformation, regardless of extraction condition. However, at the 100℃ extraction condition, sericin showed both bands to be negative bands of approximately 200 and 220 nm, respectively. Sericin was centrifuged to determine the stability of storage conditions. The sericin extracted at 100℃ and 121℃ for 1 h was found to form gel rapidly within 1 h, but at 121℃ condition, the gel fraction was approximately 20% within 1 h which retained its phase regardless of storage time. The gel fraction of sericin extracted at 100℃ for 5 h increased with time, however at the 121℃ for 5 h condition, the gel fraction was measured to be less than 10% regardless of increase in storage time. Petriflim^TM AC plates test showed that sericin was safe from aerobic bacteria activity by extraction under high temperature.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.54 no.3
• /
• pp.1062-1070
• /
• 2022

In the present communication, pure and stable α-Bismuth Oxide (Bi₂O₃) nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by low temperature solution combustion method using urea as a fuel and calcined at 500℃. The synthesized sample was characterized by using powder X-ray Diffraction (PXRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and UV-Visible absorption spectroscopy. The PXRD pattern confirms the formation of mono-clinic, stable and low temperature phase α-Bi₂O₃. The direct optical energy band gap was estimated by using Wood and Tauc's relation which was found to be 2.81 eV. The characterized sample was studied for X-ray/gamma ray shielding properties in the energy range 0.081-1.332 MeV using NaI (Tl) detector and multi channel analyzer (MCA). The measured shielding parameters agrees well with the theory, whereas, slight deviation up to 20% is observed below 356 keV. This deviation is mainly due to the influence of atomic size of the target medium. Furthermore an accurate theory is necessary to explain the interaction of X-ray/gamma ray with the NPs.The present work opens new window to use this facile, economical, efficient, low temperature method to synthesize nanomaterials for X-ray/gamma ray shielding purpose.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
• /
• v.56 no.3
• /
• pp.208-218
• /
• 2023

Photocatalysts are advanced materials which accelerate the photoreaction by providing ordinary reactions with other pathways. The catalysts have various advantages, such as low-cost, low operating temperature and pressure, and long-term use. They are applied to environmental and energy field, including the air and water purification, water splitting for hydrogen production, sterilization and self-cleaning surfaces. However, commercial photocatalysts only absorb ultraviolet light between 100 and 400 nm of wavelength which comprises only 5% in sunlight due to the wide band gap. In addition, rapid recombination of electron-hole pairs reduces the photocatalytic performance. Recently, studies on blackening photocatalysts by laser, thermal, and plasma treatments have been conducted to enhance the absorption of visible light and photocatalytic activity. The disordered structures could yield mid-gap states and vacancies could cause charge carrier trapping. Herein, liquid phase plasma (LPP) is adopted to synthesize Ag-doped black ZnO for the utilization of visible-light. The physical and chemical characteristics of the synthesized photocatalysts are analyzed by SEM/EDS, XRD, XPS and the optical properties of them are investigated using UV/Vis DRS and PL analyses. Lastly, the photocatalytic activity was evaluated using methylene blue as a pollutant.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
• /
• v.46 no.1
• /
• pp.50.2-51
• /
• 2021

Stars form exclusively in cold and dense molecular clouds. To fully understand star formation processes, it is hence a key to investigate how molecular clouds form out of the surrounding diffuse atomic gas. With an aim of shedding light in the process of the atomic-to-molecular transition in the interstellar medium, we analyze Arecibo HI emission and absorption spectral pairs along with TRAO/PMO 12CO(1-0) emission spectra toward 58 lines of sight probing in and around molecular clouds in the solar neighborhood, i.e., Perseus, Taurus, and California. 12CO(1-0) is detected from 19 out of 58 lines of sight, and we report the physical properties of HI (e.g., central velocity, spin temperature, and column density) in the vicinity of CO. Our preliminary results show that the velocity difference between the cold HI (Cold Neutral Medium or CNM) and CO (median ~ 0.7 km/s) is on average more than a factor of two smaller than the velocity difference between the warm HI (Warm Neutral Medium or WNM) and CO (median ~ 1.7 km/s). In addition, we find that the CNM tends to become colder (median spin temperature ~ 43 K) and abundant (median CNM fraction ~ 0.55) as it gets closer to CO. These results hints at the evolution of the CNM in the vicinity of CO, implying a close association between the CNM and molecular gas. Finally, in order to examine the role of HI in the formation of molecular gas, we compare the observed CNM properties to the theoretical model by Bialy & Sternberg (2016), where the HI column density for the HI-to-H2 transition point is predicted as a function of density, metallicity, and UV radiation field. Our comparison shows that while the model reproduces the observations reasonably well on average, the observed CNM components with high column densities are much denser than the model prediction. Several sources of this discrepancy, e.g., missing physical and chemical ingredients in the model such as the multi-phase ISM, non-equilibrium chemistry, and turbulence, will be discussed.

• Analytical Science and Technology
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.159-165
• /
• 2009

The thermochromism of fluoran has been examined. The DCF exists as a colorless lactone in aprotic solvents. However, the DCF exists in the form of an equilibrium mixture of a colored zwitter-ion and a colorless lactone in protic solvents. When an acid is added to the solution, the DCF exists an equilibrium mixture as a colorless lactone and a colored cation even in aprotic solvents. In order to understand the interaction between the DCF and the solvent, absorption spectra of the DCF in various solvents were measured. The thermodynamic parameters of the DCF have also been investigated. From the variation of absorbance with temperature, the standard enthalpy changes ${\Delta}H^0$ of the equilibrium between the lactone and the zwitter-ion in various solvents have been determined. The standard enthalpy change ${\Delta}H^0$ is approximately -2.0 kJ/mol in protic solvents. In acidic solution, the standard enthalpy change is measured to be to zero in protic solvents within the experimental error. When the carboxylic group is protonated in acidic solution, a poor interaction between the dye and the solvent is expected.

• Current Optics and Photonics
• /
• v.7 no.6
• /
• pp.721-731
• /
• 2023

This paper studies various roughness parameters, besides waviness, texture, and nonlinear parameters of Bismarck brown Y (BBY)-doped Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films based on the computed values of optical limiting (OL) threshold power and nonlinear refractive index. The films' morphology, grain size, and absorption spectra were investigated using atomic force microscopy in conjunction with ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometer. The particle size of the films ranged between 4.11-4.51 mm and polymer films showed good homogeneity and medium roughness, ranging from 1.11-4.58 mm. A polymer film's third-order nonlinear optical features were carried out using the Z-scan methodology. The measurements were obtained by a continuous wave produced from a solid-state laser with a 532 nm wavelength. According to the results, BBY has a nonlinear refractive index of 10^-6 cm²/W that is significantly negative and nonlinear. The optical limiting thresholds are roughly 10.29, 13.52, and 18.71 mW, respectively. The shift of nonlinear optical features with the film's concentration was found throughout the experiment Additionally, we found that the polymer samples have outstanding capabilities for restricting the amount of optical power that may be transmitted through them. We propose that these films have the potential to be used in a wide variety of optoelectronic applications, including optical photodetectors and optical switching.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.15-31
• /
• 2024

The antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine sulphate (HCQ) has taken much attention during the first COVID-19 pandemic phase for the treatment of severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) patients. Hence it is interest to study the electrochemical properties and photocatalytic degradation of the HCQ drug. Copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles, graphene oxide (GO) and CuO/GO NC (nanocomposite) modified carbon paste electrodes (MCPE) are used for the detection of HCQ in an aqueous medium. Electrochemical behaviour of HCQ (20 μM) was observed using CuO/MCPE, GO/MCPE and CuO/GO NC/MCPE in 0.1 M phosphate buffer at pH 7 with a scan rate of 20 to 120 mV s^-1 by cyclic voltammetry (CV). Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) of HCQ was performed for 0.6 to 16 μM HCQ. The CuO/GO NC/MCPE showed a reasonably good sensitivity of 0.33 to 0.44 μA μM cm^-2 with LOD of 69 to 92 nM for HCQ. Furthermore, the CuO/GO NC was used as a catalyst for the photodegradation of HCQ by monitoring its UV-Vis absorption spectra. About 98% was degraded in about 34 min under visible light and after 4 cycles it was 87%. The improved photocatalytic activity may be attributed to decrease in bandgap energy and enhanced ability for the electrons to migrate. Thus, CuO/GO NC showed good results for both sensing and degradation applications as well as reproducibility.

• Analytical Science and Technology
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.41-49
• /
• 1992

An attempt was made to prepare two series of tetrakis eight-coordinate tungsten(IV) and cerium(IV) complexes containing the 5,7-dichloro-8-quinolinol(N:${\pi}$-acceptor atom, O:${\pi}$-donor atom) ligand. Tetrakis eight-coordinate tungsten(IV) complex of 2-mercaptopyrimidine(N:${\pi}$-acceptor atom, S:${\pi}$-donor atom) ligand have also been prepared. And the new series of mixed-ligand eight-coordinate tungsten(IV) complexes containing bidentate ligands 5,7-dichloro-8-quinolinol and 2-mercaptopyrimidine have been prepared, isolated by TLC and characterized. $W(dcq)_4$, $W(dcq)_3(mpd)_1$, $W(dcq)_2(mpd)_2$, $W(dcq)_1W(dcq)_3$ and $W(mpd)_4$ complexes of MLCT absorption band appeared to 710nm, 680nm, 625nm, 581nm, and 571nm(${\varepsilon}\;max={\sim}>{\times}10^4$) on low-energy respectively. The specific absorption wave length of $Ce(dcq)_4$ is appeared 520nm(${\varepsilon}\;max={\sim}>{\times}10^4$). The Chemical shift values by proton of coordinated position appeared to $W(dcq)_4$ [$H_2:8.9ppm$]; $W(dcq)_3(mpd)_1$ [$H_2:9.3$,$H_6:9.2ppm$]; $W(dcq)_2(mpd)_2$ [$H_2:9.7$,$H_6:8.95ppm$]; $W(dcq)_1(mpd)_3$ [$H_2:9.8$,$H_6:9.4ppm$]; $W(mpd)_4$ [$H_6:8.8ppm$]; $Ce(dcq)_4$ [$H_2:9.3ppm$] with $^1H$-NMR. The inertness of mixed-ligand eight coordinate tungsten(IV) complexes have been investigated by UV-Vis. spectroscopic method in dimethylsulfoxide at $90^{\circ}C$. The inertness of $W(dcq)_n(mpd)_{4-n}$ complexes showed the following order, $W(dcq)_3(mpd)_1;k_{obs.}=3.8{\times}10^{-6}$ > $W(mpd)_4;k_{obs.}=6.0{\times}10^{-6}$ > $W(dcq)_4;k_{obs.}=6.4{\times}10^{-6}$ > $W(dcq)_2(mpd)_2;k_{obs.}=7.0{\times}10^{-6}$ > $W(dcq)_1(mpd)_3;k_{obs.}=1.7{\times}10^{-5}$, which showed the inertness until 16days, 10days, 9days, 8days, and 4days. The $W(mpd)_4$ is very inert as $k_{obs.}=3.6{\times}10^{-6}$(16days) in xylene at $90^{\circ}C$ and $k_{obs.}=6.0{\times}10^{-6}$(10days) in DMSO at $90^{\circ}C$.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.8-18
• /
• 1983

The effects of fat-solvents was investigated on the yield. brown color intensity, UV absorbance patterns, reducing and antioxidant activities, and variation of fatty acid composition of the extracts from white and red ginseng. The yield and intensity of brown color of extracts were generally greater as the polarity of the solvent used became stronger. The intensity of the brown color of extract of red ginseng was greater than that of white ginseng. The orders of reducing and antioxidant activities of extracts of red ginseng was similar that of white ginseng, resulting in decreasing order of: ethanol>methanol>ethyl acetate, acetone>ether>chloroform>benzene, hexane. The ethanol, methanol, and ethyl acetate extracts of red ginseng showed stronger UV absorption than the corresponding extracts of white ginseng. The former also possessed stronger reducing and antioxidant activities than the latter. The composition of the major unsaturated fatty acids (linoleic, linolenic, and nervonic acid) in the ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts from both white and red ginseng did not change appreciably for 60 days at $45^{\circ}C$. In case of the hexane extracts which had shown the weakest reducing and antioxidant activities among the extracts, linolenic acid disappeared almost under the same condition.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.4 no.3
• /
• pp.206-212
• /
• 1972

Oxidative changes in the rice lipids under accelerated condition were studied by measuring the changes in weight gain, total carbonyl compound, malonaldehyde, and fatty acid composition. Rice lipids were prepared by extraction with either n-hexane or ethanol from polished rice grain and purified by Folch's method. The lipid preparations were either incubated in dark at $40^{\circ}C$ or irradiated with ultra-violet light for a period of 55 days. Weight gain by oxygen absorbed sharply increased within 3 days in the rice lipids under UV light irradiation. However, with the rice lipids at $40^{\circ}C$ incubation a moderate increase in weight was observed only after 45 days storage. Their induction periods were one day (hexane extracted, under UV light), 2 days (ethanol extracted, under UV light), 30 days (hexane extracted, at $40^{\circ}C$), and 40 days (ethanol extracted, at $40^{\circ}C$) respectively. Oxidative rancid odor appeared at the end of the induction period. Total carbonyl compound and malonaldehyde markedly increased within 7 days, and decreased in the rice lipids under ultra violet light irradiation, while at $40^{\circ}C$ incubation they were continued to increase slowly through out the storage. The hexane extracted lipid were less stable than ethanol extracted lipid on the basis of oxygen absorption, malonaldehyde and other carbonyl compound formation. With the hexane extracted lipid during 55 days incubation at $40^{\circ}C$, the contents of linoleic and linolenic acids decreased, while the oleic, stearic, and palmitic acids increased.