• Advances in Energy Research
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.285-297
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• 2016

Fundamental understanding of vanadium ion transport and the detrimental effects of cross-contamination on vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) performance is critical for developing low-cost, robust, and highly selective proton-conducting membranes for VRFBs. The objective of this work is to examine the effect of conductivity and diffusivity, two key membrane parameters, on long-cycle performance of a VRFB at different operating conditions using a transient 2D multi-component model. This single-channel model combines the transport of vanadium ions, chemical reactions between permeated ions, and electrochemical reactions. It has been discovered that membrane selecting criterion for long cycles depends critically on current density and operating voltage range of the cell. The conducted simulation work is also designed to study the synergistic effects of the membrane properties on dynamics of VRFBs as well as to provide general guidelines for future membrane material development.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.91-96
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• 1990

This experiment was designed to determine whether ${\alpha}$-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) can be used to predict membrane function of spermatozoa by measuring the uptake of AIB by fresh, stored and frozen-thawed rooster spermatozoa. When spermatozoa were stored at low temperature ($0{\sim}3^{\circ}C$) for 24 h. no difference was found in AIB uptake compared with fresh spermatozoa, whereas storage for 48 h resulted in a slight increase in AIB uptake by spermatozoa. On the one hand, the uptake of AIB by frozen-thawed spermatozoa was less than that by fresh spermatozoa. This suggests possibility of a different membrane transport system between spermatozoa preserved at low temperature ($0{\sim}3^{\circ}C$) and those frozen-thawed. Glycerol used as cryoprotectant may modify rooster sperm membrane in a different manner from cold preservation. Ouabaine ($10^{-4}M$) caused a slight decrease in AIB uptake, but caffeine ($10^{-2}M$) did not influence spermatozoal AIB uptake. These results indicate a successful application of AIB to rooster spermatozoa as a mean for measuring sperm membrane function and suggest a possible alteration of membrane transport system in rooster spermatozoa between cold ($0{\sim}3^{\circ}C$) and cryopreservation ($-196^{\circ}C$).

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.47 no.7
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• pp.859-866
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• 2015

The aim of this work is to investigate the transport mechanism of radioactive nuclides through the reverse osmosis (RO) membrane and to estimate its effectiveness for nuclide separation from radioactive liquid waste. An analytical model is developed to simulate the RO separation, and a series of experiments are set up to confirm its estimated separation behavior. The model is based on the extended Nernst-Plank equation, which handles the convective flux, diffusive flux, and electromigration flux under electroneutrality and zero electric current conditions. The distribution coefficient which arises due to ion interactions with the membrane material and the electric potential jump at the membrane interface are included as boundary conditions in solving the equation. A high Peclet approximation is adopted to simplify the calculation, but the effect of concentration polarization is included for a more accurate prediction of separation. Cobalt and cesium are specifically selected for the experiments in order to check the separation mechanism from liquid waste composed of various radioactive nuclides and nonradioactive substances, and the results are compared with the estimated cobalt and cesium rejections of the RO membrane using the model. Experimental and calculated results are shown to be in excellent agreement. The proposed model will be very useful for the prediction of separation behavior of various radioactive nuclides by the RO membrane.

• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
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• 1991.10a
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• pp.4-8
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• 1991

The characterization of pore properties (mean pore size and pore size distribution) of the active layer in a UF membrane is important not only in order to obtain information about the factors affecting pore formation during membrane manufacturing but also to understand deeply the mechanism of solute and solvent transport through pores. Many methods of characterizing quantitatively the pore properties of UF membranes have been suggested in the literature: solvent and gas flow measurement, bubble point determination, electron microscopy, gas adsorption/desorption measurement, rejection measurement etc. But most of these methods involve time-consuming procedures and involve some wellknown problems and uncertainties.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.235-242
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• 1999

We investigated the growth-inhibitory mechanism of Helicobacter pylori by omeprazole (OMP) and its activated sulfenamide (OAS). Using dithiothreitol (DTT) and 5,5'-dithio-bis[2-nitrobenzoic acid] (DTNB; Ellman's reagent), we first determined the relationship between the binding capacity of these compounds to H. pylori membrane and its significance to membrane P-type ATPase activity. After incubation of the intact H. pylori cells with either OMP or OAS, the residual quantity of free SH-groups on the cell membrane was measured, and, the resulting values were plotted as a function of time. From this experiment, we found that there was a considerable difference in the membrane-binding rates between OMP and OAS. At neutral pH, the disulfide bond formation on H. pylori membrane was completed within 2 min of incubation of the intact cells with OAS. By OMP, however, it was gradually formed, exceeding 10 min of incubation for completion, whereby, the extent of P-type ATPase inhibition appeared to be proportional to the disulfide forming rate. From this data, it was suggested that the disulfide formation might directly affect enzyme activity. Since OMP per se cannot yield a disulfide bond with cysteine, it is predicted that the enzyme inactivation must be caused by the OAS form. Accordingly, we postulated that, under the neutral pH, OMP could be converted to OAS in the course of transport. By extrapolating the inhibitory slopes, we could evaluate K₁ values, relating to their minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for H. pylori growth. In these MIC ranges, H. pylori uptake or vesicular export of nutrients such as peptides were totally prohibited, but their effect in Escherichia coli were negligible. From these observations, we strongly suggest that the P-type ATPase activity is essential for the survival of H. pylori cells in particular.

• Clean Technology
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• v.13 no.1 s.36
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• pp.79-84
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• 2007

Separation of ethylene from ethane and propylene from propane have been conducted using facilitated olefin transport membrane with SPEEK-Ag (Ag substituted sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone)). SPEEK was prepared by the sulfonation of PEEK using cone. $H_2SO_4$ and the reaction time affected the degree of sulfonation (DS) of the resulting SPEEK. SPEEK-Ag composite membrane was formed by soaking SPEEK in the polyester support into the Ag salt solution. With increasing the concentration of SPEEK in MeOH, the thickness of SPEEK on the polyester increased. The selectivity and the flux of SPEEK-Ag membrane for the separation of ethylene/ethane and propylene/propane were changed by the thickness of SPEEK layer on the top of polyester support. The anion of silver salt also affects the membrane performance.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2014

Ion exchange membrane is widely used in various fields such as electro dialysis, diffusion dialysis, redox flow battery, fuel cell. PVC cation exchange membrane using ultrasonic modification was prepared by sulfonation reaction in various sulfonation times. Sulfuric acid was used as a sulfonating agent with ultrasonic condition. We've characterized basic structure of sulfonated PVC cation exchange membrane by FT-IR, EDX, water uptake, ion exchange capacity (IEC), electrical resistance (ER), conductivity, ion transport number and surface morphology (SEM). The presence of sulfonic groups in the sulfonated PVC cation exchange membrane was confirmed by FT-IR. The maximum values of water uptake, IEC, electrical resistance and ion transport number were 40.2%, 0.87 meq/g, $35.2{\Omega}{\cdot}cm^2$ and 0.88, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.163-169
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• 1984

The transport rates of $K^+$ion through CHCl$_3$ liquid membrane containing dibenzo-18-crown-6(DBC) as a carrier molecule have been determined at $25^{\circ}C$. The transport rates depend highly on the ion concentration and on the nature of anion. It is concluded that $K^+$ions are transported in the form of ion-pair. In the case of potassium picrate, however, it is found that the transport proceeds with the formation of the incomplete ion-pair in the concentration less than 1.0 ${\times}10^{-3}$M of picrate, while with the complete formation of ion-pair in the concentration more than 1.0 ${\times}10^{-3}$M of picrate. Seven steps of the transport process are suggested and they can be illustrated in terms of energy barrier model as a function of the position of ionic species in the membrane.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.170-175
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• 1994

The glucose transport across the mammalian plasma membranes is carried out by members of two distinct gene families, $Na^+$/glucose to transporter (SGLT) and glucose transporters (GLUTs). The energy requiring SGLT utilizes the sodium gradient to transport glucose and galactose against the concentration gradient. The energy independent transport (Facilitative transport) of glucose down the concentration gradient is mediated by the members of GLUTs. The facilitated transport of glucose is saturable, sterospecific and bidirectional across the membrane. To date, 6 kinds of isoforms of facilitative glucose transporters are found. These proteins are expressed in a tissue and cell specific manner, and shows distinct properties that reflect their specific functional roles.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.58-69
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• 2024

Reverse electrodialysis (RED) is an electro-membrane process employing ion-exchange membranes (IEMs) that can harvest electric energy from the concentration difference between seawater and river water. Multivalent ions contained in seawater and river water bind strongly to the fixed charge groups of the IEM, causing high resistance and reducing open-circuit voltage and power density through uphill transport. In this study, a pore-filled anion-exchange membrane (PFAEM) with excellent monovalent ion selectivity and electrochemical properties was fabricated and characterized for RED application. The monovalent ion selectivity of the prepared membrane was 3.65, which was superior to a commercial membrane (ASE, Astom Corp.) with a selectivity of 1.27 under the same conditions. Additionally, the prepared membrane showed excellent electrochemical properties, including low electrical resistance compared to ASE. As a result of evaluating RED performance under seawater of 0.459 M NaCl/0.0510 M Na₂SO₄ and river water of 0.0153 M NaCl/0.0017 M Na₂SO₄, the maximum power density of 1.80 W/m² was obtained by applying the prepared membrane, which is a 40.6% improved output performance compared to the ASE membrane.