• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.347-353
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• 2020

Stearic acid (SA), polyethylene glycol (PEG), and malic acid (MA) have been used to modify the surface of waste gypsum to develop corresponding poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) composites. According to the mechanical properties, MA-treated gypsum (MA-gypsum) showed the best performance, whereas SA-gypsum showed the worst performance. In contrast to SA and PEG (having -COOH and -OH as polar functional groups, respectively), the presence of both -OH and -COOH in MA is responsible for the superior surface treatment of gypsum and its better dispersion in the polymer matrix (as revealed by FE-SEM analyses). The presence of long aliphatic chain in SA is supposed to inhibit the dispersion of SA-gypsum. Further, the performance of MA-gypsum/PBAT was enhanced by adding polylactic acid (PLA). The maximum optimized contents of MA-gypsum and PLA are 20 and 7.5 wt% for developing a high-performance PBAT composite.

• The Korean Journal of Food & Health Convergence
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.9-19
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• 2023

Lactobacillus plantarum and Leuconostoc mesenteroides are crucial functional starters and predominant isolates in a wide range of fermented foods, particularly kimchi, whose constituents exhibit bioactive properties. We previously developed a methodology using anion exchange resins to purify peptidyl compounds from Lb. plantarum LBP-K10. Antibacterial cultures of Lb. plantarum LBP-K10 were obtained from the respective cultures' supernatants and filtrates. However, conclusive evidence of the efficacy of kimchi filtrates in eradicating pathogenic bacteria is lacking. We aimed to simulate the potential effects of antibacterial filtrates that contained antibacterial compounds which were derived from cultures of Lb. plantarum LBP-K10. We acquired the kimchi filtrates using a combination of centrifugation and filtration methodologies, without the requirement for inoculation. The filtered liquid from Chinese cabbage kimchi, inoculated with Lb. plantarum LBP-K10 as a starter culture, and the non-inoculated liquid from Chinese cabbage kimchi (referred to as CCK and CCKRef, respectively) were were examined. CCK demonstrated greater inhibitory activity and a more significant bactericidal effect against the bacterial indicator strains. The minimum inhibitory concentration demonstrated comparable outcomes in tests against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. This research offers a groundbreaking examination that displays the effectiveness of profiling peptidyl compounds within kimchi filtrates for curing bacterial infections.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.177-181
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• 2014

$Cu_2ZnSn(S_xSe_{1-x})_4$ (CZTSSe) absorber thin films were prepared on Mo coated soda lime glass substrates by sulfo-selenization of sputtered stacked Zn-Sn-Cu precursor thin films. The Zn-Sn-Cu precursor thin films were sulfo-selenized inside a graphite box containing S and Se powder using rapid thermal processing furnace at $540^{\circ}C$ in Ar atmosphere with pre-treatment at $300^{\circ}C$. The effect of different S/Se ratio on the structural, compositional, morphological and electrical properties of the CZTSSe thin films were studied using XRD (X-ray diffraction), XRF (X-ray fluorescence analysis), FE-SEM (field-emission scanning electron microscopy), respectively. The XRD, FE-SEM, XRF results indicated that the properties of sulfo-selenized CZTSSe thin films were strongly related to the S/Se composition ratio. In particular, the CZTS thin film solar cells with S/(S+Se)=0.25 shows best conversion efficiency of 4.6% ($V_{oc}$ : 348 mV, $J_{sc}$ : $26.71mA/cm^2$, FF : 50%, and active area : $0.31cm^2$). Further detailed analysis and discussion for effect of S/Se composition ratio on the properties CZTSSe thin films will be discussed.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.261-264
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• 2017

$Ni_{0.79}Co_{0.15-x}Cu_xMn_{2.06}O_4$ ($0{\leq}x{\leq}0.09$) thick films were fabricated using the conventional solid-state reaction method and screen-printing method. Structural and electrical properties of specimens based on the amount of Cu were observed in order to investigate their applicability in the infrared detector. All specimens showed a single spinel phase with a homogeneous cubic structure. As the amount of Cu increased, the average grain size increased and was found to be approximately $5.01{\mu}m$ for the $Ni_{0.79}Co_{0.06}Cu_{0.09}Mn_{2.06}O_4$ specimen. The thickness of all specimens was approximately $55{\sim}56{\mu}m$. As Cu content increased, the resistivity and TCR properties at room temperature decreased, and these values for the $Ni_{0.79}Co_{0.06}Cu_{0.09}Mn_{2.06}O_4$ specimen were $502{\Omega}-cm$ and $-3.32%/^{\circ}C$, respectively. The responsivity and noise properties decreased with an increase in Cu content, with the specimen with a Cu content of x=0.09 showing 0.0183 V/W and $5.21{\times}10^{-5}V$, respectively.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.179-184
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• 2016

In this work, the influence of milled carbon fiber direction on mechanical properties of milled carbon fibers/carbon blacks/natural rubber compounds was investigated. The compounds were prepared by adding the 6 phr milled carbon fibers (MCFs) and 40 phr carbon blacks (CBs) into the natural rubber. The MCFs were aligned in a parallel and orthogonal direction in the compounds using two-roll-mill machine. Mechanical properties of compounds were studied by tensile characteristics and tearing strength. As a result, the compounds showed higher tensile strength, 100%~300% modulus, and tearing strength than those of using any other compounds due to the aligning MCFs in parallel. Mechanical properties of the compounds reinforced with non-aligned MCFs were inferior to those of others. Consequently, the parallel aligned MCFs in the compounds led to an increase of tensile properties and improvement of tearing strength, resulted from MCFs with the high elastic modulus.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.395-404
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• 2019

Aluminum nitride (AlN) has excellent electrical insulation property, high thermal conductivity, and a low thermal expansion coefficient; therefore, it is widely used as a heat sink, heat-conductive filler, and heat dissipation substrate. However, it is well known that the AlN-based materials have disadvantages such as low sinterability and poor mechanical properties. In this study, the effects of addition of various amounts (1-6 wt.%) of sintering additives $Y_2O_3$ and $Sm_2O_3$ on the thermal and mechanical properties of AlN samples pressureless sintered at $1850^{\circ}C$ in an $N_2$ atmosphere for a holding time of 2 h are examined. All AlN samples exhibit relative densities of more than 97%. It showed that the higher thermal conductivity as the $Y_2O_3$ content increased than the $Sm_2O_3$ additive, whereas all AlN samples exhibited higher mechanical properties as $Sm_2O_3$ content increased. The formation of secondary phases by reaction of $Y_2O_3$, $Sm_2O_3$ with oxygen from AlN lattice influenced the thermal and mechanical properties of AlN samples due to the reaction of the oxygen contents in AlN lattice.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.363-369
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• 2013

In this work, the effects of ozone treatments on mechanical interfacial properties of carbon fibers-reinforced nylon-6 matrix composites were investigated. The surface properties of ozone treated carbon fibers were studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Mechanical interfacial properties of the composites were investigated using critical stress intensity factor ($K_{IC}$). The cross-section morphologies of ozone-treated carbon fiber/nylon-6 composites were observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). As a result, $K_{IC}$ of the ozone-treated carbon fibers-reinforced composites showed higher values than those of as-received carbon fibers-reinforced composites due the enhanced $O_{1s}/C_{1s}$ ratio of the carbon fiber by the ozone treatments. This result concludes that the mechanical interfacial properties of nylon-6 matrix composites can be controlled by suitable ozone treatments on the carbon fibers.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.23 no.7
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• pp.1299-1305
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• 2014

For evaluating the effect of various artificial planting soil properties on the Euonymus fortunei 'Emelad'n Gold' growth, a container green wall system experiment was conducted in a wall of greenhouse at Konkuk University, Glocal campus. The experimental artificial planting grounds were prepared with different organic soil conditioner ratios (Control, $A_4O_1$, $A_2O_1$ and $A_1O_1$) and with drought tolerance and an ornamental value Euonymus fortunei 'Emelad'n Gold' was planted. The soil and plant characteristics were investigated from April to Jun 2010. The volumetric soil moisture contents were significantly increasing order as the amount of organic soil conditioner level increased in order to $A_1O_1$ > $A_2O_1$ > $A_4O_1$ > Control. At 4 treatment, soil chemical properties were inversely related to organic soil container ratios increase. The differences of root collar caliper, number of branch, and survival rate between the organic soil conditioner ratio were not significantly affected by organic soil conditioner. But, plant height, internode length, leaf length and leaf width were significantly shorter on plants planted $A_1O_1$ than plants planted other treatments. Therefore, Euonymus fortunei 'Emelad'n Gold' had good growth response regardless of organic soil conditioner ratio and the plant is expected to be a highly valuable shrub for the green wall system if it should be considered in integration with stormwater retention or as a soil conditioner for increasing soil water contents in artificial planting soil.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.275-280
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• 2022

An all-solid-state electrochromic film was fabricated by laminating tungsten oxide (WO₃) and nickel oxide (NiO) thin films deposited by a reactive DC magnetron sputtering on flexible ITO films. The influence of oxygen partial pressure on the crystal structure, microstructure, optical properties, and electrochromic properties of WO₃ and NiO thin films were investigated. WO₃ and NiO films showed the best electrochromic properties under the flow of Ar:O₂=80:20 and Ar:O₂=90:10, respectively. The EC film fabricated with an optimized WO₃ and NiO films showed a high coloration efficiency, a fast response time, and a stable optical modulation. It is expected that flexible EC window films will pave the way for the next-generation energy-saving windows.

• Composites Research
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.259-263
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• 2023

This study investigated the open hole tensile (OHT) properties of carbon fiber/epoxy composites and compared them to bolt joint tensile (BJT) properties. The net nominal modulus and strength (1376 MPa) were found to be higher than the gross nominal strength (1041 MPa), likely due to increasing hole size. The OHT and BJT specimens exhibited similar stiffness, as expected without bolt rotation causing secondary bending. OHT specimens experienced a sharp drop in stress indicating unstable crack propagation, delamination, and catastrophic failure. BJT specimens failed through shear out on the bolt side and bearing failure on the nut side, involving fiber kinking, matrix splitting, and delamination, resulting in lower strength compared to OHT specimens. The strength retention of carbon fiber/epoxy composites with open holes was 66%. Delamination initiation at the hole's edge caused a reduction in the stress concentration factor. Filling the hole with a bolt suppressed this relieving mechanism, leading to lower strength in BJT specimens compared to OHT specimens. Bolt joint efficiency was calculated as 15%. The reduction in strength in bolted joints was attributed to fiber-matrix splitting and delamination, aligning with Hart Smith's bolted joint efficiency diagram. These findings contribute to materials selection and structural reliability estimation for carbon fiber/epoxy composites. They highlight the behavior of open hole and bolt joint configurations under tensile loading, providing valuable insights for engineering applications.