• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.659-666
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• 2019

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) generate electricity by electrochemical reactions of hydrogen and oxygen. PEMFCs are expected to alternate electric power generator using fossil fuels with various advantages of high power density, low operating temperature, and environmental-friendly products. PEMFCs have widely been used in a number of applications such as fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) and stationary fuel cell systems. However, there are remaining technical issues, particularly the long-term durability of each part of fuel cells. Degradation of a carbon supported-platinum catalyst in the anode and cathode follows various mechanistic origins in different fuel cell operating conditions, and thus accelerated stress test (AST) is suggested to evaluate the durability of electrocatalyst. In this article, comparable protocols of the AST durability test are intensively explained.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.49-58
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• 2012

Batch experiments using indigenous and commercialized adventive microorganisms were performed to investigate the feasibility of the biodegradation process for the diesel contaminated soil, which was taken in US Military Camp 'Hialeah', Korea. TPH concentration of the soil was determined as 3,819 mg/kg. Four indigenous microorganisms having high TPH degradation activity were isolated from the soil and by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, they were identified as Arthrobacter sp., Burkholderia sp., Cupriavidus sp. and Bacillus sp.. Two kinds of commercialized solutions cultured with adventive microorganisms were also used for the experiments. Various biodegradation conditions such as the amount of microorganism, water content and the temperature were applied to decide the optimal bioavailability condition in the experiments. In the case of soils without additional microorganisms (on the natural attenuation condition), 35% of initial TPH was removed from the soil by inhabitant microorganisms in soil for 30 days. When the commercialized microorganism cultured solutions were added into the soil, their average TPH removal efficiencies were 64%, and 54%, respectively, which were higher than that without additional microorganisms. When indigenous microorganisms isolated from the contaminated soil were added into the soil, TPH removal efficiency increased up to 95% (for Bacillus sp.). According to the calculation of the average biodegradation rates for Bacillus sp., the remediation goal (87% of the removal efficiency: 500 mg/kg) for the soil would reach within 24 days. Results suggested that TPH removal efficiency of biodegradation by injecting indigenous microorganisms is better than those by injecting commercialized adventive microorganisms and only by using the natural attenuation.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.379-387
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• 2010

Sediments of Little Scioto (LS) River in Ohio was contaminated by poor disposal of creosote from Baker Wood Creosoting Facility. Among the primary compounds of creosote, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are the most common ingredient PAHs are known for toxic, carcinogenic and mutagenic compounds. There are many difficulties to remove the PAHs in nature environment because their characteristics are having a less water-solubility, volatile and low mobility properties as increasing the molecular weight. The generation of hydroxyl radicals (${\cdot}OH$) and hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) forms as well as high temperature (5000 K) and pressure (1000 atm) by a physico-chemical effects of ultrasound during a cavitation collapse can promote the degradation and desorption of PAHs in sediment And it can also produces shock wave and microjets which are able to change the size and surface of particle in solid-liquid system as one of physical effects. Therefore, we explored to understand the role of particle size, the effect of elimination for PAHs concentration by ultrasound and optimize the conditions for ultrasonic treatment. The condition of various size of particles (> $150{\mu}m$, < $150{\mu}m$) and solid-liquid ratio (12.5g/L, 25g/L) for the treatment was considered and ultrasonic power (430 W/L) with liquid - hexane extraction and microwave extraction method were applied after ultrasound treatment.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.246-251
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• 2010

The composite photocatalysts of a Fe-modified carbon nanotube (CNT)-$TiO_2$ were synthesized by a two-step sol-gel method at high temperature. Its chemical composition and surface properties were investigated by BET surface area, scanning electron microscope (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. The results showed that the BET surface area was improved by modification of Fe, which was related to the adsorption capacity for each composite. Interesting thin layer aggregates of nanosized $TiO_2$ were observed from TEM images, probably stabilized by the presence of CNT, and the surface and structural characterization of the samples was carried out. The XRD results showed that the Fe/CNT-$TiO_2$ composites contained a mix of anatase and rutile forms of $TiO_2$ particles when the precursor is $TiOSO_4{\cdot}xH_2O$ (TOS). An excellent photocatalytic activity of Fe/CNT-$TiO_2$ was obtained for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible light irradiation. It was considered that Fe cation could be doped into the matrix of $TiO_2$, which could hinder the recombination rate of the excited electrons/holes. The photocatalytic activity of the composites was also found to depend on the presence of CNT. The synergistic effects among the Fe, CNT and $TiO_2$ components were responsible for improving the visible light photocatalytic activity.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.711-718
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• 2011

Effects of heating conditions and seed roasting on the lipid oxidation and antioxidants of perilla seeds were studied. Perilla seeds, that were unroasted or roasted at $180^{\circ}C$ for 20 min, were ground and heated over steam at $100^{\circ}C/1$ atm or at $135^{\circ}C/2$ atm. Lipid oxidation was evaluated by peroxide value, conjugated dienoic acids contents, and fatty acid composition. Tocopherols and polyphenols were also determined. Lipid oxidation of perilla seeds was higher during heating at $135^{\circ}C/2$ atm than at $100^{\circ}C/1$ atm, and the oxidation rate was lower in unroasted seeds than in roasted seeds. Degradation of tocopherols and polyphenols in perilla seeds during heating was faster under high pressure and temperature, and was decreased by seed roasting. Contribution of polyphenols to the oxidative stability of perilla seeds during heating was higher than that of tocopherols, suggesting polyphenols and seed roasting as important factors in lipid oxidation of perilla seeds.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.444-450
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• 2011

A high molecular weight natural sodium alginate (HMWSAs) was depolymerized by hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) with ultrasonic irradiation. The effects of the reaction conditions such as reaction temperature, reaction time, hydrogen peroxide concentration and ultrasonic irradiation time on the molecular weights and the end groups of the depolymerized alginates were investigated. It was revealed that depolymerization occurred through the breakage of 1,4-glycosidic bonds of sodium alginate and the formation of formate groups on the main chain under certain conditions. The changes in molecular weight were monitored by GPC-MALS. The molecular weight of 2 wt% alginate solution decreased from 450 to 15.9 kDa for 0.5 hrs at 50 $^{\circ}C$ under an appropriate ultrasonic irradiation. The PDI(polydispersity index)s of the alginate depolymerized in this study were considerably narrow in comparison with those obtained from the other chemical degradation method. The PDIs were in the range of 1.5~2.5 in any reaction conditions employed in this study.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.156-161
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• 2013

Phenolic antioxidants are effective stabilizers that provide excellent long-term heat stability by preventing thermo-oxidative degradation during processing and service life. However, under a selected set of circumstances, certain types of phenolics have been susceptible to discoloration due to prolonged storage in an environment containing oxides of nitrogen. It is investigated that the effect of addition of secondary antioxidant and chemical structure of primary antioxidant on discoloration of amorphous poly-${\alpha}$-olefin (APAO), which is especially prone to be decomposed in high processing temperature. From the result, it is concluded that a higher level of steric hindrance of phenolic antioxidant provided by long alkyl chain allows a more enhanced synergic effect with secondary antioxidant.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.458-465
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• 2016

A $TiO_2$/CNT nanohybrid photocatalyst is synthesized via sol-gel route, with titanium (IV) isopropoxide and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as the starting materials. The microstructures and phase constitution of the nanohybrid $TiO_2$/CNT (0.005wt%) samples after calcination at $450^{\circ}C$, $550^{\circ}C$ and $650^{\circ}C$ in air are compared with those of pure $TiO_2$ using field-emission scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, respectively. In addition, the photocatalytic activity of the nanohybrid is compared with that of pure $TiO_2$ with regard to the degradation of methyl orange under visible light irradiation. The $TiO_2$/CNT composite exhibits a fast grain growth and phase transformation during calcination. The nanocomposite shows enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation in comparison to pure $TiO_2$ owing to not only better adsorption capability of CNT but also effective electron transfer between $TiO_2$ and CNTs. However, the high calcination temperature of $650^{\circ}C$, regardless of addition of CNT, causes a decrease in photocatalytic activity because of grain growth and phase transformation to rutile. These results such as fast phase transformation to rutile and effective electron transfer are related to carbon doping into $TiO_2$.

• Magazine of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.139-148
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• 2002

Pilot study was performed to examine the feasibility of the pond system for further polishing of treatment wetland effluent from December 2000 to June 2001. The wetland system used for the experiment was highly effective to treat the sewage during the growing season, but it was less effective and its effluent was still high to discharge to the receiving water body. Therefore, the wetland effluent may need further treatment to prevent water quality degradation. Pond system could be used to hold and further polish the wetland effluent during the winter season and ots feasibility was evaluated in this study. Additional water quality improvement was apparent in the pond system during winter season, and the pond effluent could be good enough to meet the effluent water quality standards if it is properly managed. Timing of the pond effluent discharge appears to be critical for pond system management because it is a closed system and whole water quality constituents are affected by physical, chemical, and biological pond environments. Once algae started to grow in mid-April, constituents in the pond water column interact each other actively and its control becomes more complicated. Therefore, upper layer of the pond water column which is clearer than the lower layer my need be discharged in March right after ice cover melted. In the experiment, water quality of the upper water column was markedly clear in March than ant other times probably because of freezing-thawing effect. The remaining lower water column could be further treated by natural purification as temperature goes up or diluted with better quality of wetland effluent for appropriate water uses. This study demonstrated the feasibility of pond system for subsequent management of wetland effluent during the winter season, however, more study is needed for field application.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.41-45
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• 2014

We have investigated the passivation property of $SiN_x$ and $SiO_2$ thin films formed using various process conditions for the application of crystalline Si solar cells. An increase in the thickness of $SiN_x$ deposited using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) led to the improvement of passivation quality. This could be associated with the passivation of Si dangling bonds by hydrogen atoms which were supplied during PECVD deposition. The $SiO_2$ thin films grown using dry oxidation process exhibited better passivation behavior than those using wet oxidation process, implying the dry oxidation process was more effective in the formation of high quality $SiO_2$ thin films. The relative effective life time gradually decreased with increasing dry oxidation temperature. Such a degradation of passivation behavior could be attributed to the increase in interface trap density caused by thermal damages.