• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.10 no.7
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• pp.1086-1091
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• 1999

$K^+-{\beta}/{\beta}"-Al_2O_3$ in the ternary system $K_2O-MgO-Al_2O_3$ was directly synthesized by solid state reaction. The phase formation and phase relation were carefully investigated in relation to starting composition, calcining temperature and time, and dispersion medium. The optimal synthetic condition was also examined for the formation of ${\beta}"-Al_2O_3$ phase with a maximum fraction. As a composition range, the mole ratio of $K_2O$ to $Al_2O_3$ was changed from 1:5 to 1:6.2 and the amount of MgO used as a stabilizer was varied from 4.2 wt % to 6.3 wt %. The calcining temperature was selected between $1000^{\circ}C$ and $1500^{\circ}C$. At $1000^{\circ}C$, the ${\beta}/{\beta}"-Al_2O_3$ phases began to form resulted from the combining of ${\alpha}-Al_2O_3$ and $KAlO_2$ and increased with temperature rising. All of ${\alpha}-Al_2O_3$ phase disappeared to be homogenized to the ${\beta}/{\beta}"-Al_2O_3$ phase at $1200^{\circ}C$. Near the temperature at $1300^{\circ}C$, the fraction of ${\beta}"-Al_2O_3$ phase showed a maximum value with the composition of $K_{1.67}Mg_{0.67}Al_{10.33}O_{17}$. At temperatures above $1300^{\circ}C$, the fraction of ${\beta}"-Al_2O_3$ phase decreased gradually owing to $K_2O$ loss caused by a high potassium vapor pressure, and the appropriate calcining time was about 5 hours. Acetone was more effective than distilled water as a dispersion medium for milling and mixing.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.47-56
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• 2018

Providing high-quality meteorological observation data at sites that represent actual farming environments is essential for useful agrometeorological services. The Automated Agricultural Observing System (AAOS) of the Korean Meteorological Administration, however, has been deployed on lawns rather than actual farm land. In this study, we show the inaccuracies that arise in AAOS data by analyzing temporal and vertical variation and by comparing them with data recorded by the National Center for AgroMeteorology (NCAM) tower that is located at an actual farming site near the AAOS tower. The analyzed data were gathered in August and October (before and after harvest time, respectively). Observed air temperature and water vapor pressure were lower at AAOS than at NCAM tower before and after harvest time. Observed reflected shortwave radiation tended to be higher at AAOS than at NCAM tower. Soil variables showed bigger differences than meteorological observation variables. In August, observed soil temperature was lower at NCAM tower than at AAOS with smaller diurnal changes due to irrigation. The soil moisture observed at NCAM tower continuously maintained its saturation state, while the one at AAOS showed a decreasing trend, following an increase after rainfall. The trend changed in October. Observed soil temperature at NCAM showed similar daily means with higher diurnal changes than at AAOS. The soil moisture observed at NCAM was continuously higher, but both AAOS and NCAM showed similar trends. The above results indicate that the data gathered at the AAOS are inaccurate, and that ground surface cover and farming activities evoke considerable differences within the respective meteorological and soil environments. We propose to shift the equipment from lawn areas to actual farming sites such as rice paddies, farms and orchards, so that the gathered data are representative of the actual agrometeorological observations.