• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.56 no.11
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• pp.813-821
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• 2018

The basic oxygen furnace (BOF) steelmaking process in the steel industry is highly complicated, and subject to variations in raw material composition. During the BOF steelmaking process, it is essential to maintain the carbon content and the endpoint temperature at their set points in the liquid steel. This paper presents intelligent models used to estimate the endpoint temperature in the basic oxygen furnace (BOF) steelmaking process. An artificial neural network (ANN) model and a least-squares support vector machine (LSSVM) model are proposed and their estimation performance compared. The classical partial least-squares (PLS) method was also compared with the others. Results of the estimations using the ANN, LSSVM and PLS models were compared with the operation data, and the root-mean square error (RMSE) for each model was calculated to evaluate estimation performance. The RMSE of the LSSVM model 15.91, which turned out to be the best estimation. RMSE values for the ANN and PLS models were 17.24 and 21.31, respectively, indicating their relative estimation performance. The essential input parameters used in the models can be selected by sensitivity analysis. The RMSE for each model was calculated again after a sequential input selection process was used to remove insignificant input parameters. The RMSE of the LSSVM was then 13.21, which is better than the previous RMSE with all 16 parameters. The results show that LSSVM model using 13 input parameters can be utilized to calculate the required values for oxygen volume and coolant needed to optimally adjust the steel target temperature.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.1522-1542
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• 2019

To adapt to environmental changes and to maintain cellular homeostasis, microorganisms adjust the intracellular concentrations of biochemical compounds, including metal ions; these are essential for the catalytic function of many enzymes in cells, but excessive amounts of essential metals and heavy metals cause cellular damage. Metal-responsive transcriptional regulators play pivotal roles in metal uptake, pumping out, sequestration, and oxidation or reduction to a less toxic status via regulating the expression of the detoxification-related genes. The sensory and regulatory functions of the metalloregulators have made them as attractive biological parts for synthetic biology, and the exceptional sensitivity and selectivity of metalloregulators toward metal ions have been used in heavy metal biosensors to cope with prevalent heavy metal contamination. Due to their importance, substantial efforts have been made to characterize heavy metal-responsive transcriptional regulators and to develop heavy metal-sensing biosensors. In this review, we summarize the biochemical data for the two major metalloregulator families, SmtB/ArsR and MerR, to describe their metal-binding sites, specific chelating chemistry, and conformational changes. Based on our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms, previously developed metal biosensors are examined to point out their limitations, such as high background noise and a lack of well-characterized biological parts. We discuss several strategies to improve the functionality of the metal biosensors, such as reducing the background noise and amplifying the output signal. From the perspective of making heavy metal biosensors, we suggest that the characterization of novel metalloregulators and the fabrication of exquisitely designed genetic circuits will be required.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.439-445
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• 2016

Carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) composites have been widely used due to their great strength, stiffness and light weight. However, due to its anisotropy and inhomogeneous properties the machining process of CFRP composites is typically more complex than that of regular metals. Since there are many defects, such as delamination and tool wear during the machining process of CFRP composites, the optimization of this process is essential in improving the productivity. In this study, orthogonal machining of CFRP composites was performed to identify the machining characteristics of these materials. In addition, an experimental observation of delamination was investigated through the use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In these experiments, the cutting forces were measured and analyzed to determine the difference between machining of CFRP composites and metals. The comparison between the numerical models and experimental results was performed in terms of the maximum cutting forces.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 1999.07a
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• pp.29-29
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• 1999

The synthesis of layered structures on the nanometer scale has become essential for continued improvements in the operation of various electronic and magnetic devices. Abrupt metal-metal interfaces are desired for applications ranging from metallization in semiconductor devices to fabrication of magnetoresistive tunnel junctions for read heads on magnetic disk drives. In particular, characterizing the interface structure between various transition metals (TM) and aluminum is desirable. We have used the techniques of MeV ion backscattering and channeling (HEIS), x-ray photoemission (ZPS), x-ray photoelectron diffraction(XPD), low-energy ion scattering (LEIS), and low-energy electron diffraction(LEED), together with computer simulations using embedded atom potentials, to study solid-solid interface structure for thin films of Ni, Fe, Co, Pd, Ti, and Ag on Al(001), Al(110) and Al(111) surfaces. Considerations of lattice matching, surface energies, or compound formation energies alone do not adequately predict our result, We find that those metals with metallic radii smaller than Al(e.g. Ni, Fe, Co, Pd) tend to form alloys at the TM-Al interface, while those atoms with larger atomic radii(e.g. Ti, Ag) form epitaxial overlayers. Thus we are led to consider models in which the strain energy associated with alloy formation becomes a kinetic barrier to alloying. Furthermore, we observe the formation of metastable fcc Ti up to a critical thickness of 5 monolayers on Al(001) and Al(110). For Ag films we observe arbitrarily thick epitaxial growth exceeding 30 monolayers with some Al alloying at the interface, possible driven by interface strain relief. Typical examples of these interface structures will be discussed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.25-39
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• 2003

Risk and exposure assessment for subsurface environment is very important for both aspects of health and environmental protection as well as making decision of remedial goal for engineering activities. Exposure due to hazardous chemicals in the subsurface environment is essential to assess risk lev121 to individual person, especially from soil and groundwater environmental media. In this paper, the status of soil and groundwater contamination is presented to discuss on the problem for environmental risk assessment. The methodologies of fate and exposure models are also discussed by conducting the case studies of exposure assessment for heavy metals, organic compounds, and dioxin compounds. In addition, the structure of exposure models and available data for model calculation are examined to make clear more realistic exposure scenarios and the application to the practical environmental issues. Three kinds of advanced remediation techniques for soil and groundwater contamination are described in this paper, The most practical method for VOCs is the bio-remediation technique in which biological process due to consortium of microorganisms can be applied. For more effective remediation of soil contaminated by heavy metals we have adopted the soil flushing technique and clean-up system using electro-kinetic method. We have also developed the advanced techniques of geo-melting method for soil contaminated by DXNs and PCB compounds. These techniques are planed to introduce and to apply for a lot of contaminated sites in Japan.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.420-429
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• 2018

Soil stabilization is a soil remediation technique that reduces the mobility of heavy metals in soils. Although it is a well-established technique, it is nonetheless essential to perform a follow-up chemical assessment via a leaching test to evaluate the immobilization of heavy metals in the soil matrix. Unfortunately, a standard chemical assessment is not sufficient for evaluation of the biological functional state of stabilized soils slated for agricultural use. Therefore, it is useful to employ a pyrosequencing-based microbial community analysis for the purpose. In this study, a recently stabilized site in the proximity of an exhausted mine was analyzed for bacterial diversity, richness, and relative abundance as well as the effect of environmental factors. Based on the Shannon and Chao1 indices and rarefaction curves, the results showed that the stabilized layer exhibited lower bacterial diversity than control soils. The prevalence of dominant bacterial populations was examined in a hierarchical manner. Relatively high abundances of Proteobacteria and Methylobacter tundripaludum were observed in the stabilized soil. In particular, there was substantial abundance of the Methylobacter genus, which is known for its association with heavy metal contamination. The study demonstrated the efficacy of (micro)biological assessment for aiding in the understanding and post-management of stabilized soils.

• Food Engineering Progress
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.180-186
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• 2017

Salt, as food, is the most essential element for human survival due to its significant physiological functions. Here, we report the simultaneous detection of Pb and Cd in sea salt by square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV). Stripping voltammetric measurements were conducted using a manufactured rotating disk electrode system (MRDES). The detection limit was $3.6{\pm}0.18{\mu}gL^{-1}$ for Pb and $3.9{\pm}0.37{\mu}gL^{-1}$ Cd in NaCl solution. When the pH increased from 5.5 to 8.5, the peak currents of Pb and Cd decreased. At a pH of 8.3, the ratio of the current drop compared with that at a pH of 5.5 was 0.6 for Pb and 0.73 for Cd. The concentrations corrected by the current drop are in agreement with the concentrations obtained with ICP (inductively coupled plasma). This system demonstrates the reliable detection of heavy metals in aqueous media and, at a high $Na^+$ concentration, the successful application for the determination of Pb and Cd in sea salts.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.180-186
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• 2010

For the application of field emission display (FED), it is essential to develop a carbon nanotube (CNT) cathode with high emission current density. In this study, we developed and demonstrated a post-heat treatment (PHT) process to improve field emission properties of CNT cathodes. Since the PHT is intended to burn out organic materials covering the CNTs, the PHT was carried out by heating samples at a high temperature in an atmosphere. The PHT process is applied for samples processed by surface treatment with an adhesive tape. Compared to samples prior to the PHT, samples after the PHT at $360^{\circ}C$ showed about 17% improvement in emission current density. The major reason for the increased current density is mainly the increased aspect ratio of the CNTs because of the removal of the adhesive organic residues covering the CNTs, which were attached on the CNT surfaces during the surface treatment using the adhesive taping method.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.304-310
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• 2009

Recently, manganese nodule has been focused on alternative resources because of its high grade of noble metallic elements such as Co, Ni, and Cu etc. From the viewpoint of an optimization the operating variables for energy efficiency of smelting reduction process, thermodynamic model for smelting reduction process of Manganese nodule was developed by using energy and material balance concept. This model provided that specific consumption of pure oxygen and coke was strongly depended on post combustion ratio (PCR) and heat transfer efficiency (HTE). The dressing and dehydrating process of low grade manganese can be proposed an essential process to minimize the specific energy consumption with decreasing slag volume. The effect of electricity coal base smelting reduction process was also discussed from the energy optimizing point of view.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.252-261
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• 2022

Cobalt is a vital metal in the modern society because of its applications in lithium-ion batteries, super alloys, hard metals, and catalysts. Further, cobalt is a representative rare metal and is the 30th most abundant element in the Earth's crust. This study reviews the current status of cobalt extraction and recycling processes, along with the trends in its production amount and use. Although cobalt occurs in a wide range of minerals, such as oxides and sulfides of copper and nickel ores, the amounts of cobalt in the minerals are too low to be extracted economically. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) leads cobalt mining, and accounts for 68.9 % of the global cobalt reserves (142,000 tons in 2020). Cobalt is mainly extracted from copper-cobalt and nickel-cobalt concentrates and is occasionally extracted directly from the ore itself by hydro-, pyro-, and electro-metallurgical processes. These smelting methods are essential for developing new recycling processes to extract cobalt from secondary resources. Cobalt is mainly recycled from lithium-ion batteries, spent catalysts, and cobalt alloys. The recycling methods for cobalt also depend on the type of secondary cobalt resource. Major recycling methods from secondary resources are applied in pyro- and hydrometallurgical processes.