• Polymer(Korea)
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.108-115
• /
• 2010

The effects of acid-treated MWCNT and coupling agent on properties of MWCNT/SBR are investigated in this work. The MWCNTs oxidized using sulfuric and nitric acids were analyzed by the Raman scattering and Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR). The FT-IR results indicate the presence of -COOH groups in the treated samples, and Raman spectroscopy of the acidtreated MWCNTs further corroborates the formation of surface defect due to the introduction of carboxyl groups. And the nanocomposites reinforced with MWCNTs were characterized extensively using the scanning electron microscopy(SEM), electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and tensile properties measurements. The results showed that nanocomposites onto acid-treated MWCNTs enhanced mechanical properties compared to those containing MWCNTs without acid treatment. These findings confirmed the improved interfacial interactions between MWCNTs and SBR arising from the coupling agents. But the electrical and thermal conductivity of nanocomposites decreased due to the chopping and formation of surface defects of MWCNTs.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.235-243
• /
• 2014

Purpose: The aim of this study was to prepare and evaluate a natural material extracted from germinated brown rice (GBR). Herein, we evaluated whether the natural material could positively activate the biological effects seen during bone formation, including enhancement of metabolic activity, osteogenesis, and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), one of the growth factors in human osteoblast-like cells. Methods: The natural material was created by a hot water extraction process after being soaked for 2~3 days in tap water and dried at $50^{\circ}C$. The material was characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The biological behaviors of the material were also investigated; we performed tests to assess cell cytotoxicity, metabolic activity, osteogenic markers related to bone formation, and VEGF. Results: The EDX, XRD, and FTIR results for the natural material indicated the presence of organic compounds. The natural material caused positive increases in cell metabolic activity and mineralized bone formation without cytotoxicity. The protein levels in the extract for the $6.25{\mu}g/mL$, $12.25{\mu}g/mL$, $25{\mu}g/mL$, $50{\mu}g/mL$, and $100{\mu}g/mL$ groups were significantly different from that for the control. Conclusions: The GBR-based natural material was easy to prepare and had characteristics of a potential biomaterial. The biocompatibility of this natural material was evaluated using in vitro techniques; our findings indicate that this novel material is promising for agricultural and biological applications.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.20 no.5
• /
• pp.536-541
• /
• 2009

Plasma-polymerized acrylic acid films were deposited on Si wafer and KBr pellet by remote plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). Effects of plasma power, reaction pressure, indirect plasma method on the growth rate, chemical structure, and chemical bonding state of the films were investigated. Chemical structure and chemical state of the films were characterized by Fourier transformed infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis and curve fitting technique. Growth rate of the film increased to a saturation value with plasma power of 100 W, but showed the maximum with reaction pressure at 300 mtorr. Whenever W/FM factor (applied energy per gas molecule) increased by increasing plasma power or lowering pressure, the fragmentation of acrylic acid molecules was promoted. From the XPS curve fitting analyses, we found that the intensity of carboxyl COO bonding peak decreased with W/FM factor, and the tendency of intensity change of carboxylic COO peak was contrary to those of ether C-O and carbonyl C=O peaks.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2011

Nanocomposites of reduced graphene oxide and manganese (II,III) oxide can be synthesized by the freeze-drying process of the mixed colloidal suspension of graphene oxide and manganese oxide, and the subsequent heat-treatment. The calcined reduced graphene oxide-manganese (II,III) oxide nanocomposites are X-ray amorphous, suggesting the formation of homogeneous and disordered mixture without any phase separation. The reduction of graphene oxide to reduced graphene oxide upon the heat-treatment is evidenced by Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy. Field emission-scanning electronic microscopy and energy dispersive spectrometry clearly demonstrate the formation of porous structure by the house-of-cards type stacking of reduced graphene oxide nanosheets and the homogeneous distribution of manganese ions in the nanocomposites. According to Mn K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy, manganese ions in the calcined nanocomposites are stabilized in octahedral symmetry with mixed Mn oxidation state of Mn(II)/Mn(III). The present reduced graphene oxide-manganese oxide nanocomposites show characteristic pseudocapacitance behavior superior to the pristine manganese oxide, suggesting their applicability as electrode material for supercapacitors.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
• /
• v.54 no.3
• /
• pp.228-241
• /
• 2021

Cremated archaeological bones provide crucial information to unravel the details of ancient cremation events and funeral culture. The research on cremated bones to date has been mainly focused on extracting archaeological information in Korea. Recently, the techniques of physical anthropology have been applied to obtain biological information and cremation temperatures for individuals. This study analyzed human remains excavated from Seoul Seokchon-dong Ancient Tombs and determined whether there were human cremations as well as the estimated cremation temperatures. There was no trace of fire in the pits where cremated bones were found; therefore, it is assumed that they were deposited with the artifacts. In this study, four samples were selected according to the surface color of the bones, and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) were used for analysis. All four of the Seokchon-dong cremated bones were found, based on the crystallization index of X-ray diffraction analysis, to have experienced cremation above the temperature of 700℃. Infrared spectroscopy results indicated that the four bones from Seokchon-dong were cremated at temperatures above 700℃ and below 1,000℃. IR peaks were observed at 700℃, whereas no changes were found when bones experienced more than 1000℃. We assume that the cremated people in the Seokchon-dong Tombs were people of high-status because cremation at such a high temperature at that period required much effort. Here we present significant evidence of the cremation status and temperature of archaeological human bones on the basis of XRD and FT-IR, allowing for the restoration of the cremation events and funeral culture in archaeological sites.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.387-397
• /
• 2014

This work aims at estimating global warming potentials (GWP) of $CF_3Br$ and HFC-134a among green house gases. It has been reported that they have much higher GWP than $CO_2$ in the atmosphere. $CF_3Br$, halon 1301 which is well known to be a fire extinguisher, as one of the bromine-containing halons has been banned since 2003 due to destruction of ozone. HFCs, a kind of chiller which replaced chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are one of greenhouse gases regulated by the Kyoto Protocol. In this study, we produced GWPs of $CF_3Br$ and HFC-134a by calculating a life time and measuring an absorption cross section to obtain a radiative forcing (RF). Their absorption cross sections were measured by using Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTS) with a gas cell filled with their certified reference materials at room temperature. As a result, the RFs of $CF_3Br$ and HFC-134a were 0.32 and $0.168Wm^{-2}ppb^{-1}$, respectively and the GWPs were calculated as 7989, 6076, 3903 for $CF_3Br$ and 3855, 1300, 656 for HFC-134a for the time horizon of 20, 100, 500 years, respectively. Overall, uncertainty of the estimated GWPs can be estimated to be about 2.6%. Our results were compared with those proposed by the previous studies (IPCC, 2007; WMO, 1999).

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.185-197
• /
• 2011

Sorption of chlorinated pesticides such as 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and atrazine onto natural clays (montmorillonite and zeolite) modified with cationic surfactant, hexadecyltrimethyl-ammonium (HDTMA) and a natural soil was investigated using batch adsorbers. The clays were transformed from hydrophilic to hydrophobic by the cation exchange between clay surface and HDTMA up to 100% of the cation exchange capacity (CEC). Physicochemical characteristics of the sorbents such as pH, PZC (point of zero charge), organic carbon content ($f_{oc}$), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), differential thermogravimetric analysis (DTGA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were analyzed. Sorption isotherm models such as Freundlich and Langmuir were fitted to the experimental data, resulting Langmuir model ($R^2$ > 0.986) was fitted better than Freundlich model ($R^2$ > 0.973). Sorption capacity ($Q^0$) for 2,4-D and atrazine was in the order of HDTMA-montmorillonite > HDTMA-zeolite > natural soil corresponding to the increase in organic carbon content ($f_{oc}$). The sorption of the pesticides was also affected by pH. The sorption of 2,4-D decreased with the increase in pH, whereas that of atrazine was not changed. This indicated that the sorption capacity ($Q^0$) of 2,4-D and atrazine was not affected by the solution pH because they exist as anionic (deprotonated) forms at pH above pKa. The results indicate that organoclay has a promising potential to reduce chlorinated pesticides in the effluent from golf courses.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.99-104
• /
• 2012

The co-precipitation technique has been applied to synthesize biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP). $Ca(NO_3)_2{\cdot}4H_2O$ and $(NH_4)_2HPO_4$ as the starting materials was used. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transformed infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy were used to characterize the structure of as-synthesized and calcined BCP powders. After immersion in Hanks' Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS), for 1 week a precipitation started to be formed with individual small granules on the specimen surface. An MTT assay indicated that BCP powders have no cytotoxic effects on MG-63 cells, and that they have good biocompatibility.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
• /
• v.22 no.6
• /
• pp.279-285
• /
• 2012

The co-precipitation technique has been applied to synthesize Biphasic Calcium Phosphate (BCP), Mg-BCP and Si-BCP. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were used to characterize the structure of synthesized BCP, Mg-BCP and Si-BCP powders. The results have shown that BCP and substitution of magnesium and silicon in the calcium deficient apatites revealed the formation of biphasic mixtures of Hydroxyapatite (HAp)/${\beta}$-Tricalcium phosphate (${\beta}$-TCP) ratios after heating at $1000^{\circ}C$. Ionic substituted BCP is able to develop a new apatite phase on the surface in contact with physiological fluids faster than BCP does. An MTT assay indicated that BCP, Mg-BCP, and Si-BCP powders had no cytotoxic effects on MG-63 cells, and that they have good biocompatibility.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.119-126
• /
• 2008

Solid dispersions of poorly water-soluble drug, sibutramine, were prepared with hydrophilic polymer, poly-N-vinylpyrrolidone (PVP), hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) and organic acid, citric acid, to improve the solubility of drug. Physicochemical variation and shape of microsphere were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Microspheres containing additives showed more spherical shape than non additive microspheres. In vitro release behavior of microspheres presented at simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2) and simulated intestinal fluid (pH 6.8). The solid dispersion form transformed the drug into an amorphous state and dramatically improved its dissolution rate. These data suggest that the solid dispersion technique is an effective approach for developing the appetite depressant drug products and various pharmaceutical excipients are able to control the release behaviors.