• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.136-153
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• 2020

In this paper, the influence of initial formaldehyde/urea (F/U) molar ratios on the performance of low molar ratio (1.0) urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin adhesives has been investigated. Two initial F/U molar ratios, i.e., the first and second initial molar ratios were used for the alkaline addition reaction. Three levels of the first initial F/U molar ratios (2.0, 3.0, and 4.0) and two levels of the second initial molar ratios (2.0 and 1.7) were employed to prepare a total of six UF resins with an identical final molar ratio (1.0). The basis properties, functional groups, molecular weight, crystallinity, and thermal curing properties of the UF resins were characterized in detail. Higher levels (3.0 and 4.0) of the first initial F/U molar ratio provided the UF resins with better properties (non-volatile solids content, viscosity, gelation time, pH, and specific gravity) than those of the resins prepared with the conventional level F/U molar ratio of 2.0. Statistical analysis suggested that combining the first and second initial molar ratio of 4.0 with 1.7 would result in UF resins with greater adhesion strength and lower formaldehyde emission than those of the resins prepared with other molar ratios. The results showed that higher levels of the first initial molar ratio resulted in a more branched structure, as indicated by GPC, FTIR, DSC, XRD, and greater adhesion strength than those of the other UF resins with an identical final molar ratio of 1.0.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.45-52
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• 2006

Five low molar ratio urea-formaldehyde (LUF) resins were synthesized in this study. The effects of molar ratio, free formaldehyde content, and catalysts on the curing characteristics of LUF resins were studied by measuring its free formaldehyde content, pH value change after catalysts added, curing rate, and pot life, observing its cured appearance, and analyzing its thermal behavior. The results indicate that: 1) The LUF resin with lower molar ratio than 1.0 can still cure; 2) Free formaldehyde content is not the main factor in affecting curing rate of LUF resin; 3) Compared with ammonium chloride as a traditional catalyst, persulfate salts markedly accelerate the curing rate of LUF resin, and result in the different appearance; 4) the addition of sodium chloride to catalysts can accelerate the curing rate of LUF resin, but the effect is moderate.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.221-228
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• 2019

This study reports the performance of urea-formaldehyde (UF) resins prepared at two different low formaldehyde/urea (F/U) mole ratios with different numbers of urea addition during synthesis. The second or third urea was added during the synthesis of UF resins to obtain two different low molar ratios of 0.7 and 1.0, respectively. The molecular weights, cure kinetics, and adhesion performance of these resins were characterized by the gel permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry, and tensile shear strength of plywood, respectively. When the number of urea additions and F/U molar ratio increased, the gelation time decreased, whereas the viscosity and molecular weight increased. Further, the UF resins prepared with the second urea and 1.0 molar ratio resulted in greater activation energy than those with third urea and 0.7 molar ratio. Tensile shear strength and formaldehyde emission (FE) of the plywood that bonded with these resins increased when the number of urea additions and molar ratio increased. These results suggest that the UF resins prepared with 0.7 molar ratio and third urea addition provide lower adhesion performance and FE than those resins with 1.0 mole ratio and the second urea addition.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.169-180
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• 2021

Inherent crystalline domains present in low formaldehyde to urea (F/U) molar ratio urea-formaldehyde (UF) resins are responsible for their poor adhesion in wood-based composite panels. To modify the crystallinity of low molar ratio (LMR) UF resins, this study investigates the additional effect of cellulose nanomaterials (CNMs), such as cellulose microfibrils (CMFs), cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs), and TEMPO-oxidized CNFs (TEMPO-CNFs) on the crystallinity of modified LMR UF resins. First, two modification methods (post-mixing and in situ) were compared for modified LMR UF resins with TEMPO-CNFs. The modified UF resins with TEMPO-CNFs decreased the nonvolatile solid contents, while increasing the viscosity and gel time. However, the in situ modification of UF resins with TEMPO-CNFs showed lower crystallinity than that of post-mixing. Then, the in situ method was compared for all CNMs to modify LMR UF resins. The modified UF resins with CMFs using the in situ method increased nonvolatile solid contents and viscosity but decreased the gel time. The crystallinity of UF resins modified with TEMPO-CNFs was the lowest even though the crystalline domains were not significantly changed for all modified UF resins. These results suggest that these CNMs should be modified to prevent the formation of crystalline domains in LMR UF resins.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.12
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• pp.3952-3965
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• 2021

In this study, volcanic ash was used as raw material to prepare waste forms with different silicon/aluminum (Si/Al) molar ratios to immobilize sodium-salt waste (SSW) containing simulated ¹³⁷Cs. Effects of Si/Al molar ratios (3:1 and 2:1) and sodium salts on sintering behavior of waste forms and immobilization mechanism of Cs⁺ were investigated. Results indicated that the main mineral phase of sintered waste-form matrixes was albite, and the formation of major phases was found to depend on Si/Al molar ratios. Si/Al molar ratio of 2 was favorable for the formation of pollucite, and the formation and crystallization of mineral phases were also decided based on physicochemical characteristics of sodium salts. Furthermore, product consistency test results indicated that the immobilization of Cs⁺ was related to Si/Al molar ratio, types of sodium salts, and glassy phase. Waste forms with Si/Al molar ratio of 2 exhibited better ability to immobilize Cs⁺, whereas the influence of sodium salts and glassy phases on the immobilization of SSW showed more complicated relationship. In waste forms with Si/Al molar ratio of 2, Cs⁺ leaching concentrations of samples containing Na₂B₄O₇·10H₂O and NaOH were low. Na₂B₄O₇·10H₂O easily transformed into liquid phase during sintering to consequently achieve low temperature liquid-phase sintering, which is beneficial to avoid the volatilization of Cs⁺ at high temperature. Results clearly reveal that waste forms with Si/Al molar ratio of 2 and containing Na₂B₄O₇·10H₂O show excellent immobilization of Cs⁺.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.453-461
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• 2021

In wood-based composite panels, low-molar ratio (LMR) urea-formaldehyde (UF) resins usually result in reduced formaldehyde emission (FE) at the expense of poor adhesion. However, the FE and adhesion of medium-density fiberboard (MDF) bonded with LMR UF resins were both improved in this study. The modified LMR UF resins with transition metal ion-modified bentonite (TMI-BNT) nanoclay simultaneously improved the FE and adhesion of MDF panels. The modified LMR UF resins with 5% TMI-BNT resulted in a 37.1% FE reduction and 102.6% increase in the internal bonding (IB) strength of MDF panels. Furthermore, thickness swelling and water absorption also significantly decreased to 13.0% and 24.9%, respectively. These results imply that TMI-BNT modification of LMR UF resins could enhance the formation of a three-dimensional network rather than crystalline domains, resulting in improved cohesion.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.117-123
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• 2010

The objective of this research was executed to investigate the effect of molar ratio of formaldehyde to urea and melamine (F/(U+M)) of urea-melamine-formaldehyde (UMF) resin on bonding high and low moisture content veneers. For that purpose, UMF resin types with 5 different F/(U+M) molar ratios (1.45, 1.65, 1.85, 2.05, and 2.25) synthesized were used in present study. First, their curing behavior was evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry. Second, their adhesion performance in bonding high and low moisture content veneers was evaluated by probe tack and dry and wet shear strength tests. Curing temperature and reaction enthalpy decreased with the increase of F/(U+M) molar ratio. And the dry and wet shear strengthsof plywood manufactured from low moisture content veneers were higher than thoseof plywood manufactured from high moisture content veneers. Also, the maximum initial tack force on the low moisture content veneer was higher than that on the high moisture content veneer.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.429-436
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• 2004

Circulating fluidized bed combustion (hereafter CFBC) technology enables an efficient combustion for the materials with low heating values such as high ash coal and sludges. It also has desulfation function by adding limestone directly to combustor. The CFBC has been considered as one of the best processes for low grade coal containing with large contents of ash and sulfur. In this paper, in order to various tests were performed to find the optimum desulfation condition for CFBC using Korean Anthracite. We surveyed possible parameters and conducted desulfation efficiency test in D Thermal Power Plant. In addition, the result of some fundamental theoretical consideration was discussed with CFBC. Optimum limestone size could be considered to be 0.1-0.3mm irrespective of combustion temperature and Ca/S molar ratio variation. Desulfation efficiency increased as the molar ratio increased. Because desulfation process occurs at the surface at higher temperature, inner side of limestone can＇t be utilized. When surface area is not appropriate, some SO$_2$ emit without reaction. Optimum molar ratio should be decided after considering chemical and physical properties of limestone and coal thoroughly such as particle size, pore size and HGI. Commercial CFBC is operated at Ca/S 1.6. Combustor temperature 840-87$0^{\circ}C$ shows good desulfation efficiency.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.353-364
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• 2022

The crystalline domain of thermosetting urea-formaldehyde (UF) resins at low formaldehyde-to-urea (F/U) molar ratios (≤ 1.0) is known to be responsible for their poor performance as wood adhesives. Crystallization has been observed in 1.0 F/U UF resins during the addition reaction stage and at the end of the synthesis process (neat UF resins). The crystallinity and X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra of the uncured neat UF resins, on the other hand, differed significantly from those of the cured neat UF resins, raising the possibility that their crystal structures were also different. This study demonstrates for the first time that the crystalline domains in 1.0 F/U UF resins generated from uncured and cured samples are identical. Despite having a lower crystallinity value, the synchrotron XRD patterns of purified neat UF resins were equivalent to the XRD patterns of cured neat UF resins. Transmission electron microscope images of the cured UF resins showed that the crystals were lamellar structures. This finding suggests that the crystal at low molar ratio UF resins are isotropic polycrystals with random orientation.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.256-261
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• 2019

In this study, mid-infrared transparent zinc sulfide (ZnS) ceramics were fabricated through hydrothermal synthesis with different molar ratios of S/Zn (S/Zn = 0.8, 1.0, 1.2, 1.4, and 1.6). The ZnS ceramics were sintered at a relatively low temperature of $850^{\circ}C$ to prevent the occurrence of the hexagonal phase featuring optical anisotropy. The phase composition, microstructure, and optical properties of the ZnS ceramics were subsequently investigated by employing X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and Fouriertransform infrared spectroscopy. The results obtained indicate that the ZnS nanoparticles feature the cubic phase, without the hexagonal phase. Moreover, with increasing S, the crystallinity and particle size of the ZnS nanoparticles increased. The crystallinity and density of the ZnS ceramics improved when the molar ratio of S was higher than the molar ratio of Zn, thereby enhancing the transmittance. Furthermore, the ZnS ceramic with an S/Zn value of 1.2 was found to exhibit the highest transmittance of approximately 69% owing to the reduced occurrence of the hexagonal phase and a high density of 99.8%.