• Carbon letters
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.187-191
• /
• 2014

This study reports on the influence of N-butyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium tetrafluoroborate ($PYR_{14}BF_4$) ionic liquid additive on the conducting and interfacial properties of organic solvent based electrolytes against a carbon electrode. We used the mixture of ethylene carbonate/dimethoxyethane (1:1) as an organic solvent electrolyte and tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate ($TEABF_4$) as a common salt. Using the $PYR_{14}BF$ ionic liquid as additive produced higher ionic conductivity in the electrolyte and lower interface resistance between carbon and electrolyte, resulting in improved capacitance. The chemical and electrochemical stability of the electrolyte was measured by ionic conductivity meter and linear sweep voltammetry. The electrochemical analysis between electrolyte and carbon electrode was examined by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.7-14
• /
• 2013

In the Bacillus amyloliquefaciens ${\alpha}$-amylase (BAA), the loop (residues 176-185; region I) that is the part of the calcium-binding site (CaI, II) has two more amino acid residues than the ${\alpha}$-amylase from Bacillus licheniformis (BLA). Arg176 in this region makes an ionic interaction with Glu126 from region II (residues 118-130), but this interaction is lost in BLA owing to substitution of R176Q and E126V. The goal of the present work was to quantitatively estimate the effect of ionic interaction on the overall stability of the enzyme. To clarify the functional and structural significance of the corresponding salt bridge, Glu126 was deleted (${\Delta}$E126) and converted to Val (E126V), Asp (E126D), and Lys (E126K) by site-directed mutagenesis. Kinetic constants, thermodynamic parameters, and structural changes were examined for the wild-type and mutated forms using UV-visible, atomic absoption, and fluorescence emission spectroscopy. Wild-type exhibited higher $k_{cat}$ and $K_m$ but lower catalytic efficiency than the mutant enzymes. A decreased thermostability and an increased flexibility were also found in all of the mutant enzymes when compared with the wild-type. Additionally, the calcium content of the wild-type was more than ${\Delta}E126$. Thus, it may be suggested that ionic interaction could decrease the mobility of the discussed region, prevent the diffusion of cations, and improve the thermostability of the whole enzyme. Based on these observations, the contribution of loop destabilization may be compensated by the formation of a salt bridge that has been used as an evolutionary mechanism or structural adaptation by the mesophilic enzyme.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
• /
• v.30 no.5
• /
• pp.331-337
• /
• 2017

Thermal batteries, reserve power source, is activated by melting of molten salt at the temperature range of $350{\sim}550^{\circ}C$. To immobile the molten state electrolyte when the thermal battery is activated, the binder must be added in electrolyte. Usually, molten salts include 30~40 wt% of MgO binder to ensure electrical insulation as well as safety. However, the conventional MgO binder tends to increase ionic conductive resistance and thus the inclusion of the binder increases the total impedance of the battery. This paper mainly focused on the study of yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) as an alternative binder for molten salt. The chemical stability between the molten salt and YSZ is measured by XRD and DSC. And the sufficient path for ionic conduction on molten salt could be confirmed by the enhanced wetting behavior and the enlarged pore size of YSZ. The electrochemical properties were analyzed using single cell tests so that it showed the outstanding performance than that using MgO binder.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.227-236
• /
• 2012

Ionomer is a thermoplastic that is composed of covalent bonds and ionic bonds. It is possible to use this material in processes such as injection molding or extrusion molding due to the material's high oil resistance, weatherproof characteristics, and shock resistance. In this study, a new ionomer having a multifunctional group was prepared by a stepwise neutralization system with the addition of acidic and salt additives. In step I, to increase the contents of the multifunctional group and the acid degree in ethylene acrylic acid (EAA), MGA was added to the ionomer resin (EAA). A new ionomer was prepared via the traditional preparation method of the ionic cross-linking process. In step II, metal salt was added to the mixture of EAA and MGA. The extrusion process was performed using a twin extruder (L/D = 40, size : ${\varphi}30$). Ionomer film was prepared for evaluation of gas permeability by using the compression molding process. The degree of neutralized and ionic cross-linked new ionomer was confirmed by FT-IR and XRD analysis. In order to estimate the neutralization of the new ionomer film, various properties such as gas permeation and mechanical properties were measured. The physical strength and anti-scratch property of the new ionomer were improved with increase of the neutralization degree. The gas barrier property of the new ionomer was improved through the introduction of an ionic site. Also, the ionic degree of cross-linking and gas barrier property of the ionomer membrane prepared by stepwise neutralization were increased.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.261-263
• /
• 1998

• Polymer(Korea)
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.265-270
• /
• 2003

In spite of high ionic conductivity, the polymer gels have poor mechanical properties and high reactivity with lithium metal anode. To solve these problems, the dry solid systems and polymer composites have been intensively studied, due to their good mechanical, thermal, chemical, and electrochemical stability. The objectives of this experiment were to improve ionic conductivity and mechanical properties of the solid polymer electrolytes based on PEO-LiClO$_4$. To obtain higher ionic conductivity and better mechanical properties, ceramic or rubber phase was added in the PEO-LiClO$_4$(8:1) matrix. The results showed that ionic conductivity and mechanical properties were improved. The ionic conductivity of the samples was as high as 10$\^$-5/ S cm$\^$-1/. This value is similar to the best ionic conductivity ever reported in the solid drying system. To obtain better results, we used PEO with various molecular weights (600∼8000) and changed the salt contents. By using DSC, we found that the addition of salt reduced the crystallinity of PEO. The mobility of polymer dependence on salt contents was examined by FT-IR.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• v.51 no.3
• /
• pp.347-351
• /
• 2013

The preparation of glycerol carbonate (GC) from urea through carbonylation with renewable glycerol was investigated by using ionic liquid catalysts. It was found that quaternary ammonium salt and imidazolium salt ionic liquids with a shorter alkyl chain length and higher nucleophilic anion showed better catalytic performance. The effects of reaction temperature, reaction time and degree of vacuum on the reactivity of TBAC catalyst ware discussed. Zinc chloride ($ZnCl_2$) was used as co-catalyst with the ionic liquid catalyst. The mixed catalyst showed a synergy effect on the glycerol conversion and GC yield probably due to the acid-base properties of the catalysts.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.358-362
• /
• 1996

The ionic strength dependent binding mode of 9-aminoacridine (9AA), a well-known DNA intercalator, to DNA is studied by flow linear dichroism, circular dichroism, fluorescence techniques and equilibrium dialysis. The DNA-bound 9AA exhibits spectral properties corresponding to the intercalative binding mode disregarding the salt concentrations; the angle between the long-axis transition moment of the 9AA molecule and DNA helix axis is calculated to be about 65°, indicating a significant deviation from the classical intercalation. At low salt concentrations, however, upwards bending curve in Stern-Volmer plot is observed (where 9AA is a fluorophore and DNA a quencher), indicating the coexistence of both static and dynamic quenching mechanisms or the existence of an additional binding site.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.63-67
• /
• 2011

To examine the effects of a two-cation ionic liquid as an electrolyte component of a supercapacitor, 1,4-bis(3-methylimidazolium-1-yl)butane tetrafluoroborate ($MIBBF_4$), dissolved in propylene carbonate (PC) or acetonitrile (ACN), is newly synthesized and tested here for potential use as an electrolyte of capacitor. The $MIBBF_4$ salt exhibits higher ionic conductivity in ACN than in PC. The supercapacitive properties of capacitors containing an activated carbon electrode and various electrolytes are evaluated using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The capacitor adopting the $MIBBF_4$/ACN electrolyte shows the largest specific capacitance at low scan rates, whereas the capacitor adopting the 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate $(EMIBF_4)$/ACN electrolyte shows the largest specific capacitance at high scan rates.

• Macromolecular Research
• /
• v.13 no.6
• /
• pp.483-490
• /
• 2005

A novel, polysaccharide-based, superabsorbent hydrogel was synthesized through crosslinking graft copolymerization of methacrylic acid (MAA) onto kappa-carrageenan ($_{k}C$), using ammonium persulfate (APS) as a free radical initiator in the presence of methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as a crosslinker. A proposed mechanism for $_{k}C$­g-polymethacrylic acid ($_{k}C$-g-PMAA) formation was suggested and the hydrogel structure was confirmed using FTIR spectroscopy. The effect of grafting variables, including MBA, MAA, and APS concentration, was systematically optimized to achieve a hydrogel with the maximum possible swelling capacity. The swelling kinetics in distilled water and various salt solutions were preliminarily investigated. Absorbency in aqueous salt solutions of lithium chloride, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium chloride, and aluminum chloride indicated that the swelling capacity decreased with increased ionic strength of the swelling medium. This behavior can be attributed to the charge screening effect for monovalent cations, as well as ionic crosslinking for multivalent cations. The swelling of super absorbing hydrogels was measured in solutions with pH ranging from 1 to 13. In addition, the pH reversibility and on-off switching behavior, at pH levels of 3.0 and 8.0, give the synthesized hydrogels great potential as an excellent candidate for the controlled delivery of bioactive agents.