• Carbon letters
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.171-182
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• 2015

Mesophase pitch is an important starting material for making a wide spectrum of industrial and advanced carbon products. It is produced by pyrolysis of petroleum residues. In this work, mesophase formation behavior in petroleum residues was studied to prepare environmentally-benign mesophase pitches, and the composition of petroleum residues and its influence on the mesophase formation was investigated. Two petroleum residues, i.e., clarified oil s (CLO-1, CLO-2) obtained from fluid catalytic cracking units of different Indian petroleum refineries, were taken as feed stocks. A third petroleum residue, aromatic extract (AE), was produced by extraction of one of the CLO-1 by using N-methyl pyrrolidone solvent. These petroleum residues were thermally treated at 380℃ to examine their mesophase formation behavior. Mesophase pitches produced as a result of thermal treatment were characterized physico-chemically, as well as by instrumental techniques such as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetry/derivative thermogravimetry. Thermal treatment of these petroleum residues led to formation of a liquid-crystalline phase (mesophase). The mesophase formation behavior in the petroleum residues was analyzed by optical microscopy. Mesophase pitch prepared from CLO-2 exhibited the highest mesophase content (53 vol%) as compared to other mesophase pitches prepared from CLO-1 and AE.

• Carbon letters
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.105-112
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• 2014

Wastewater from textile industries is a major cause of water pollution in most developing countries. In order to address the issues of water pollution and high cost for treatment processes, the use of an inexpensive and environmentally benign adsorbents has been studied. The objective was to find a better alternative to the conventional methods. Lemon grass waste (ash) collected from a lemon grass stream distillation subunit in Bhutan was tested for dye removal from aqueous solutions. The study investigated the removal of methylene blue using the following operational parameters: initial concentration (100-600 mg/L), contact time, adsorbent dose (0.1-0.55 gm/100 mL), and pH (3-10). It was found that the percentage removal of dye increased with a decrease of the initial concentration and increased contact time and dose of adsorbent. The basic pH solution of dye showed better adsorption capacity as compared to the acidic dye solution. Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms were fitted to the data well. Data fitted better to Lagergren pseudo 2nd order kinetics than a 1st order kinetic model. Surface morphology was also examined via scanning electron microscopy. An elemental analysis was also carried out and the chemical composition and functional groups were analyzed using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy techniques, respectively. The obtained results indicate that lemon grass ash could be employed as a low cost alternative to commercial activated carbon in wastewater treatment for the removal of dyes.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.206-218
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• 1994

In 50%$NH_3+Air+N_2$ atmospheres, the effect of air additions on the growth characteristics of the compound layer during oxynitriding at $570^{\circ}C$ for 2hr in carbon and alloy steels has been investigated. The ammount of apparent residual ammonia during oxynitriding has shown to be increased with air additions(9~36 Vol. %) and X-ray diffraction analysis of case oxynitreded has shown that the compound layer consist of ${\varepsilon}-Fe_{2-3}$(N, C) phase and ${\gamma}^{\prime}-Fe_4$(N,C) phase. In the case of carbon steels, the thickness of oxide layer, compound layer and porous layer and the amount of ${\varepsilon}-Fe_{2-3}$(N,C) phase in the compound layer were increased with additions of air in 50%$NH_3+N_2$ atmospheres. At the same gas composition, the thickenss of oxide layer, compound layer and porous layer in alloy steels showed slightly thin layer thickness compared to those of carbon steels and the ${\gamma}^{\prime}-Fe_4$(N,C) phase in the compound layer of alloy steels was found barely. Therefore, the most obvious effect of air addition in the gas nitriding atmosphere has been found to in crease further kinetics of nitriding reaction.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.355-361
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• 2005

The objective of this paper is to compare the surface features of two kinds of activated caron fiber (ACF) treated with potassium and the variation of their properties by phosphoric acid pre-treatment. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns indicate that activated carbon fiber containing potassium species show better performance for metal and metal salts by pre-treatment with phosphoric acid. In order to present the causes of the differences in surface properties and specific surface area after the samples were treated with phosphoric acid, pore structure and surface morphology were investigated by adsorption analysis and SEM. For the chemical composition microanalysis for potassium leading of the activated carbon fibers pre-treated with phosphoric acid, samples were analyzed by EDX. Finally, the type and quality of oxygen groups were determined from the method proposed by Boehm.

• Carbon letters
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.336-342
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• 2010

Different oxidation treatments on CNTs using diluted 4.0 M $H_2SO_4$ solution at room temperature and or at $90^{\circ}C$ reflux conditions were investigated to elucidate the physical and chemical changes occurring on the treated CNTs, which might have significant effects on their performance as catalyst supports in PEM fuel cells. Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscope analyses were made for the acid treated CNTs to determine the particle size and distribution of the CNT-supported Pt-Ru nanoparticles. These CNT-supported Pt-based nanoparticles were then employed as anode catalysts in PEMFC to investigate their catalytic activity and single-cell performance towards $H_2$ oxidation. Based on PEMFC performance results, refluxed Pt-Ru/CNT catalysts prepared using CNTs treated at $90^{\circ}C$ for 0.5 h as anode have shown better catalytic activity and PEMFC polarization performance than those of the commercially available Pt-Ru/C catalyst from ETEK and other Pt-Ru/CNT catalysts developed using raw CNT, thus demonstrating the importance of acid treatment in improving and optimizing the surface properties of catalyst support.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.2007-2013
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• 2017

In order to give hydrophobic surface properties on carbon steel, the fluorinated amorphous carbon films were prepared by using linear 2.45GHz microwave PECVD device. Two different process approaches have been tested. One is direct deposition of a-C:H:F films using admixture of $Ar/CH_4/CF_4$ working gases and the other is surface treatment using $CF_4$ plasma after deposition of a-C:H film with $Ar/CH_4$ binary gas system. $Ar/CF_4$ plasma treated surface with high $CF_4$ gas ratio shows best hydrophobicity and durability of hydrophobicity. Nanometer scale surface roughness seems one of the most important factors for hydrophobicity within our experimental conditions. The properties of a-C:H:F films and $CF_4$ plasma treated a-C:H films were investigated in terms of surface roughness, hardness, microstructure, chemical bonding, atomic bonding structure between carbon and fluorine, adhesion and water contact angle by using atomic force microscopy (AFM), nano-indentation, Raman analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.37-46
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• 2004

The electrochemical adsorption of the Ag ions from aqueous solution on pelletized activated carbon monolith was investigated over wide range of operation time. The adsorption capacities of pelletized activated carbon monolith are associated with their internal porosity and are related properties such as surface area, pore size distribution. The chemical industry generates wastewater that contains toxic matters like heavy metals in small concentrations so that their economic recovery is not feasible. But, the method using activated carbon monolith can be used to withdrawal of heavy metals in waste water. After the electrochemical treatment, the quantitative properties in Ag ion solutions are also examined by pH concentration and studied elemental analysis by ICP-Atomic Emission Spectrometer and Energy Disperse X-ray (EDX) spectra. It is consider that the pH is very important factor at the reason of water pollutant with increasing acidity in industrial field. The result of quantitative analysis using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometer of metal after electrochemical reaction in Ag ions solution depending on time are shown that the amount of Ag ions deposited was decreased with growth of Ag particles on the carbon surfaces as increasing electrochemically treated time. And, surface morphologies are investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to explain the changes in adsorption properties.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.225-229
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• 2013

Bovine Carbonic anhydrase (BCA) was immobilized on a submicro-porous membrane through covalent immobilization. The immobilization was conducted on the porous membrane surface with the treatment of polyethyleneimine, glutaraldehyde, and the anhydrase, in sequence. The immobilization was confirmed using X-ray photon spectrometer. The pH values of carbon-dioxide saturated solution with buffer were monitored with respect to time to calculate the catalytic activities of hydration of carbon-dioxide for free and immobilized CA. The catalytic rate constant values for free CA, immobilized CA on polystyrene nanoparticles, and immobilized CA on a porous cellulose acetate membrane were 0.79, 0.67, and 0.56 $s^{-1}$, respectively. Reusability was studied up to 10 cycles of $CO_2$ sequestration. The activity for the CA immobilized on the membrane was kept to 95% after 10 cycles, and comparable to the CA on the nanoparticles. The stabilities for heat and storage were also investigated for the three cases. The results suggested that the CA immobilized the membrane had the least loss rate of the activity compared to the others. From this study, the porous membrane was feasible as a carrier for the CA immobilization in hydration and sequestration of carbon-dioxide.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.460-467
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• 2006

Carbon-coated $TiO_2$ was prepared by $CCl_4$ solvent mixing method with different heat treatment temperature (HTT). Since the carbon layers derived from pitch on the $TiO_2$ particles were porous, the carbon-coated $TiO_2$ sample series showed a good adsorptivity and photo decomposition activity. The BET surface area was decreased by the increasing of the heat treatment temperature. The SEM results present to the characterization of surface texture on the carbon-coated $TiO_2$ sample and carbon distributions on the surfaces for all the materials used. The main elements of C, O and Ti were shown from EDX spectra. And the quantity of these elements is very rich in the samples. From XRD data, the pristine anatase peaks were observed in the X-ray diffraction patterns for the carbon-coated $TiO_2$ at the different HTTs. However, the rutile peaks were observed for the carbon-coated $TiO_2$ at HTT of 1073 K and 1123 K. Finally, the excellent photocatalytic activity of carbon-coated $TiO_2$ with UV-vis spectra between absorbance and time could be attributed to the homogeneous coated carbon on the external surface and structural phase transform, and the photocatalytic activity was decreased by the increasing of the HTT.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.523-527
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• 2012

Silicon carbide (SiC) has recently drawn an enormous amount of industrial interest due to its useful mechanical properties, such as its thermal resistance, abrasion resistance and thermal conductivity at high temperatures. In this study, RF thermal plasma (PL-35 Induction Plasma, Tekna CO., Canada) was utilized for the synthesis of high-purity SiC powder from an organic precursor (hexamethyldisilazane, vinyltrimethoxysilane). It was found that the SiC powders obtained by the RF thermal plasma treatment included free carbon and amorphous silica ($SiO_2$). The SiC powders were further purified by a thermal treatment and a HF treatment, resulting in high-purity SiC nano-powder. The particle diameter of the synthesized SiC powder was less than 30 nm. Detailed properties of the microstructure, phase composition, and free carbon content were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), a thermogravimetric (TG) analysis, according to the and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) specific surface area from N2 isotherms at 77 K.