• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.768-775
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• 2022

In this study we aimed to derive the response surface models for Escherichia coli reduction in wheat flour using atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) with three types of gas. The jet-type atmospheric cold plasma wand system was used with a 30 W power supply, and three gases (argon, air, and nitrogen) were applied as the treatment gas. The operating parameters for process optimization considered were wheat flour mass (g), treatment time (min), and gas flow rate (L/min). The wheat flour samples were artificially contaminated with E. coli at a concentration of 9.25 ± 0.74 log CFU/g. ACP treatments with argon, air, and nitrogen resulted in 2.66, 4.21, and 5.55 log CFU/g reduction of E. coli, respectively, in wheat flour under optimized conditions. The optimized conditions to reduce E. coli were 0.5 g of the flour mass, 15 min of treatment time, and 0.20 L/min of nitrogen gas flow rate, and the predicted highest reduction level from modeling was 5.63 log CFU/g.

• Carbon letters
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.103-107
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• 2004

The atmospheric pressure plasma treatments ($Ar/O_2$ and $Ar/N_2$) of activated carbon fibers (ACFs) were carried out to introduce hydrophilic functional groups on carbon surfaces in order to enhance the hydrogen chloride gas (HCl) adsorption. Surface properties of the ACFs were determined by XPS and SEM. $N_2$/77 K adsorption isotherms were investigated by BET and D-R (Dubinin-Radushkevich) plot methods. The HCl removal efficiency was confirmed by HCl detecting tubes (range:1~40 or 40~1000 ppm). As experimental results, it was found that all plasma-treated ACFs showed the decrease in the pore volume, but the HCl removal efficiency showed higher level than that of the untreated ACFs. This result indicated that the plasma treatments led to the conformation of hydrophilic functional groups on the carbon surfaces, resulting in the increase of the interaction between the ACFs and HCl gas.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.544-545
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• 2013

Recently, low-temperature atmospheric-pressure plasmas have been investigated [1,2] for biomedical applications and surface treatments. Experiments for improving hydrophilicity of stainless steel (SUS 304) plate with atmospheric microwave argon and H2O2 mixture plasma jet [3] were carried out and experimental measurements and plasma simulations were conducted for investigating the characteristics of plasma for the process. After 30 s of low power (under 10 W) and low temperature (under $50^{\circ}C$) plasma treatment, the water contact angle decreased rapidly to around $10^{\circ}$ from $75^{\circ}$ and was maintained under $30^{\circ}$ for a day (24 hours). The surface free energy, calculated from the contact angles, increased. The chemical properties of the surface were examined by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and the surface morphology and roughness were examined by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) respectively. The characteristics of plasma sources with several frequencies were investigated by Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES) measurement and one-dimensional Particle-in-Cell (PIC) simulation and zero-dimensional global simulation [4]. The relation between plasma components and the efficacy of the surface modification were discussed.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.905-907
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• 2014

The plasma and microwave surface treatments of carbon nanotubes that loaded on plastic substrates were carried out with expecting a change of carbon nanotube dispersion by increasing treatment time. The microwave treatment process was undergone by commercial microwave oven (800 W). The electrical property was measured by hall measurement and resistance was increased by increasing $O_2$ flow rate of plasma, suggesting an improvement of carbon nanotube dispersion and a possibility of controlling the resistances of carbon nanotubes by plasma surface treatment. The resistance was increased in both polyethylene terephthalate and polyimide substrates by increasing $O_2$ flow rate. Resistance changes only slightly with different $O_2$ flow treatment in measure rho for all polyimide samples. Sheet resistance is lowest in polyimide substrate not due to high carbon nanotube loading but due to tendency to remain in elongated structure. $O_2$ or $N_2$ plasma treatments on both polyethylene terephthalate and polyimide substrates lead to increase in sheet resistance.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.561-570
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• 2012

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of an atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) jet on L. monocytogenes inactivation, quality characteristics, and genotoxicological safety of cooked egg white and yolk. APP treatment using He gas resulted in a 5 decimal reduction in the number of L. monocytogenes in cooked egg white, whereas that using $He+O_2$, $N_2$, and $N_2+O_2$ decreased the number further, and to undetectable levels. All treatments of cooked egg yolk resulted in undetectable levels of inoculated L. monocytogenes. There were no viable cells of total aerobic bacteria after APP treatment on day 0 while the control showed approximately 3-4 Log CFU/g. On day 7, the numbers of total aerobic bacteria had increased by approximately 3 log cycles in cooked egg white, but there were no viable cells in cooked egg yolk after 2 min of APP jet. APP treatment decreased the $L^*$-values of cooked egg white and yolk significantly on day 0. No significant sensory differences were found among the cooked egg white samples, whereas significant reductions in flavor, taste, and overall acceptability were found in cooked egg yolks treated with APP jets. SOS chromotest did not reveal the presence of genotoxic products following APP treatments of cooked egg white and yolk. Therefore, it can be concluded that APP jets can be used as a non-thermal means to enhance the safety and extend the shelf-life of cooked egg white and yolk.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.772-777
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• 2016

Activity of the noncontacted low temperature atmospheric pressure surface discharged plasma (LASDP) converts stable gas to ionized gas known as discharge or plasma. This ionized gas exhibits the antimicrobial activity. We examined the effects of 3 different storage treatments for 80 days on 'Setoka' : ambient storage (AS), low-tempperature storage (LTS), and low-temperature atmospheric pressure plasma+low-tempperature storage (PLTS). Total soluble solids showed no the significant differences between the 3 treatments. Acidity gradually decreased, and was 0.5% under AS after 30 days of storage. Fruit firmness increased by a few percent until 40 days of storage. Weight loss in AS was higher than for other treatments. After 80 days of storage, the decay ratio was significantly low in PLTS treatment: (AS, 50.5%; LTS, 5.6%; PLTS, 1.9%). In AS treatment, 73% of the rotten fruits were infected particularly with green and blue mold; however, only 1% of the rotten fruits were infected in case of PLTS treatment. In conclusion, LASDP treatment can prevent postharvest decay caused by fungi and is an efficacious alternative extending the shelf-life of citrus fruits.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.458-458
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• 2012

Fuel Cell is used stacking metal or polymer substrate. This hydro property of substrate surface is very important. Usually, surface property is hydrophilic. The surface oxidation of SUS is investigated through plasma treatments with an atmospheric-pressure dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) for increasing hydrophilic property. The plasma process makes an experiment under various operating conditions of the DBD, which operating conditions are treatment time, plasma gas mixture ratio, the plasma source supply frequency. Two kinds of SUS substrate, SUS-304 and SUS 316L, were used. Discharge frequency has a crucial impact on equipment performance and gas treatment. After the plasma treatment of a SUS plate, highly improved wettability was noted. But, when high oxygen supply, the substrate damaged seriously.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.08a
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• pp.270-270
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• 2012

Low temperature atmospheric pressure plasmas (APPs) have been known to be effective for living cell inactivation in the water [1]. Many earlier research found that pH level of the solution was changed from neutral to acidic after plasma treatment. The importance of the effect of acidity of the solution for cell treatments has already been reported by many experiments. In addition, several studies have demonstrated that the addition of a small amount of oxygen to pure helium results in higher sterilization efficiency of APPs [2]. However, it is not clear yet which species are key factors for the cell treatment. To find key factors, we used GMoo simulation. We elucidate the processes through which pH level in the solution is changed from neutral to acidic after plasma exposure and key components with pH and air variation with using GMoo simulation. First, pH level in a liquid solution is changed by He+ and He(21S) radicals. Second, O3 density decreases as pH level in the solution decreases and air concentration decreases. It can be a method of removing O3 that cause chest pain and damage lung tissue when the density is very high. H2O2, HO2 and NO radicals are found to be key factors for cell inactivation in the solution with pH and air variation.

• Composites Research
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.18-24
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• 2011

The effect of surface treatments with the atmospheric pressure flame plasma (APFP) and epoxy silane (ES) is experimentally investigated to yield the best mechanical properties of silica ($V_f=40%$) reinforced elastomeric composites. The tensile strength of the composites is increased significantly with decrease the mean diameter. When the diameter is $2.2{\mu}m$, that of the composite is increased about 1.4 times compared to the matrix (2.52 MPa). Also, the tensile strength of silica reinforced composites with APFP and ES treated is increased 8.8~13.3%, 9.9~12.5%, respectively. When the diameter is $26.6{\mu}m$, the tensile modulus of the composite is increased about 2 times compared to the matrix (0.88MPa), and the tensile modulus of silica reinforced composites with APFP and ES treated is increased 15.6~22.8%, 21.1~5.8%, respectively. Conventional silane coupling agent treatment have a few disadvantages because of using organic solvents. However APFP treatment is a fast, economic and eco-friendly method to improve the mechanical properties.

• 한국정보디스플레이학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2009.10a
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• pp.1515-1518
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• 2009

Hydrophobic treatments were conducted for different kinds of substrates, glass substrate, silicon wafer and plastic substrate. Ar-$CH_4$ gas mixture was used as a discharge gas for the hydrophobic treatment. The change of the contact angle before and after treatment was measured and compared. Time evolution of the contact angle change after hydrophobic treatment was investigated.