• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.579-587
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• 2020

Novel silane grafted bentonite was obtained using the natural bentonite as precursor material. The material which is termed as nanocomposite was characterized by the Fourier Transform Infra-red (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods. The surface imaging and elemental mapping was performed using Scanning Electron Microscopic (SEM/EDX) technique. The electroanalytical studies were performed using the nanocomposite electrode. The electroactive surface area of nanocomposite electrode was significantly increased than the pristine bentonite or bare carbon paste based working electrode. The impedance spectroscopic studies were conducted to simulate the equivalent circuit and Nyquist plots were drawn for the carbon paste electrode and nanocomposite electrodes. A single step oxidation/reduction process occurred for As(III) having ΔE value 0.36 V at pH 2.0. The anodic stripping voltammetry was performed for concentration dependence studies of As(III) (0.5 to 20.0 ㎍/L) and reasonably a good linear relationship was obtained. The detection limit of the As(III) detection was calculated as 0.00360±0.00002 ㎍/L having with observed relative standard deviations (RSD) less than 4%. The presence of several cations and anions has not affected the detection of As(III) however, the presence of Cu(II) and Mn(II) affected the detection of As(III). The selectivity of As(III) was achieved using the Tlawng river water sample spiked with As(III).

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.79-84
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• 1995

Ion-selective poly(vinyl chloride) membrane electrodes for the determination of the anticholinergic drug alverine in pure substances is described. Ion-pair complex of alverine with anionic counter ion acid red 97 is investigated as electroactive compound for the electrode membrane. On the optimal composition of membrane, its slope was 55.35mV/decade, relative standard deviation was 0.61 and lower limit of linear range was $1.0{\times}10^{-5}M$. The observed potentiometric selectivity coefficient was -2.625 toward methylephedrine and -2.216 toward histidine. We can got the stable potential at pH 7.0~4.0. Response time was 20~30 seconds for solutions${\leq}10^{-4}M$, about 10 seconds for solutions ${\geq}10^{-4}M$ of these compounds.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.135-147
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• 2020

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is a stable and biocompatible material that has been broadly used in biomedical applications. Due to its piezoelectric property, the electrospun nanofiber of PVDF has been used to culture electroactive cells, such as osteocytes and cardiomyocytes. Here, taking advantage of the piezoelectric property of PVDF, we have fabricated a PVDF nanofiber scaffolds using an electrospinning technique for differentiating human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) into neural precursors (NPs). Surface coating with a peptide derived from vitronectin enables hESCs to firmly adhere onto the nanofiber scaffolds and differentiate into NPs under dual-SMAD inhibition. Our nanofiber scaffolds supported the differentiation of hESCs into SOX1-positive NPs more significantly than Matrigel. The NPs generated on the nanofiber scaffolds could give rise to neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocyte precursors. Furthermore, comparative transcriptome analysis revealed the variable expressions of 27 genes in the nanofiber scaffold groups, several of which are highly related to the biological processes required for neural differentiation. These results suggest that a PVDF nanofiber scaffold coated with a vitronectin peptide can serve as a highly efficient and defined culture platform for the neural differentiation of hESCs.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.793-799
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• 2011

We report the complexation behavior of calix[4]arenemonoquinone-triacid (CTAQ), which is an electroactive and water-soluble receptor for calcium ion. UV-visible and NMR spectroscopic studies revealed that CTAQ in aqueous media forms 1:2 as well as 1:1 (metal ion:CTAQ) stoichiometric complexes with $Ca^{2+}$, $Sr^{2+}$, and $Ba^{2+}$ ions. The nonlinear fitting of titration curves based on UV-visible absorption spectra showed that the binding constants of CTAQ for $Ca^{2+}$ ion are 4 $({\pm}2){\times}10^6\;M^{-1}$ for 1:1 and 1.4 $({\pm}0.5){\times}10^{11}\;M^{-2}$ for 1:2 complex. NMR conformational studies and the titration curves corroborate that the $Ca^{2+}$:CTAQ complex in aqueous solution is not present in the form of merely 1:1 one, being consistent with UV-visible spectrophotometric results. The Monte Carlo simulation supports the presence of a stable conformer of 1:2 complexes in which a $Ca^{2+}$ ion is interposed between two CTAQs at the global minimum. This is the first model of 1:2 stoichiometric complex of calix[4]arene and alkaline earth ions in aqueous media.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.898-902
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• 2008

Prepared are three types of composite supercapacitor electrode, such as electroactive polyaniline(PAN), PAN/multi-walled carbon nanotube(CNT), and $CNT/PAN/RuO_2$. Cyclic voltammetry was performed to investigate the supercapacitive properties of these electrodes in an electrolyte solution of 1.0M $H_2SO_4$. The $CNT/PAN/RuO_2$ electrode showed the highest specific capacitance at all scan rates(e.g., 441 and $392F\;g^{-1}$ at 100 and $1,000mV\;s^{-1}$, respectively). In cycle performance, however, the PAN/CNT electrode demonstrated the best capacitance retention (66%) at $10^4th$ cycle.

• Nano
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.1850148.1-1850148.9
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• 2018

The interconnected three-dimensional Ni-Co-S nanosheets were successfully deposited on ZnO nanorods by a one-step potentiostatic electrodeposition. The Ni-Co-S nanosheets provide a large electrode/electrolyte interfacial area which has adequate electroactive sites for redox reactions. Electrochemical characterization of the ZnO@Ni-Co-S core-shell nanorods presents high specifc capacitance (1302.5 F/g and 1085 F/g at a current density of 1 A/g and 20 A/g), excellent rate capabilities (83.3% retention at 20 A/g) and great cycling stability (65% retention after 5000 cycles at a current density of 30 A/g). The outstanding electrochemical performance of the as-prepared electrode material also can be ascribed to these reasons that the special structure improved electrical conductivity and allowed the fast diffusion of electrolyte ions.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.333-343
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• 2019

The possibility of adopting vibration-powered wireless nodes has been largely investigated in the last years. Among the available technologies based on the piezoelectric effect, the most common ones consist of a vibrating beam covered by electroactive layers. Another energy harvesting strategy is based on the use of piezoelectric strips attached to a hosting structure subjected to dynamic loads. The hosting structure, for example, can be the system to be equipped with wireless nodes. Such strategy has received few attentions so far and no analytical studies have been presented yet. Hence, the original contribution of the present paper is concerned with the development of analytical solutions for the electrodynamic analysis and design of piezoelectric polymeric strips attached to relatively large linear elastic structural systems subjected to random vibrations at the base. Specifically, it is assumed that the dynamics of the hosting structure is dominated by the fundamental vibration mode only, and thus it is reduced to a linear elastic single-degree-of-freedom system. On the other hand, the random excitation at the base of the hosting structure is simulated by filtering a white Gaussian noise through a linear second-order filter. The electromechanical force exerted by the polymeric strip is negligible compared with other forces generated by the large hosting structure to which it is attached. By assuming a simplified electrical interface, useful new exact analytical expressions are derived to assess the generated electric power and the integrity of the harvester as well as to facilitate its optimum design.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.308-320
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• 2022

The high internal resistance (R_int) that develops across the sediment microbial fuel cells (SMFC) limits their power production (~4/10 mW m^-2) that can be recovered from an initial oil-contaminated sediment (OCS). In the anolyte, R_int is related to poor biodegradation activity, quality and quantity of contaminant content in the sediment and anode material. While on the catholyte, R_int depends on the properties of the catholyte, the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and the cathode material. In this work, the main factors limiting the power output of the SMFC have been minimized. The power output of the SMFC was increased (47 times from its initial value, ~4 mW m^-2) minimizing the SMFC R_int (28 times from its initial value, 5000 ohms), following the main modifications. Anolyte: the initial OCS was amended with several amounts of gasoline and kerosene. The best anaerobic microbial activity of indigenous populations was better adapted (without more culture media) to 3 g of kerosene. Catholyte: ORR was catalyzed in birnessite/carbon fabric (CF)-cathode at pH 2, 0.8M Na₂SO₄. At the class level, the main microbial groups (Gammaproteobacteria, Coriobacteriia, Actinobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria) with electroactive members were found at C-anode and were associated with the high-power densities obtained. Gasoline is more difficult to biodegrade than kerosene. However, in both cases, SMFC biodegradation activity and power output are increased when ORR is performed on birnessite/CF in 0.8 M Na₂SO₄ at pH 2. The work discussed here can focus on bioremediation (in heavy OCS) or energy production in future work.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.246-256
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• 2021

Mo,Cu-doped CeO₂ (CMCuO) nanopowders were synthesized by the nitrate-fuel combustion method aiming to improve the electrical and electrochemical properties of its Mo-doped CeO₂ (CMO) parent by the addition of copper. An electrical conductivity of ca. 1.22·10^-2 S cm^-1 was measured in air at 800℃ for CMCuO, which is nearly 10 times higher than that reported for CMO. This increase was associated with the inclusion of copper into the crystal lattice of ceria and the presence of Cu and Cu₂O as secondary phases in the CMCuO structure, which also could explain the increase in the charge transfer activities of the CMCuO based anode for the hydrogen and carbon monoxide electro-oxidation processes compared to the CMO based anode. A maximum power density of ca. 120 mW cm^-2 was measured using a CMCuO based anode in a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) with YSZ electrolyte and LSM-YSZ cathode operating at 800℃ with humidified syngas as fuel, which is comparable to the power output reported for other SOFCs with anodes containing copper. An increase in the area specific resistance of the SOFC was observed after ca. 10 hours of operation under cycling open circuit voltage and polarization conditions, which was attributed to the anode delamination caused by the reduction of the Cu₂O secondary phase contained in its microstructure. Therefore, the addition of a more electroactive phase for hydrogen oxidation is suggested to confer long-term stability to the CMCuO based anode.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.177-185
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• 2022

Electrochemical properties of LiMn₂O₄ cathode were investigated in three types of Zn-containing electrolytes: lithium-zinc sulfate electrolyte (1M ZnSO₄ / 2M Li₂SO₄), zinc sulfate electrolyte (2MZnSO₄) and lithium-zinc-manganese sulfate electrolyte (1MZnSO₄ / 2MLi₂SO₄ / 0.1MMnSO₄). Cyclic voltammetry measurements demonstrated that LiMn₂O₄ is electrochemically inactive in pure ZnSO₄ electrolyte after initial oxidation. The effect of manganese (II) additive in the zinc-manganese sulfate electrolyte on the electrochemical performance was analyzed. The initial capacity of LiMn₂O₄ is higher in presence of MnSO₄ (140 mAh g^-1 in 1 M ZnSO₄ / 2 M Li₂SO₄ / 0.1 M MnSO₄ and 120 mAh g^-1 in 1 M ZnSO₄ / 2MLi₂SO₄). The capacity increase can be explained by the electrodeposition of MnO_x layer on the electrode surface. Structural characterization of postmortem electrodes with use of XRD and EDX analysis confirmed that partially formed in pure ZnSO₄ electrolyte Zn-containing phase leads to fast capacity fading which is probably related to blocked electroactive sites.