• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.08a
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• pp.251-252
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• 2012

Recently, the growing interest in organic microelectronic devices including OLEDs has led to an increasing amount of research into their many potential applications in the area of flexible electronic devices based on plastic substrates. However, these organic devices require a gas barrier coating to prevent the permeation of water and oxygen because organic materials are highly susceptible to water and oxygen. In particular, high efficiency OLEDs require an extremely low Water Vapor Transition Rate (WVTR) of $1{\times}10^{-6}g/m^2$/day. The Key factor in high quality inorganic gas barrier formation for achieving the very low WVTR required ($1{\times}10^{-6}g/m^2$/day) is the suppression of defect sites and gas diffusion pathways between grain boundaries. In this study, we developed an $Al_2O_3$ nano-crystal structure single gas barrier layer using a Neutral Beam Assisted Sputtering (NBAS) process. The NBAS system is based on the conventional RF magnetron sputtering and neutral beam source. The neutral beam source consists of an electron cyclotron Resonance (ECR) plasma source and metal reflector. The Ar+ ions in the ECR plasma are accelerated in the plasma sheath between the plasma and reflector, which are then neutralized by Auger neutralization. The neutral beam energies were possible to estimate indirectly through previous experiments and binary collision model. The accelerating potential is the sum of the plasma potential and reflector bias. In previous experiments, while adjusting the reflector bias, changes in the plasma density and the plasma potential were not observed. The neutral beam energy is controlled by the metal reflector bias. The NBAS process can continuously change crystalline structures from an amorphous phase to nano-crystal phase of various grain sizes within a single inorganic thin film. These NBAS process effects can lead to the formation of a nano-crystal structure barrier layer which effectively limits gas diffusion through the pathways between grain boundaries. Our results verify the nano-crystal structure of the NBAS processed $Al_2O_3$ single gas barrier layer through dielectric constant measurement, break down field measurement, and TEM analysis. Finally, the WVTR of $Al_2O_3$ nano-crystal structure single gas barrier layer was measured to be under $5{\times}10^{-6}g/m^2$/day therefore we can confirm that NBAS processed $Al_2O_3$ nano-crystal structure single gas barrier layer is suitable for OLED application.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.593-599
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• 2017

In order to enhance ultra battery performances, the electrochemical characteristics of nano Pb/AC anode composite was investigated. Through nano Pb adsorption onto activated carbon, nano Pb/AC was synthesized and it was washed under vacuum process. The prepared anode materials was analysed by SEM, BET and EDS. The specific surface area and average pore size of nano Pb/AC composite were $1740m^2/g$ and 1.95 nm, respectively. The negative electrode of ultra battery was prepared by nano Pb/AC dip coating on lead plate. The electrochemical performances of ultra battery were studied using $PbO_2$ (the positive electrode) and prepared nano Pb/AC composite (the negative electrode) pair. Also the electrochemical behaviors of ultra battery were investigated by charge/discharge, cyclic voltammetry, impedance and rate capability tests in 5 M $H_2SO_4$ electrolyte. The initial capacity and cycling performance of the present nano Pb/AC ultra battery were improved with respect to the lead battery and the AC-coated lead battery. These experimental results indicate that the proper addition of nano Pb/AC into the negative electrode can improve the discharge capacity and the long term cycle stability and remarkably suppress the hydrogen evolution reaction on the negative electrode.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2015.08a
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• pp.157-157
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• 2015

Recently, the growing interest in organic microelectronic devices including OLEDs has led to an increasing amount of research into their many potential applications in the area of flexible electronic devices based on plastic substrates. However, these organic devices require a gas barrier coating to prevent the permeation of water and oxygen because organic materials are highly susceptible to water and oxygen. In particular, high efficiency OLEDs require an extremely low water vapor transition rate (WVTR) of $1{\times}10^{-6}g/m^2day$. The Key factor in high quality inorganic gas barrier formation for achieving the very low WVTR required ($1{\times}10^{-6}g/m^2day$) is the suppression of defect sites and gas diffusion pathways between grain boundaries. In this study NBAS process was introduced to deposit enhanced film density single gas barrier layer with a low WVTR. Fig. 1. shows a schematic illustration of the NBAS apparatus. The NBAS process was used for the $Al_2O_3$ nano-crystal structure films deposition, as shown in Fig. 1. The NBAS system is based on the conventional RF magnetron sputtering and it has the electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma source and metal reflector. $Ar^+$ ion in the ECR plasma can be accelerated into the plasma sheath between the plasma and metal reflector, which are then neutralized mainly by Auger neutralization. The neutral beam energy is controlled by the metal reflector bias. The controllable neutral beam energy can continuously change crystalline structures from an amorphous phase to nanocrystal phase of various grain sizes. The $Al_2O_3$ films can be high film density by controllable Auger neutral beam energy. we developed $Al_2O_3$ high dense barrier layer using NBAS process. We can verified that NBAS process effect can lead to formation of high density nano-crystal structure barrier layer. As a result, Fig. 2. shows that the NBAS processed $Al_2O_3$ high dense barrier layer shows excellent WVTR property as a under $2{\times}10^{-5}g/m^2day$ in the single barrier layer of 100nm thickness. Therefore, the NBAS processed $Al_2O_3$ high dense barrier layer is very suitable in the high efficiency OLED application.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SC
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.123-131
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• 2008

In Oriental medicine, the status of a tongue is the important indicator to diagnose the condition of one's health like the physiological and the clinicopathological changes of internal organs in a body. A tongue diagnosis is not only convenient but also non-invasive, and therefore widely used in Oriental medicine. However, the tongue diagnosis is affected by examination circumstances like a light source, patient's posture, and doctor's condition a lot. To develop an automatic tongue diagnosis system for an objective and standardized diagnosis, segmenting a tongue region from a facial image captured and classifying tongue coating are inevitable but difficult since the colors of a tongue, lips, and skin in a mouth are similar. The proposed method includes preprocessing, over-segmenting, detecting the edge with a local minimum over a shading area from the structure of a tongue, correcting local minima or detecting the edge with the greatest color difference, selecting one edge to correspond to a tongue shape, and smoothing edges, where preprocessing consists of down-sampling to reduce computation time, histogram equalization, and edge enhancement, which produces the region of a segmented tongue. Finally, the systematic procedure separated only a tongue region from a face image with a tongue, which was obtained from a digital tongue diagnosis system. Oriental medical doctors' evaluation for the results illustrated that the segmented region excluding a non-tongue region provides important information for the accurate diagnosis. The proposed method can be used for an objective and standardized diagnosis and for an u-Healthcare system.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.38 no.7
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• pp.877-882
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• 2014

The reduction of CO2 emission has been discussed in the Marine Environment Protection committee in the International Maritime Organization as the biggest causes of GHG for the purpose of indexing CO2 amounts released into the atmosphere from ships. Accordingly, various methods including the change in the hull design to improve energy efficiency, the coating development to reduce friction resistances, the additives development for improving thermal efficiency in an engine, the low-speed operation to reduce fuel consumptions, and etc. have been applied. The main engine of a ship is an electronic engine for improving the efficiency of the whole load area. However, marine generator engines still use mechanical drive engines in intake, exhaust, and fuel injection valve drive cams. In addition, most of marine generator engines in ships apply a part-load operation of less then 80% due to an overload protection system. Therefore, marine auxiliary diesel engine set at 100% load is necessary to readjust in order to efficient operation because of part-load operation. The objective of this study is to report the results of the part-load fuel consumption improvement by injection timing readjust to identifying the operational characteristics of a marine generator engine currently operated in a ship.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.310-317
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• 2008

The objective of the survey is to define and judge exposure profiles semi-qualitative data in high risk processes using styrene. The survey was conducted on 98 factories out of 229 factories based on data from periodic working environment monitoring for styrene. Styrene is widely utilized as a raw material for PS and co-polymers such as ABS, SAN, SBR, SBL, unsaturated polyester resins(UPR) and others. An approximate breakdown of styrene's markets in Korea is PS 30%, expandable PS 17%, ABS 33%, SAN 5%, SBL 4%, SBR 3%, UPR 1% and other 7%. Although UPR accounts for 1% of total amount of styrene, workers dealing with it are exposed to very high concentrations up to 64 ppm. Especially styrene is widely used in the laminating process of fiberglass reinforced plastics(FRP) manufacturing industry. The Applications using styrene are largely classified into two sections which are applied to styrene monomer(SM) and UPR. SM is utilized for a raw material of resins, surfactant and adhesive. UPR is employed for FRP and non-FRP. For SM control targets are mixing colors and packing in the gelcoat resins manufacturing industry(MI), for UPR control targets out of works using UPR are 1) laminating in the MI of plastics, automobile parts and boats, 2) mixing and packing in the SMC/BMC MI, 3) molding and cutting in the other specific plastics MI, 4) mixing and coating in artificial marble product MI, 5) dipping in the electric motors & transformers MI, 6) molding in the button MI, 7) painting in the musical instrument MI. Findings from the study have given the information for the high risk processes and working practices so that occupational health professionals could focus on targeted workplaces to prevent occupational diseases. It is also useful to develop a control strategies and specific controls for high risk processes and facilities using styrene.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.37-44
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• 2003

This experimental study is aimed at evaluating the hydrodynamic performance of newly designed self-expandable graft stents under steady flow condition. Two graft stents with different coating materials and a bare TiNi metallic stent for comparison test were used in the experiment. Pressure variation and velocity distribution at the upstream and downstream of the stents were measured at flow rates of 5, 10, and 15 l/min, respectively. Pressure loss due to insertion of the stent increased with increasing flow rate exponentially as expected. At a flow rate of 15 l/min, pressure loss of Polyure-thane(PU)-coated graft stent was 6 times higher than that of TiNi metallic stent, while the pressure loss of a porous Polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE)-coated graft stent was comparable to a bare TiNi metallic stent. Velocity profiles of the porous PTFE-coated graft stent were similar to those of a bare TiNi metallic stent regardless of flow rate. Furthermore, the velocity profile of PU-coated graft stent revealed an asymmetrical and relatively low central velocity at a higher flow rate than 10 1/min, expecially, where the effects resulted in increases of wall shear stress and normal stress. The worse hydrodynamic behavior of PU-coated graft stent than the other two stents might be attributed to formation of folds due to poor flexibility of coated material when inserting the graft stent into the pipe with a more smaller size, which later gave rise non-symmetry of flow area, increase of surface roughness and jet flow via the crevice between the stent and cylinder wall.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 2012

The Hydrogenated silicon nitride (SiNx:H) using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition is widely used in photovoltaic industry as an antireflection coating and passivation layer. In the high temperature firing process, the $SiN_x:H$ film should not change the properties for its use as high quality surface layer in crystalline silicon solar cells. Initially PECVD-$SiN_x:H$ film trends were investigated by varying the deposition parameters (temperature, electrode gap, RF power, gas flow rate etc.) to optimize the process parameter conditions. Then by varying gas ratios ($NH_3/SiH_4$), the hydrogenated silicon nitride films were analyzed for its optical, electrical, chemical and surface passivation properties. The $SiN_x:H$ films of refractive indices 1.90~2.20 were obtained. The film deposited with the gas ratio of 3.6 (Refractive index=1.98) showed the best properties in after firing process condition. The single crystalline silicon solar cells fabricated according to optimized gas ratio (R=3.6) condition on large area substrate of size $156{\times}156mm$ (Pseudo square) was found to have the conversion efficiency as high as 17.2%. Optimized hydrogenated silicon nitride surface layer and high efficiency crystalline silicon solar cells fabrication sequence has also been explained in this study.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.111-117
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• 2006

An area of current research is investigating the app1ication of human mesenchymal stem cells or hMSCs as a cell-based regenerative therapy. In order to achieve effective bone regeneration, appropriate matrices functioning as cell-carriers must be identified and optimized in terms of function, efficacy and biocompatibility. Two methods of approaching optimization of matrices are to facilitate adhesion of the donor hMSCs and furthermore to facilitate recruitment of host progenitor cells to osteoblastic differentiation. Pleiotrophin is an extracellular matrix protein that was first identified in developing rat brains and believed to be associated with developing neuronal pathways. A recent publication by Imai and colleagues demonstrated that transgenic mice with upregulated pleiotrophin expression developed a greater volume of cortical as well as cancellous bone. The proposed mechanism of action of pleiotrophin is demonstrated here. Through either environmental stresses and/or intracellular regulation, there is an increase in pleiotrophin production. The pleiotrophin is released extracellularly into areas requiring bone deposition. A receptor-mediated process recruits host osteoprogenitor cells into these areas. Therefore, the aim of our study was to investigate the osteoconductive properties of pleiotrophin. We wanted to determine if pleiotrophin coating facilitates cellular adhesion and furthermore if this has any effect on hMSCs derived bone formation in an animal model. The results showed a dose dependent response of cellular adhesion in fibronectin samples, and cellular adhesion was facilitated with increasing pleiotrophin concentrations. Histologic findings taken after 5 weeks implantation in SCID mouse showed no presence of bone formation with only a dense fibrous connective tissue. Possible explanations for the results of the osteogenesis assay include inappropriate cell loading.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.438-442
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• 2013

In the present work, electroless plating was used for coating thin films consisting mainly of Ni and P on carbon fiber. Structural changes appeared upon the post-annealing at various temperatures of the Ni-P film on carbon fiber was studied using various analysis methods. Scanning, a flat surface structure of Ni-P film on carbon fiber was found after electroless plating of Ni-P film on carbon fiber without post-annealing, whereas annealing at $350^{\circ}C$ resulted the formation of porous structures. With increasing the annealing temperature to $650^{\circ}C$ with an interval of $50^{\circ}C$, the pore size increased, but the density decreased. X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed the existence of metallic Ni, and Ni-P compounds before post-annealing, whereas the post-annealing resulted in the appearance of NiO peaks, and the decrease in the intensity of the peak of metallic Ni. Using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), phosphorous oxides were detected on the surface upon annealing at $650^{\circ}C$, and $700^{\circ}C$, which can be attributed to the phosphorous compounds originally existing in the deeper layers of the Ni films, which undergo sublimation and escape from the film upon annealing. Escape of phosphorous species from the bulk of Ni-P film upon annealing could leave a porous structure in the Ni films. Porous materials can be of potential applications in diverse fields due to their interesting physical properties such as high surface area, and methods for fabricating porous Ni films introduced here could be easily applied to a large-scale production, and therefore applicable in diverse fields such as environmental filters.