• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.293-301
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• 2013

This study discusses the feasibility of coffee bean residue as a raw material of medium-density fiberboard (MDF). In this relation, the effect of coffee bean residue known as an absorbent material on the physical and mechanical properties of MDF manufactured at its different addition level. Coffee bean residue which is a by-product of coffee mill and large amount of waste left over after processing for instant coffee was added at the level of 3, 6, and 9% on dry basis and urea formaldehyde resin was used as the adhesive. The MDF made with mixture of wood fiber and coffee bean residue was tested for physical and mechanical properties as well as formaldehyde emission. The bending strength and internal bonding strength of the MDF made with mixture of wood fiber-coffee bean residue were higher than that of the KS standard in randomized mat structure type, but not in layered mat structure type. Also, the physical properties of MDF made with mixture of wood fiber-coffee bean residue showed a considerable improvement in thickness swelling over the commercial MDF. More importantly, the formaldehyde emission rate of MDF made with mixture of wood fiber-coffee bean residue met the KS standard and was close to that of commercial MDF. These results showed the feasibility of coffee bean residue as a raw material for the production of environmentally-friendly MDF. Additional works on adhesive-coffee bean compatibility, improvement of moisture absorption effect and reduction the formaldehyde emission rate by carbonization of coffee bean residue may be required.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.225-228
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• 2018

Plasticizers added to thermoplastic polymers are known to shorten the life of products due to the elution to outside, and some of them are harmful to our environment and human body. Since the use of phthalate plasticizers suspected of being carcinogens has been gradually prohibited, there is a need for environmentally friendly plasticizers that can replace them. Most of the substances have a low compatibility with resin, high cost and lack of safety verification. Therefore, in this study, four kinds of norbornene dialkyl ester compounds possessing excellent physical properties, which are also reported as safe compounds from the toxicity evaluation, were added to PVC resin to evaluate the possibility of human exposure by leaching, and also the potential usage as plasticizer candidates alternative to commercial ones including DEHP, DINCH and DOTP. The test was carried out according to the American standard test method (ASTM). The results showed that di-2-ethylhexyl-5-norbornene-2,3-dicarboxylate (DEHN) in aqueous solvents and diisopentyl-5-norbornene-2,3-dicarboxylate (DIPN) compounds in oil solvents were superior or equivalent to DEHP. In addition, all four norbornene compounds showed lower values than 100 ppm, which is considered to have an influence on the environment, indicating that the polar norbornene structure affects the elution.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.159-167
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• 2023

Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) is commonly used in sunscreen formulations to protect the skin surface and prevent the penetration of harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays by the physical scattering action of light. However, a disadvantage of using TiO₂ is that it can cause white turbidity when used on skin due to its inactive mineral ingredient. In addition, when TiO₂ particles are reduced to nanosize to eliminate opacity, they can increase the transmittance of visible light and reduce whitening, but may lead to serious skin problems, such as allergic inflammation. To overcome these issues, the bandgap of TiO₂ was controlled by adjusting the amount of oxygen defect and nitrogen amount, resulting in color TiO₂ tailored to the skin. This innovative technology can reduce the whitening phenomenon and effectively block blue light, which is known to cause skin aging by inducing active oxygen. The bandgap controlled TiO₂ compounds proposed in this study are hypoallergenic, broad-spectrum, and environmentally friendly. Furthermore, these compounds have been shown to significantly enhance sun protection factor (SPF) of sunscreens, demonstrating their compatibility with blue light blocking products.